Gate Checking - SWA

[KarenP99]

We are traveling in Sept with our 1 & 2 yr olds. We are planning on gate checking our Graco double stroller. We are also briningin car seats for both girls. We purchased a seat for the 2yr old, but not the one.

If the plane is 1/2 capacity, will they allow us to bring both car seats onto the plane or will we have to gate check one. I seem to remember them offering that one time we traveled when our 1st was very young.

Anyone have a similar experience recently?

Thanks,
Karen

 

[NotUrsula]

If the plane is not fully booked when you arrive at the gate, they will probably let you use the seat; if they are expecting a full load, you will be instructed to gate-check it.

SWA will usually not allow you to wait and see if there is a no-show on a full flight before making that decision. The reason for that is that there are restrictions on the placement of carseats. People who are using them are preboarded so that the FA's can steer you away from putting a carseat in a forbidden spot; this assures that carseats will not have to be moved during regular boarding. SWA will have to be able to make the decision re: the second carseat before you preboard.

I should warn you, though; these days SWA is usually flying with a full plane on the MCO routes; it's been a VERY long time since I've seen an empty seat.

 

[KarenP99]

Thanks for the info. I think before we were asked when we checked our bags how we wanted to handle the car seat.

Thankfully we always fly on a Sunday morning in September and have never experienced a full or close to full plane (I have a crazy habit of checking the reservations...and the sale fares are still available so that is a good indication to me that the flight is not full).

Karen