Is Southwest bad for a family traveling together?

[SomePixiedust]

NOPE. He was just randomly selected for extra screening.

I didn't realize you could be pre-selected for security screening like that.... I guess it's a good thing...unless like in your case it's a 4 y/o . I learn something new here everyday, that's why I love it

 

[DonnaL]

There have been some posts where people have been chosen for extra screening because of choosing a one way fare. I think this used to happen more frequently in the past since a lot of airlines are now offering one way fares. We've flown several times using one ways and have never been chosen for extra screening. I actually prefer to do this since if you need to make any changes (whether due to your schedule or fare prices) it's far easier to do it on one way tickets than a round trip. The only drawback is you will have two separate confirmation numbers.

 

[EmmaAndQuinnsMommy]

I just purchased tickets this weekend (Ding!) for Southwest and have never flown them before. There are 2 adults and 2 children, but we just bought 4 adult tickets, so we don't have youth fares. However, we will be able to pre-board with children, right? I have this big fear of being split up! So it won't matter if we have A, B, or C anyway? I will still check in 24 hours ahead, but I just wondered if we will get to board anyway before the A, B, or C so we are all together?

Thanks!

Carrie

 

[salmoneous]

Yes - if you are a family with 2 kids, one of whom is 3, you will get to preboard before the A's, B's and C's. You will get seats together. Login in 24 hour ahead will get you A passes so on the slight chance you don't get to preboard, you'll still have no trouble getting seats together.

 

[2tinkersmom]

We are a family with two girls and I have flown other airlines with assigned seats and on several occasions my girls were seated completely seperate (like rows and rows apart) from me. How ridiculous when you have the same last name...and this happened when my oldest was about 5 and I was flying with them both alone! Then of course you have to wait until everyone gets seats for the flight attendants to move you around.

We've flown Southwest twice and leave for our third trip wednesday. We also wanted to sit two and two so both girls got a window seat. Every time we have gotten A passes and its just wonderful to be able to pick where we want to sit.

We love Southwest and with their wonderful rates, we don't even look anywhere else now. Our flights for this trip with Southwest ding fare will cost us $350 round trip for all four of us to go from Baltimore to Orlando! With fares like that you just have to go to Disney more often!

 

[lovesdumbo]

There have been some posts where people have been chosen for extra screening because of choosing a one way fare. I think this used to happen more frequently in the past since a lot of airlines are now offering one way fares. We've flown several times using one ways and have never been chosen for extra screening. I actually prefer to do this since if you need to make any changes (whether due to your schedule or fare prices) it's far easier to do it on one way tickets than a round trip. The only drawback is you will have two separate confirmation numbers.

I had purchased RT tickets so that wasn't what got my DS chosen. I really think it was just some random thing. I don't think he shares his name with a terrorist as he's never been chosen before and he's flown 4 times (8 flights). Our surname is also unique in that it is an Amercanize version of an uncommon Lithuanian name so it is very unlikely he's on a list.

EmmaAndQuinnsMommy-I was able to print boarding passes for a friend and her DD(5 at the time) last summer ahead for her. I was able to preboard with my DS in August (he was 4 1/2 and I was told under 5 could preboard) both to and from Orlando. I really wouldn't worry about getting split up. You should think about what might be best for your family-1 adult and 2 kids in one row with other other adult on the other side or would it be better to be 1 adult/1 child in 2 rows. I remember really stressing about flying SW but I was really happy with them.

 

[addicted2disney]

We just flew Southwest. Came home yesterday. We were a group of 14 ( 4 families) that all bought our tickets seperately ( no group rates ) We all got A for boarding both going to Disney and coming home. All 14 of us sat in together with no problems. We printed our boarding passes at home right at the 24 hour mark, and POP Century printed out our passes the night before we left and we still all got A. We had awesome fares ( 36 down and 42 home). Our flight down was the most entertaining flight Ive ever taken. The flight attendants were great, very funny and played games with the entire plane. They also let the kids come up and tell jokes over the speaker. They had the whole plane cheering when we took off from Pittsburgh when the piolets came on and asked if any Steeler fans were on board. Im glad we are taking SW again in 2 weeks back to Disney. We got even better Ding fares for that trip ( $34 both ways!!) I think the leather seats are great and you seem to have much more leg room! Im going to take SW whenever possible~