Increased Pre-Boarders on Southwest

[Dizzy4Dizney]

I've been flying SW for about 3 years and have noticed quite a longer line for the Pre-board line. Has anyone else noticed this? Some of those kids look older than 4!

 

[Gary M]

From what I've read on this board it seems like it varies from airport to airport. Some places enforce the age limit and number of "family" members that board with the child while other let almost anyone pre-board. The two times that I flew from IND to MCO over half of the plane pre-boarded. The rules were not enforced. This winter we are flying NWA twice and Air Tran once from IND to MCO. The SWA flights from IND to Vegas and most other destinations, the pre-boarding is minimal.

 

[beccasmom]

I’ve only used SW once (am flying them again this weekend), but the pre-boarding rules were enforced pretty stringently here in Philly and in Orlando. The cut-off ages were six and under in Philly and the same in Orlando. I agree – in Orlando, I could not believe the line for pre-boarding! However, both times I had an A boarding pass and my seat was in aisle 5. Not everyone chooses the seats in front of the plane. And on a flight to WDW, with any airline, you’ll see more than the average number of children. The cut-off ages for pre-boarding seem to have fluctuating parameters. Perhaps they base it on their flight list and plan accordingly.

 

[seashoreCM]

(copied from another post)

Pre-boarders without a special card (I think it is blue) may not take wing exit row seats.

At the request of someone boarding later, the F/A is supposed to enforce this.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[lawgs]

pre boarders or any one in the extended pre board family are not allowed to sit in the exit rows.....if they "pre board"

they seem to have a system in place to notify the flight attendant when the first "A" passenger is boarding so they know all the pre boards are ON....and thus the exit rows are OPEN to anyone from then on....

 

[Goofy22]

The pre-borders in PHL on 10/26 were crazy we were the #3,4,5,6,7 with Aboarding and we had row 14!!!!!!!! There were only 2 people in front of us besides the preborders! And the preborders were all spread out like someone wouldn't sit there since they left the middle seat empty! Problem when the flight is full someone is sitting there!!!! They shouldn't allow that! That irked me! Because of that and the number of preboarders on out flight leaving PHL to MCO we wond up in row #14! To have seats together if one of sat in row 2 and one in 3 and one in 5 and one in 7 etc... we would have had better seats! unfortunatley we had 2 kids 6 and 11 and I was told the preboarding age was 5! They did not strictly enforce the rules on either of our flights they made the announcement only immediately family then on both flights I watched them let 3 to 4 more on with a group of 3 or 4 already because they cried the blues!!!!

 

[lawgs]

welcome to the world of southwest .....policy versus actuality

it all depends upon the gate agent's interpretation of the policy

were the pre boarders spread out and saving seats on your flights...

we have often seen that .... bags in empty seats and pre boarders standing in the aisle seat ...making it seem the row was taken

 

[Pinnie]

From what I've read on this board it seems like it varies from airport to airport. Some places enforce the age limit and number of "family" members that board with the child while other let almost anyone pre-board. The two times that I flew from IND to MCO over half of the plane pre-boarded. The rules were not enforced. This winter we are flying NWA twice and Air Tran once from IND to MCO. The SWA flights from IND to Vegas and most other destinations, the pre-boarding is minimal.

I agree that the worse preboarding exists on flights to and from MCO. I recently flew from Vegas to John Wayne in CA and there was only ONE preboarder.

I have seen a gentleman gate agent at MCO who really cracks down on preboarding there. He is GOOD. He calls for preboarders and as they board with someone that LOOKS over the age of 4, he asks the child his age and if they say 5, he tells the family to get into the right coral.

Also, he makes numerous announcements that preboarding is limited to child under 4 and IMMEDIATE family only and says NO grandparents, aunts and uncles and won't let them board. He has worked a few flights that I have been on recently and I hope there are more like him!

pinnie

 

[jcemom]

pre boarders or any one in the extended pre board family are not allowed to sit in the exit rows.....if they "pre board"

they seem to have a system in place to notify the flight attendant when the first "A" passenger is boarding so they know all the pre boards are ON....and thus the exit rows are OPEN to anyone from then on....

Yes, we were the first "A" passengers to board from PIT to MCO in September and the attendant at the podium had me hold onto my boarding pass and hand it to the attendant just inside the plane so that she would know I was the beginning of the "A" group.

 

[TDC Nala]

Last SW flight I took from Orlando they allowed preboarding for kids under 4, and they could be accompanied to preboard only by parents and siblings. No grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, long lost friends you just met in the shuttle. Must have been Pinnie's guy.

 

[iluvflorida8]

Just flew back on Southwest last night from MCO-Pittsburgh. For our 5;00 pm flight there was only 3 pre-boarders. An elderly woman in a wheelchair and a 14 yr old handicapped boy and his older brother. The plane had 90 passengers on this flight.

I had an "A" boarding pass and sat in Row 1.I was 3rd in line.........

 

[DebbieB]

The pre-borders in PHL on 10/26 were crazy we were the #3,4,5,6,7 with Aboarding and we had row 14!!!!!!!! There were only 2 people in front of us besides the preborders! And the preborders were all spread out like someone wouldn't sit there since they left the middle seat empty! Problem when the flight is full someone is sitting there!!!! They shouldn't allow that! That irked me! Because of that and the number of preboarders on out flight leaving PHL to MCO we wond up in row #14! To have seats together if one of sat in row 2 and one in 3 and one in 5 and one in 7 etc... we would have had better seats! unfortunatley we had 2 kids 6 and 11 and I was told the preboarding age was 5! They did not strictly enforce the rules on either of our flights they made the announcement only immediately family then on both flights I watched them let 3 to 4 more on with a group of 3 or 4 already because they cried the blues!!!!

It is nicer to sit closer to the front because you may get out a minute or two earlier, but is it really that big a deal? Row 14 isn't that bad, it gets to Orlando the same time as row 1. The main thing is you got seats together.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

When we flew in JUly it was pre-boarding for 4 year old and under w/family. The biggest problem I saw wasn't in Philly but in Orlando. They allowed one family with about 20 relatives to pre-board with the child. I think it should just be immediate family (parents and siblings). That is why we're back to taking Air Tran.

 

[lawgs]

disney momx


oh yes the inconsistency of SWA policy is very frustrating, that is why at least we sorta have a level playing field being able to check in ONLINE

the pre boards that stand out in my mind are the ones who "know" someone at the gate who overlooks the rules and policy so they can board early

 

[boston1029]

We just flew SW at the end of October. Out of Baltimore, there were 3 preboards and we were the second family in A line. We got the first row. On the way home from Orlando, the preboarder line was huge. There were at least 2 dozen people in line and then they were holding seats for people that were with them, but in the other lines. We got the emergency row and the row in front of them. My Dh is claustrophobic, so the first row or emergency row are a must. It was rather stressful on the way home, when we saw that preboarder line grow. There were several children who looked way older than 4 and then they had crazy amounts of people with them.

 

[Cookie55]

Must admit I read this thread for amusement. As a regular viewer of "Airline" I find it hard to understand why anyone would ever fly this airline...too much stress for me...

 

[ducklite]

It is nicer to sit closer to the front because you may get out a minute or two earlier, but is it really that big a deal? Row 14 isn't that bad, it gets to Orlando the same time as row 1. The main thing is you got seats together.

It's a HUGE deal for me. I fly back and forth between MCO and PHL/EWR regularly, I'm there for 36-48 hours tops, I have only a carry on--no checked bag, and am alone. My time is VERY limited, and often I'm on a tight schedule to get to a photo shoot. So getting stuck behind a plane full of inconsiderate people who preboard then also want to get off first irks me.

If you have to preboard because you need more time, you'll also need more time getting off, so sit down, shut up, and wait for everyone else to get off before you clog up the aisles. That is not directly towards handicapped, who have no choice but to wait for a wheelchair. It is directed towards the families who carry on too much crap and thn block the aisle getting Little Susie, Brad, and Peter and all their assorted junk together.

Then again I fly USAir and Continental so I am usually in first class or at least have first crack at those front rows, and usually don't need to deal with the "tourists" in the back of the plane who are complaining because they spent $98 and don't even get a meal.

Anne

 

[bubba's mom]

Last June we had a Wed. morning flight out of PHL to MCO (last week of June). Took 7am flight--it was overbooked. We got to the gate about 5:30am for 7am flight...and while nobody was there the year before, THIS year it was full!! So, I walked right up to the "B" cattleshoot (yes, we had B passes) and plopped my family down and ate the bring-along breakfast we had. Well, let me tell you....a darn good thing we did!! After all the 20+something preboards went, and then the "A" boarders, we were lucky to have 3 seats together (family of 3) and that was maybe 3 or 4 rows from the back! If we hadn't been first in line, the chances of us getting 3 seats together wouldn't have been good. Come to think of it, I remember a family of 3--the daughter was in a car seat (appx. 2 or 3yrs). They were all going to sit on an aisle...which was ridiculous!! I told her she should have told the FA she should have preboarded...she said she did and they told her she couldn't! wha? Having an infant seat, c'mon...somebody screwed up. We were always told the car seat HAD to go next to the window.... maybe SW's policy is different?? Luckily, a couple of people moved around, and the family got to sit together in the row in front of us!

 

[jcemom]

We saw some prime candidates for an episode of Airline last June at MCO. The flight ahead of us was completely boarded and ready to pull away when a family of four came walking...not running, but let's say briskly walking...up to the podium. It was their flight. The attendant explained to them that the flight was departing and they were too late, and besides, the flight was now full since their seats had been given to standby passengers...you know the whole procedure. The father proceeded to throw a fit, insisting that they should be allowed onto the plane because...get this...they had preboard passes! Um...apparently he doesn't know what the word PREboard means, lol. After much to-do can you believe they pulled the plane back up, got people to give up their seats and get off the plane, and put this family on. Then, the father comes storming back off the plane yelling because they don't have four seats together. SWA somehow convinced people to move around to get them seats together and the plane took off about 40 minutes late. I absolutely could not believe it!!!

 

[Tissa]

We saw some prime candidates for an episode of Airline last June at MCO. The flight ahead of us was completely boarded and ready to pull away when a family of four came walking...not running, but let's say briskly walking...up to the podium. It was their flight. The attendant explained to them that the flight was departing and they were too late, and besides, the flight was now full since their seats had been given to standby passengers...you know the whole procedure. The father proceeded to throw a fit, insisting that they should be allowed onto the plane because...get this...they had preboard passes! Um...apparently he doesn't know what the word PREboard means, lol. After much to-do can you believe they pulled the plane back up, got people to give up their seats and get off the plane, and put this family on. Then, the father comes storming back off the plane yelling because they don't have four seats together. SWA somehow convinced people to move around to get them seats together and the plane took off about 40 minutes late. I absolutely could not believe it!!!

That just makes me ill Those are the kind of people who wait until the last minute for a parade and expect you to let them stand in front of you.