Never flown SWA when to arrive at the airport

[jennbug]

Watching Airline has scared me into getting bumped. I have a 1 yo and a 3 yo. Is getting bumped voluntary? Also will both me and DH get to board early or just one parent?

 

[zurgswife]

1) Before you leave home print your boarding passes of there website. You should be guaranteed a A pass
2) All the SW I've ever flown they preboard at a minimum families (it has always been both parents) with kids under 5. Check with the gate attendent when you arrive.
3) I'd usually try to get there a max of 2hrs at philly airport but usually because the screening is so bad it takes forever.


Good Luck we have flown SW for the past 4 yrs and never have had anything but A and they have even let us preboard with a 6yr old (we didn't ask they just offered).

 

[jesszac610]

We have always flown SW for our trips and have always had no problems at all! AS far as pre-boarding, being that you are both the parents of two very young kids you'll both be able to preboard. As far as your boarding passes, you can now print them out 24 hours ahead on their website, it's very easy. And as far as getting to the airport, I'd suggest probably at least 70 minutes early. Our airport here in NH is rarely packed, but down in Orlando, we've experienced long at the X-ray area. Hope you have a great trip!!!!

 

[goofy4tink]

You'll be fine. As Zurgswife said...print out your boading passes from home in order to get A passes, then when you get to the gate area just check-in with the gate people and they'll put you in the preboard line. You should all be able to preboard. I really think that that show has scared a ton of people when flying SW!!! It's really not like that at all.
I like to get to the airport about 90 minutes beforehand.

 

[taimgxe]

We fly Southwest most of the time. In fact, my kids (now 6 & 4) are so familiar with Southwest that they know the routine. As the other FT's have mentioned, make sure you check in and, preferably print out your boarding passes at least 24 hrs before your scheduled flight. if you don't get the opportunity to print out your passes, don't worry, you can reprint them once you get to the airport thru one of their kiosks. For example, We are going to Disney this Wednesday. Our flight leaves at 7am. On Tuesday morning at 7:01, I will be checking us in. Since you said you have very small children, it really doesn't matter what group you get for your boarding passes because you will be in the preboard group, which is always first thru the jetway. I should know. We have had the opportunity to use that to get settled in before the rush of people board the plane. Enjoy your trip.

 

[camdensmom]

I can't get over that show.

Seriously, all it has made me do is NOT want to fly SW...of course, the 56.00 each way fare from Manchester to Orlando convinced me otherwise

With kids it's easy to pre-board. That's the only reason we are flying them.

 

[salmoneous]

With kids it's easy to pre-board. That's the only reason we are flying them.

That's the only reason you are flying Southwest, or that's the only reason you are bringing the kids on the trip

 

[taimgxe]

Personally, I love AIRLINE. It just makes me laugh at the number of "idiot" people. I am always amazed at the people that make an otherwise easy way to transport difficult. There are rules to follow. If you can't follow the rules or don't want to follow the rules, you have no business trying to fly as your means of transportation.

 

[Ilovestitch]

I LOVE Airline! Don't make it scare you about SW, all airlines overbook and people get bumped.

Did anyone see the episode of Airline with the guy who had no pants on?

 

[jeankeri]

What is Airline?

 

[taimgxe]

AIRLINE is a reality show about Southwest Airlines on the A&E channel on cable. It basically shows the daily grind for various Southwest airports and the stories that surround people who fly on or work for Southwest.

 

[jeankeri]

Thanks- I'll have to check it out. I do love my reality T.V. .

 

[meloneyb21]

You can use this as a guide if you're still a little unsure.

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/suggested_arrival.html

 

[CdnDisneyNut]

What day and time is the show on now? It was on Monday night but it no longer on then.

 

[Marseeya]

I can't get over that show.

Seriously, all it has made me do is NOT want to fly SW...of course, the 56.00 each way fare from Manchester to Orlando convinced me otherwise

With kids it's easy to pre-board. That's the only reason we are flying them.

I sat down and watched a few episodes through On Demand the other day and it made me not want to fly SW as well.

Maybe this sounds petty, but I don't mean it to be that way, but I don't think it's fair that only people with wee little kids can pre-board. We're taking a 10 year old and a 9 year old -- neither of whom have ever flown before and they're both scared to death (as am I, but I have to suck it up for their sakes). It's like the airline is saying that their needs aren't as important as a younger child's.

That said, I'm not going to sweat it too much since now I know to check in 24 hours ahead of time (plus I'm sure I can count on the kindness of others to switch seats if need be), but it's just the principal of the thing.

 

[jennbug]

It's like the airline is saying that their needs aren't as important as a younger child's.

That said, I'm not going to sweat it too much since now I know to check in 24 hours ahead of time (plus I'm sure I can count on the kindness of others to switch seats if need be), but it's just the principal of the thing.

I think it is the fact of the time it takes to put in car seats and that's pretty hard to do on a packed plane. They should go in this order: Disabled, wee wee kids, wee kids, Everyone else. Then again they should just assign seats because I'd be mighty ticked if me and Hubby were on our way to a romantic vacation and couldn't sit together!