Flying SW W/Handicap & Small Child

[everylastbreath]

Flying down to Orlando with 86 year old mother, 8 year old GS & my daughter (33) Will we have any trouble sitting together? Is there a pre-board for elderly & children?

 

[bookgirl]

If you marked your mother as a preboard then she and one other can board first. If you didn't it's usually not a big deal to get her a preboard at the checkin of the airlines.

Family boarding is done between the A group and the B group but they consider that for young children, not an 8 year old.

Mom and the 8 year old would board with whatever seating group they are assigned at check in.

You could try to save seats when you and your mother board, but that has various reports of success. If your daughter and grandson get an A pass then you stand a pretty good chance of being in front or behind each other expecially if you sit behind row 15 or so. SW does 3 and 3 seats so unless you do two and two you'll have to do 3 and 1 anyway.

 

[Darcy03231]

From Southwest's web-site:

Assistance in the Airport and with Boarding

Upon arrival at the airport, please inform a Southwest Airlines Agent or Skycap at your first point of contact, either at the Skycap podium or the ticket counter, if you need an airport wheelchair and/or assistance within the airport.

Priority preboarding is available for those who have a specific seating need to accommodate their disability and/or need assistance in boarding the aircraft or stowing an assistive device. If a Customer has a disability and requires preboarding, the Customer should request a blue preboarding sleeve from our Customer Service Agent at the departure gate. The sleeve serves as notification to our Operations (Boarding) Agent that the Customer has a need to preboard. It's important to keep in mind that Customers who preboard may not occupy an exit seat. Customers with disabilities who have any other special needs related to boarding should speak with our Customer Service Agent at the departure gate.

Customers who need additional space to accommodate their disability may proactively purchase an additional seat to notify Southwest of their specific seating need so adequate seating onboard the aircraft can be ensured. Instructions for booking a second seat online can be found on our Customers of Size page. Customers may contact us for a refund of the cost of the additional seat after travel. If a Customer with a disability has concerns about the amount of space needed and does not wish to purchase an additional seat, the Customer should speak with the Customer Service Agent at the departure gate.

A small wheelchair that can fit down the aircraft aisle is available at every gate and will be used if you need assistance transferring from your wheelchair in to the aircraft seat. Each gate is equipped with a Passenger Transfer Kit (PTK), which contains a slide board and a transfer sling. The sling allows for two or three Employees to lift the Customer safely from his/her wheelchair into the small wheelchair and then into the aircraft seat.

For ease of transfer, the first two rows (at a minimum) on most of our aircraft are equipped with movable aisle armrests. Note: Our 737-800 Series aircraft do not have movable aisle armrests on the bulkhead (front) row of seats. However, all other rows on these aircraft have movable aisle armrests.

Our Employees are trained on assisting our Customers into and out of the aircraft seat; however, the Customer being transferred knows the best way for us to help. We encourage the Customer being assisted to direct the Employees in how best to perform the lift and transfer so everyone will be most comfortable, and so that we will have a successful transfer.

Information for Burbank and Key West Customers

Customers traveling to, from, or through our Burbank and Key West Stations board and deplane our aircraft via stairs, as these airports are not equipped with jetbridges. Customers who are unable or have difficulty climbing stairs will be assisted with boarding and deplaning by use of a mechanical lift. However, on some occasions, due to weather or other conditions that may exist, level-entry boarding may not be available.

For pre-boarding with children I believe the age is 4 or younger.

 

[SandrA9810]

Flying down to Orlando with 86 year old mother, 8 year old GS & my daughter (33) Will we have any trouble sitting together? Is there a pre-board for elderly & children?

I would add the early bird for your daughter and grandson to get the best boarding spot possible. This should put her in the A boarding group. Then I would use the medical boarding for you and your mother.

Is it a direct flight or will there be stops along the way? If there's any stops, you're allowed to move seats just before they start boarding the next group on. If your daughter can't sit near you on the first leg, she might be able to move up to the seats behinds you when you stop over.

 

[islandtimect]

I would desigmate the need of a wheel chair to get thru the airport on your reservation will save time rather than telling them at airport.

 

[jmartinez1895]

Will the older traveler be using a wheelchair ( they have them at the airport for use if she needs it) or is there any medical need for her to be with other members of the family ( such as help with medication, ect)? If so call ans have it noted on her ticket and then when you get to airport let them know at the check in desk and ask about pre boarding. My son is in a wheelchair and they always allow us the preboard together ( 5 of us, 2A 3k).

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I fly SW regularly and always find that they are very reasonable about this stuff, but they are often a little more strict on the Orlando flights since it is so many families. You might not all 4 end up right together, but you shouldn't have problem getting 2 and 2. I would do as a previous poster says and get EarlyBird for the 8YO and one adult and have the 86YO and the other adult pre-board.

 

[everylastbreath]

Thank you all who replied! I just purchased early bird for my daughter & her 8 yr old son, and I will do as suggested and pre-board with Mom- Thank you so much!!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

?.....

Is it a direct flight or will there be stops along the way? If there's any stops, you're allowed to move seats just before they start boarding the next group on. If your daughter can't sit near you on the first leg, she might be able to move up to the seats behinds you when you stop over.

You are confusing a direct flight with a nonstop flight. A direct flight does have stops.

OP, the information you are looking for is on Southwest's website.

 

[supersnoop]

Get everyone checked in online at exactly 24 hours in advance (check http://nist.time.gov), or purchase the early bird option.

Remember, the seats are 3+3, so you won't all sit together regardless. But you could sit three together and another across the aisleThey should board you and your mother early. Choose seats a few rows back and take the aisle and the window, or take two aisle seats. As long as your daughter and granddaughter aren't too far back, the other seats on your row should still be available.