One adult + 3 kids on Southwest = Help?

[DrMomof3]

I need advice please!
We're going to Disney in late August. We've never flown Southwest since the nearest airport that has SW is 90 minutes away (there are 4 airports closer to us). For our dates in August SW was $800 cheaper for our family of 5. So we're trying it. We're leaving NY on a Saturday afternoon.
Just found out yesterday that my DH has a mandatory training session in Dallas on Friday and Saturday (yes, the Saturday that we're supposed to be leaving for Disney). The easiest thing is for him to fly directly from Dallas and to meet us in Orlando on Saturday evening, either at MCO or the hotel depending on the timing. Easiest for him, at least!
This means I will be flying with 3 children ages 6, 4, and 2 by myself. Yikes! I don't have a great sense for the boarding process on SW. I need 4 seats together. I'm assuming there are 3 seats in a row on SW? I would want that row and the aisle seat across from the row (like seats A, B, C, and D).
Do I need to pay the $10 per person to achieve this? Will the young child priority seating be sufficient?
Any advice about flying solo with 3 kids would also be appreciated! (I've asked elsewhere on the Dis for advice but I figure the more prepared I am, the better!!!)

Thank you to the SW veterans here!
Amanda

 

[Dizzyworld]

I don't have any advice, except bring snacks and something to play movies on (DVD player). I just wanted to wish you good luck. I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

[helenk]

Because you have a child under 4 you will be able to board after the people with A boarding passes.
I would not pay the extra for the Early Bird Check in, I would make sure that you get on line 24 hours prior to your flight time and try to get A boarding passes, if you get B's then just board when they call for the families with young children.
The SW planes that I have flown on are 2 sets of 3 seats across.
If I were you when you board, go towards the back of the plane as people tend to fill up the front first. This way you will have no problem getting seats together.

 

[DrMomof3]

I don't have any advice, except bring snacks and something to play movies on (DVD player). I just wanted to wish you good luck. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Thank you! My 6 year old is obsessed with his DS and I'll have the DVD player for the younger 2.

Because you have a child under 4 you will be able to board after the people with A boarding passes.
I would not pay the extra for the Early Bird Check in, I would make sure that you get on line 24 hours prior to your flight time and try to get A boarding passes, if you get B's then just board when they call for the families with young children.
The SW planes that I have flown on are 2 sets of 3 seats across.
If I were you when you board, go towards the back of the plane as people tend to fill up the front first. This way you will have no problem getting seats together.

Thank you! That's very helpful. We'll just head towards the back - we're not in any hurry to get off the plane so we might as well go to the back!!!

Amanda

 

[Bowen9475]

I have flown several times alone with my three kids on Southwest, starting when they were 10, 7 and 4. We always do the check in 24 hours in advance and have never had a problem getting seats together. I usually sit between the two youngest with my oldest on the aisle across from us. You should be fine with the boarding for families if youdon;t get A boarding passes. Good luck!

 

[DrMomof3]

I have flown several times alone with my three kids on Southwest, starting when they were 10, 7 and 4. We always do the check in 24 hours in advance and have never had a problem getting seats together. I usually sit between the two youngest with my oldest on the aisle across from us. You should be fine with the boarding for families if youdon;t get A boarding passes. Good luck!

Thank you!!! I was thinking of putting my 4 year old by the window and the 2 year old in the middle. The 4 year old is very maternal toward the 2 year old so she'll be helpful and then I'll be available to the 6 year old across the aisle.

So exactly 24 hours before the flight I can check in? It's a 3:10pm flight so I need to find a computer at 3:10pm on Friday?

Amanda

 

[robinb]

Thank you!!! I was thinking of putting my 4 year old by the window and the 2 year old in the middle. The 4 year old is very maternal toward the 2 year old so she'll be helpful and then I'll be available to the 6 year old across the aisle.

If your 2-year old will be in a car seat s/he will need to be in the window seat.

 

[bijoli666]

Just be at a computer exactly 24 hours before with your reservation number and all that typed in at Southwest.com. Even if you don't get A's, you will still be able to board right after the A Group, and PP are right, just head toward the back and there will be plenty of seats Plus the back bathroom is generally less busy (so I've found LOL) which is good w/ kids.

 

[plutolovr]

If you're bring a DVD player for 2 kids to share make sure you bring headphones and a splitter so they can both listen at the same time. You don't want the DVD player noise to disturb other passengers.

 

[Cmbar]

YEs be at your computer at 3:05 on Friday. Have your reservation number already typed in and push the button. You should get an OOPS message saying you are not 24 hours out just yet. Then you know you have the reservation number correctly input and when 3:10 hits hit the button. IF you booked all of you under one reservation you will check everyone's name and then hit the "print Boarding passes". This will generate boarding passes (hopefully A"s). You can print these and bring them with you or you could just simply reprint them at the airport when you check in your luggage.


Did you already book the flight with your husband who will now not be flying with you?

Also, you may want to consider purchasing the Early bird for the return trip home from Orlando. It is much more of a pain to get to a computer or a Guest services desk right at the time you need to check in. Also, Orlando is busy and lots of kids flying so even the inbetween A & B can be crowded. You could pay for two of them so say your husband and your 6 Yr old can board and hold some seats for you and the little ones when you board right at the end of the A section. There are plenty of seats so don't worry about holding seats, no one is going to want to sit next to a stangers 4 or 2 year old kids! Although I am sure they are lovely children


Have a great trip!


Also,

 

[katemarcail]

You've gotten great advice, little I can add.

Just one note of clarification - family boarding happens AFTER group A, not with it. I think they changed that a number of years ago so it's a bit confusing. Though, frankly, it doesn't matter all that much when it comes down to it, you'll still get seats together and it is just that many fewer minutes small bodies need to sit in a small seat. So whether you get A or family boarding flying down, it should be fine.

Flying back, I agree with the poster that recommended getting just a few early bird passes. $20 is less than you'd pay for checking baggage on many other airlines and it promises peace of mind. And yes, wonderful though your children certainly are, small kids are right up there with large, unwashed people for least desirable row mates. So might as well use that to your advantage to secure seats for the rest of you! I'd recommend sending the early bird seat holders to the back end of the plane as that always fills up last - I've boarded with C and still managed to get a nice window seat back there in an empty (though not for long) row. Best of luck with it all, especially that first flight!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Also, you may want to consider purchasing the Early bird for the return trip home from Orlando. It is much more of a pain to get to a computer or a Guest services desk right at the time you need to check in. Also, Orlando is busy and lots of kids flying so even the inbetween A & B can be crowded. You could pay for two of them so say your husband and your 6 Yr old can board and hold some seats for you and the little ones when you board right at the end of the A section. There are plenty of seats so don't worry about holding seats, no one is going to want to sit next to a stangers 4 or 2 year old kids!

I'm not sure I see the advisability or necessity of this. Even without EBCI (and while SWA doesn't have an official policy on saving seats, it's appreciated when such a move isn't suggested ), this party would still be able to board with the family group, right?

 

[DrMomof3]

Thanks all for the good advice!

Yes, I already booked for my DH who will now not be traveling down with us. I may see if I can use that for him to fly from Dallas to MCO...

Amanda

 

[Cmbar]

I'm not sure I see the advisability or necessity of this. Even without EBCI (and while SWA doesn't have an official policy on saving seats, it's appreciated when such a move isn't suggested ), this party would still be able to board with the family group, right?

The advisability is that relying on being in the family boarding at Orlando where there are many families traveling with small children allows them to be assured that they will sit together. It is worth the 20 bucks to ensure that two of the family members will be on the plane and selecting their two rows prior to all the other family boarding members. I have no problem with a family holding seats for their children. I can't imagine a person wishing for a family to sit split up with a 2, 4 and 6 year old children just so someone who boards ahead of them thinks they are entitled to any seat on the plane.

Maybe the reason Southwest doesn't have an official policy on this is because they know it would be unreasonable for people not to save seats when their boarding process is open boarding and when people on the SAME reservation can end up in the A and B lines. I have had that happen and all the family boarders boarded ahead of me when my family was at the end of A and I and my DD got the first B's.

Don't mean to be snarky but I took your comment as some kind of reprimand for suggesting they buy seats and then save them. I thought the DIS board was just for these suggestions. That is where I learned how to fly Southwest!

 

[kaytieeldr]

The advisability is that relying on being in the family boarding at Orlando where there are many families traveling with small children allows them to be assured that they will sit together.

Then they should ALL purchase EBCI. While Southwest doesn't have an official policy on 'seat-saving', if an entire party wants to (a) be assured of sitting together on a Southwest flight (b) without the inconvenience of having to interrupt whatever they're doing at exactly 24 hours prior to departure, the entire party should pay for the convenience service

Maybe the reason Southwest doesn't have an official policy on this is because they know it would be unreasonable for people not to save seats when their boarding process is open boarding and when people on the SAME reservation can end up in the A and B lines

I'm relatively certain - based on experiences about which I've read - that Gate Agents' recommendation when this occurs is for the entire party to board with the higher-numbered group.

 

[FreeTime]

Just a comment on family boarding. When flying out of Columbus last month with just me and 2 kids (over age 4 but due to a medical condition SW has always let us board at family boarding time) I was told that they were not offering family boarding due to the flight being a non-stop to Orlando. I was told, this is a heavily, family booked flight so we are not offering it. Fortunately I had printed the boading passes right at 23 hours and had gotten 1 A and 2 B's. DON'T COUNT ON FAMILY BOADING BEING AVAILABLE!

 

[SnackyStacky]

The advisability is that relying on being in the family boarding at Orlando where there are many families traveling with small children allows them to be assured that they will sit together. It is worth the 20 bucks to ensure that two of the family members will be on the plane and selecting their two rows prior to all the other family boarding members. I have no problem with a family holding seats for their children. I can't imagine a person wishing for a family to sit split up with a 2, 4 and 6 year old children just so someone who boards ahead of them thinks they are entitled to any seat on the plane.

Maybe the reason Southwest doesn't have an official policy on this is because they know it would be unreasonable for people not to save seats when their boarding process is open boarding and when people on the SAME reservation can end up in the A and B lines. I have had that happen and all the family boarders boarded ahead of me when my family was at the end of A and I and my DD got the first B's.

Don't mean to be snarky but I took your comment as some kind of reprimand for suggesting they buy seats and then save them. I thought the DIS board was just for these suggestions. That is where I learned how to fly Southwest!

Didn't see reprimand in kaytieeldr's response. I think she really was asking for clarification.

I'm so anal retentive (is that hyphenated, by the way? )that I would buy the Early Bird Check in for both legs of the flight for all passengers.

 

[tjmw2727]

I am in the minority I guess but if I were in your position OP I would definately purchase the EBCI for both legs of the flight.

I love SWA and its the only airline I haven't been separated from my kids on. I like it because I can take measures to give me the best chance of seating, its my responsibility.

I now purchase EBCI when flying with my kids, before EB I would be on the computer at T24, I arrive at the airport early and make sure I board with my group.

IMHO in your situation I would take some of the $800.00 you saved and spend the $40.00 to give yourself the best chance of early boarding. I would not rely on family boarding for two reasons.
1. Family boarding has been suspended in the past to/from Orlando because of the number of families.
2. More and more folks are purchasing EBCI for some members of the party and saving seats, this may make it more difficult for familes boarding after A to find seats together - esp 4 together.

In short it is important to me to sit with my kids so I think its well worth the $10.00 to give me the best chance possible.

 

[cdrn1]

Then they should ALL purchase EBCI. While Southwest doesn't have an official policy on 'seat-saving', if an entire party wants to (a) be assured of sitting together on a Southwest flight (b) without the inconvenience of having to interrupt whatever they're doing at exactly 24 hours prior to departure, the entire party should pay for the convenience service .

I have to say that I totally agree with this...it's not right to have only one or two people pay extra and then save seats for the whole party. I have no problem with strategically sitting ie sitting in the middle in hopes that no one squeezes past you to sit in the window but don't put your carryon in an empty seat beside you, and don't tell anyone that they can't sit in that seat or that the seat is saved. Pony up the ten bucks and buy that right.

 

[pezheadmeg]

OP, I'm going to take a guess that you're flying out of Islip based on your location. The good news--it's a totally manageable airport. I've been known to pay more for SW simply for the luxury of flying out of a 20 gate airport. As long as you check-in close to the 24 hour mark your chances of not getting "A" boarding are minimal. The fact that none of the gates are that far away from security will make it a lot easier to get to the gate on your own.

As for the seat configuration, I used to love when I was 6 and 7 sitting across the aisle from my parents. It made me feel so grown-up, and they were only steps away.