I really dislike flying with SWA due to their boarding process

[DisDadDVC]

Why? They know the last person to purchase EBCI is B15. They make an announcement before they start boarding that family boarding will happen after B15. They're watching the boarding passes as people enter the jetway. Once they take B15, they stop. They announce family boarding is starting. After family boarding is done, the next person to board is holding B16. I'm sorry, I don't see how that's "hard".

Because most people are idiots. Trust me, this is too hard for SW to pull off. People from B16+ will be clogging the gates, complaining, etc. The only way to board families is BETWEEN groups. So, you either leave it like it is, or you change how the groups are made up.

 

[supersnoop]

Because most people are idiots. Trust me, this is too hard for SW to pull off. People from B16+ will be clogging the gates, complaining, etc. The only way to board families is BETWEEN groups. So, you either leave it like it is, or you change how the groups are made up.

Or you limit EBCI to the A group.

 

[DisDadDVC]

Or you limit EBCI to the A group.

Then that would limit how much money SW makes...They would rather make more money than keep a few people happier about family boarding.

 

[sam_gordon]

Because most people are idiots.

THAT I don't disagree with. lol

 

[Baklava]

The only issue with that would be that a few of the families legally HAVE to have at least two seats together. I'm not sure if there is a min age one but I know any kid that paid for a seat and is using a car seat must be sat at a window with a guardian in the seat next to them. So they have to let them board early enough for that to happen.

Can you share your source for that? I have seen no references to that in my research and am curious as to where you found it.

 

[Nennie]

Can you share your source for that? I have seen no references to that in my research and am curious as to where you found it.

I'm not the person that posted that info, but here's a quick link: https://www.faa.gov/passengers/media/childsafety.pdf

 

[maxiesmom]

I still think the family boarding is at the discretion of whomever is at the gate. Our last fight out of Orlando the family boarding line extended out into the main isle. They made an announcement that the family boarding was One parent with a child UNDER 6. The gate attendant stopped large families and had one parent with older children get into the main boarding group. This was a TOTALLY full flight and they boarded families after the A and EB group.

It is. It changes from flight to flight, and sometimes family boarding is totally done away with.

 

[DebbieB]

Because most people are idiots. Trust me, this is too hard for SW to pull off. People from B16+ will be clogging the gates, complaining, etc. The only way to board families is BETWEEN groups. So, you either leave it like it is, or you change how the groups are made up.

They allow any remaining A listers to board after A, they could allow any remaining EBCI to board after A.

 

[Baklava]

I'm not the person that posted that info, but here's a quick link: https://www.faa.gov/passengers/media/childsafety.pdf

Yeah, I've found that part but not the other half of the claim.

 

[supersnoop]

THAT I don't disagree with. lol

Well, mathematically speaking, half of all people are below average.

 

[Boopuff]

Well, mathematically speaking, half of all people are below average.

 

[DisDadDVC]

They allow any remaining A listers to board after A, they could allow any remaining EBCI to board after A.

In what order? I have been on many flights where EBCI goes into the B30+. 1 or 2 A listers is one thing. 30+ EBCI is another.

 

[stitchlovestink]

The only issue with that would be that a few of the families legally HAVE to have at least two seats together. I'm not sure if there is a min age one but I know any kid that paid for a seat and is using a car seat must be sat at a window with a guardian in the seat next to them. So they have to let them board early enough for that to happen.

Actually you are incorrect. There is NO law that says that a parent or guardian MUST be next to said child! The rule is it cannot be in the exit row. And ACTUALLY, TWO seats are allowed side by side in the same row! One next to the window and one in the middle seat.
A parent flying solo with 2 littles can absolutely do that. Now you couldn't put one in the middle seat alone and have a person sitting in the window seat. But they can allow two seats side by side in the same row.
You need to read your source a little more carefully.... it suggests RESERVING TWO adjoining seats!! Not an option on SW. But there is NO law requiring ANY airline to put parents/guardians and children together.

Can you share your source for that? I have seen no references to that in my research and am curious as to where you found it.

Yeah read it....
FAA recommends reserving adjoining seats! Not possible on SW.

Quite a bit of this article (not all, but a great majority ) is suggestion.

 

[sam_gordon]

The only issue with that would be that a few of the families legally HAVE to have at least two seats together. I'm not sure if there is a min age one but I know any kid that paid for a seat and is using a car seat must be sat at a window with a guardian in the seat next to them. So they have to let them board early enough for that to happen.

If someone is dealing with a car seat, wouldn't they qualify as "those who need extra time" and be able to preboard? And how often is that happening anyway?

 

[kamik86]

In what order? I have been on many flights where EBCI goes into the B30+. 1 or 2 A listers is one thing. 30+ EBCI is another.

Agree with this. A listers not having an A pass already is rare. It only happens in two cases.

1) The person didn't have their rapid rewards number on the account prior to 36 hour mark where EBCI gets their numbers.
2) The person bought the flight after this 36 hour mark (This is how it has happened to me, when a meeting runs late or a test finishes early and my flight gets changed at the last minute)

I don't think I have ever seen more then 3 people using it on the same flight.

 

[kamik86]

Actually you are incorrect. There is NO law that says that a parent or guardian MUST be next to said child! The rule is it cannot be in the exit row. And ACTUALLY, TWO seats are allowed side by side in the same row! One next to the window and one in the middle seat.
A parent flying solo with 2 littles can absolutely do that. Now you couldn't put one in the middle seat alone and have a person sitting in the window seat. But they can allow two seats side by side in the same row.
You need to read your source a little more carefully.... it suggests RESERVING TWO adjoining seats!! Not an option on SW. But there is NO law requiring ANY airline to put parents/guardians and children together.




Yeah read it....
FAA recommends reserving adjoining seats! Not possible on SW.

Quite a bit of this article (not all, but a great majority ) is suggestion.

Ok maybe its not a law. However one time when that person with a car seat was the one with the late connection the FA did say they could not move the plane until they had two seats together and that one must be the window seat. So someone was forced to give up their window seat for a middle seat.

 

[Baklava]

If someone is dealing with a car seat, wouldn't they qualify as "those who need extra time" and be able to preboard? And how often is that happening anyway?

On a flight out of Orlando where pretty much all the passengers are families, the airlines have been known to do away with pre-boarding for those groups. "Needs extra time" is a courtesy unless we're talking about an ADA issue.

(And yes, this is pretty hypothetical at this point. Very few people will refuse to give you the middle seat next to your kid in a car seat, but someone claimed it was the *law*.)

 

[stitchlovestink]

If someone is dealing with a car seat, wouldn't they qualify as "those who need extra time" and be able to preboard? And how often is that happening anyway?

Nope. See people carry on a car seat in family boarding all the time.

Ok maybe its not a law. However one time when that person with a car seat was the one with the late connection the FA did say they could not move the plane until they had two seats together and that one must be the window seat. So someone was forced to give up their window seat for a middle seat.

That was a BULLY FA that said that they HAD TO HAVE 2 seats together as that was NOT a requirement for that flight to depart. There is NO REQUIREMENT that a child MUST BE restrained in a safety seat to fly. They are able to use an airline seat belt just like anyone else and then they could've gate checked the car seat. Sorry, that their connection was late but that really isn't any other passenger's fault or problem. Take the empty seats if nobody wants to move. That's the breaks of flying SW with unassigned seating.

On a flight out of Orlando where pretty much all the passengers are families, the airlines have been known to do away with pre-boarding for those groups. "Needs extra time" is a courtesy unless we're talking about an ADA issue.

(And yes, this is pretty hypothetical at this point. Very few people will refuse to give you the middle seat next to your kid in a car seat, but someone claimed it was the *law*.)

Exactly! And actually ACAA when it comes to airlines....ADA has no jurisdiction over air travel.

 

[Minnesota!]

I know I always say it, but I have never been on a SWA flight to MCO where family boarding was an option. Too many families.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I know I always say it, but I have never been on a SWA flight to MCO where family boarding was an option. Too many families.

They don't skip it on our flights to MCO out of BWI and BWI has become a major hub for SW. We have at least a dozen flights a day to Orlando. I can't remember them skipping family boarding in YEARS now. I think it was a mistake though to increase the age to 6!!! That makes it even worse!!