I love SWA but....

[slzer0]

I hope you realize that sometimes family boarding is suspended. It is up to the gate agents to decide.

Also, there is nothing funny about implying your kids will be so badly behaved that other adults couldn't stand to be near them. As many other posters have stated, a lot of us travel with headphones. If your kid is throwing a fit it will only make you feel bad, not the person next to them.

I thought it was funny.

 

[maxiesmom]

I thought it was funny.

Maybe the first time someone posted that way it was funny. After a few hundred parents claiming their kids will be monsters unless they are sitting next to them, not so much.

 

[Gracie09]

Maybe the first time someone posted that way it was funny. After a few hundred parents claiming their kids will be monsters unless they are sitting next to them, not so much.

Yup and then they come back and say how horrible we all are, and we must not have children ( I do, I just pay the extra fees to sit with them) and then they wish something bad happens to us.

 

[aaarcher86]

Could someone just verify the policy with me for children with cognitive disabilities? I'm not a flyer, but we are on SW in September, and I just need to know what to do to make sure we are together.

 

[Soarin4us]

If you pay for EB ($12.50) for each passenger you WILL be able to sit together. It's half the price that most airlines charge for a suitcase.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Could someone just verify the policy with me for children with cognitive disabilities? I'm not a flyer, but we are on SW in September, and I just need to know what to do to make sure we are together.

I don't see this as a reason to have to have pre-boarding; it's unlikely you wouldn't find 2 seats together if you check in at 24 hours. Pay for EBCI if you think it will be necessary

 

[DebbieB]

I don't see this as a reason to have to have pre-boarding; it's unlikely you wouldn't find 2 seats together if you check in at 24 hours. Pay for EBCI if you think it will be necessary

If you are claiming a disability, I don't think they can ask for details.

Prior to general boarding, preboarding is available for Customers who have specific seating needs to accommodate a disability, and/or need assistance in boarding the aircraft, and/or need to stow an assistive device. If you have a disability and require preboarding, you should request a Preboarding Document from the Customer Service Agent at your departure gate.

The Preboarding Document serves as notification to our Operations (Boarding) Agent that you need to preboard. It's important to keep in mind those Customers who preboard may not occupy a seat on the emergency exit rows. Customers who have any other special needs related to boarding should speak with the Customer Service Agent at your departure gate."

We realize that some Customers with disabilities require the assistance of the individuals they are traveling with, and we will allow a travel companion to act as an "attendant" and preboard with a Customer with a disability. In most cases, the Customer requires assistance from only one other person, and any additional family members or friends are asked to board with their assigned group. However, if a Customer needs assistance from more than one family member, then the Customer should be allowed the additional help.

 

[aaarcher86]

I don't see this as a reason to have to have pre-boarding; it's unlikely you wouldn't find 2 seats together if you check in at 24 hours. Pay for EBCI if you think it will be necessary

SW offers assistance for customers with cognitive impairments.

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/unique-travel-needs/

I don't really care about who thinks who should get what. This thread has already shown SW allows for things people don't think they should (saving seats). I'd just like to know how this works. If I need to pay for EBCI I'll be happy to. If I don't need to because they accommodate differently, then I won't.

If this isn't a good thread to pose the question, I can put it somewhere else. Since a lot of these comments are about boarding and seating procedures I figured it was fine.

 

[BabiesDaddy]

As someone who always pays the extra fees for the best seats possible, i would never allow a toddler to not sit with one parent. Seeing some people responses that don't care doesn't surprise me. It's been a steady decline in humanity for a long time

I mean it's a plane seat, really?

 

[BabiesDaddy]

I do wish SW did have assigned seats. It would make things alot easier.

 

[goofy4tink]

SW offers assistance for customers with cognitive impairments.

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/unique-travel-needs/

I don't really care about who thinks who should get what. This thread has already shown SW allows for things people don't think they should (saving seats). I'd just like to know how this works. If I need to pay for EBCI I'll be happy to. If I don't need to because they accommodate differently, then I won't.

If this isn't a good thread to pose the question, I can put it somewhere else. Since a lot of these comments are about boarding and seating procedures I figured it was fine.

It is fine....no worries. You might also want to check over on the Disabilities board to see if they have any first hand knowledge or experiences.

As someone who always pays the extra fees for the best seats possible, i would never allow a toddler to not sit with one parent. Seeing some people responses that don't care doesn't surprise me. It's been a steady decline in humanity for a long time

I mean it's a plane seat, really?

And that's fine. But, no one has any idea as to why someone else chose a particular seat. Parents are responsible for their children and planning accordingly. I have flown on Airtran before...paid for a specific seat and early boarding. Took my seat towards the rear of the plane. No one was in my row..I was in the window seat. Boarding went along. Well, at the end of the boarding process, a large family boarded. Seems they had little to no idea how the whole thing worked. There were probably about 8 of them in their group, with 4 young children...at least that's what I could surmise. Anyway....they were looking around for seats together...there were very few. Maybe 2 sets of doubles, otherwise, all singles. The FAs were really working at finding them seats. I told the FA that I would move if it made it any easier...at least 3 could sit together. She thanked me, but said it wasn't necessary. They were finding the family seats in the very back of the plane....about 6 rows behind me. And....ended up that I had my row to myself! So, I will move. But it will be my idea, not someone else's. I choose my seat for a reason. And if I'm flying with my family, then I'm sitting with my family.
I don't see it as a decline in humanity...I see it as an expectation that people will do what is necessary for their own family/child.
SW doesn't assign seats because it's easier and faster this way. Their turnaround times are terrific as compared with those of an airline that assigns seats. Those airlines have to sit at the gate and wait for people to find their actual seats, then stow all their crap, and because they usually charge for checked bags, the passengers are usually carrying oversized bags that they need to cram into the overhead bins. I have boarded, moved quickly to my seat, only to find someone in it. When I inform that person they are in my seat, I get an 'Oh no, this is my seat.'....no, it's my seat. That woman argued with me, the FA came along and asked to see the woman's boarding pass! She was seated in 18F...her seat was 18A!!!! Duh. Now why was it an issue and why didn't I just take 18A? Because my dd was seated in 18E....and 18B was occupied! I don't know if that woman had just made an honest mistake or if she took that seat hoping that no one was going to take the middle seat. But, she moved with no further discussion. My point? That took up boarding time...we would probably have been able to move away from the gate 5 mins sooner than we did.

 

[hsmamato2]

If you pay for EB ($12.50) for each passenger you WILL be able to sit together. It's half the price that most airlines charge for a suitcase.

again....please be aware..not necessarily. Most likely? sure. But not 1000% I just want new peeps to SWA to be aware, it is a different setup than assigned seats. My last flight, we had a connector, and 2 in our family got b-something passes for both flights- with ebci. so I boarded after the middle boarding group- and we still sat together. (mid plane) Like I said, there is no guarantee, but most likely it will be fine, esp. if you are willing to just sit wherever,even a dreaded middle seat.rotfl2 I also said in my OP that I've flown SWA for years,and mostly never had a problem.

 

[mikehn]

I must be the outlier because I never see any problems. Any time there's a problem, the flight attendant makes an announcement and throws in a couple drink coupons for those who volunteer to do something. There are always plenty of takers and everyone is happy.

 

[DebbieB]

As someone who always pays the extra fees for the best seats possible, i would never allow a toddler to not sit with one parent. Seeing some people responses that don't care doesn't surprise me. It's been a steady decline in humanity for a long time

I mean it's a plane seat, really?

I think some of the comments were in response to parents who make smart remarks. If a parent asks nicely, I would be more than glad to switch seats. If they say "here take care of my kid, I'm going to go to the back and have a cocktail", I'm less inclined to help.

I do wish SW did have assigned seats. It would make things alot easier.

There are a lot of posts where people have issues with airlines who assign seats. They make their selections and then go online a few weeks later and find that all their seats were moved. Or when they check-in, they find their seats were moved. Or by the time they buy the tickets all that is left are scattered seats. That is actually harder to deal with than an open seating arrangement where you have the option of getting EBCI and boarding earlier to choose seats.

 

[LisaS]

I do wish SW did have assigned seats. It would make things alot easier.

I've had too many flights where our assigned seats were reassigned (and not together) or I boarded only to find someone sitting in my seat. I much prefer Southwest's approach -- we board and take the first two open seats we find that suit us. It's quick and easy, provided you do what you need to do to get a good boarding position.

I also think Southwest's boarding process encourages passengers to be in the gate area ready to board so they don't miss their assigned boarding position. Between that and their "bags fly free" policy, their boarding process seems very efficient.

 

[davale4]

Could someone just verify the policy with me for children with cognitive disabilities? I'm not a flyer, but we are on SW in September, and I just need to know what to do to make sure we are together.

You can go to SWA and click on "view reservation". When you pull it up, look for the name of the child and you will see an option to "add/edit disability" under the name. When you click on that, it will give a list of disabilities and you will find "cognitive" is one of them.

HTH

 

[teambeaman]

Yes, the concept of I'll just leave my kid here and you will be begging to change seats wont' work on me. I'll have my headphones and my Ipad and won't be bothered at all.

I will happily strap DS3 in his car seat in the seat next to you and sit somewhere else if no one wants to move. I know he'll be perfectly safe and unable to get out. I hope you have the Bose noise canceling headphones because you're going to need them...and FYI, I couldn't care less if you are or aren't begging to switch seats because once I'm seated I'm not moving. I have lots of free drink coupons and will be quite content somewhere else.

 

[teambeaman]

As many other posters have stated, a lot of us travel with headphones. If your kid is throwing a fit it will only make you feel bad, not the person next to them.

You're the one that wanted to sit next to them, believe me, I won't feel bad at all. I'll have my headphones too!

 

[Lsdolphin]

SW offers assistance for customers with cognitive impairments.

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/unique-travel-needs/

I don't really care about who thinks who should get what. This thread has already shown SW allows for things people don't think they should (saving seats). I'd just like to know how this works. If I need to pay for EBCI I'll be happy to. If I don't need to because they accommodate differently, then I won't.

If this isn't a good thread to pose the question, I can put it somewhere else. Since a lot of these comments are about boarding and seating procedures I figured it was fine.

You do not need to purchase the EBCI you just need to let the person at the counter at your Gate know that you will need to pre board if that is what YOU think is needed! I travel with my nephew who has multiple disabilities and I have actually had them approach me in the boarding area and offer us pre boarding. Please PM me for further information which. I have been given by SWA which also assists us on flights....

 

[Allison]

I will happily strap DS3 in his car seat in the seat next to you and sit somewhere else if no one wants to move. I know he'll be perfectly safe and unable to get out. I hope you have the Bose noise canceling headphones because you're going to need them...and FYI, I couldn't care less if you are or aren't begging to switch seats because once I'm seated I'm not moving. I have lots of free drink coupons and will be quite content somewhere else.

Why yes, I have quite excellent headphones, thank you, and I'm also one for enjoying a drink or two. I will leave your child alone so as not to disturb him and be quite content where I am also, so it sounds like it would work out just fine. A win-win for everyone. Have a good one.