Flying Southwest? Going on a Cruise? READ THIS

[Disneyfalcon]

Don't get me wrong. I would love for Southwest to start flying to Colorado. You just can't beat their prices sometimes.

My bad experience, wouldn't keep me from flying with them. I would just prefer they would go to assigned seating. At least until my kids get older! I don't care if my family has to split up, but that time it was just me and the kids and I didn't want them to be alone.

 

[llyolf]

ha ha ha... I can just picture trying to stuff/stow a 75 pound Lab under your seat! I have direct flighted when ever possible (with SW) from Buffalo and Baltimore.... My bad experience was with USAir... let's just use this equation:

6 mo old DD + 2 yrs old DD plus 6+ hour layover in Charlotte (plane troubles) + only a $20 food voucher from US Air = a Verrrrry long day + a SW direct flight traveller...

left at noon from Buffalo arreived at OKW at midnight... oof

later,
Paul

 

[Jamashp]

We flew Southwest and were impressed. We are a family of five, got to the airport 1 1/2 hours prior, and got the dreaded "C" boarding pass. In other words, we were last to get on.

We boarded and went to the back of the plane. We were prepared to split up, but our fellow passengers saw our plight and rearranged their seats so that our three children were together (6, 10, and 12), and my wife and I were about four rows in front of them. Our children are experienced with air travel and it worked out wonderfully. (Isn't it nice when the stewardess comes up to and says what wonderful, polite chidren you have And we say "thanks" and wonder why we don't always get that same behavior at home )

I would travel Southwest again. Boarding is so quick, because your not looking for "your" seat. Either your in a seat or not!

Scott

 

[mackymaddyconnorsmom]

What night is this airline show on? My kids Southwest and would love to see it

 

[rjh8115]

What night is this airline show on? My kids Southwest and would love to see it

It is on A&E at 8:00pm and 8:30pm Eastern . . .

 

[salbythec]

Do they have pre boarding if you are disabled? this will be our first time flying them and I always check my walker at the gate. I need my husband to sit with me or my DD (16) in case I need assistance. Is this going to be a problem?

 

[chasbos]

They do allow the disabled to preboard - they will give you a blue sleeve that you show them when you line up.

 

[belleandthebeast]

I have to laugh over the seat assignments. Seat assignments although given in advance by most airlines are never, ever guaranteed. The airlines will be the 1st to tell you that.

This happened twice to me. The 2nd time they boarded an elderly woman 1st so they knew when they sat her that she was not in her assigned seat. She wasn't even the one in the wrong seat. Her friend was (who sat across from her) but the stewardess refused to make her move. This was on an overbooked flight. I was traveling w/ my sister who was 15 at the time. I know that's older than the children mentioned here but it was her 1st time flying and she was EXTREMELY nervous. I was afraid she was going to be sick let alone be seated with a complete stranger. Thank goodness my cousin's family was traveling w/ her and there happened to be an empty seat next to them.

 

[vossjemi]

I haven't booked with Southwest before but am thinking of doing so for our sept 05 disney cruise and wdw vacation. It'll be myself, DH, DD5, DS3, and gma/gpa. So, 6 people all together. We are centrally located in Mo, so it'll either be out of KC or STL or even Tulsa. I did a sample booking for May to see if I could book 6 people all at the same time, and I did see something about a child's fare, but you have to call for that? Is that true? I cannot book kids online? How does this work exactly? And, would we all be able to pre-board? If not, who could? I'm not so sure we'll be able to print off passes as we'll have to be in a park and fly hotel the night before. Thanks.

 

[pamlet]

I do have to weigh in here on the concept of pre-reserved seats. I used to work for an airline that had them, then worked at an "emergency service center" for a travel agency. So I worked for ALL the airlines essentially. I can say that the WORST calls I've ever taken are about pre-reserved seats.

The very first call I ever took as an agent at the airline was from a woman who lost her seats. She had made her reservations - and paid for them 6 monthes before the trip. About 1 week before the trip she calls .. and gets me (yep my very FIRST live call.. ). The airline had changed aircraft on the route to a smaller aircraft about 2 months before.. she had received NUMEROUS messages to call and had not - and finally someone had just assigned her seats. This was all documented in the record. She and her husband were originally on a "2" side - and now were on a 3 side window and middle. Well she yelled at me, and called me names for about 5 minutes. I got a supervisor on the phone to help me. There was nothing we could do - all the seats were booked. He offered to take the call over for me - which he certainly did not have to do - she refused to talk to him - just yelled and screamed and told me to cancel the flight. I advised her that her tickets were non-refundable.. and all the obligatory hoo-ha that went with the restrictions on her ticket at that time. Thankfully the supervisor was on the phone - didn't say anything - but heard every bit.. he did the cancellation and documented the entire conversation.

She called back - gave MY name and tried to say that I had cancelled her reservation while I was extremely rude to her. Ahhhhh if I hadn't worked retail for YEARS I probably would have quit after that first call.

Anyway - the point is - pre reserved seats are nice - however they can be lost. The airline is just obligated to get you from point A to point B safely.

I loved working in reservations - even became an instructor later. I always prided myself on staying calm, pleasant and providing the very best in customer service - but I'll tell ya - it could be tough when someone was spinning about their seats!!

I've always admired Southwest for their commitment to customer service as well as their efficiency.

 

[staylor]

Thanks so much for the kind and honest comments everyone. Southwest loves to hear from the customers. Do not hesitate to write to them about anything good, bad, or if you want us to fly to Colorado (I really do too Disneyfalcon).
I understand from a previous post you can check in online and then when you get to the airport tell them that your printer was broken and ask them to print your boarding passes for you. I honestly cannot vouch for this because I'm "just" the flight attendant and not too sure how things work at the ticket counter and curb side check.

Also Disneyfalcon about the rude flight attendant, you don't have to know his/her name. Just the flight number and the date will do. If you can somewhat describe ie. haircolor, glasses, etc. that helps as well. I hate to hear this. If you feel the need, please let Southwest know.

Hope to see everyone on a flight
Staylor

 

[MCazer]

Oh, just an FYI, when checking in our luggage on our trip home, I had overpacked one bag. You know,you always have more on the way home. Well one bag was exactly 70 lbs.

Anyway, the baggage peson said that Southwest will soon be changing to a max of 50 lbs per bag. ;o(

So I would call beforehand if you think you will go over and check.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Thanks staylor! Unfortunately my flight was last February so I'm not sure I could recreate much. But I might try. Thanks again!

 

[deedz]

Well, anyone that flies Southwest knows that you need a boading pass but there are no reserved seats. So you need to get those boarding passes early, or be split up onboard.

Well, on the last night of our cruise, I waited until 12:01am and went to Southwest's website with my confirmation number and printed off the boarding passes. It was well worth the .75 a minute plus .25 a page to print.

We got to the airport and were letter A. Our flight had no empty seats, so with 2 children (over 4, but under 10), we were very happy to sit together!

My understanding was you had to have seperate confirmation numbers for each member of your party to do this... is this still so?

OR can you enter one confirmation and get all the tix?

Any info on this is really appreciated!

 

[SueEllen]

Okay, I have a BIG question for you here--the internet is not available after midnight on the final night of the cruise (can't remember if it was 10 or 11 pm that it was no longer available.) So how on earth did you get to log on? I'm not doubting you did it, just wondering how you did it.

I tried to do this on our last cruise but could not and Guest Services could not help me either

Sue Ellen

 

[Stimpy]

My understanding was you had to have seperate confirmation numbers for each member of your party to do this... is this still so?

OR can you enter one confirmation and get all the tix?

Any info on this is really appreciated!

I think the recently changed it so you did not need seperate confirmation numbers. Double check but I believe my parents told me they were able to both get boarding passes the last time they flew in September.

 

[epjenk]

We were flying California to Nashville with a ONE year old and the geniuses at Delta assigned my one year old a seat by himself. I told them that while I might enjoy the break, I didn't think the passenger seated next to him would appreciate it. They actually started to give me their standard line about full flight, can't move you before they realized they were talking about an infant and fixed it.

 

[MCazer]

Southwest did change their rule. I did not have to call ahead like I did last year and have our reservation separated into 4 reservations. Now, if you booked together, you can go in with that one confirmation number and it will let you print off all the passes for your group.

Also, when I went to Guest Serviceson the Magic, they told me that the Internet Cafe was open all night until the next morning. I was not the only one on them at midnight. There was 2 others.

It was quick and easy. Maybe this is a new service. They did not have anyone there manning the station though. (this was on our 1/22/05 Magic cruise)

 

[NYDisneyMom]

I'd just like to put my 2 cents in on this thread.. We almost always fly Southwest, as they have pretty much taken over our local airport and it's only 5 minutes away. So for the convenience of it we fly SW.

First, no one should be panicked that if they don't get an 'A' boarding pass that they might not get to sit with their child. Unless SW wants to take the chance of having a lawsuit on their hands, they will seat you with your child --it may be a hassle of moving passengers around to accomodate you, but they will do it. (A few years back American Airlines had a major lawsuit, a child was separated from his parent and was sexually molested during the flight. One mention of that lawsuit will get them moving, trust me.) Now..when I say 'child' I'm not talking about a 15 year old!! But I'm certain a child under 12 or 13 will get to sit with their parent.

Now...for my story. We had a 6:30 a.m. flight out the morning of our cruise two weeks ago. I waited up til 12:01 a.m. to print out the boarding passes so that we didn't have to get to the airport any earlier than necessary. To my surprise I was not allowed to print the boarding passes. I called SW and they said on the phone that it happens sometimes and I'll have to get my boarding passes at the airport. Grrrrrrr... Since I was traveling just myself and my two boys, I really wanted those 'A' passes. That was pretty much not gonna happen.

But it gets better.... At curb side the SW employee printed out a pass for myself and my youngest son. He said I'd have to go to the counter and "talk to someone" about getting a boarding pass for my 10 year old. HUH???

I went straight to the counter -- sorry, but I walked right up, without waiting on line, because this was upsetting me -- the SW employee tried printing out a pass and then said "Uh oh." That's never a good sign.

Apparently my 10 year old has the same name as a "bad guy" (her words) on the TSA's watch list!! Greaaaaaaat!! I asked her if he looked like a bad guy to her. She apologized and said it wasn't their fault, it's a national list.

I eventually got his pass printed, but it took about 20 minutes of her calling people and trying to override the system. But, guess what?? This will happen probably from now on with him. Same thing happened on the way home! I was told I could call TSA and try to get it resolved somehow. I really think there's GOT to be a better way with this "watch list" -- my son has a very common name, I can't imagine how many MEN with that name are hassled every single day.
(P.S. by the time I got his boarding pass printed he was given a C, and I had B's for myself and my other son. I told them there was no way I was separating him from us, and she said I didn't have to. I got on the B line and when we boarded nothing was said about him having a C.)

That's my story...thanks for letting me share!

 

[deedz]

I can add a story here.
I too fly SW all the time, for me its convenient and I just love the deals. But once, last year, when trying to print a boarding pass on my own, it would not allow me to. I was aggrivated after staying up to midnight, with an early flight to Orlando, but hey, I figured can't always be on the "A" list.


So I get to the airport to check in, and I get the "uh oh" too.
Evidentially, my name was chosen, and my DD7, and a few others at random to be "Selectively Screened". That meant a more thorough screening than normal. They took our luggage, pocketbook, went through it personally rather than just going through the machine, shoes off, coat, hat the ususal, and that was it. Really no biggy.

Some may have got Mad... but i figured its good to know SW Air is doing their job!

I feel after 9/11 that any safety precaution is worth it, and although it took up my time, and was a bit strange, for me and DD7, I really didnt care. I wasn't embarrassed, I had nothing to hide! (not like the liquor I'll be sneaking on DCL!)


So you can't always pre-print your boarding passes...but most times you can!