Does SWA pre-board families in Chicago?

[classicpooh]

We flew from Midway to Orlando on SW last week. In Chicago, there was no pre-boarding of families with children under 5 yrs, only pre-boarding for those with disabilities. Is this the normal procedure?

It worked out okay for us, we had "A" cards and were able to sit together, in fact we were in the first two rows. In Orlando coming home yesterday, we were pre-boarded.

 

[maraakl]

If there are a lot of families with children, they will suspend preboarding for everyone but those with disabilities.

 

[NotUrsula]

IME, the rule at Midway is to pre-board for young children only when a carseat needs to be installed.

I've never flown from Midway directly to Florida, but I do fly out of there on other routes. I got nasty comments many a time when we were the only family allowed to preboard, because I was the only parent carrying a carseat.

 

[seashoreCM]

Preboarding is meant to help the airline get the plane off sooner, not to help you.

If you are not offered preboarding, that does not mean you have to rush and work up a sweat. With lots of familes, the airline probably resigned itself to the fact that boarding that flight will take longer anyway, and therefore did not offer preboarding.

Meanwhile if the folks who were making nasty comments had done more hustling themselves in previous trips, the airline might never have had the need to offer preboarding.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm