Do I need to buy EBCI with Southwest & 9 year old?

[Altoqueenkelly]

I'd hope people would be decent and move so one parent can sit next to a young child. I'm thinking of a family who arrives at the gate late, due to a late arriving flight, and is flying with a toddler. Neither a low BP number nor family mid-boarding will help a family who arrives at the gate after most of the plane has boarded.

I completely agree. I was commenting on my own experience and why I decided TO BUY the EBCI. My daughter just turned seven, and I would have a heart attack if she was sitting next to strangers. I just don't like that thought, hence why I said I would hope that someone would be willing to allow me to sit with my daughter. And, I did take the necessary steps by buying the EBCI. I'm not expecting our whole family to sit together or anything of the sort.

I was merely saying that I would like to think that people are good and someone would help a mother out, but I am not expecting that to happen, hence why I bought and suggested for others to buy the EBCI.

Im also hesitant to say so because I'm not looking to debate weather or not someone *should* move. I agree with both sides of the issue, hence why I decided to buy the EBCI.

I do think that the definition of "young child" is subjective. They only allow family boarding to children under four... I think a four, five and six year old is not old enough to sit away from a parent (again, my opinion, and will vary on the child in question).

 

[Pooh2]

I agree with the above poster. 5-7 years old seems young to sit away from their parent. When my kids were younger, I would not have even considered flying on Southwest. We went with airlines that you can choose your seats together.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I agree with the above poster. 5-7 years old seems young to sit away from their parent. When my kids were younger, I would not have even considered flying on Southwest. We went with airlines that you can choose your seats together.

Kids can fly as unaccompanied minors as young as age five. They do it every day, and survive!

 

[StuckinPA]

Wow. I can definitely see all sides of a situation here. I was just curious about if anyone had similar experiences and what those were simply for information. Sorry if this has started a debate, as that was not my intention. We've flown SW before EBCI was even available, I was just unsure how it might change or not change things.

I would never ask someone to move. If they offered, fine. But I wouldn't ask. And I wouldn't risk having my child on his own - to each his/her own though. As I said, we'll be getting the EBCI. Thanks for the help with this.

 

[Lewisc]

I was merely saying that I would like to think that people are good and someone would help a mother out, but I am not expecting that to happen, hence why I bought and suggested for others to buy the EBCI.

I do think that the definition of "young child" is subjective. They only allow family boarding to children under four... I think a four, five and six year old is not old enough to sit away from a parent (again, my opinion, and will vary on the child in question).

You answered your own question. Southwest considers a child under four to be a young child and allows for family mid-boarding. Southwest allows children as young as 5 to fly as an unaccompanied minor. Under 5 is the applicable definition of "young child" in the context of Southwest seating policies.

Parents who want to sit next to an older child should pay for EBCI. Parents who check in at T24, particularly if the flight doesn't have connecting passengers, have a good shot of being able to sit next to their child but have to be prepared for the possibility of being split.

Kids can fly as unaccompanied minors as young as age five. They do it every day, and survive!

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