Help understanding how Southwest will work - Gail/anyone??

[TigerLilly's Mom]

Just wanted to add some info. that may or may not help some people. When I heard about the online check-in, I was disappointed. We always get to the airport at least 2 hours ahead of time to get A passes. Since I booked our tickets before this new online check-in was in practice, my children were both under my one reservaton (dh had another because he was traveling on an award).

I called and spoke to a lovely lady at Southwest (I have always had wonderful people to talk with at Southwest -I wish more companies would train their employees the same way), and asked if the people checking in online would get all the A passes or would they save some for people checking in at the airport. She told me they would start with A's and then go to B's ect. Basically meaning if a whole bunch of people checked in online, you could get to the airport four hours early and still get a C pass.

I very nicely asked if I could change my reservation to three separate reservations and she said I couldn't since I had booked at a discount rate. I asked very nicely again and she put me on hold for a while. When she came back, she said I could get three separate reservations because there were still some of the same discount rates available on that flight. So she gave me three separate reservation numbers. I gathered if the discounted rates were no longer available, she would not have been able to do this.

Just thought this might help someone in the same boat as me - sorry so wordy!!! LOL Also, just wanted to add again that this woman was super on the phone, really went out her way to be helpful and I would have been pleased even if she would not have been able to help me.

Now I just have to figure out how to check in online in Florida for the trip home without bringing a laptop and a printer!!

 

[momoftwins]

SWA was nice enough to change my reservation in to 4 different reservations. I have the same problem. How to check in on-line at WDW.

Also, if we check in online from home on our trip down, are the documents that print the only thing we need to bring with us to the airport (other than our ID's)? Are these documents in place of those SECURITY DOCUMENTS I got an email about a long time ago? Do we still give the bags we want checked to the skycaps at the curb?

Thanks to anyone that helped.

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

I would personally bring all the documents you recieved from SW, just to be on the safe side. I think you would still be able to check in with the Skycab, but just let them know you don't need a boarding pass. You can also check in inside the airport if you want.

I'm really glad they are separating reservations for those that didn't have the opportunity to book separate before the new online check in went into effect.

 

[dizneycc]

We always fly Southwest and I didn't even realize they have on-line check in. How does this work? What if you need to check in luggage? Thanks!!! CC

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by dizneycc
We always fly Southwest and I didn't even realize they have on-line check in. How does this work? What if you need to check in luggage? Thanks!!! CC

It is a brand new feature. You an check your luggage at the counter or with a skycap.
As to how it works, go to the site after 12:01 am on the day of your flight and put in your info. and print out the boarding pass.
http://www.southwestair.com/travel_center/retrieveCheckinDoc.html

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by momoftwins
SWA was nice enough to change my reservation in to 4 different reservations. I have the same problem. How to check in on-line at WDW.

Also, if we check in online from home on our trip down, are the documents that print the only thing we need to bring with us to the airport (other than our ID's)? Are these documents in place of those SECURITY DOCUMENTS I got an email about a long time ago? Do we still give the bags we want checked to the skycaps at the curb?

Thanks to anyone that helped.

If you are checking luggage you don't need a security document.
You only need a security document if you don't have a boarding pass and need to get to a gate to get a boarding pass.
http://www.southwestair.com/travel_center/retrieveSecDoc.html

 

[maps]

since you people seem to be more knowledgeable about the new check in policy than swa, maybe you can help me.

i called swa and spoke to an extremely rude person. she said she had never heard of the check in policy. then she looked it up on their own website and said "oh i guess you're right"
puts me on hold and comes back and tells me that if i have luggage to check in that i can't use this feature---true or false?

second, my husband has an actual ticket vs an e ticket--can i still use the online check in for him? she didn't know.

lastly, i tried to get her to change my kids'reservations to separate ones. not only could she not do this, she couldn't even find their reservation. she said the confirmation # was wrong. then she told me the only way i could access the reservation was through the credit card i booked it through. she told me that # was invalid. finally i said, "can't you just look it up under their names?" apparantly not.
after an hour on hold with my credit card company, i got the confirmation number (which was correct). so in other words, without my confirmation # swa has no way to confirm my reservation with them?

i'm hoping to call back later and get another rep to talk to since maybe i just had bad luck with this one.
thanks for your help.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by maps
since you people seem to be more knowledgeable about the new check in policy than swa, maybe you can help me.

i called swa and spoke to an extremely rude person. she said she had never heard of the check in policy. then she looked it up on their own website and said "oh i guess you're right"
puts me on hold and comes back and tells me that if i have luggage to check in that i can't use this feature---true or false?

second, my husband has an actual ticket vs an e ticket--can i still use the online check in for him? she didn't know.

lastly, i tried to get her to change my kids'reservations to separate ones. not only could she not do this, she couldn't even find their reservation. she said the confirmation # was wrong. then she told me the only way i could access the reservation was through the credit card i booked it through. she told me that # was invalid. finally i said, "can't you just look it up under their names?" apparantly not.
after an hour on hold with my credit card company, i got the confirmation number (which was correct). so in other words, without my confirmation # swa has no way to confirm my reservation with them?

i'm hoping to call back later and get another rep to talk to since maybe i just had bad luck with this one.
thanks for your help.

1. No, you can still check in on line and check your luggage with the skycap (remember to tip!! ) or at the counter.
2. You can access your reservation online, just type in the confirmation number.
3. You can only do online checkin with an eticket.
4. Reservations can be accessed by knowing your flight number.
They can check under the last name with this information. With thousands of flights everyday, it would be impossible to access the information without knowing your flight or reservation number. Check it online by accessing your reservation with the number you have at this location. http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/retrieveItinerary.html

Personally, I would have asked for a supervisor if the agent did not know about the online check in thing. They cannot know everything web related and often a supervisor will know more.

 

[maps]

thanks so much for your help. i did call back and spoke to a very nice and extremely helpful person. she was able to change my reservations easily and gave me all the info i needed to know.
thanks again.

 

[Fantasmic303]

I have a flight out to Las Vegas for May and would like to change my party to seperate tickets so we can access online. The price of our flight went up $20 so will they still change it for me or cant i do it due to change in fare?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Fantasmic303
I have a flight out to Las Vegas for May and would like to change my party to seperate tickets so we can access online. The price of our flight went up $20 so will they still change it for me or cant i do it due to change in fare?

Worse case, they will charge you the increase in fare, and you won't know this unless you ask.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by maps
thanks so much for your help. i did call back and spoke to a very nice and extremely helpful person. she was able to change my reservations easily and gave me all the info i needed to know.
thanks again.

That is good news!!!! Most of the SWA agents are very nice, but, I can imagine what a headache this new "feature" is to them.

 

[madge]

Originally posted by Jestocost
Pre-boarding with kids is pretty much a thing of the past and it hasn't ever been available in Orlando (at least not on most airlines and not for a long time).

I don't know if this has been addressed already....

we have always pre-boarded with our children (that are UNDER 5) on Southwest, originating from Louisville, Nashville, or Orlando. I have heard other airlines don't offer pre-boarding, but SWA does, at least out of those cities.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by madge
I don't know if this has been addressed already....

we have always pre-boarded with our children (that are UNDER 5) on Southwest, originating from Louisville, Nashville, or Orlando. I have heard other airlines don't offer pre-boarding, but SWA does, at least out of those cities.

SWA does preboarding for children 4 and under. And, sometimes they don't preboard children if the flight has a lot of them.

 

[madge]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
SWA does preboarding for children 4 and under. And, sometimes they don't preboard children if the flight has a lot of them.

under 5....4 and under, LOL...same thing to me

I am very thankful that on every SWA flight I have been on with my kids, we have been able to pre-board. It makes a big difference when you are trying to strap a car seat it.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by madge
under 5....4 and under, LOL...same thing to me

I am very thankful that on every SWA flight I have been on with my kids, we have been able to pre-board. It makes a big difference when you are trying to strap a car seat it.

It is the same thing, but, there are some that would get nuts if their kid was 5 years and one day. Four and under pretty much stops it. Dont know why, but, it does.

 

[madge]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
It is the same thing, but, there are some that would get nuts if their kid was 5 years and one day. Four and under pretty much stops it. Dont know why, but, it does.

I understand

after watching "Airline", I have a newfound respect for the SWA employees....especially when it comes to dealing with families.

 

[Dizholic]

I have reservations with SWA in April to go to WDW. We have a laptop, so I don't think checking in will be a problem. What I can't figure out is how are we going to Print a boarding pass??? Has anyone figured that out yet?

 

[sjhlib]

I'm on hold right this minute w/SW - the agent I got is awesome and when I asked about the 4 hr thing, SHE offered the split res. #'s for everyone and is now working w/a supervisor to learn how to do it!
We had planned on heading out early that day to board, then go back later, but this just saved us a trip!! This board is wonderful! I'll bet the internet cafe will be mobbed at midnight on the last night w/all of us trying to get our return flight passes!Shhhhhhh!!!

 

[Erin12303]

I called last night to ask about separate confirmation numbers. The agent was awesome---she put me on hold to get her supervisor. It took the two of them about 10 minutes, but I now have 6 separate confirmation numbers for our February trip.