Changes in Southwest boarding pass procedure?

[njmomof2]

I was just reading the other thread on boarding times for Southwest and it raised some questions for me. I will be flying from PVD to MCO this Thursday alone with my 2 kids 12 and 9. I want to arrive in plenty of time to get an A pass for my 1:55 flight.
Last year when I flew SW boarding passes were not given out until 1.5 hours before the flight. If you checked your luggage before that time you had to line up at the gate for a boarding pass which were given out 1.5hours ahead, but you could also get a boarding pass from tha skycap at the same time. We found it best to sky cap at exactly 1.5 hours ahead.
I want to be sure I am reading the info on the SW website correctly, because I think if says you can get your boarding pass from the skycap up to 4 hours before your flight. Is this correct? If It is I will try to arrive around 12:00 and avoid any possible problems.

thanks

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by njmomof2
I was just reading the other thread on boarding times for Southwest and it raised some questions for me. I will be flying from PVD to MCO this Thursday alone with my 2 kids 12 and 9. I want to arrive in plenty of time to get an A pass for my 1:55 flight.
Last year when I flew SW boarding passes were not given out until 1.5 hours before the flight. If you checked your luggage before that time you had to line up at the gate for a boarding pass which were given out 1.5hours ahead, but you could also get a boarding pass from tha skycap at the same time. We found it best to sky cap at exactly 1.5 hours ahead.
I want to be sure I am reading the info on the SW website correctly, because I think if says you can get your boarding pass from the skycap up to 4 hours before your flight. Is this correct? If It is I will try to arrive around 12:00 and avoid any possible problems.

thanks

Customers may check luggage and receive boarding passes at the Skycap Counter (in select locations) or Ticket Counter up to four hours prior to scheduled departure.


apparently that means you can check your bags, tip the skycap and get your boarding pass 4 hours before you flight.

 

[GoldenOldie]

When I came home from Orlando two weeks ago, I got to the Southwest ticket counter at MCO 2 hours and 15 minutes before my flight. I had no trouble checking my bags and getting my boarding pass. It was, however, a B boarding card even at that point in time.

 

[WDW4us2003]

I flew out of PVD to MCO last week. I arrived two hours before my flight, and it took a while to get through security. I would definitely give yourself at least two hours before your departure to get to the skycap, or more if you really want that A category. I did the same thing returning home, but was given a B pass even though we were two hours ahead. When we got to the gate, people were sitting on the floor in the designated A B or C lines to get their spots. And this was 90 minutes before boarding! I guarantee this will happen to you. There are many families on these flights who want to make sure they can all sit together.

 

[Biddler]

Do they still pre-board if you are traveling with small children? On that same note, we are also traveling with my parents. Will they let us all pre-board since we are traveling together?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Biddler
Do they still pre-board if you are traveling with small children? On that same note, we are also traveling with my parents. Will they let us all pre-board since we are traveling together?

If the plane is not full of children, then they will allow families (that is mother, father, sibs and the little one, NOT grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins or new friends you made in the last 10 mins. )with children 4 and under to preboard. You can save seats for your parents if they won't let them preboard with you.

 

[njmomof2]

Thanks for your help. It looks like I should plan on more than 2 hours ahead. I think I'll shoot for 2.5-3 and hope for the best.

 

[CarolA]

Not sure where you are flying from, but 3 hours is a LONG time to spend in the airport. I check in one hour in advance and normally get a first group boarding pass or at the worst a second. I think two hours would be more then enough!