Can you check in for airline on ship

[Freeman867]

I actually don’t think this is possible. We recently did early bird check in and the way it worked is that Southwest automatically assigned us a boarding number before the general public can check in. You can’t go in early and do it for yourself (or others).

What they're saying is have one person with an earlybird check-in. Have that person get on the plane in their pre-assigned A position, then save the seats around them for their traveling partner in late C positions, so the last people to get on the plane. Definitely a jerk-store move and the flight attendants wouldn't even allow it.

I'm not sure the situation of how many in the travel party, are there young kids involved, how long is the flight home that you'd have to be apart on the plane, a lot of variables here that would impact my decision.

 

[MomOTwins]

What they're saying is have one person with an earlybird check-in. Have that person get on the plane in their pre-assigned A position, then save the seats around them for their traveling partner in late C positions, so the last people to get on the plane. Definitely a jerk-store move and the flight attendants wouldn't even allow it.

I'm not sure the situation of how many in the travel party, are there young kids involved, how long is the flight home that you'd have to be apart on the plane, a lot of variables here that would impact my decision.

Oh, I see what you mean. Yeesh, yes, can’t believe people would really do that. Southwest allows family boarding with small kids so there is really no good reason to cheat.

 

[Cheburashka]

Oh, I see what you mean. Yeesh, yes, can’t believe people would really do that.

They absolutely do that. Flight attendants usually turn a blind eye.

 

[Dug720]

If all else fails, you could do what my parents do - get someone you trust (in my parents' case, me) to check in for you. They just need your confirmation code (and let them know the "capital" letters may in fact be lowercase when they need to enter it) and flight time and the name one of the tickets is under.

 

[brentm77]

Definitely a jerk-store move and the flight attendants wouldn't even allow it.

That wasn't my recent experience. I rarely fly Southwest. But we had to return from a trip early recently due to a family emergency and Southwest was the quickest option. I bought their premium ticket so I could be near the front of the line, even ahead of Early Bird upgrades. We were number 3 and 4 in line. With only one couple in front of us, so it was our plan to grab the exit row seats.

But we found the couple split, occupying each exit row. The guy wasn't even sitting down, so it was obvious what he was doing. My wife asked if they were traveling together and the woman angrily said, "we are flying in both rows." So we took a different row, only to find the couple was indeed saving the spot we wanted for another couple who boarded late and happily said, "it's great flying with you!" while taking what should have been our seats. The flight attendant saw the entire thing (literally standing at the exit row) and didn't care or intervene to help us. It was a super jerk move. If it's not worth the cost to you to be at the front of the line, don't cheat those who did pay the extra fee.

Between that, and the flight attendant on the first leg of the flight snidely saying, "pick a seat Goldy Locks" when I asked my wife which row she would preferred (without delaying anyone), I remembered why prefer one of their competitors.

To the OP - I haven't had good luck with the internet connections on the ship being reliable when I needed it. If it is in the budget, it might be worth the small fee to not need to worry about it and can enjoy your last day on the ship.