Ever have trouble checking in online with SW

[jjarman]

I was just reviewing a few things on checking in online so I can print out my boarding passes. I couldn't find all the answers so I called SW. I wasn't sure if I had a youth fare for DS16 and she checked and I did. She said I could not check in online for him because of that. I changed him to an adult fare for about $30 more but then she said checking in online was not guaranteed. She said one of us may be able to check in and the other not. Has this ever happened to you? I guess if one of us gets an A boarding pass that one can go on and board and try to save a seat for the other. Yikes.

 

[lidec]

We have not been able to checkin Seniors . It is because they have to show their id at the ticket counter. If you checkin online and print your boarding passes just check the youth in when you get to the airport. If you get an A and he gets something different just board and save him a seat

 

[DVC-Don]

Random people are flagged by the TSA and can not check in online. Over the years it's happened to me 3 times.

 

[Tasmen]

Random people are flagged by the TSA and can not check in online. Over the years it's happened to me 3 times.

Wow..I wasn't aware that you could get flagged pre-check in that way. Good to know.

 

[K9pal]

My DH has an Irish name and for some reason, there seems to be a lot of those on the TSA list. So last year I had an "A" pass for me both ways, but he had to check in at the desk. Didn't have a problem either time with him being able to board with me. Just tell them at checkin.

 

[Rosa]

My DD (4) is flying on a youth fare for our upcoming trip. I know that she'll have to check in at the airport for the outbound leg of the trip, but will she then be able to check in online for the return? since her age would have already been verified at the beginning of the trip?

 

[momofbgtwins]

Rosa - We have never checked in online because our kids are under 5 yo, so we preboard, and haven't had to worry about whether we get an A, B or C boarding pass.

In rare cases (never happened to us in 4 years - 20+ flights) there are so many families flying to Orlando that SW suspends preboarding for families.

 

[zurgswife]

I never have even seen youth fares on SW. Are internet special fare are so low I guess we all are on the same sort of ticket. I personally have never had trouble in all the flights with SW but I have heard people have had trouble. I wouldn't worry to much about it though. Could happen on any airline.

 

[jjarman]

I am the OP and I told DS16 last night about the possibility that we may not get to get a boarding pass for one of us. I told him at worst I would get on with an A pass and save him a seat and he would have to wait to board later. He was fine with it so one less worry but I won't be at ease until next Friday at about 3:05.

 

[gw_lit]

In my experience if one member of your family gets flagged for extra security screening or isn't able to check-in online, Southwest will let you board with the rest of your family. So, if the rest of your family has an A pass and the other has a B or C, most likely they will be able to board with the A's.

This has been my experience with a family of 4. If you're travelling with a large extended family, they may not extend this courtesy to you.

 

[karla63]

Gee, I also didn't know that SW has a youth fare. I am taking a group of high school girl scouts in June and just booked our flight down and never saw a youth fare. Guess I will have to give Sw a call.

 

[NotUrsula]

The youth fare is almost never a better deal than the best available sale fare. It is discounted off of the walk-up refundable fare price, so it is good for last-minute trips and almost sold-out flights, but pretty much not for tickets bought in advance. Same for the Infant Fare.

Seniors can get their age certified by SWA in advance, and once certified they ARE able to use online checkin.

 

[Pinnie]

My DH has an Irish name and for some reason, there seems to be a lot of those on the TSA list. So last year I had an "A" pass for me both ways, but he had to check in at the desk. Didn't have a problem either time with him being able to board with me. Just tell them at checkin.

I have a Polish name and I have been denied accessing online boarding passes a few times. It seems to happen more on SPIRIT for me than SWA, however.

pinnie

 

[Lewisc]

Midway to Orlando (ONE WAY FARES)

fully refundable $279
youth(child) $257
infant $129
internet special $92

Previous posters are correct, most of us book discounted fares that are lower than the age discounted fares.

 

[Rosa]

we're traveling the week of April 14th - so far there haven't been any fares available other than "fully refundable", so the youth fare gave us a little (very little) break

PVD to TPA (one way)

adult $224
youth $213

 

[Bam99]

This happen to us last September. There was 8 of us 6 of us got A boarding passes and the other 2 had to check-in at the airport but they gave them A boarding passes also. Everything worked out fine without any problem. We used on-line check-in on our return flight without any problems. We really liked Southwest airlines.