Flying SWA. Can we do this?

[Padre Disney]

We have a group of 11 plus an infant flying in March. It will be spring break and I am sure that MCO will be very busy. After getting off the DCL cruise we are wondering if we can head straight to MCO and drop off all our luggage for our 2:40 p.m flight and get our boarding passes. (I am assuming this would be around 10 to 10:30 a.m.) Can we leave the airport for a few hours after getting passes since we will already have dropped off luggage. I read on SWA web site that you could check in bags four hours before a flight and get boarding passes. However we don't want to sit at the airport for four hours. We thought about going to DTD for a couple hours. Just want to make sure we can leave the airport after getting boarding passes. Anyone done this?

 

[castlegazer]

I don't see why not, but hopefully a more informed soul comes along. Be cautioned, though. Traffic is a nightmare in Orlando. Getting from MCO down to Disney is not a hop skip and a jump.

 

[CarolA]

Yes, you can do it. Not sure that I would go all the way back to Disney, but... I mean let's say you get to the airport at 10. Figure 30 minutes to check luggage for 11 people. 30 more minutes back to Disney. Now it's 11. You need to plan to leave for the airport no later then 12:40 (My theory is that with 11 people you better allow extra time, someone will be late!)


I assume you have a car. Personally I would go someplace and just go to the airport the first time about 2 hours in advance.

 

[Padre Disney]

We just got back from a 3 day cruise in October. We went to DTD until around noon and then headed to MCO. Our flight was at 2:15. We returned rental car, dropped luggage, and had got C boarding passes. Only took about 15 minutes and we were at the gate.Ended up standing around for a long time. Showing up almost 2 hours early and still getting C boarding passes was fine for the four of us.
BUT with 11 and all the luggage and being spring break it will be BUSY. We just thought if we at least dropped luggage first and got maybe A or B passes we might have half a chance of sitting near each other if we returned a few hours before the flight. (plus we already would have dropped luggage and gotten boarding passes) So it shouldn't have to wait through the luggage line again. Only security) We just want to grab some lunch before the flight.

 

[castlegazer]

If you're just looking to grab a good lunch - then why not try out International Drive? Its closer and easier and has lots of restaurants to choose from. The Mercado shopping center is great for little shops and great restaurants.

OK. I am flying SWA for the first time - are you telling me that even with showing up 2 hours early you got C boarding passes! This is very troubling. Are you kidding me!!!???? I am freaked out about flying them to begin with because I will be traveling with an infant.

 

[Padre Disney]

castlegazer:
If you have an infant you can almost wait until right before boarding begins and be at the front of the line. BEFORE the A passes even board.

There in an infant in our group but the couple has decided to board with the group rather then early.

Thanks for the other lunch place ideas.

 

[castlegazer]

OK - totally making more of this than I should - that's me. Thanks Padre, I can now wipe the sweat from my brow.

 

[lawgs]

SWA will accept luggage and issue boarding passes 4 hours before the departure time

usually they say that "only" the immediate family can board with an infant under 4 but we have seen groups..."tag" along

sometimes half the plane is full with "pre boards".... guess the only good thing if you are first in line in an A group you will possibly be able to get the EXIT row since most pre boards do not meet the requirements for that row ( lots of leg room in these rows )

sometimes it is upsetting when you have arrived early, obtained good boarding passes to see a string of "pre boards" tagging along on an "authenic" pre board....... but thankfully this does not happen very often

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by castlegazer
If you're just looking to grab a good lunch - then why not try out International Drive? Its closer and easier and has lots of restaurants to choose from. The Mercado shopping center is great for little shops and great restaurants.

OK. I am flying SWA for the first time - are you telling me that even with showing up 2 hours early you got C boarding passes! This is very troubling. Are you kidding me!!!???? I am freaked out about flying them to begin with because I will be traveling with an infant.

With an infant, you, the infant and the other parent (and sibs if there are any) get to board before anyone else. Just not your entire party.

Saturdays and Sundays are a zoo at MCO. So, it would not surprise me that someone got a C pass 2 hours before departure, if they were flying on those days.
We usually show up 1 hour to 1.5 hours ahead of time and manage an A, but, we fly on weekdays.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by lawgs
SWA will accept luggage and issue boarding passes 4 hours before the departure time

usually they say that "only" the immediate family can board with an infant under 4 but we have seen groups..."tag" along

sometimes half the plane is full with "pre boards".... guess the only good thing if you are first in line in an A group you will possibly be able to get the EXIT row since most pre boards do not meet the requirements for that row ( lots of leg room in these rows )

sometimes it is upsetting when you have arrived early, obtained good boarding passes to see a string of "pre boards" tagging along on an "authenic" pre board....... but thankfully this does not happen very often

And,. add to that, if they plane has a lot of preboards, they won't preboard except for people with special needs, and that does not mean folks with kids.

 

[Padre Disney]

We arrived in KC almost 2 hours early and got B passes. We only had four adults and didn't worry about getting seats near each other. UNTIL about 5 different groups with young children came in about 10 minutes before boarding had began. We had been waiting the 2 hour period and then to watch these people come in right before boarding kinda was upsetting.
I really would not have cared if these people would have been waiting the whole time like we were and then told they could board early because of the children. BUT when they walk in at the last minute and go straight to the front of the line really is not right. IMO

I will try for the exit row next time.

 

[westjones]

What are A, B and C passes? We haven't flown SW yet, but are thinking of using them in April when we go to a conference at San Diego (and then we are driving up to Disneyland).

Thanks,
DJ

 

[Lexxiefern]

Originally posted by Padre Disney
We arrived in KC almost 2 hours early and got B passes. We only had four adults and didn't worry about getting seats near each other. UNTIL about 5 different groups with young children came in about 10 minutes before boarding had began. We had been waiting the 2 hour period and then to watch these people come in right before boarding kinda was upsetting.
I really would not have cared if these people would have been waiting the whole time like we were and then told they could board early because of the children. BUT when they walk in at the last minute and go straight to the front of the line really is not right. IMO

I will try for the exit row next time.

I agree that is not right. We have a toddler and have flown SW twice. We are always there at least 1 1/2 hours early and sometimes about 2 hours. We have received A and B passes. I think it is a little nerveracking to have to worry about getting seats together - we will probably only fly SW until our DD is 4 (when preboarding stops for her)or unless they have insanely cheap fares (which they have - $49 each way)

Hey what's with that rumor about SW going to assigned seats? Any truth to it?

 

[IamCanadian]

Originally posted by westjones
What are A, B and C passes? We haven't flown SW yet, but are thinking of using them in April when we go to a conference at San Diego (and then we are driving up to Disneyland).

Thanks,
DJ

Southwest does not assign seat and row numbers on your boading passes. The give out boarding passes in groups (A,BC).
After the pre-boads they board the plane by groups; A's first, then B's ....

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Lexxiefern
I agree that is not right. We have a toddler and have flown SW twice. We are always there at least 1 1/2 hours early and sometimes about 2 hours. We have received A and B passes. I think it is a little nerveracking to have to worry about getting seats together - we will probably only fly SW until our DD is 4 (when preboarding stops for her)or unless they have insanely cheap fares (which they have - $49 each way)

Hey what's with that rumor about SW going to assigned seats? Any truth to it?

Nope, no assigned seating and no truth to the rumor.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by westjones
What are A, B and C passes? We haven't flown SW yet, but are thinking of using them in April when we go to a conference at San Diego (and then we are driving up to Disneyland).

Thanks,
DJ

Boarding Procedure
Each Customer will be issued a boarding pass grouped by A, B, or C (in that order) based on when the Customer checked in at the Skycap Counter, Ticket Counter, Departure Gate, or RAPID CHECK-IN Kiosk (where available).
Prior to general boarding, Customers with disabilities, unaccompanied children, and families with small children will preboard. Customers holding boarding pass "A" will begin general boarding, followed by Customers with boarding pass "B," and then "C."
Because Southwest Airlines maintains an open-seating policy, Customers may sit in any open or unclaimed seat. Customers who choose a seat in an emergency exit row must meet all requirements set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration and Southwest Airlines.

 

[Lexxiefern]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
Nope, no assigned seating and no truth to the rumor.

Thanks for the quick answer Gail!

 

[maps]

i just flew swa for the first time. i liked it but noticed a lot of people abusing the preboarding.
for example, large groups of people preboarding because there are one or two little ones. the worst offense was when all the families had been standing in line and we finally got to go on. this woman, her husband, and teen daughter started pushing past us yelling, "do any of you have the special blue card for handicaps? then move out of the way because we get to preboard". everyone just stared as these 3 able bodied people pushed past us. apparently, they were allowed to preboard because one member in their large group(who had already boarded) had a cast on their foot.
i wish swa would not allow this abuse of their policy.
otherwise, i thought everything else went great.