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

[DMRick]

Erin..I sent you a PM!

I too just called SW (poor them..we're all calling). The agent I got, told me that some a's, b's and c's will be at the check out desk, the kiosk and the online boarding passes. So you may get a c on line and an a in the kiosk. She couldnt' tell me if the first on line will get the A's or if it was random. Someone else was told the a's could all be taken on line. Can't wait til someone goes and finds out for sure LOL!
If we don't get an A for being the first on liners, then for us, there is no advantage. We wouldn't be able to get them for the trip home, since we don't bring a printer.
I'm also concerned about doing ressie's one at a time, and have the plane fill before I do the 5th persons ressie.
Doris

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by 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?

find someone with a printer? Like Kinkos.

 

[NotUrsula]

Two things:

If you want to print a boarding pass and don't have a printer with you, bring a blank floppy or CD (both isn't a bad idea, actually.) When you pull up the boarding pass info, save the screen as a document in either an image program like your photo manager, or as a word processing document. If your hotel has a business center, they can probably print it off the floppy for you, otherwise, as Gail pointed out, someplace like Kinko's can do it. The more common the program you use, the more likely a public computer can handle printing it.

Also, regarding preboarding on SWA: if you are installing a carseat, you will *always* get to preboard at least one person on SWA, even if general preboarding for young children has been suspended for that particular flight. There are restrictions on where a carseat can be placed, so they have to go on first with open seating.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by NotUrsula
Two things:

If you want to print a boarding pass and don't have a printer with you, bring a blank floppy or CD (both isn't a bad idea, actually.) When you pull up the boarding pass info, save the screen as a document in either an image program like your photo manager, or as a word processing document. If your hotel has a business center, they can probably print it off the floppy for you, otherwise, as Gail pointed out, someplace like Kinko's can do it. The more common the program you use, the more likely a public computer can handle printing it.

Also, regarding preboarding on SWA: if you are installing a carseat, you will *always* get to preboard at least one person on SWA, even if general preboarding for young children has been suspended for that particular flight. There are restrictions on where a carseat can be placed, so they have to go on first with open seating.

That is not entirely true, I have been there when they have not preboarded children and the parents, car seats and all board with the rest of the folks. the only preboards were those with special needs, and not one of them had a car seat.
since they are only banned from emergency exit row there are plenty of options available if they do not preboard.

How should a CRD be used?
Once onboard the aircraft, your CRD must be placed in a forward-facing seat that is not in an exit row. It is best to place the CRD in a window seat so it will not block access to the aircraft aisle. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for securing the CRD to the seat, fastening the aircraft seatbelt around the CRD as tightly as possible.

 

[Padre Disney]

Gail,
Just wondering if you can clear something up for me. I just called SW and asked how early we should get to the airport if our group of 12 even had half a chance of getting a B boarding pass.
I thought I had read on the SW web site that people could show up 4 hours early to check luggage and get boarding passes. So we figured that since some people can print out passes at 12:01 we had better go at least 4 hours early. When I called SW to double check I was told that we could show up 4 hours to check luggage BUT we coud not get our boarding passes until 90 minutes before out flight. So who is correct the web site or the person on the phone?
Thanks

 

[DMRick]

When I called SW to double check I was told that we could show up 4 hours to check luggage BUT we coud not get our boarding passes until 90 minutes before out flight.

It was that way at one time..however, we picked up our boarding passes over 2 hours early the last time. She said they changed it again when we asked how come we were getting them.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Padre Disney
Gail,
Just wondering if you can clear something up for me. I just called SW and asked how early we should get to the airport if our group of 12 even had half a chance of getting a B boarding pass.
I thought I had read on the SW web site that people could show up 4 hours early to check luggage and get boarding passes. So we figured that since some people can print out passes at 12:01 we had better go at least 4 hours early. When I called SW to double check I was told that we could show up 4 hours to check luggage BUT we coud not get our boarding passes until 90 minutes before out flight. So who is correct the web site or the person on the phone?
Thanks

the web site is correct. 90 minutes is the old time frame, this agent needs a refresher course.

 

[Padre Disney]

Thank You
Guess we will show up extra early

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Padre Disney
Thank You
Guess we will show up extra early

I have seen this happen a number of times, so, I will share here.
Frequently they do allow large groups to preboard. You might ask at the gate counter when you get there.

 

[NotUrsula]

"...since they are only banned from emergency exit row there are plenty of options available if they do not preboard."

Gail, I know that's what's on SWA's website, but it's not the whole story. Carseats are also not allowed in the rows directly in front of the exit rows, because the seats in that row must be able to collapse forward to help egress in an emergency. Although that business about putting the seat in the window position sounds like it is just a suggestion, it isn't; FA's will enforce the positioning of the seat. (Unless you are using two carseats in the same row, in which case you can use the window AND the center seat.) In addition, use of a carseat means that one MUST get 2 contiguous seats, as per FAA regulations, a child in a carseat must have an accompanying adult sitting in the next seat. There have been occasions when we have made tight connections on SWA with our carseat, and other passengers have had to be moved to accomodate it. The FA's *really* don't like it when that happens. (And remember, the FAA requires that US carriers *must* allow an approved carseat to used onboard if the seat has been paid for and the carseat fits the aircraft seat.)

Requiring people who need to secure carseats to wait for general boarding *will* slow the boarding process, and we know how SWA feels about that. It is my experience that even when preboarding is suspended, if you bring the carseat to the gate agent's notice, you will be allowed to preboard ONE adult in order to secure it. Now, I've overheard people decline to do so if the whole family can't board together, (mostly in a snit b/c they want a large bloc of seats) but in all my flights, I've never seen SWA refuse to allow a person bearing a carseat to preboard. Once, at MDW, where the gate areas can be very crowded, I had to be physically defended by a ramp agent when a very self-important fellow passenger tried to insist that I (and my carseat) could not board first because he was first in line, and he had the spot staked out. I remember his words clearly, "that thing doesn't entitle her to cut in line." The ramp agent told him to step back and allow me through, that the carseat did indeed allow me to go ahead of him, because of the seat restrictions and the time needed to install it.

 

[madge]

since they are only banned from emergency exit row there are plenty of options available if they do not preboard.

we had to move our car seat on the flight home because it wasn't forward facing. no one told my DH that he couldn't put it there, and didn't tell him it was wrong until AFTER we got our daughter strapped in and the plane was preparing to take off. The made us move her (understandable) as the plane is getting ready to taxi down the runway. we were assured that the pilot would slow down

it wouldn't bother me if only one of us could preboard with the car seat, and save a seat next to it. that's less time for my daughter to be strapped in.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Gail, I know that's what's on SWA's website, but it's not the whole story. Carseats are also not allowed in the rows directly in front of the exit rows, because the seats in that row must be able to collapse forward to help egress in an emergency.

they don't recline, so, how can they collapse?

 

[NotUrsula]

There is a hinge, but it has a ratchet stop to keep the seatback from going backward. An FA demonstrated it to me once, on a flight where I was one of about 10 passengers. If you put your full weight on one of those seatbacks from behind, it will fold forward. (She told me that you do have to make an effort to move it.) The point is to widen the path leading to the door. I was given to understand that it is sometimes really important to have that extra maneuvering room if you need to be able to put your shoulder into the door to get it open.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by NotUrsula
There is a hinge, but it has a ratchet stop to keep the seatback from going backward. An FA demonstrated it to me once, on a flight where I was one of about 10 passengers. If you put your full weight on one of those seatbacks from behind, it will fold forward. (She told me that you do have to make an effort to move it.) The point is to widen the path leading to the door. I was given to understand that it is sometimes really important to have that extra maneuvering room if you need to be able to put your shoulder into the door to get it open.

thanks for the info.

 

[Candice30]

1. i may have missed it on this thread but someone asked about getting a boarding pass group when they checked in online. so if i check in online, will i be given a boarding pass group at that time?

2. also, would you take the risk of getting separate boarding groups if you are traveling with only 1 adult? i am afraid that i will not be in the same group as the kids.

3. lastly, i have checked in online with airtran at the resort and couldn't print boarding passes. when i got to the airport, i just showed my confirmation from the online checkin and they printed them at the counter. does anyone know if this is an option with southwest?

thanks!

 

[castlegazer]

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.

I just want to check with you that you asked whether or not you could actually now do on-line check-in. I just called SWA this morning - got the loveliest lady - and was told that, while they could split my reservation into separate reservations for the four people I would not be able to use on-line check-in. As soon as a live agent touches your reservation you may not use on-line check-in any longer. So, I gather that even though you can split your party reservation into many reservations you will still not be able to use on-line check-in. You would need to cancel your full reservation and then re-book into single separate reservations to on-line by yourself in order to avail yourself of on-line check-in. Is this true? - she was very specific and clear about it to me.

 

[NotUrsula]

"...would you take the risk of getting separate boarding groups if you are traveling with only 1 adult? i am afraid that i will not be in the same group as the kids."

This isn't a real issue, as it already was happening at the kiosks, even if you had multiple names in the party. I've had it happen that the first one or two names, alphabetically, on the ressie got "A" cards, and the remainder got "B". You can always get in the group behind the one you have, with no difficulty, so if you get an A and your kids get B, just get in the B line if they are not old enough to stand in the B line without you. (You'll be about 6 feet away while you're in line, they would only be out of your sight for about 5 minutes during the process of walking
onboard.)

This happens to us fairly frequently when we all travel together, and as my name is always first, I'm often separated. I just go in the A group and hold 2 seats, and DH & DS sit with me when they board. SWA does not care if you hold a couple of seats for real people, especially family; but they will not be happy with you
if you if you try to hold seats for passengers who don't exist (so as to keep an empty seat next to you for the flight.)

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by castlegazer
I just want to check with you that you asked whether or not you could actually now do on-line check-in. I just called SWA this morning - got the loveliest lady - and was told that, while they could split my reservation into separate reservations for the four people I would not be able to use on-line check-in. As soon as a live agent touches your reservation you may not use on-line check-in any longer. So, I gather that even though you can split your party reservation into many reservations you will still not be able to use on-line check-in. You would need to cancel your full reservation and then re-book into single separate reservations to on-line by yourself in order to avail yourself of on-line check-in. Is this true? - she was very specific and clear about it to me.

That sure is the first I have heard of this. People have been doing this since this option came out a few weeks ago.
I would call back and ask again.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Candice30
1. i may have missed it on this thread but someone asked about getting a boarding pass group when they checked in online. so if i check in online, will i be given a boarding pass group at that time?

2. also, would you take the risk of getting separate boarding groups if you are traveling with only 1 adult? i am afraid that i will not be in the same group as the kids.

3. lastly, i have checked in online with airtran at the resort and couldn't print boarding passes. when i got to the airport, i just showed my confirmation from the online checkin and they printed them at the counter. does anyone know if this is an option with southwest?

thanks!

Candice, how old are your children?

 

[Candice30]

hey gail: i'm jumping around on threads here a little bit. i actually just responded to you on another thread. they are 7 and 11 and have never flown before. i just went ahead and split the reservation and will hope for the best. if we do get separated, then we will just board together on the bottom group. thanks!