DH can't check-in online with SWA??

[AlwaysEeyore]

I just tried to print our boarding passes for our flight tomorrow morning at 6:40am. I could print mine with no problem but it said DH had to check-in at the airport.
Does that mean I will be sitting by myself? I have an A pass will they give DH one also when he checks in at the airport?
I am so annoyed!! What are the chances I will be able to save him a seat on a full flight?

 

[havencruiser]

They probably won't give him an "A" pass but I don't see why you can't save him a seat.

 

[Anastasia]

My 9 year old gets flagged at check in every time we travel. Apparently someone with the same name as him is on a TSA watch list.

We flew to Chicago on SWA this summer. I printed out 5 "A" boarding passes the day before, and was not able to check my son in. He then got a "B" boarding pass after we checked him in at the airport. Before we got on the plane, I talked to the woman at the counter at the gate. She assured me that he would be able to board with us.

I just handed them all of the boarding passes when we boarded, and they didn't even question it. They just let us board together.

 

[salmoneous]

Assuming it is just you and DH, get on the plane and pick a row where there is already one person sitting. You should have no problem saving the center seat next to you until he gets on.

 

[seashoreCM]

Assuming it is just you and DH, get on the plane and pick a row where there is already one person sitting. You should have no problem saving the center seat next to you until he gets on.

You will have to say you are saving that seat just in case that other person was also saving it. Also go well past the wings, where people are less likely to squeeze in until it becomes absolutely necessary.

If you have all A's and one C, and the C belongs to a child, hold all of the passes in a stack with the C on the bottom almost until your A line is moving. Then hand out the passes. They won't send the child alone to the C line.

 

[DebbieB]

I'm not positive about SW but most airlines will allow everyone to board with the highest zone in your party.

 

[NotUrsula]

No, SWA won't allow it quite that way, since their boarding isn't by zones. They will allow younger children who have B or C's to board with the adults in their party, whatever the adult's boarding group is. Teens will normally not be granted that, unless there is some kind of disability involved, in which case the GA will allow it.

Conventional understood "etiquette" on SWA is that you can save up to two seats for actual persons in your party who board in later groups, and you do it by sitting in the outermost seat of the group to be saved and explaining what you are doing to anyone who asks about the seats. There is no "right" to save--you are depending on the kindness of strangers. If the person says that they want the seat(s) anyway, you smile and give them up. Trying to save anything other than a middle seat in a row forward of the wings is pretty much doomed, and saving at all in an exit or bulkhead row is guaranteed to fail. Saving for a "phantom" passenger so that you'll be able to spread over two seats is a no-no, and if the FA's catch you they will publicly embarass you.

 

[AlwaysEeyore]

Thanks, This trip is just myself & DH. I really wanted it to be a nice relaxing trip, I hate that it has to start off with stress. From what I can tell this flight will be packed, they never dropped the price and all the pricing levels sold out. DH always gets singled out when we fly but no one has ever explained why.

 

[TravelinGal]

We were in the A group both times but after all the "pre boarders" got on (in Denver - "families with children UNDER TWELVE" ) there were already almost no 2 seats left together. People had taken all the aisle and window seats spreading their families out in the hopes of keeping a whole row for 2 people. Selfish jerks. (same thing happened leaving MCO too, but at least they said families with children FOUR and under)

So, even if you are in the same group, it doesn't necessarily bode well for you.

I will never fly SWA again. The minimal cost savings is not worth the stress of not knowing if you can sit together.

Not to mention the families yelling back and forth across the aisles to a family member 3 rows back wasn't pleasant either. I have never been on a flight that was that loud in my entire life! (and I've been flying for almost 40 years)

 

[seashoreCM]

Not to mention the families yelling back and forth across the aisles to a family member 3 rows back wasn't pleasant either. I have never been on a flight that was that loud in my entire life! )

Offer to trade seats so they'll be closer together. Or petition the FAA to allow walkie talkies.

) there were already almost no 2 seats left together.

Your turn to take two separated seats perhaps just one row apart instead of the usual three and yell back and forth.

People had taken all the aisle and window seats spreading their families out in the hopes of keeping a whole row for 2 people. Selfish jerks

Even perfect strangers not spreading out anything and not hoping to keep a whole row for 2 people will take the aisle and window seats.

 

[CPT Tripss]

SWA flags people on special rates (Srs) in order to ID them at the checkin desk. Also they have to flag a certain number randomly for specialo screening by TSA. It will be interesting to hear what he gets told.

Go towards the rear of the plane and save him a middle seat . . . that should be no problem.

 

[wdwfan1]

Twice I had an A ticket and my husband had a B. I went up to the attendant and explained. We were allowed to board together both times.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[NotUrsula]

SWA's universal policy is that "family preboards" are for children under age 5, which is set at that point because age 5 is the age at which children are permitted to fly unaccompanied. You should have said something to the gate personnel if the policy was being abused.

If other passengers are causing a disruption on a flight, for heaven's sake, COMPLAIN TO THE FA! They generally will not provoke a confrontation with a passenger if no one is complaining, because there is always a risk of the passenger getting physical, but they WILL say something to the person if other passengers complain. You have as much right to be comfortable as another passenger does. If you don't want to say it in the person's hearing, speak to the FA when you visit the lav.

IME, most disruptive passengers are fueled by alcohol. Getting them cut off is half the battle.

 

[salmoneous]

We were in the A group both times but after all the "pre boarders" got on (in Denver - "families with children UNDER TWELVE" ) there were already almost no 2 seats left together.

For there to be no areas with 2 seats together, 2/3 of the plane be preboarders, none of which were sitting all in a row. That would be extrodinarily rare. Nothing I would worry about happening.

To the OP: People on interntet posting boards sometimes stress about Southwest. I fly on SW all the time - and the types of things people worry about online just don't happen in real life. Relax - don't worry about it. Enjoy your trip.

 

[Lewisc]

Age related fares including senior and youth/child fares aren't generally eligible for online check in. SW now allows seniors to pre-qualify so they can check in online.

The type of special fares most of us book including fun fares, internet and DING fares are eligible for online check in.

SWA flags people on special rates (Srs) in order to ID them at the checkin desk. Also they have to flag a certain number randomly for specialo screening by TSA. It will be interesting to hear what he gets told.

Go towards the rear of the plane and save him a middle seat . . . that should be no problem.