Can someone explain Southwest boarding..

[MaryPA]

Hi All,

Although Southwest has not announced prices for my dates yet...

Can someone explain to me how it works? From what I understand you print out your boarding passes the day before you leave, is that where you get your seat assigned? How does it work for the return flight home? I won't have access to a computer. I am not all that computer savvy like the rest of the Dis'rs.

I have always used a travel agent before and since we joined DVC I have no need for a hotel and wondered if I could do what the rest of you do!

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Mary

 

[allonte]

You can either print off your boarding passes 24 hours before the flight or at the airport. SW works on a First Come First Serve basis. They board in Groups. First it's the disabled and small children group, then it's group A, B, and then C (your group will be on your boarding pass). There are no seat assignments, you sit in whichever seat you want when you get on the plane. I wouldn't worry about printing off the boarding pass on the return flight as long as you get to the airport in good time. Good luck.

 

[1000th happy haunt]

I've flown on Southwest twice, and both times I asked the hotel to print my return boarding pass for me (the first time was a Holiday Inn in New Hampshire the second time it was POR in WDW).

 

[salmoneous]

There are no assigned seats on Southwest. When you check in for your flight, you are put in one of three groups: A, B, C. The first folks to check in get group A, the next group B, the last group C. When you get to the gate, you can line up within your group. Preboarders go on first (disabled and folks with children under 5), then the A's, then the B's, then the C's.

You (or a computer savy friend) can check in for your flight up to 24 hours before the flight. If you check in at the 24-hour mark, you should get put in the A group and have the best choice of seats.

You would usually print your boarding pass when you check in. However, if you don't have a printer (or a friend back home is checking in for you) you can print the boarding passes at the airport (you go the kiosk as if you need to check in, and choose "reprint boarding pass").

For your trip home, the lobby consierge at the Disney resorts can both check you in and print boarding passes.

If things still aren't clear, ask.

 

[JDietz40]

For your return trip the lobby concierge can print out your boarding pass as pointed out in an earlier post. All you will need to do is show them a copy of you SWA flight information with your confirmation number and they can do the rest. We had a laptop with us in November at BCV and went on line and checked in on SWA website but I was nervous about waiting to get to the airport to get the boarding pass printed even with the knowledge that we had A section boarding so I went to the concierge with the info and they were able to log on to SWA and print the boarding passes.

Good luck and good flying,



John

 

[erikthewise]

"A is for Aisle, as good as an Ace,
You get a nice seat and some overhead space.
B is for Back, because that's where you'll go,
To look for a good seat -- you just never know!
C is for Center, 'cause that's where you'll sit.
And no you won't like it, not one little bit."

(apologies to Dr. Seuss)

The good news is that if you check-in online, you'll almost certainly get an A pass.

 

[MaryPA]

Thank you all for your help and advice.

I must have been mistaken but I thought I heard or read that the Disney Hotels wouldn't do that.

Again, thank you. I love the little poem that came as advice.

I owe you all a drink if we ever meet up! Or Cookies!

 

[karrit2000]

In my experience it has been first those disabled who manage to get in line ahead of every entire extended family with one small child. Then the disabled who were not able to get around all the extended families who think they qualify to board first. So even if you have an "A" boarding pass the plane will be half full before you get to board. So I always head for the back of the plane.