Great News for Southwest Flyers!!

[NYDisneyMom]

I just posted this on the cruise boards..but figured I'd come over here and post too...

And no, it's not a discount, but in my opinion it's even better! You can now print your boarding passes from Southwest's website! So...starting 12:01 a.m. on the day of your fly you just go to the website and get your passes.

I know I've always hated the A, B, C grouping thing they do at Southwest, it's very stressful when you have little ones and think there's a chance you can be separated on a crowded flight.

So..three cheers for Southwest for finally getting with the program!! Yippee!!

 

[DMRick]

I know I've always hated the A, B, C grouping thing they do at Southwest, it's very stressful when you have little ones and think there's a chance you can be separated on a crowded flight.

I don't understand..are they now giving you assigned seats? How does this stop the cattle call for a, b, c?

I thought we've been able to print out passes, if we had nothing to check..how has this changed?

Thanks.

 

[antmaril]

Just a note - this does not work for a multi-passenger reservation. If there is more than one person on your reservation, you cannot check-in on line and print a boarding pass.

FYI - These are not assigned seats. It is strictly a boarding pass. Again, A, B or C. First come/first served.

I just got off the phone with SW, so this is accurate info.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by DMRick
I don't understand..are they now giving you assigned seats? How does this stop the cattle call for a, b, c?

I thought we've been able to print out passes, if we had nothing to check..how has this changed?

Thanks.

Rick, you could print out security documents, not boarding passes, and no, there are no assigned seats. You can now print out your boarding passes at home after 12:01 am on the day of your flight. You can check your luggage at the skycap station or at the counter. I can only imagine how much more people will be stiffing the skycaps now that this plan is in place. Each person must have a separate reservation and there are restrictions, they are under the travel section at SWA.

This news has been out for days and there are a couple of threads on the transportation board.

 

[DMRick]

FYI - These are not assigned seats. It is strictly a boarding pass. Again, A, B or C. First come/first served.

Is this something different than they have had for the past several months? In the past, these were especially good, if you were not checking luggage. Also, those that got these in the past, still had to check in at the desk where you actually board, to get their a, b, or c..has that changed? When you get from the Kiosk, you may also still get a c, when people in line are still getting A's..is this also rendom, or are you pretty much assured of an a if you get on line at 12:01? We got our boarding passes on line in the past (and were able to get them for each person on our ressie), which allowed us to go directly to boarding..if we were not checking luggage. It was not helpful if we were checking luggage..

I guess I'm trying to understand if this is something new...it sounds like what they have had for some time now.

 

[NYDisneyMom]

(Sorry I didn't know this was a big topic on the transportation boards..I never read that board!)


Anyway, I called SWA this morning. Each person must have their own reservation number in order to print a boarding pass. So, Missy, a very nice rep, changed our reservations so that we now have four separate ressie #'s.

She said that she believes in the future FAA is requiring that each person has their own reservation and that when booking online you will not be able to book more than one reservation at a time, so that will take care of all this confusion. Until then, she said they are doing their best to help people who have already booked their flights and want to print their boarding passes by changing the reservation numbers.

 

[antmaril]

I was told by SW this morning that you if you print your boarding pass at home and want to check luggage, that will not be a problem. The boarding pass you have will still be valid.

The reason I asked this question is that let's say you print your boarding pass at home at 12:01 a.m. on your day of travel and receive an "A" Boarding pass, but when you check your luggage they may be up to "C" boarding passes. I wanted to know that the boarding pass I print at home will still be valid even if I'm checking luggage. The SW rep told me that my boarding would be valid. I hope she's right.

 

[DMRick]

Thanks Gayle

on your day of travel and receive an "A" Boarding pass, but when you check your luggage they may be up to "C" boarding passes.

I guess I'm not seeing where this would be an advantage for me, since we have to go to the counter to check in anyway (I don't use skycaps..and since we would feel we had to tip (and of course they deserve a tip), I'm not likely to start now LOL). I'm assuming that, just like the Kiosks, the letters are random (In other words, you may be the first one to check in to a kiosk, but you may still get a c..and the person after you may get an a)? Anyone know if there is any advantage, such as you are more apt to get an A? Anyone use it yet and get less than an A?

Is your preprinted boarding pass for coming and going, or do you have to go online for the trip home..and if you get a C, can you then go to the counter and say you lost it, in hopes of getting an A?

 

[DMRick]

So, Missy, a very nice rep, changed our reservations so that we now have four separate ressie #'s.

So did you lose your reward point by having her help you?

I'd be less likely to book online if I had to make them all one at a time. I'd be afraid I would make mine and hubby's and the plane would be full when I got to the grands.

 

[Pinnie]

OH interesting point!!!

By calling and separating out the reservations, it stands to reason the one could possibly lose the RR credit! Thanks for bringing it to our attention!!

pin

 

[antmaril]

The way I understand it, the boarding passes are not "random". There are a certain number of each. Therefore, they are first come/first served. In other words, the first people to either check-in on line or check-in at the airport will receive an "A" boarding pass with the last people checking in getting a "C" boarding pass and those in between get a "B". It's possible, of course, that you could be the last person eligible for an "A" and your traveling partner would be the first person eligible for a "B" and you would have to board separately.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this?????

 

[DMRick]

Therefore, they are first come/first served.

But is that first come, first served in each venue. For instance, does the luggage check in line have 50 a's and the kiosk have 50 A's? Or if everyone checks in on line, do they get all 100 (or however many their are).
Hopefully someone will have a chance to check this out. Seems to me, if you can save seats for your partner, then one should go on line to get a letter, and one check in, to get better chances? (just playing devil's advocate here..I'm just not seeing how they can "punish" people with no computer. I guess a lot of Florida bound seniors who don't care for computers will be the last ones on SW!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by DMRick
But is that first come, first served in each venue. For instance, does the luggage check in line have 50 a's and the kiosk have 50 A's? Or if everyone checks in on line, do they get all 100 (or however many their are).
Hopefully someone will have a chance to check this out. Seems to me, if you can save seats for your partner, then one should go on line to get a letter, and one check in, to get better chances? (just playing devil's advocate here..I'm just not seeing how they can "punish" people with no computer. I guess a lot of Florida bound seniors who don't care for computers will be the last ones on SW!

Rick,
The way I understand this is: skycaps get so many a,b,c passes, counters the same, and gate the same, I would imagine now with this online checking it will be divided again.

As to using the skycap, I bet if you had been there Friday, you would have opted for the skycap. The line inside was horrible.
Better than a 45 min. wait. Outside, 10 mins. Well worth the 10.00 for the 5 bags.

 

[dcfromva]

NYDisneyMom,
Thanks for posting this info. I was gone this past week (at WDW ) and I wasn't aware of this latest change.
I just called up SWA to see about splitting the ressie and found out that my ressie was messed up (for a different reason). The customer service rep spent about 20 mins getting it fixed. up. He said it was a good thing I called because OTW, I may have missed my flight on my day of travel.
So, I have to chalk up this save to you--you saved my vacation!
Thanks,
-DC

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Originally posted by dcfromva
NYDisneyMom,
So, I have to chalk up this save to you--you saved my vacation!
Thanks,
-DC

Wow...that made my day! I'm SO glad you got that straigthened out!!! After getting so much help from everyone on these boards, I'm glad I finally got to contribute a bit!

 

[DMRick]

I would imagine now with this online checking it will be divided again.

That's what I would imagine..it wouldn't be very fair to those not having computers, to give all the a's to the computer generation!

We have never waited more than 5 minutes..we always take either the 6 or the 8 oclock to Albany, and during non vacaition times. So far, it's been very quiet. Leaving from Albany, our ride always gets us there early too.

 

[MCazer]

I had originally booked our trip as one reservation, so I called Southwest to have them separated.

She did tell me that because I had booked online and was calling to separate them, that I would lose the bonus RR.

We don't fly more than once a year, so it does not affect us, and they are only good for 12 months.

Since my son turned 5, we are no longer a "front of line" family, so any advantage in getting a better letter (ie A or B) is worth it to me.

We leave from a small airport (Islip MacArthur on Long Island) however, our flight has been booked solid for months.

Thanks to everyone here that has helped!

Only a few more day!

 

[DavidOH]

We will have a layover in BWI. I have been told I will have to get a new boarding pass when we arrive in BWI. Will I be able to print my boarding passes for both legs of my trip?

Thanks

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by DavidOH
We will have a layover in BWI. I have been told I will have to get a new boarding pass when we arrive in BWI. Will I be able to print my boarding passes for both legs of my trip?

Thanks

Yes, as the site says, you can print your boarding passes for your flights after 12:01 am on the day of your flight/s.