I messed up my SWA online check-in!

[mom2aPrincess&Pirate]

Well the good news is I got to checkin for our flights!!

the bad news is I had to check in at 6:35 am and decided to do if from bed on my iPhone so I could go back to sleep, but in my groggy state I screwed up.

I accidentally hit my info to check myself in instead of scrolling all the way to "check in all passengers". Stupid iPhone touch screen.

So, I got the awesome spot of A 16 (yay!), but in the split second it took for me to go back and check in everyone else, somehow my DH got A40 and my kids - ages 4 and almost 2 - got A 51 and 52 (yikes!).

Wondering what to do now. Do you think it would be ok for me to board at A16 and save a row for us or is this frowned upon? Perhaps we should all board together at the kid's spots? It is still the A group after all. Ugh!

If I would have paid more attention we all could have had great spots, but oh well. As I said it's still A group. Could be worse. If this is the worst thing that happens, I think we'll be ok!

 

[DaniB]

So, I got the awesome spot of A 16 (yay!), but in the split second it took for me to go back and check in everyone else, somehow my DH got A40 and my kids - ages 4 and almost 2 - got A 51 and 52 (yikes!).

Wondering what to do now. Do you think it would be ok for me to board at A16 and save a row for us or is this frowned upon? Perhaps we should all board together at the kid's spots? It is still the A group after all. Ugh!

If I would have paid more attention we all could have had great spots, but oh well. As I said it's still A group. Could be worse. If this is the worst thing that happens, I think we'll be ok!

I haven't flown before, so I'm not sure I understand how this works with kids.

Doesn't that mean your kids are sitting completely away from either parent? Would the airlines really seperate kids that young from the parent?

 

[ccgirl]

My advice is to all board with the higher number. After all, you all still have "A's" and will be able to sit together. I would think saving an entire row would be frowned upon by other passengers. I know there was an announcement made by flight attendants on my last SWA flight that any seat not occupied by a body could be sat in. Even requested people to remove bags and other items from the seats as they had an open seating policy. On a good note, I did family boarding after group A and we were able to get rows 1 and 3 on the plane.

 

[dacky041208]

My advice is to all board with the higher number. After all, you all still have "A's" and will be able to sit together. I would think saving an entire row would be frowned upon by other passengers. I know there was an announcement made by flight attendants on my last SWA flight that any seat not occupied by a body could be sat in. Even requested people to remove bags and other items from the seats as they had an open seating policy. On a good note, I did family boarding after group A and we were able to get rows 1 and 3 on the plane.

This will work fine. We've had to do this as well, and since you are in the A's, it won't be any problem. You wouldn't want to split up your family with kids that young in the line to get on the plane, so I'd stick all together with the A51/52 numbers.

 

[Lewisc]

Saving a middle seat is sort of OK. Saving 3 seats really isn't. You really don't expect a 2 year old and a 4 year old to board by themselves?

Boarding at the higher number is the easiest way to go. You could ask a GA, they'll probably let your family board at the lowest number but why bother?

 

[Danibelle]

You can board with your kids numbers. There won't be a problem finding seats together. You will board before all B and C family groups. Please don't attempt to save 4 seats together.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just board with your kids. It will be totally OK. There will be less than 60 people on that entire plane at that point (unless there were a whole bunch of medical preboards who really do board before everyone else). Think about that big plane with all those seats and only 60 people.

We were at A29 and 30, and there were medical preboards but NO business fare people (who board from 1 to around 16), and we sat in row 3.

This is not something to worry about at all. Just board at the later boarding position that your family got.

 

[swabikedude]

You do have a few choices at this point.

Family Boarding is right after the A group is complete - that is A1-30 an A31-60...then Families with children 4 and under can board together...BUT - why do that when you have secured some A boarding passes.

Board with your group - the one thing SWA won't do is separate YOU from your children...please don't worry about that. Even boarding at the end of the boarding groups with children isn't a problem - our Flight Attendants will do a great job in securing seats together for families....especially with young children.

So - you can board in your group - just don't try and reserve seats too close to the front and you should be GOOD.

Have a safe trip!!!

 

[CC12005]

Southwest will definitely let the children board with you. Even if they had a completely different boarding group. You don't even have to ask them, have them stand in line with you and give them all three passes with your number on top. That is standard boarding protocol with children. Not sure about the husband, but since it's only one more they might. If you board with the children, yes you can save your husband the seat. One seat when he will be shortly behind you is not a problem.
BTW. We've had to do this when they do not allow me to check in online due to a lap child. Thus winding up with a B or C boarding pass for me & A's for the rest of the group. It's usually not difficult to save a seat for someone when you have children, since most people try to sit as far as possible from them. Which may be the way to save a seat, let everyone know your kids are loud and coming off a cold so they are pretty cranky.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Southwest will definitely let the children board with you. Even if they had a completely different boarding group. You don't even have to ask them, have them stand in line with you and give them all three passes with your number on top. That is standard boarding protocol with children. Not sure about the husband, but since it's only one more they might. If you board with the children, yes you can save your husband the seat. One seat when he will be shortly behind you is not a problem.

This is the way to go. Have your children board with you with your A16 pass. They won't let kids that young board alone. You can save a seat across the aisle from you for your DH and let him board with his number.

 

[seashoreCM]

THe 2yo and 4yo can board with you with A-16 at position 16. DH stays where he is at A-40.
Seat the 4yo in one row aisle or window and you with the 2yo in a different row aisle and window.
When DH arrives you can decide who sits where.

 

[n2mm]

Just board with your kids with A51, you'll be fine. I flew SW in Jan/Mar/Apr and each time I was an A. (March 40ish and April 50ish). We sat in row 3 in April boarding with our A50s. You will not have a problem with seating boarding as an A. However, how do you plan to sit? 3x1 or 2x2? Don't worry, you'll be OK. The line will be much happier to have 1 person step back to A50 than they will to have 3 people move up ahead of them believe me.....

 

[kaytieeldr]

I truly don't understand why so many people are encouraging the OP to have her children board 35 people ahead of their assigned positions. I especially don't understand her being encouraged to 'hide' their boarding passes under hers.

How is this reasonable to the 35 passengers between them? Excuse me - 34. given that one of those is her husband. Why not encourage her to board alone when it's her turn, and have her DH board with the children when THEIR - not his - turn arrives? She can head toward the back of the plane where it likely won't be difficult to 'save' three other seats, even if those darned SWA Flight Attendants make one of those "sit anywhere" announcements.

Or they could even all board together in the A51 to A55 group, as many other posters suggested. They'll still all sit together; absolute worst case, they'll sit two-and-two. Highly unlikely given that they'll be boarding with the A group.

 

[bumbershoot]

I completely agree, kaytieeldr.


Taking the kids up to your boarding position won't be even noticed by SW until you are at the gate.

But it WILL be noticed by other passengers, when everyone is checking who has what number and helping people to where they should be in line (I actually quite enjoy the camaraderie of all of that).

I just don't think it's cool.

Especially since this is almost surely a non issue, because unless there are 16ish business fare travelers, you'll be, what, the 35th plus on the plane.


Now, I have managed to get a few passengers between me and my son (in boarding position) even when checking the two of us at the same time, and when we went to the later boarding spot, the passengers told me that I was more than welcome to take the earlier spot along with him. That was lovely. That was ONE extra person, just a few spots away, and it was suggested (not just OK'd or tolerated) by the passengers who were directly effected by the situation. This situation is different.

 

[lllGurulll]

I don't see the problem with having her kids board with her at all. The Husband on the other hand I feel should just wait at his current position. I don't see any passengers balking at her having her kids sit with her.

Of course, using EBCI would have avoided the whole thing.

 

[seashoreCM]

OT: (on soapbox wearing flame suit to hide selfishness) I think it is fair that the problem of child molesters and kidnappers at large in society be borne by larger numbers of people (in the form of the OP's bringing her children to A-16) as opposed to by the mother alone (in the form of her going back to A-51). Now teenagers can be expected to stay in their places.

 

[mamapajama]

We had split passes last summer and the flight attendant told us to all board together. Now we weren't that far spread apart but I took the baby and and one older one. People avoid a baby on a plane like the plague! My advice would be to take the kids and let your husband stay in the back.

 

[kaytieeldr]

OT: (on soapbox wearing flame suit to hide selfishness) I think it is fair that the problem of child molesters and kidnappers at large in society be borne by larger numbers of people (in the form of the OP's bringing her children to A-16) as opposed to by the mother alone (in the form of her going back to A-51). Now teenagers can be expected to stay in their places.

Huh?

The 'problem' of child molesters and kidnappers in an airport terminal on the off-chance there would be an opportunity being SO minimal as to be a non-issue in this case it need to be borne by NO fellow passengers of the OP in this case, there is ZERO reason, excuse, or validation for the OP to bring her children up to her place in line, having them cut in front of thirty-four non-related passengers, when instead she or her DH can wait with them in THEIR assigned place in line, safely.

The reasonable and sensible action would be

• The OP boards at A16, moves to the back of the plane, saves seats to the best of her ability while her DH boards with the children in the A51-A55 group
• The OP's DH boards at A40, moves to the back of the plane, saves seats to the best of his ability while she boards with the children in the A51-A55 group
• The entire family boards with the A51-A55 group and finds four seats together.

 

[lllGurulll]

OT: (on soapbox wearing flame suit to hide selfishness) I think it is fair that the problem of child molesters and kidnappers at large in society be borne by larger numbers of people (in the form of the OP's bringing her children to A-16) as opposed to by the mother alone (in the form of her going back to A-51). Now teenagers can be expected to stay in their places.

OK, this thread has officially jumped the shark.

 

[n2mm]

I guess we have to wait until the OP returns to find out how she handled this.