lap baby on Southwest???

[disneymagicgirl]

I never understood how folks can risk their child's life to save a few dollars. Lap babies become projectiles if their is excess turbulence. my child's life was worth enough that I always paid their fare to get their own seat, where they could sleep comfortably in their car seat. this may be the budget board, but the lap baby thing is just plain unsafe.

That wasn't the question.

Op, I have never been asked or even brought a BC but it sounds like I was lucky. If we have any more babies I guess I will bring it from now on!

 

[ilovefh]

As others have posted, yes bring a copy of the birth certificate.

Also, on Southwest, if there are open seats they will allow you to install the car seat in one free of charge. DS flew on 14 flights before he was 2 and we only had to actually hold him once. Check at the gate to see if there are any openings. Even if they say the flight is full check with the boarding agent when you're boarding. Several times I was told at the counter that the flight was full only to ask the boarding agent and have him/her tell me there were seats available.

 

[CandleontheWater]

Southwest will ALWAYS ask you for a Birth Certificate, so be sure to bring one along.

Also there is no place to book a lap baby on the southwest website- so don't jump on the OPs case for not booking her lap child in advance.

Also all Southwest rows have an extra oxygen mask, since there is open seating and parents with lap babies can sit anywhere. This is probably why they don't make you book in advance, and likely why I have never heard anything about SW limiting the number of lap babies per flight.

I've flown Southwest LOTS and LOTS with my two kiddos, they are a great airline to travel with little ones.

Don't forget that you can automatically board after the "A" group and before the "B" group with family boarding and have a great flight.

 

[christineangel]

Southwest will ALWAYS ask you for a Birth Certificate, so be sure to bring one along.

Also there is no place to book a lap baby on the southwest website- so don't jump on the OPs case for not booking her lap child in advance.

Also all Southwest rows have an extra oxygen mask, since there is open seating and parents with lap babies can sit anywhere. This is probably why they don't make you book in advance, and likely why I have never heard anything about SW limiting the number of lap babies per flight.

I've flown Southwest LOTS and LOTS with my two kiddos, they are a great airline to travel with little ones.

Don't forget that you can automatically board after the "A" group and before the "B" group with family boarding and have a great flight.

Good info! That explains it.

Ps. Love your sn- my fav Disney song ever!

 

[Lewisc]

As others have posted, yes bring a copy of the birth certificate.

Also, on Southwest, if there are open seats they will allow you to install the car seat in one free of charge. DS flew on 14 flights before he was 2 and we only had to actually hold him once. Check at the gate to see if there are any openings. Even if they say the flight is full check with the boarding agent when you're boarding. Several times I was told at the counter that the flight was full only to ask the boarding agent and have him/her tell me there were seats available.

Posters on FT found the opposite. Flights to MCO typically have several families who would like a free seat for an infant. The GA might not allow any free seats unless there are enough for every lap baby with a significant number of extra seats for last minute pax. Dont plan on a free seat.

I would like an empty middle seat between my DW and myself. Why is a parent who didn't want to pay for a seat more entitled to a free seat? We aren't customers of size but would like the free seat

 

[aprilgail2]

I never understood how folks can risk their child's life to save a few dollars. Lap babies become projectiles if their is excess turbulence. my child's life was worth enough that I always paid their fare to get their own seat, where they could sleep comfortably in their car seat. this may be the budget board, but the lap baby thing is just plain unsafe.

That wasn't the question.

Op, I have never been asked or even brought a BC but it sounds like I was lucky. If we have any more babies I guess I will bring it from now on!

It may not have been the question but perhaps some people didn't know how they are endangering their childs life by doing this- perhaps if this makes just ONE person realize it actually buy a seat to keep their child safe it was worth the post!! Putting your child at risk to save a few bucks is just plain foolish!

 

[ilovefh]

Posters on FT found the opposite. Flights to MCO typically have several families who would like a free seat for an infant. The GA might not allow any free seats unless there are enough for every lap baby with a significant number of extra seats for last minute pax. Dont plan on a free seat.

I would like an empty middle seat between my DW and myself. Why is a parent who didn't want to pay for a seat more entitled to a free seat? We aren't customers of size but would like the free seat

No one is more entitled than anyone else, however that is Southwest's policy. You'd have to ask them if you can have a free seat too.

ETA: If I had accepted the word of the agent at the counter when I was gate checking my car seat and stroller I would have had to hold him many more times. In fact on our second flight the woman at the counter said the flight was full and I accepted it....until the boarding agent said over the loud speaker that the flight wasn't full. So I asked him and he said it was not in fact full and I was fine to take the seat on.

Truly I've found the people at the counter were rude about it about 75% of the time. One woman said "Ma'am, it's spring break ma'am" in a rude and nasty tone implying of course the flight is full you idiot customer. It wasn't. One woman went on a diatribe about how she couldn't believe I was even asking because of course a flight to Manchester was full. Every flight to Manchester is ALWAYS full. That's why they love those flight, they always sell out. Again, not full.

This is why I ask at the counter, they almost always so it is full and then I ask the boarding agent before we get on.

 

[amylevan]

It may not have been the question but perhaps some people didn't know how they are endangering their childs life by doing this- perhaps if this makes just ONE person realize it actually buy a seat to keep their child safe it was worth the post!! Putting your child at risk to save a few bucks is just plain foolish!

I usually try to stay away from these arguments, but really "foolish"? If you have looked at the statistics, which I have done in depth, it is not foolish, it is merely accepting an EXTREMELY small risk. Like getting struck by lightening small.

I could say you are foolish for putting your child in a car. The risks are MUCH MUCH greater for your child in a car, even in a carseat.

 

[Lewisc]

No one is more entitled than anyone else, however that is Southwest's policy. You'd have to ask them if you can have a free seat too.

It's not SW's policy

From their website:

Although not recommended, if your child is under the age of two and you would prefer to hold him or her on your lap when traveling, you may do so on Southwest Airlines without charge and we'll be glad to check your CRS for use at your destination

The clerk tells you to check your car seat. Since that's Southwest's policy any discussion from the passenger is by definition rude.

Not sure why you think you're more entitled to an extra seat then other passengers. Once you're told to check you car seat any other discussion is saying exactly that.

 

[ilovefh]

It's not SW's policy

From their website:

The clerk tells you to check your car seat. Since that's Southwest's policy any discussion from the passenger is by definition rude.

Not sure why you think you're more entitled to an extra seat then other passengers. Once you're told to check you car seat any other discussion is saying exactly that.

Because if you call they tell you that if seats are available you may take the seat on. If you ask them at the check in counter if there is an available seat can you take the car seat on and they say yes. Because if you ask at the gate if there is an available seat can you take the seat on and they say yes. Because if you ask the boarding agent, the flight attendant the pilot...,,

When all these people agree then it is obviously Southwest's policy. It may not be on the website, but clearly ALL of these people have been advised by Southwest that this is the policy.

And just to clarify I'm talking about asking them if this is the policy not if there is actually a seat open on a specific flight.

Not one person that I've come into contact with on our 14 flights has ever advised us that this was not the policy. They all agreed that it was policy. They did say the flight was full, but never that it wasn't policy.

If you'd like a seat between you and your traveling partner feel free to ask if there are open seats and if so tell everyone who asks on their way by that the seat is taken.

No one is more entitled than the other. Southwest just happens to have a policy for one group. (And even perhaps the other, I've never been inclined to ask about your scenario.)

 

[Lewisc]

I posted a quote from Southwest's website listing Southwest's official policy.

I agree unofficial policy is to offer free seats if their is ample availability for all lap babies and enough for extra seats to accommodate last minute passengers.

The plane might not depart on time if a dozen passengers want to gate check car seats 10 minutes before departure.

Arguing with the clerk who says the flight is showing full and wants to check your car seat at the counter. The passenger is the one being rude. The 75% of the counter people were the ones who told you policy.

 

[ilovefh]

I posted a quote from Southwest's website listing Southwest's official policy.

I agree unofficial policy is to offer free seats if their is ample availability for all lap babies and enough for extra seats to accommodate last minute passengers.

The plane might not depart on time if a dozen passengers want to gate check car seats 10 minutes before departure.

Arguing with the clerk who says the flight is showing full and wants to check your car seat at the counter. The passenger is the one being rude. The 75% of the counter people were the ones who told you policy.

First and foremost I NEVER argue with the people at the counter. I say okay, and allow them to put the gate check sticker on the seat. (Not sure if you're aware when gate checking the stroller and car seat we actually take them with us and leave them at the end of the jetway right before we enter the plane. So when we get to the gate we get the gate check sticker put on and if the boarding agent says seats are open we just take it off before we get on. No waiting until 10 mins before the flight to see the agent for gate check and thus no delay of the flight.)

They ALL told me that if a seat was available I could bring the seat (this is them telling me their policy) but the ones who said the flight was full ended up being incorrect in the end( this is them telling me their interpretation of the availability of seats).

And again, when they tell me the flight is full (even the rude ones) I say okay, thank you and move on. Arguing with them gets me nothing so why do it? The best thing is to ask the boarding agent as they have the most up to date information. (And at the point if they say it is full we have to do NOTHING to gate check because we have already done that. We just drop the seat before we enter the plane. And if they say we can bring it on we just peel the sticker off. No delay to anyone.)

 

[goofy4tink]

I have no pony in this race...my kids are all grown up and need their own seats. BUT...here's a concept for the airlines...you get a seat if you pay for a seat. Period. You want to bring a lap baby? Fine, but even if there are 43 seats open, you still have a lap baby. Of course, they could make an open seat available to lap baby families for a fee.
If you want to fly with a baby in your lap, that's your choice. BUT I heartily resent it when I paid for my seat, I paid for my kids' seats...but you get to plop your car seat down, into an empty seat and put your 'lap baby' in it? Now...you no longer have a lap baby, do you?
It gets tiring to see how many parents want that free seat. They book their lap baby, bring the car seat with them, and then start lobbying for an empty seat at the gate.

I'm not taking any issues with anyone here..but over on the Transportation Board, we see a lot of parents asking how to get an 'empty seat' when traveling with their lap babies.

 

[ilovefh]

I have no pony in this race...my kids are all grown up and need their own seats. BUT...here's a concept for the airlines...you get a seat if you pay for a seat. Period. You want to bring a lap baby? Fine, but even if there are 43 seats open, you still have a lap baby. Of course, they could make an open seat available to lap baby families for a fee.
If you want to fly with a baby in your lap, that's your choice. BUT I heartily resent it when I paid for my seat, I paid for my kids' seats...but you get to plop your car seat down, into an empty seat and put your 'lap baby' in it? Now...you no longer have a lap baby, do you?
It gets tiring to see how many parents want that free seat. They book their lap baby, bring the car seat with them, and then start lobbying for an empty seat at the gate.

I'm not taking any issues with anyone here..but over on the Transportation Board, we see a lot of parents asking how to get an 'empty seat' when traveling with their lap babies.

Having flown 14 times with DS under 2...I'm okay with the bolded policy. If this were the policy I'd obviously have to choose which option works best for us. Right now we have the best of both worlds and I think it is incredibly generous of Southwest to allow us to use an open seat. However I wouldn't be upset if they changed their policy. Fact is, I abide by their policy and while their currently policy is very nice, the policy you propose is fair.

As for "lobbying" at the gate, well I guess these parents need to be educated. Here is how our conversations go:

At Checkin:
US: Is the flight full?
SW: Yes, today's flight is full.
US: Okay, thanks.

While gate checking the car seat and stroller:
US: Is the flight full?
SW: Full? Of course it is full (insert reason why I am stupid for even asking.)
US: Okay, thanks. (gate check sticker is applied to seat)

While boarding:
US: Is this a full flight?
SW: Actually, no, we have several seats. You are fine to take your seat on. US: Okay, thanks! (peels sticker off seat)
or
US: Is this a full flight?
SW: Yes, it is full.
US: Okay, thanks. (drops seat at the end of the jetway)

As you can see I don't lobby, all I do is ask if it is full. If I am told it is I say okay thanks and walk away. If I am told there are seats available I say okay thanks and get on the plane.

I ask at each stop because as it gets closer to flight time things change. Maybe there were 4 seats available when I checked in but they consider that full just in case a last minute or standby person comes. But if no one comes by the time we board they may let us use one of those 4 seats. Or maybe there is a late cancellation. Or maybe at the last minute another flight is cancelled so they have to overbook our flight. It can go both ways.

But again, there is no trick to "getting a free seat." It is their policy so just ask. If they say no, move on. If they say yes, bring your seat on. Simple as that.

 

[gwynne]

I have no pony in this race...my kids are all grown up and need their own seats. BUT...here's a concept for the airlines...you get a seat if you pay for a seat. Period. You want to bring a lap baby? Fine, but even if there are 43 seats open, you still have a lap baby. Of course, they could make an open seat available to lap baby families for a fee.
If you want to fly with a baby in your lap, that's your choice. BUT I heartily resent it when I paid for my seat, I paid for my kids' seats...but you get to plop your car seat down, into an empty seat and put your 'lap baby' in it? Now...you no longer have a lap baby, do you?
It gets tiring to see how many parents want that free seat. They book their lap baby, bring the car seat with them, and then start lobbying for an empty seat at the gate.

I'm not taking any issues with anyone here..but over on the Transportation Board, we see a lot of parents asking how to get an 'empty seat' when traveling with their lap babies.

I totally agree with you. I also wonder how often a paying customer is asked to move to arrange seating that works for the parent, lapbaby and carseat.

 

[ilovefh]

I totally agree with you. I also wonder how often a paying customer is asked to move to arrange seating that works for the parent, lapbaby and carseat.

I don't think they do that. Well, at least I hope they don't. No one has ever had to move for us, but Southwest has open seating and we board either in the A group or between A and B groups.

 

[Marionnette]

I've been on plenty of SWA flights where "lap babies" have been plopped down in the seat next to Mom even though the flight was full. After numerous announcements that the flight is fully booked and that all lap babies needed to actually be in laps, they finally have to threaten to check boarding passes before some of those entitled parents get the message that the flight attendants are are not fooling around. In the meantime, a plane full of passengers is delayed from pushing away and going wheels up because of their attitudes.

And yes, I've been on SWA flights where a party with children wants to sit together and the plea goes out over the PA for passengers who have already gotten settled into their seats to move. They won't make people move, but everyone has to wait while it gets sorted out. Personally, I feel that I paid for EBCI, so I'm not forfeiting my seat choice because someone else failed to plan ahead.

 

[Elleshoodat]

Do you need to bring a birth certificate?

Back to the question at hand...

When DS was a lap baby, SWA representatives always asked for his birth certificate, but now that he's 2 and has his own seat (which we book and pay for), no one asks.

 

[Lewisc]

Back to the question at hand...

When DS was a lap baby, SWA representatives always asked for his birth certificate, but now that he's 2 and has his own seat (which we book and pay for), no one asks.

They only ask if you booked your flight using an age based fare. That includes lap baby, child fare or senior fare. Generally the deeply discounted internet fares we book are cheaper.

 

[NotUrsula]

I totally agree with you. I also wonder how often a paying customer is asked to move to arrange seating that works for the parent, lapbaby and carseat.

They don't do that.

The only time that they will rearrange passengers to accommodate a carseat is if the seat that the carseat will be sitting in has been paid for. (They are required by Federal law to find a "legal" position for a paid-for carseat, but the rule doesn't apply if the seat is not paid for.)

FWIW, if getting a legal space for a paid-for carseat means moving some other passengers, they can force the issue, though in practice that pretty much never happens. They dangle free drink coupons or RR miles, and people volunteer.

The reason that one almost never gets that "free seat" on SWA for a lap child has to do with SWA's boarding procedure. Unless the flight is so undersold that there are fewer people than there are rows, there is no way of telling if a window seat will remain open after everyone has boarded, and a carseat will only be allowed if there is an open window-position seat to place it in. I've seen gate agents tell parents with a lap child that the only way that they can offer the possibility of that "free" seat is if the parent agrees to board last. Most people won't take that offer, because they don't want to chance getting stuck in a middle seat holding a lap child.