Nervous about flying Southwest with family of 4

[TinkHappy]

I am very nervous we won't be able to sit together. My DD are 6&8 and I don't want them to sit alone. Would they do that? I know they don't assign seats, but would they allow two children sit alone.
I always fly Delta, but SW is offering much better deals for R/T tickets. Any help would be wonderful.

 

[Aisling]

Tracy, this happened to my family once, where we could only find seats apart from each other, and I was traveling with two small children as well. The flight attendent just asked if there were any kind passengers willing to accommodate us to sit together, and immediately there were volunteers to switch.
I'm sure you'll be able to sit together!

 

[drewc]

In my experience with Southwest (travelling with a 4, 3 and 4 month old) "families with small children" were always boarded first, regardless of the number you drew when checking in. So, we had no problem sitting together.

 

[twinmomto3boys]

A lot of airlines will only allow families with infants to board early. I wouldn't worry too much though. I think most people would gladly move to help out a family. Besides, I would think a child that young would have to sit next to a parent - for safety reasons if any. Not sure. What does the airline say about this?

 

[denisenh]

The only time that we have ever had to deal with not sitting together on SWA was when we had a connecting flight, I can't recall where from or to, but we boarded a very full plane.
My 6 year old and I were able to get 2 seats together. My DH and 10 year old sat apart from each other. We all did fine.
Otherwise, we just get to the airport early enough to be in the first or second boarding group.

 

[dthogue]

Southwest is the greatest airline. They only pre-board families with children under the age of 5. I suggest getting to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight (earlier if it is a busy time of year). Boarding passes are issued in groups A, B and C. with the earliest check-ins getting the A's. One adult and one child should plan to sit together and you shouldn't have any problems. As nice as the SW crew was on our trip this week, I'm sure that you won;t have any problems.

 

[Pinnie]

I have flown SWA a number of times and there have been a few times when they had a plane FULL of families and didn't preboard them.

The other consideration is that if you are making a connection, you may just get a "C" card when you arrive.

I did hear some talk that SWA was considering having a one stop check in where you could get your boarding passes for your connecting flight at your original departure city, but I don't know when or if that will take place

But like the one poster said, sometimes a passenger will be willing to move to allow you to sit together.


Have a great flight and a great time!

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[Beanie]

When we flew in October, they had changed the preboarding to families with children under 4 instead of the usual 5 yr old...I think that is how they do it now...

I wouldn't worry though, like someone said, the flight attendents will try to accomodate you so you can sit with your children!

Have fun!

 

[CRCrazy]

We only fly Southwest when we go to Florida, it's so much more pleasant, and the flight is non-stop. There are five of us.

Just an FYI, southwest planes only seat 3 in a row, so you will probably split up and sit one child with one adult, either next to or right behind one another. We always split the older two girls 11, 14 next to one another, and Mom. Dad and Sarah (5) right behind them. We have never had a problem with this.

Last March, we were delayed getting through security and when we got to the gate (This was before you could get boarding passes at checkin, when they were numbered), we got numbers 86-91. We lined up at the gate in the 60-90 chute right away, so we would hopefully get seats. We sent Dad over to the 91-end line, way across the room, and told him we would try to save him a seat. It turned out my 5 year old was supposed to be 91, but there was no way she would wait by herself. When we got to board, Sarah was crying that she couldn't get on the plane without her Daddy, and the boarding agent called John over (recognized him by his red face ) and told him to get on the plane! We still had no trouble getting two rows together, although the plane was overbooked, and someone did end up sitting next to my big girls.

If you check in at least an 1 1/2 or two hours before your flight, you should have no problem getting an A or maybe a B pass, and will have no problem getting seats.

 

[CarolA]

I was on SW flight one time when the flight attendant announced that she would give a free drink to anyone who would move to sit a family together. She got her seats and those two women who moved had their gin and tonic as soon as we were airborne (no waiting for the normal service!)

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I wouldn't worry though, like someone said, the flight attendents will try to accomodate you so you can sit with your children!

The only thing the FAs can do is ask people to move, they cannot force them to.

However, most people are very nice and will move, if possible.
By that I mean, say Dee and I were sitting together, which we usually do , and someone with a child needed the two seats we were in and the only seats available were one here and one there, I honestly doubt I would move. Flame me if you want, but, I am being totally honest here.

You are correct, btw, they have changed the age to preboard to 4 and under and only the immediate family (parents and other sibs) are allowed to preboard. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. have to board with the rest of the pax.
If the flight is booked with a ton of kids, no one with kids preboards.

 

[Pinnie]

gail,

I understand 100% where you are coming from. I know that if I am flying SWA I need to get to the airport in plenty of time to get a seat that I want. I know if I am going to make a transfer, I want (heck, sometimes I NEED) to be in the front of the plane to make the connection.

It's just like at church or the movies, I get there early to get a seat at the end or the aisle. Someone comes late and expects me to move down. Nope, isn't gonna happen!

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

pin,
If I were flying alone, I would have no problem moving, regardless of how early I got there.
They would not even have to bribe me with booze (although it could work )to do it either, but, I refuse to fly not sitting beside my s/o. We did that once, cause we were late getting to the airport. Our own fault and I won't do that again. I ended up beside a mom and her son, nice enough people, but the kid pointed out every single cloud between Hartford and Orlando.
I actually had a few on that flight. I don't normally drink, btw.

 

[TinkHappy]

Thank you everyone for easing my mind!! I love this board, everyone is always so helpful and very nice. I don't mind if we are split 2 & 2, I just don't want DD's to sit alone. I like to arrive early, so getting there 1 1/2-2 hrs early is no problem for me.
If DH drops us off and then parks the car, can we check in for him, or does he need to be there?

 

[Pinnie]

He will need to be there and show his government issued ID (driver's license) to obtain a boarding pass and get through security.

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

If DH drops us off and then parks the car, can we check in for him, or does he need to be there?

I can only tell you what Dee and I do and perhaps it will help you.
We pull up in front of SWA's terminal and he unloads the luggage, we get a skycap, he shows the skycap his ID and the skycap matches it to the eticket. He then parks the car and I finish the check in procedure, which is called: have the skycap look at my id, answer questions and tip the skycap approx. 2.00 per bag.
I wait for Dee to return and we get on the plane. Simple, easy, no hassle. Thank G-d for skycaps.

 

[TinkHappy]

Thanks Gail~I forgot about being able to check in with the skycap!!! Great Idea!!! Thanks for the help.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Thanks Gail~I forgot about being able to check in with the skycap!!! Great Idea!!! Thanks for the help.

You are most welcome, anytime.