Looking for help from frequent flyers of SouthWest Air *Added another Question*

[phillymummer]

Hello DISers!

I have never flown SWA before and the idea of not having an assigned seat is messing with my head. I am hoping to get help here before I call SWA and sit on hold forever.

Here is the situation. My hubby received two "Must-ride" (non-revenue) comp tickets from work as a prize. We decided to use them for a trip to Disney. We put our names on those two tickets and then purchased a ticket for my 6 yr old daughter on-line ("wanna get away" fare). I just found out about the Early Bird Check-in. I know I can purchase EBCI for my daughter, but I cannot purchase the EBCI for the comp tickets. I can't even check us in on-line. We have to go to the booth on the morning of our flight.

So, here is my question- If I purchase the EBCI for my daughter, will the hubby and I be allowed to board with her when she is called (and hopefully get three seats together since we will board early), or is there going to be an issue since we did not all check-in using EBCI? I can't image them insisting my daughter board alone, but I can see them refusing to honor the EBCI since her parents did not use it.

I hope this makes sense. I don't have much experience flying to begin with and whenever I have flown it has been with US Air, where you can choose a seat!

Thanks for any help!

SECOND QUESTION!

How should I handle the flight home? I think the resorts will "check-in" and print boarding passes for you, but since two of us are ineligible for it, should I tell someone at the front desk? Should I let them just check-in my daughter? Will they do that? Or, Should I try to check-in myself as soon as I can (which will either be after we get back form the Halloween Party or after we get up the next morning! The flight home is at 5:00 pm. At 5pm the day before I will be in MK!)

 

[Hannathy]

You can only board with your number or later, you can't go earlier. You would not be allowed to board with your daughter if she had a better number than you do.

Getting her an earlier number wouldn't help you unless you plan on letting her board first and try to save a seat for you.

I think I would just check her in at 24 hrs and then keep her with me (but she is checked in so her seat is saved) and board together. then you can help her pick the best seat available and if 2 aren't available together at least you will know where she is. If you head straight to the back there usually are 2 together or at least close until the very end.

 

[NotUrsula]

I think that you have a bigger potential problem than that. Your seats are standby, so if the flight sells out between now and then you will not get on, but your DD will, and her fare is non-refundable, though she would of course get the cost in credit to use later should she not be able to board the flight (which at her age she cannot do unless she has an adult in the party.)

With non-rev tickets you don't get a boarding pass at the ticket counter; you get a Security Document; you will not get an actual BP until about 20 minutes prior to boarding, after all paid passengers have checked in. It is pretty much guaranteed to be a C-group BP at that point, which means that it is rather likely that there will no longer be two contiguous seats available on the plane anywhere. The FA's will ask if someone can make room for two in a row, but they can't force anyone to do so.

I hope that you picked a really unpopular flight time and route, because most SWA flights to FL do sell out these days.

 

[PatMcDuck]

If you are flying out of Philadelphia direct to or from Orlando, the odds are it will be a very full flight, or even sold out. Exceptions might be the last flights of the day.

If your child is young enough, you might qualify for family boarding, that takes place between the As and Bs. That is if you get on the flight.

Good luck, I hope it works out for you! SW is wonderful,but using those free type vouchers on any airline, with the situation of trying to add an additional paid person in your party, is tricky because you are on standby.

 

[phillymummer]

The tickets are MUST-RIDE tickets, which means we are guaranteed seats. So getting bumped is not an issue (I was told this by the SWA Agent on the phone when I reserved the flight). We just can't check-in early. We can't get our boarding passes until we get to the airport.

I am just worried about one of us being able to sit next to my daughter. She is 6, so she is too old for the family boarding (unless the age is different from US Air) and I am not sending her onto the plane by herself to pick out seats. She will freak out if she had to sit next to strangers.

 

[Sweettears]

They don't do it on every flight but I believe that in between B and C they board families with small children regardless of baording position. I'm not sure what the cut-off fro "small" is but you might check into that.

 

[Hannathy]

I am just worried about one of us being able to sit next to my daughter. She is 6, so she is too old for the family boarding (unless the age is different from US Air) and I am not sending her onto the plane by herself to pick out seats. She will freak out if she had to sit next to strangers.

You need to start working on this right away. There is no reason for her to "freak out" reassure her you will be on the same plane and no one can go anywhere without her. Make sure she has her own back pack with snacks and activities. And remind her that the plane ride is just how you get to Disney like the school bus it isn't the vacation.

So keep her with you in line and pick out the 2 seats that are closest to each other and show her where you will be sitting and tell her to stay in that spot until you come to get her after landing. She will be fine unless YOU give her reason to believe it won't be.

 

[phillymummer]

You need to start working on this right away. There is no reason for her to "freak out" reassure her you will be on the same plane and no one can go anywhere without her. Make sure she has her own back pack with snacks and activities. And remind her that the plane ride is just how you get to Disney like the school bus it isn't the vacation.

So keep her with you in line and pick out the 2 seats that are closest to each other and show her where you will be sitting and tell her to stay in that spot until you come to get her after landing. She will be fine unless YOU give her reason to believe it won't be.

Thank you for that advice. This will be only her second time flying. I guess we'll have to make it work.

 

[fiestamomma]

Family boarding is 4 and under and only for child, sibs and parents. Not the whole party ie aunts uncles gparents etc...

We pretty much always fly SW, and thankfully when we've had to board C group we have been able to find someone nice enough to move so at least I could sit with my kids while my hubby sat alone. But of course this is at the mercy of strangers and their moods

Though I would like to note that our flight to MCO was full of very nice people all happy to switch seats and make room as needed for fellow passengers. It was funny because my hubby commented how nice everyone was being, well as we deplaned I noticed a majority of the passengers headed to ME. LOL everyone was happy to be going to the World so that's why they were in good moods lol

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[phillymummer]

Well, that is good to know! That eases my mind a bit.

 

[Thumper_Man]

Here's a solution for you if you're using EBCI. Once your past security you board first using your daughter's boarding pass and she boards with your DH using your boarding pass. The attendant taking the boarding pass doesn't usually ask for ID since that was already asked for back at security. This will allow you in the plane first and you can try to save them seats. This also ensures your daughter don't board alone. It's open seating so no guarantees you'll be able to save them seats, but most of the time people usually don't mind.

 

[Thumper_Man]

They don't do it on every flight but I believe that in between B and C they board families with small children regardless of baording position. I'm not sure what the cut-off fro "small" is but you might check into that.

Family boarding is between is between A & B groups.

 

[Sweettears]

Family boarding is between is between A & B groups.

I don't think so.

 

[phillymummer]

Family boarding is between is between A & B groups.

That is correct. I was just on the SWA website.

 

[Thumper_Man]

I don't think so.

I fly Southwest all the time. I just got back from a trip to Disneyland. Family boarding is between A & B groups.

This is direct from Southwest's Site:
General boarding starts with Business Select customers, who are guaranteed positions at the front of the A Group, followed by Rapid Rewards A-List Members and the remaining Customers in the A Group, families with children under age 5, then groups B and C. Learn more about our boarding process.

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/airport-experience/index.html
Click on the Get Onboard tab

 

[Sweettears]

I fly Southwest all the time. I just got back from a trip to Disneyland. Family boarding is between A & B groups.

This is direct from Southwest's Site:
General boarding starts with Business Select customers, who are guaranteed positions at the front of the A Group, followed by Rapid Rewards A-List Members and the remaining Customers in the A Group, families with children under age 5, then groups B and C. Learn more about our boarding process.

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/airport-experience/index.html

I do as well. I guess I've been boarding in the A group for so long I've misrembered the order.

 

[Hannathy]

Thank you for that advice. This will be only her second time flying. I guess we'll have to make it work.

The kids do fine! It is the parents freaking out in my experience. The kids usually take it in stride as long as they haven't been made afraid by their parents! They think it is an adventure and they feel very grown up. They get to play adult.
My kids have sat away from me many, many times. In fact they usually pick to do so because they all want a window. When we flew and my DS was 5 some lady beside me kept offering to trade with my son who was up 2 rows so he could sit with me and he kept politely saying no. She was amazed, I said he wants the window. My DD flew by all by herself when she was in first grade.

Just let her know very matter of factly it may happen and that you know she will be fine and will have her bag with her.

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

Here's a solution for you if you're using EBCI. Once your past security you board first using your daughter's boarding pass and she boards with your DH using your boarding pass. The attendant taking the boarding pass doesn't usually ask for ID since that was already asked for back at security. This will allow you in the plane first and you can try to save them seats. This also ensures your daughter don't board alone. It's open seating so no guarantees you'll be able to save them seats, but most of the time people usually don't mind.

If you save seats at back of plane other people less likely to ask if seat is taken, since seats can't actually be saved.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

If you save seats at back of plane other people less likely to ask if seat is taken, since seats can't actually be saved.

Actually there's no policy against it; it's just "not nice". Their policy is that any passenger can sit in any empty seat so if one feels like arguing with the person that's trying to save the seats, they could, and the FAs would probably back them up.

I've been buying EBCI since it began. It's been a long time since I've had to search for an empty seat.


I like the idea of trading boarding passes.

OP, I would definitely prepare your dd for the possibility that your seats could be separated. Pack a little bag for her to carry on with coloring books, portable dvd player (don't forget the headphones!) and let her practice using it while at home so she knows what to do on her own. They will announce overhead when she can turn on any gadgets and again when it's time to turn them off prior to landing. Maybe preload it with a movie she's never seen but wanting to. It's amazing how that passes the time.
The good thing is that she has flown before so she knows basically what to expect.

Good luck!!

 

[PatMcDuck]

Trading boarding passes with Mom makes the most sense! Very clever!

If you are ever awarded these again, let DD use the free ticket, and buy one for Mom or Dad instead......