Flying Southwest -- need help!

[Juliet25]

Hi! I'm all confused! I'm flying to MCO with my DH this week and I'm really confused about what I'm reading regarding "A" tickets, etc. Does SW not have assigned seating? Is there a chance my DH and I won't be seated next to each other? I'm not liking this! We bought tickets on-line, but we both have the same reservation #, so we can't do the on-line boarding pass? This is way too confusing!

 

[toystorymom]

SW does not have assigned seats at all. When you check in you will receive an A, B, or C boarding pass. After the pre-boards (small children, etc.) the "A"s will board, then the "B"s, and finally the "C"s. Once you get on the plane you just pick whichever seats are open.

With only 2 of you I don't think you'll have a problem sitting together if you have A or B boarding passes. Just get to the airport at the requested time and you will be fine.

We had a good experience with SW and there are 5 of us.


Hope that helps!

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Yeah for small children!! We're flying Southwest to MCO from BUF in January with DD5 (then) -- glad we'll be able to pre-board with "the child."

 

[maraakl]

Originally posted by Juliet25
Hi! I'm all confused! I'm flying to MCO with my DH this week and I'm really confused about what I'm reading regarding "A" tickets, etc. Does SW not have assigned seating? Is there a chance my DH and I won't be seated next to each other? I'm not liking this! We bought tickets on-line, but we both have the same reservation #, so we can't do the on-line boarding pass? This is way too confusing!

Call Southwest and ask to have the confirmations separated.
They will do this and assign separate reservations, then you can check in online.

 

[maraakl]

Originally posted by RoyalCanadian
Yeah for small children!! We're flying Southwest to MCO from BUF in January with DD5 (then) -- glad we'll be able to pre-board with "the child."

Preboarding is for children under 5 years old.

Prior to general boarding, Customers with disabilities, unaccompanied children, and families with children under five years of age will preboard. Customers holding boarding pass "A" will begin general boarding, followed by Customers with boarding pass "B," and then "C."

 

[Esmerelda]

Hi Juliet25,
Unfortunately, you didn't read the Southwest site very well. It states right there that they do not have assigned seating in their rules online. There are tons of posts on this board about that very topic so just do a search and you will find a lot of info on it.

I have flown SW many times alone..and with my two boys and we have never had a problem sitting together. We have had A and B passes but still no problems. Most folks are understanding and will switch around so everyone can sit together. I've never had any complaints. Remember to try to get there at the 2 hour mark (which is with ALL airlines, not just SW remember due to security!

Stop and think for a minute..have a silly assigned seat is what holds the ENTIRE flight up! I have no problem with just finding one and plopping my fanny in it! I have seen alot of time wasted on flights where at the last minute, a passenger realizes their seats were changed and they are not all together...they can pitch a hissy at the counter...wooooweeeee.....! Southwest really is very smart in not dealing with that whatsover. It saves a lot of time and energy for all!

no complaints here...current ticket to MCO $118 RT pp SW!!
have fun!
Esmerelda

 

[Juliet25]

Thanks! I just called and got them seperated.

 

[Juliet25]

Originally posted by Esmerelda
Hi Juliet25,
Unfortunately, you didn't read the Southwest site very well. It states right there that they do not have assigned seating in their rules online. There are tons of posts on this board about that very topic so just do a search and you will find a lot of info on it.

Esmerelda

Nope, I didn't read it at all! Actually, it's no big deal. I was just surprised by what I was reading about boarding passes and such. Now I'm a little more squared away.

 

[Gary M]

When we flew to MCO from IND earlier this year, at least half of the passengers preboarded. DW and I had an A boarding pass and had no trouble sitting together.

 

[maraakl]

Originally posted by Juliet25
Thanks! I just called and got them seperated.

glad to hear that. It should make the trip a little easier for you.
Southwest is a wonderful airline and they do try to accomodate everyone.
For future information, just go to their website: www.southwestair.com and go to the "travel center" tab and then to the left there are the policies. Lots of GREAT info there.
Happy planning.

 

[hulabird]

We always go to the airport more than 2 hours before our flight even when we have printed our boarding passes online...(DH is a fanatic about this so we have to go early)

This year our nieces are coming with (ages 4 and 8) and we will STILL be going super early (our flight takes off at 6:50 a.m. so we will be there at 4:30 a.m.-my POOR nieces)

We will get to preboard because of the 4 y.o. so do you think I still need to call SWA and have our ressies separated and then do the online checkin? Or should we be ok with the preboard plus getting to the airport before the early bird is even UP to get the worm?????????

 

[maraakl]

Originally posted by hulabird
We always go to the airport more than 2 hours before our flight even when we have printed our boarding passes online...(DH is a fanatic about this so we have to go early)

This year our nieces are coming with (ages 4 and 8) and we will STILL be going super early (our flight takes off at 6:50 a.m. so we will be there at 4:30 a.m.-my POOR nieces)

We will get to preboard because of the 4 y.o. so do you think I still need to call SWA and have our ressies separated and then do the online checkin? Or should we be ok with the preboard plus getting to the airport before the early bird is even UP to get the worm?????????

They do sometimes suspend preboarding with children if there are a lot of children on the flight. Personally, I would have the reservations separated and check in online, just in case.
They are tightening up on preboards and in some places it is the under 4 child and one parent, the other parent and siblings wait in line with the rest of the passengers.