DS (2.5) denied online boarding pass

[wiggles02]

We flew SW on May 7 from Hartford. We checked in online and all but one of us received our boarding passes, DS age 2.5. We called SW and were told that sometimes they flag people for security purposes and not to worry. So we didn't. When we arrived at the counter to check our baggage, we were told that we needed to see the person at the gate regarding our son's boarding pass. We arrived at the gate and were told that the flight was overbooked, we would not be getting on the flight because our DS's name closely matched someone on the no fly list (Basically he was the only person not checked in and they gave his seat away, even though he was part of our family) I almost passed out.

I understand security and I wouldn't want it any other way (anything that I see about 9/11 causes me to cry) but my biggest problem was that we were passed on from person to person and 20 minutes before boarding were told this. Luckily, a nice couple took a bump and gave us their seats. For the flight back we printed out the boarding passes (again, not DS) and went to SW counter the day before the flight where we were promptly handed the boarding pass. In Orlando, the CS rep said that basically no one wanted to tell us that the flight was overbooked, so they let someone else take care of it. Now we need to fill out paperwork with the TSA to have him cleared to fly.

How can SW or any other airline do this? Can't they issue boarding passes and then stop someone at the gate who looks suspicious? They don't take ages, so it is impossible for them to match an age with the person.

Has this happened to anyone before?

 

[seashoreCM]

If the airline bumps your kid it has to pay two sets of compensation, one for the kid and one for a parent to accompany the kid. Actually I think the airline has to bump (and pay compensation for) the entire family or find someone else.

Except if the entire family shows up late because of being delayed in security, all you can hope for is to all fly standby (do not rebook because then you have to pay the change fee).

If you volunteer as a family and there are at least two adults, have one adult volunteer first and one adult volunteer last. This way any number of family members can accept however many bumps are available.

Meanwhile if you want to volunteer as a family or if you are flying Southwest, check in the adults first and teens second. This may give you an edge over other volunteers. For Southwest if the A boarding passes run out you can still drag small kids with B passes into the A corral. You hold all the passes with just yours with the letter A exposed. Once the people start moving, the gate agent won't cull small kids and send them to the B line.

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

 

[NotUrsula]

When we arrived at the counter to check our baggage, we were told that we needed to see the person at the gate regarding our son's boarding pass.

How did you get him past security without a boarding pass? That definitely isn't proper procedure, and you should write to SWA and let them know that they sent you to security without one. If nothing else it will hopefully stop someone else from having to go through the same hassle.

It is a nasty inconvenience, but when you can't get an advance checkin, it's a signal that you need to add at least an extra hour to your usual airport arrival time. It was bad luck that for once everyone who checked in online actually made it to the airport on time. (It happens fairly often that people who have advance boarding passes don't answer last call, so their seats are forfeited 15 minutes before departure. I can't remember the last time I've actually heard a call for volunteers.)

Another thing to do the next time you fly with him, is have one parent take the rest of the family on to the gate while one parent takes him to the counter. That way the gate agent can be told that there are two more in the party who are coming through security more slowly because a child is on the watch list, and they won't give the seat away unless they don't manage to arrive by 15 minutes out. (Last call really is last call unless you are coming in on a connecting flight and they decide to hold the plane for a large group of passengers. They can't hold the plane for one person.)

The TSA paperwork can take quite a while to clear; I work with someone who has been waiting nearly 2 years.

 

[Lewisc]

Airlines can issue a security document to allow passengers without a BP to go through security. Some passengers fly standby. Sometimes a family or friend is allowed to accompany a child or handicapped individual. In this case the flight was oversold and all the BPs had already been issued (or the remaining BPs were being issued at the gate).

Once you knew you were being selected for SSS screening you should have gotten to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight.

This one time I'll disagree with NotUrsula, there really isn't any reason to write to SW. TSA not SW selected your kids for SSS screening.

How did you get him past security without a boarding pass? That definitely isn't proper procedure, and you should write to SWA and let them know that they sent you to security without one. If nothing else it will hopefully stop someone else from having to go through the same hassle.

It is a nasty inconvenience, but when you can't get an advance checkin, it's a signal that you need to add at least an extra hour to your usual airport arrival time. It was bad luck that for once everyone who checked in online actually made it to the airport on time. (It happens fairly often that people who have advance boarding passes don't answer last call, so their seats are forfeited 15 minutes before departure. I can't remember the last time I've actually heard a call for volunteers.)

Another thing to do the next time you fly with him, is have one parent take the rest of the family on to the gate while one parent takes him to the counter. That way the gate agent can be told that there are two more in the party who are coming through security more slowly because a child is on the watch list, and they won't give the seat away unless they don't manage to arrive by 15 minutes out. (Last call really is last call unless you are coming in on a connecting flight and they decide to hold the plane for a large group of passengers. They can't hold the plane for one person.)

The TSA paperwork can take quite a while to clear; I work with someone who has been waiting nearly 2 years.

 

[keishashadow]

I'm told it's a co-incidence but, DS & DH have the same 1st & last name (w/different middle name).

Every time we have flown, one or both have been pulled aside for extra security screening. I always get left to wrangle w/numerous suitcases on the belt. Hey, TSA! If you grab them, how about taking possession of their luggage too.

When DS had to use a transport chair last Dec., they got pulled into a private room on way out of PIT. Coming back thru MCO DS had to get out of chair while they turned it upside down & shook it.

What I find funny is that our last name is very common & could be construed to be jewish in origin (no flames please!)...so if they are profiling - I can't imagine the basis.

I, too, welcome the extra security & we've resigned ourselves to getting to the airport 2 to 2-1/2 hours early in order to pass through screening.

 

[Mom2R&D]

When we flew Delta last spring my then 9YO DS was flagged and we couldn't print out his boarding passes. When we got to the airport we were told that they couldn't flag children under a certain age (the age limit escapes me now) and they printed his boarding pass for us.

We also ended up having to spend the night in Altanta because of flight delays and had to undergo a rather thorough security screening the next day. Nothing like seeing your kids being wanded by a big ole TSA employee to make your day start out great.

 

[corinascot]

We flew from Cleveland to Orlando in March with Continental, me, dh and ds (11.) I couldn't get boarding passes online. When I phoned COntinental, they told me it was a "security issue" and we had to check in at the counter at the airport. We got to the airport early and I brought my son's birth certificate. They didn't tell me to do this, I just was being safe. Sure enough, at the counter they told us someone with ds's name was on the no-fly list. They asked if I had proof of his birthday and I produced the birth certificate and she entered the birthdate on the screen and gave us the boarding passes. We didn't have any problems on the way home. We're flying west in August. Wonder if we'll face this again. Ds thought it was very cool to be on the no fly list.

 

[NotUrsula]

I know that security documents were at one time valid to pass security, but at least at my home airport (STL) they have not been accepting them for about two years. No BP, no admission to the airside if you are a putative passenger. Many times I have heard the ID checkers turn passengers away from the security line, telling the person that "I can't let you through with that, it says security document. You need to go back and get a boarding pass." (I admit that I don't know exactly how they handle the BP issue for standbys here; I haven't done that since 9/11, when all the rules changed.) STL does still allow a limited number of escort passes to be active at any one time, but to get one you must either be escorting a ticketed passenger or meeting one, and the passenger's itinerary must be flagged as needing special assistance. Granted, these might not be the case at all US airports, and if so I stand corrected.

I still say the OP should write, not to rant or to ask for a gimme (I don't like that whole business of complaining just to see what kind of freebies you can get), but to let them know that she was distressed by the way this unusual situation was handled. How can they improve the way they deal with situations like these if passengers don't politely speak up? If they knew that all the seats were taken when she reached the checkin counter, she should have had that clearly explained at the time, and the gate should have been called to alert the GA of what was going on. I know that they could not have held the seat past last call; but if the timing the OP describes is accurate, the party did arrive at the gate before last call, and there appears to have been ample opportunity for the ticket counter to alert the gate that one of their apparent "no-show" passengers was in fact a small child accompanied by his parents, who had already checked in. (And that the failure to check in the child in advance was due to an SSSS.) I agree that the situation probably wouldn't have been this nasty if the family had arrived extra early to deal with it, but not everyone would realize that without being told to, and she apparently was not told that when she called the previous day.

I know that the child's appearance on the watch list is in no way controlled by SWA, and I don't suggest that they somehow could have overridden it, but I think that if this really happened as the OP described, SWA could have handled it more deftly. You all know I'm a big SWA fan, and I fly them all the time, but I think that there are always situations where there is room for Customer Service improvement, and it *appears* as though this might be one of them.

 

[DebbieB]

I was wondering that too, how did he get through security without a boarding pass? Did they give him one without a boarding letter (A, B, C)?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I'm told it's a co-incidence but, DS & DH have the same 1st & last name (w/different middle name).

This is the case iin my family as well, and we have never had a problem when flying together. It is a coincidence.

 

[wiggles02]

Well, we got thru security without a boarding pass for him. If we had been told the day before the flight that this was a security thing, we would have arrived a lot early, but we were told not to worry. At baggage check, they didn't ask for his birth certificate (which I had on me) and didn't call the gate to let us know that we were on our way with a child without a boarding pass. I think that a lot of people dropped the ball on this one.

 

[Lewisc]

Well, we got thru security without a boarding pass for him. If we had been told the day before the flight that this was a security thing, we would have arrived a lot early, but we were told not to worry. At baggage check, they didn't ask for his birth certificate (which I had on me) and didn't call the gate to let us know that we were on our way with a child without a boarding pass. I think that a lot of people dropped the ball on this one.

I must be missing something. The flight was overbooked. The remaining BPs, if any, were being given out at the gate. There wasn't any point in calling the gate. I'm sure they knew the flight was overbooked. I don't think they ask for volunteers untill the passengers are actually at the gate. I'll agree the SW representative the night before should have told you to allow extra time.

Not Ursula--SW issues as many BP as there are seats. There has to be some type of security pass/dummy BP that can be used to get through security.

 

[seashoreCM]

I'm sure there is something they give ticketed standby passengers different from what they give non-ticketed excorts in order to get through security to stand by.

 

[NotUrsula]

The remaining BPs, if any, were being given out at the gate. There wasn't any point in calling the gate. I'm sure they knew the flight was overbooked. I don't think they ask for volunteers untill the passengers are actually at the gate.

I'm also sure that the GA knew that the flight was overbooked, and had it been the OP's husband that was on the watch list I would have just sympathized and agreed with you.

However, this was something of a special case which I think should have merited a call, because this "no-show" passenger was a toddler who could not be allowed to fly standby unaccompanied. The counter agent knew, as the gate agent at that point did not (because she wasn't looking at him), that dropping this particular passenger as a no-show was going to have a ripple effect that would mean dropping the rest of his party as well, even though they already had BP's. It would have been smart to alert the gate to hold his "seat" back as long as possible, and make it the last one to be traded away to a standby. They family still might not have gotten on board, but if they `did make it there before last call, SWA *might* have avoided having to pay that bump compensation.

Given the child's age, my first guess about this scenario is that the counter agent was perhaps hoping that the GA would fudge the lap child age limit and advise the OP to just hold the child. (I'm guessing this based on the impression that I'm getting that they sent her to the gate with no paper for him at all -- no unlettered BP, no security pass.) Ticket counter agents don't normally deal with FA's directly, so they sometimes don't realize the wrath that a fudge like that could bring down. Heck, I once actually had an FA in a similar situation (on a now-defunct airline, I should note) wink and suggest that I give up the seat purchased for a carseat and lap-carry my kid, even though I told her that he was a bit too old. She offered me a refund and miles if I gave it up, so there must have been someone with status throwing a royal snit out at the gate.

 

[Lewisc]

I must be missing something. The flight was overbooked. SW only gives out as many BPs as they have seats. The child wasn't being dropped as a no-show but rather all the BPs had already been issued. I'm not sure how the GA could have gone to a passenger and rescinded a BP. There wasn't a seat to hold back, it had already been assigned.

I'd agree with you only if there were still BPs available at the gate and there was more than enough time for the family to clear security. Even then the passenger at the gate looking for his BP is the passenger that isn't suppose to be bumped. It sounds like the counter agent didn't want to give the bad news to the family.

I understand your point about the ripple effect and if there were still BPs available at the gate I'll agree it might have made sense to try and pull one BP.

You may be right regarding the lap baby issue but it's also possible the counter clerk gave the family a piece of paper for the child to get through security. Just because the TSA clerk didn't ask for it doesn't mean they didn't get one.

I still think the issue is the family not being told to allow extra time.

I'm also sure that the GA knew that the flight was overbooked, and had it been the OP's husband that was on the watch list I would have just sympathized and agreed with you.

However, this was something of a special case which I think should have merited a call, because this "no-show" passenger was a toddler who could not be allowed to fly standby unaccompanied. The counter agent knew, as the gate agent at that point did not (because she wasn't looking at him), that dropping this particular passenger as a no-show was going to have a ripple effect that would mean dropping the rest of his party as well, even though they already had BP's. It would have been smart to alert the gate to hold his "seat" back as long as possible, and make it the last one to be traded away to a standby. They family still might not have gotten on board, but if they `did make it there before last call, SWA *might* have avoided having to pay that bump compensation.

Given the child's age, my first guess about this scenario is that the counter agent was perhaps hoping that the GA would fudge the lap child age limit and advise the OP to just hold the child. (I'm guessing this based on the impression that I'm getting that they sent her to the gate with no paper for him at all -- no unlettered BP, no security pass.) Ticket counter agents don't normally deal with FA's directly, so they sometimes don't realize the wrath that a fudge like that could bring down. Heck, I once actually had an FA in a similar situation (on a now-defunct airline, I should note) wink and suggest that I give up the seat purchased for a carseat and lap-carry my kid, even though I told her that he was a bit too old. She offered me a refund and miles if I gave it up, so there must have been someone with status throwing a royal snit out at the gate.

 

[LisaS]

I'm not as familiar with SW as others here. I am curious about the total number of A, B and C passes they issue online, or more importantly for anyone in the OP's situation, how many passes are held back to be issued at check-in or at the gate? Given that flights are routinely oversold (on all airlines, not just SW) it sounds like anyone who finds themselves in this situation had better get to the airport much, much earlier than usual to obtain one of the few remaining airport-issued boarding passes. But I'm just curious how few passes are up for grabs.

 

[NotUrsula]

There wasn't a seat to hold back, it had already been assigned.

We don't really know that, either. There may have been a fairly long interval between the time they reached the ticket counter and the time they reached the gate, depending on how long the security lines were. A lot can happen in an hour or so.

As I said before, due to the number of people who use advance checkin, there are very often folks who have checked in online and therefore HAVE boarding passes, but who fail to show up at the gate before last call. On SWA these days, these are usually the seats that standbys end up getting, unless by some miracle there are actually people who haven't checked in at all by the time boarding starts. Last call normally happens after everyone who has shown up is already in the jetway, when the scanner spits out the names of people who have checked in but did not present boarding passes.

In situations where the number of people waiting at the gate clearly exceeds the load factor, they do sometimes begin processing standbys before boarding begins, and the flight may actually pull away from the gate before the normal last call time. Arthur Frommer did a column recently on the phenomena of confirmed passengers missing flights that leave BEFORE their scheduled departure time: http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-budget21may21,1,690972.column?coll=la-travel-headlines I suspect that early departures are going to be getting more common than not this summer, judging from what all the news outlets are saying about how packed flights are going to be.

 

[Randman]

I'm the DH and here's a little more detail about what happened.

After seeing that we couldn't print my son's BP after the rest of us were fine, I called SWA immediately. I explained that 3 of our 4 BPs were issued with "A" boarding group and that DS2.5 didn't get his. The CSR stated that we would have no problem the next day since the rest of my party were all issued BPs. At no time was it ever mentioned that the flight was in an oversold situation (she probably didn't know) and that since he didn't have a BP, we should get there early. The CSR led me to believe that my son would be fine the next day.

The next day, the person at the ticket counter jokingly mentioned that my DS posed no problem, gave us a security document and told us to speak with "Donna" at the gate who would help us. Security was a breeze and we had plenty of time to get to the gate. Hartford is a small airport.

At the gate, the GA directed us to wait for another GA, presumably her supervisor. After waiting a few minutes the supervisor started the "We are in an oversold situation..." statment. He further said to me that it was because we purchased an infant fare that we're having this problem. I told him that this wasn't true, that we had paid the same price as the rest of our tickets. (BTW, I didn't even know that SWA had infant fares.)

It was at this point that I said to him that my son would be getting on the flight to which he agreed with me. (Even though he hadn't found any volunteers yet.)

While walking away from the counter the announcement was made that 2 spots were needed, one for my son and another one someone else. A couple took the bump ($100 SWA credit each as compansation) and I thanked them.

That evening I called SWA (who basically didn't do anything to help) and TSA who directed me to fill out their Passenger Identification Verification Form (PIVF) which I am now doing. Takes 45-60 days to review and even then it may not help.

Overall, I have a few problems with the way that SWA handled the situation:

1. When I called SWA I should have been told to get to the airport extra early. I was given a false sense of security that all was fine. I fly frequently for work and am well aware of how early I need to get to the airport in "normal" situations.
2. We shouldn't have been given the runaround at the airport. "This person is gonna help you...", " Please speak to...", etc.
3 . This point is actually a suggestion: We should've been able to print the BP and it should have an indicator on it saying that the name closely matches one on the Watch List. Then the TSA would see an indicator on the BP when going through security and pull the person for additional screening. It isn't SWA's job to screen passengers, just to assist TSA. Allowing us not to print the BP actually forced SWA employees to do more work to make things right (Which I find kind of odd since they pride themselves on reducing the bottom line.)

In all, I am still a fan of SWA and will continue to fly them. Now that we know we're in this situation, we know how to deal with it. I think this situation could have been handled better and SWA should have communicated better with us.

 

[seashoreCM]

1. Allowing us not to print the BP actually forced SWA employees to do more work to make things right (Which I find kind of odd since they pride themselves on reducing the bottom line.) s.

The boarding pass printing had nothing to do with having to do more work. The fact they overbook caused them to have to do the more work. Strictly the airline's own issue.

Even if you did have a half price infant fare (does that exist?) the airline's procedure would be no different, except by bumping you the amount of compensation required by law would be less simply because the total fare involved was less.

From what you said the airline did everything right to get you to the gate. Once at the gate you really did not have to explain anything more or say anything more after requesting a boarding pass and pointing to your son. I do think the gate agent has to make a call (to a supervisor) before asking for volunteers. This way, if the flight does not leave on time the supervisor will "take the late". He may also have been silently arguing with himself about whether to offer to refund one fare and having you carry your son on your lap which you have the right to refuse but whcih also kept you waiting. But keep in mind the airline would be panicking more than your son if you responded to the final boarding call by gesturing to board without him. They will even go into the plane after everyone is seated to find a volunteer.

Now that you know, be sure to get to the airport earlier next time. I think there is a conspiracy among airlines to make a half hearted effort to cause you to miss the flight if you are running late so they don't have to pay bump compensation. You can always get earlier (but may never get later) Magical Express airport return times.

I would not run extra early day in and day out each and every time for frequent business travel, though. But if bumped from a business trip I would insist that it be treated and documented as involuntary unless my company had a policy to the contrary in order that the company not think I was encumbering the business trip to score compensation for myself.

 

[NotUrsula]

He may also have been silently arguing with himself about whether to offer to refund one fare and having you carry your son on your lap which you have the right to refuse but which also kept you waiting.

If he was, he was confused, as the child was too old to be lap-carried, and also too old for the infant fare. Now it's possible that the OP didn't tell him how old the child was, but under the circumstances I would be pretty surprised if it hadn't come up.

BTW, SWA's "infant fare" is not 50% of the adult fare paid. It is normally 20% off of the fully refundable fare, and thus usually much MORE expensive than the average adult fare that SWA collects. It is true that you cannot check in on line if you are using one, but kids who are eligible to fly on that fare are also eligible to be lap-carried, which opens up the same can of worms if the parents exercise their legal right to insist on using a carseat in a paid-for seat.

AFAIK, the rule that disallows online checkin for those with SSSS and the watch lists comes from TSA and applies to all airlines. I don't think that SWA could independently agree to waive it sight unseen, but I may be wrong about that.