I hate Southwest!

[wgeo]

Seriously? Do you think I'm a flippin idiot? I know they are not going to MAKE us get on the plane. Take one word choice and pick it apart why don't you? Next time I post I'll make sure I have a thesaurus nearby in case the grammar police are reading. I think some people come on here looking for innocent posts just to have a grand old time making them feel bad.

Wow, I don't feel like this response was necessary. Maybe you were upset about not getting what you wanted with SW or just having a bad day, I hope attacking me made you feel better .

My point was saying that you chose to fly SW and use their system, then I proceeded to offer a couple of suggestions for how you could work out your problem. If you didn't want help then why post? And why get upset when people question your post? IMHO your post wasn't "innocent" it was very angry in tone, and I was trying to offer help, so that you wouldn't have an angry confrontation with the gate agents, but apparently you've already made up your mind on how you are going to "handle" the situation at the gate in order to get your way, so again why post in the first place?

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Southwest isn't and won't MAKE you do anything. You have chosen to fly with them and therefore you have chosen to play by their rules, whether you like them or not. If you really don't want to use SW's system than you need to purchase tickets through a different airline. In regards to boarding the plane, yes you will have different numbers but you do not HAVE to board at that time. If you have B2 and your son has B10, you can simply let B3 - B9 board ahead of you and then you and your son can enter at the same time.

FWIW, we used points to purchase our tickets on SW and for whatever reason, even though I purchased it in one transaction, we all have separate confirmation numbers. I decided that trying to check in all 4 of us with separate numbers at the 24 hour mark would be stressful so I went with EBCI to make things easier.

This just happened to us. I was paying for my flight, but dh & kids were flying on points. We had 4 confirmation #s. Yes, it's a pain but that's how it works.

Sounds like you're also not familiar with Southwest's rule about not being able to save seats. Please check on the Southwest site so you know what to expect.

Southwest does not have a specific policy against saving seats. Their policy states that someone boarding the plane may sit in any empty seat. If one feels like fighting with passenger who is trying to save the seat, the FA will side with the person who wants to sit in the empty seat.
I've never boarded where there wasn't plenty of available seats therefore I've never had to battle a seat-saver.

 

[Princess on the Run]

I noticed a couple of years ago about the single ticket being cheaper. So, I always book them separately if that's the cheapest way to go. It's never been an issue about boarding. As long as you check in online at the 24 hour mark you should all be somewhat close to each other. Just plan on sitting in the back. You will have plenty of seats open in the back.

Another thing that has happened to me twice: I would book the tickets separately, and twice I ended up having to pay MORE for the last ticket in my group. And then, like a 1/2 hour later, the website would show the price down again. I would then switch my ticket for the cheaper price expecting to just get a SWA credit to use in the future. I've been able to get a credit card REFUND for the price difference. Like I said, this has happened to me twice. So, maybe they have some kind of policy if the price drops within a certain time frame (like an hour or two), then you will get a credit card refund instead of just a credit to use in the future.

HTH!

I love love SWA!!!!

So there were 3 cheaper flights last night (there are 5 of us). I called and got them to split our confirmation in 3 and 2 so I can change 3 of us and then stalk the website for the other 2 if they become available. In the meanwhile, the 3 available were nabbed up by someone and no longer available. So instead I re-booked a totally different flight at $40 cheaper per person!! $200 credit and it gets us there a couple of hours earlier which will make that whole first day more pleasant in stead of crazy.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

OP - Much ado about NOTHING!

And to the poster who stated (and has been corrected) that WN doesn't allow seat saving, please post a link to the policy.

 

[phillymummer]

I see some people telling the OP to board with the highest number. I was told in another thread about SW that you cannot do that? I will have the same situation next month. My hubby and I are flying on comp tickets and I paid for my daughter's ticket. Now while I paid for EBCI for my daughter, the comp tickets are ineligible for EBCI and 24-hr. I asked if we would all be able to to board with my daughter's number and I was told "no" by many people- they don't allow people to board before their number even when traveling together. So, what is the correct policy? I was planning on switching boarding passes with my daughter (another suggestion by many posters here), and then heading to the back to save three seats.

 

[siskaren]

I see some people telling the OP to board with the highest number. I was told in another thread about SW that you cannot do that?

What they mean is that if one person has number A16 and is traveling with someone who has number A45, that person can wait to board with A45. So they're talking about the actual number being higher, whereas you're thinking in terms of A16 being higher in the boarding order.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I see some people telling the OP to board with the highest number. I was told in another thread about SW that you cannot do that? I will have the same situation next month. My hubby and I are flying on comp tickets and I paid for my daughter's ticket. Now while I paid for EBCI for my daughter, the comp tickets are ineligible for EBCI and 24-hr. I asked if we would all be able to to board with my daughter's number and I was told "no" by many people- they don't allow people to board before their number even when traveling together. So, what is the correct policy? I was planning on switching boarding passes with my daughter (another suggestion by many posters here), and then heading to the back to save three seats.

Same thing. Your daughter will have the lowest (not highest) boarding position of the three of you. Example: she gets A35, you get B50/B51. You can't board ahead of your assigned boarding location, but she can board after hers - with you.

 

[phillymummer]

What they mean is that if one person has number A16 and is traveling with someone who has number A45, that person can wait to board with A45. So they're talking about the actual number being higher, whereas you're thinking in terms of A16 being higher in the boarding order.

Ahh yes, thank you. That's exactly what I was thinking!! Now I understand. Forgive me. It's been a long day!!

 

[maxiesmom]

Rather than that, or getting unaccountably angry over a response to a statement you post, reconsider how the entire statement sounds - to readers, or in this case to other passengers or the business:
Because bluntly? To me it sounds like a threat to the airline - the "they'll have another think coming" part.

Instead, work within THEIR guidelines. A number of people here have given you excellent advice: spend the $30 for Early Bird Check In, or all board with the highest number. Southwest doesn't have a rule about seat-saving. It's not prohibited but it's also not condoned. As someone else advised, if other passengers want the seats you're saving, you can't stop them.

Great advice all around.

May I also add that if you want to save seats, head to the back of the plane. Because if you save seats towards the front, and someone else decides they want one of them, you will not have any recourse. They have every right to a seat that does not have a body in it. Southwest may not care if you try and save seats, but they won't say you have a right to them if someone else wants them either.