Gail Hayden, I'm in need of some advice.

[caseylouandtyler2]

From reading your posts you seem very knowledgeable about Southwest Airlines and BDL. So, my questions:

1) Approximately How many hours before my flight should I get to the airport? We are flying out on Sat. Dec 20th.

2) Do the planes have a family seating area? My DD will NOT sit next to a stranger and it would be easier for DS to sit between DH and I. I don't think one of us being across the isle will be good.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Also anyone else with this knowledge please answer.

Thanks,
Denise

 

[goofy4tink]

Not Gail, but my suggestion would be to get there early, maybe 2 hrs. before. No more than that. That's what we always aim for. Then you can get checked in and you'll be among the first on the plane. Now, I don't think there is any way that all four of you are going to be able to sit the way you want. It's only 3 seats on each side. So, maybe DD next to the window, then you, then DS , and DH across the aisle on the end of the row. Or you'll have to sit in two different rows, behind each other. Say row 5, seats A,and B and row 6 seats A and B. But I wouldn't think that would be so good.
Anything I've forgotten Gail??

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by goofy4tink
Not Gail, but my suggestion would be to get there early, maybe 2 hrs. before. No more than that. That's what we always aim for. Then you can get checked in and you'll be among the first on the plane. Now, I don't think there is any way that all four of you are going to be able to sit the way you want. It's only 3 seats on each side. So, maybe DD next to the window, then you, then DS , and DH across the aisle on the end of the row. Or you'll have to sit in two different rows, behind each other. Say row 5, seats A,and B and row 6 seats A and B. But I wouldn't think that would be so good.
Anything I've forgotten Gail??

LOL, nope you did really well. The only thing I would add is it is around the holiday period and it is a Sat. I would probably get there about 2.5 hours early. Not sure how old the kids are, but, if the OP has one 4 and under,theywill get a preboard. They don't have much in the line of family seating, aka lounge seats anymore, so, as you stated, sitting 4 together will be impossible as it is 3 and 3 seating. I would say parent and child, parent and child in a different rows.
One thing I will add is on your departure, if you are leaving on a Sat, get there really EARLY!!!! MCO is a zoo on Sats. I will NEVER fly on a Sat. again. Even the skycap line is long (and most of the people are just there for boarding passes, NOT to check luggage.) That twisted my knickers and they never even tipped the skycap.

 

[caseylouandtyler2]

Goofy4tink and Gail Hayden,

Thank you for the info.

We'll give 2.5 hours a try. We will get a preboard, DS is 10 mos. well almost 11 mos.

We'll be flying out of MCO on Friday, Jan. 2. I still expect it to be zooish. So, would you say 3 to 3.5 hrs before flight?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by caseylouandtyler2
Goofy4tink and Gail Hayden,

Thank you for the info.

We'll give 2.5 hours a try. We will get a preboard, DS is 10 mos. well almost 11 mos.

We'll be flying out of MCO on Friday, Jan. 2. I still expect it to be zooish. So, would you say 3 to 3.5 hrs before flight?

I would go for 2.5 to 3 hours.

 

[off2disney]

Gail, I will be leaving MCO on Sunday morning, 12/21 at 8:55. Is Sunday as bad as a Saturday? Will I need to be there 2.3 hrs before departure too?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by off2disney
Gail, I will be leaving MCO on Sunday morning, 12/21 at 8:55. Is Sunday as bad as a Saturday? Will I need to be there 2.3 hrs before departure too?

SWA states Fri-Mon to be there 1.5 hours early. As was stated by another poster, you should allow about 1-1.5 hours more than the airlines state. So, I would say between 2.5 and 3 hours ahead. There is lots to do there, so, you should not be bored.

 

[jtbdas]

MCO is one of the most challenging airports to get out of due to it's international contention. Give yourself an extra hour to an hour and a half above what the airlines tell you. Their peak times are early am until around 1000, then from 1230 until 300 again, followed by evening inbound and outbound flights.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by jtbdas
MCO is one of the most challenging airports to get out of due to it's international contention. Give yourself an extra hour to an hour and a half above what the airlines tell you. Their peak times are early am until around 1000, then from 1230 until 300 again, followed by evening inbound and outbound flights.

Right you are, and it is my bad to not have told off to disney 2.5-3 hours on Sunday too. I am going to change it right away.

 

[off2disney]

Thanks for the advise - at least I don't have to leave at the crack of dawn on Sunday, so the 2.5 hours isn't a problem.

 

[CarolA]

I am confused!

Your DD won't sit next to a stranger, but you had your husband are sitting with DS between you. Unless there are some additional family members DD just got left out!!!

Personally I would NEVER get to the airport that early. I have flown out lots of Sundays and the wait times are normally minimal. The only reason Sat is bad is cruise ships. Two hours is my absolute MAX, but to each their own. With a guranteed pre-board I think two hours would be fine. By the way, MCO is actually one of the best airports in the country for travelers. Not sure where the "Challanging section" comes from. Yes, there are some international travelers, but.... they are not flying SW airlines to Europe so your check in lines won't be affected.

 

[caseylouandtyler2]

CarolA,
Seats are 3 and 3. There are 4 of us. If we put DS between us DD would have to sit next to a stranger across the aisle. NOT Going to happen. If DD sits next to window DS will be on the aisle and DH will be across the Aisle. This is not a good scenario either because I don't want DS to be reaching across the aisle, he'll grab anything and anyone who walks by. We are going to sit 2 and 2 with both kids at the windows. I'll just have to handle my maniac boy by myself.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Well, since the little one could be a lap child, don't buy a ticket for him, you or DH hold him and DD can sit in the middle.

 

[Snoozan]

I just flew out of BDL last Saturday, Nov.29. We got to the airport about 2 hours early for an 11:00am flight. No wait for skycap or security at all. We got group A boarding passes, but still there were about 50 pre-boarders due to small children. Not to be flamed or anything, but I think the only pre-boarders should be those children sitting in carseats and the parents/siblings only. It's ridiculous to see one small child, who's sitting in a seat just like the adults, with a group of like 10 or 12 adults getting to pre-board. I feel if I'm willing to spend my time sitting in an airport, I'm entitled to board early, too, but that doesn't happen. Oh well, I can dream!

As far as leaving MCO, we got there about 2 hours 20 minutes early for our 2:25 PM flight. No problem at all with returning the rental car or security lines at that time of day. We did have a very short wait at the Southwest counter to check our luggage as I didn't see a skycap to check our luggage after returning the rental car.

 

[CarolA]

Well, since the little one could be a lap child, don't buy a ticket for him, you or DH hold him and DD can sit in the middle.

I disagree with this suggestion. If you can afford it I recommend buying everyone in your family a seat. It is MUCH safer and a LOT more comfortable.

I think the OP's current plan works well and maybe you will get lucky. My plane on Friday only had 55 people on it. Each of you could have your own row in a case like that.

I have acutally complained to SW about preboard. I have no problem with the immediate family of the child, but EVERYONE they have ever met is a whole new issue. I have seen them "clamp" down some, but it just depends on the gate agent.

 

[Pinnie]

I have seen some gate agents for SWA not allow ANY preboarding if the flight is full of families. That seems to happen more out of Midway and BNA. I have also experieced that at LAX, too.


I am in agreement with the poster that said SWA should only preboard families with infants. I think people are really taking adavantage of the pre-board and are getting to the airport at the last minute.

If you need seats together, maybe you need to fly an airline that assigns seats.

Just MHO and .02.

Flame away

pin

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by CarolA
I disagree with this suggestion. If you can afford it I recommend buying everyone in your family a seat. It is MUCH safer and a LOT more comfortable.

I think the OP's current plan works well and maybe you will get lucky. My plane on Friday only had 55 people on it. Each of you could have your own row in a case like that.

I have acutally complained to SW about preboard. I have no problem with the immediate family of the child, but EVERYONE they have ever met is a whole new issue. I have seen them "clamp" down some, but it just depends on the gate agent.

Carol, you know how I feel about lap children, it is right up there with your feelings. I offered it as one solution to a small problem.

As to preboarding, I see no reason why a child of over 2 cannot wait with the rest, I do agree, it is a little silly. Few airlines preboard anymore.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Pinnie
I have seen some gate agents for SWA not allow ANY preboarding if the flight is full of families. That seems to happen more out of Midway and BNA. I have also experieced that at LAX, too.


I am in agreement with the poster that said SWA should only preboard families with infants. I think people are really taking adavantage of the pre-board and are getting to the airport at the last minute.

If you need seats together, maybe you need to fly an airline that assigns seats.

Just MHO and .02.

Flame away

pin

No flames here, ITA. I think preboarding has gotten way out of hand. 2 and under, no problem, after that, they can wait, just like the rest of us, good training, IMHO.

 

[caseylouandtyler2]

Thank you for the lap option, but we already ruled that out. DS can be quite a handful and I don't want to make him a projectile. SWA suggested the lap option when DH called to try and get a cheaper infant faire.

Securely fastened we always say.

BTW, Does anyone know, when I install the car seat in the plane, forward facing or rear facing?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by caseylouandtyler2
Thank you for the lap option, but we already ruled that out. DS can be quite a handful and I don't want to make him a projectile. SWA suggested the lap option when DH called to try and get a cheaper infant faire.

Securely fastened we always say.

BTW, Does anyone know, when I install the car seat in the plane, forward facing or rear facing?

You install it the same way you install it in the car. I totally agree with the concept of restraining children and not making them projectiles. I was truly just a suggestion and one I don't normally make.