If your Southwest boarding #s are far apart?

[MarcyMouse]

I will be traveling with my two kids, 5 and 6 yrs old. Because I booked with rewards, we ended up with three reservations and three confirmations numbers. So when I check in at 24 hrs, it'll take a while to get all 3 of us in and I anticipate having boarding numbers far apart, maybe even in A and B.

I figured I should do mine first- then if I have the lowest boarding number, do you think Southwest would allow me to bring my children in the line with me? Or will they have to wait alone at their boarding number? I can't imagine them having a 5 yr old do that, but I guess it's possible..

Has anyone else been all split up in the boarding line? Or were you allowed to wait together with one member of your party?

 

[MHSweb79]

You should be able to use Family Boarding - ask at the desk. Families with small children board together, between the A and B groups. I'm pretty sure nobody wants very young children waiting alone.

 

[goofy4tink]

Depends on how far apart your numbers are. A better and more polite thing to do would be to move back to the highest number...sure, two of you would be giving up your spots but it will make those around you much happier. Or, you can put your kids in their spots and then hope someone offers to change spots with you. I would do one child first, then you, then the second child. That way others may not mind too much if just one child moves up while the other moves back.

 

[goofy4tink]

You should be able to use Family Boarding - ask at the desk. Families with small children board together, between the A and B groups. I'm pretty sure nobody wants very young children waiting alone.

Nope...that's for families flying with kids under 4. If families with kids of 5 and 6 got to board in this group, the number would be huge.
Kids that age fly alone all the time. Shouldn't be an issue jus standing in a line. Besides, my suggestion has worked for others. It's the best solution to a sticky situation.

 

[crashbb]

You should be able to use Family Boarding - ask at the desk. Families with small children board together, between the A and B groups. I'm pretty sure nobody wants very young children waiting alone.

Family boarding is for children 4 and under.

OP - I would board with your highest boarding number (or following Goofy4Tink's suggestion and board with the middle number). No one wants little kids to be left alone, but they don't have be left alone - you may just have to board a little later in the line up.

 

[DebbieB]

Open up 3 windows. Set each reservation # up. When the time comes, hit enter on each one. They should not be far apart, it would just be a second between each one.

 

[Jestocost]

You should be able to use Family Boarding - ask at the desk. Families with small children board together, between the A and B groups. I'm pretty sure nobody wants very young children waiting alone.

No. Family boarding only is available if the kids are four or under. OPs kids are too old to qualify.

Obvious solution is for the OP and her kids to line up with the person with the highest number. SWA is fine with you boarding any time after your spot and no kids would have to stand in line alone.

 

[bumbershoot]

Open up 3 windows. Set each reservation # up. When the time comes, hit enter on each one. They should not be far apart, it would just be a second between each one.

Yes, do that exactly.


And if/when split up by just a little bit, take everyone to the highest number boarding number and just wait there. Don't try to go to the lowest boarding number.

 

[Lewisc]

Or will they have to wait alone at their boarding number? I can't imagine them having a 5 yr old do that, but I guess it's possible..

Has anyone else been all split up in the boarding line? Or were you allowed to wait together with one member of your party?

There won't be any issue if you all line up at spot for the highest number in your group. You, not SW would be responsible for allowing a 5 yr old to wait alone.

If you're flying at a time, and from an airport, that's likely to have continuing and connecting passengers paying the $30 for EBCI makes a lot of sense.

 

[Brian Noble]

paying the $30 for EBCI makes a lot of sense.

That's my take, too. A small amount of money to save you some hassle. It's vacation, after all.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I agree that the best thing to do is either pay for the EBCI and then board with the highest of your 3 numbers, or check in as close as possible to all together at the 24 hour mark and then board everyone with your highest number.

If you really do not want to wait and board with the person in your group who is furthest back in line, have your children flown before? Recently enough to recall how a plane looks inside? We have had times when we get different reservations on Southwest and different boarding positions. I always checked the kids in first so they would have the lower number. They got in line in front of me (so I could still see them in teh airport--I figure once they are heading into the plane they cannot get lost). They knew to choose the first set of 3 open seats they could and one would take the window and one the aisle and every time the middle was still there when I got on 20 or so people later. All they had to do was sit down and I helped with luggage storage, etc after I got on. NOW we just EBCI which is much better, but it worked when they were younger

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Open up 3 windows. Set each reservation # up. When the time comes, hit enter on each one. They should not be far apart, it would just be a second between each one.

I just traveled with kids using reward tickets last week. Even though we had 4 separate confirmation numbers our boarding passes were all together for both trips. I did do the above and have the window open and checked in nearly all at once for the trip down and I used the EBCI for the trip home.

I wouldn't count on the EBCI to get you together though since you have separate confirmation #'s they won't necessarily do them together KWIM?

When I booked my tickets I have to attach my confirmation # to each of the kid's tickets because they were all under 12. That may be why all our boarding passes were together for EBCI and when I manually did it???

 

[bytheblood]

Open 3 separate browser windows, enter the booking number and then submit each one 1, 2, 3.....you will be pretty close.

Also, you can call SW about 10 minutes before check-in time and they will offer to do them for you. We have done that and got all 3 numbers together.

 

[brymolmom]

I would either board with the HIGHEST number in your group or pay for ECBI.