PLease explain SW seating to me!!!!

[Silverbelle990]

OK i have read all the information on the SW website and I am so confused. I went to the airport and was told that you get seated in sections A,B,C. THe earlier you come the earlier you get on the plane.

I must be a complete dunce but i don't understand the seating thing. It will be Dh, DS and myself going on the plane. Does this mean we will not be sitting together? CAn someone please explain in laymens (sp?) terms exactly what i should do to get all the family together?

 

[CarolA]

They board in groups (A, B, C) When you check in you get a boarding pass with a letter on it. Your letter determines when you board. (A boards first, then B etc.) Each group has approximately 45 people on it. When you get on the plane you just take any open seat. (Preboarders board before A. That is families with small children and folks who need extra time like wheelchairs, crutches etc)

Most folks think that they way to assure yourself seats together is to check in on line 24 hours in advance and print off thier boarding passes. That pretty much assures you an A. Then when you get to the airport get in the line marked A at your gate. (You will see this) I don't get in line as I don't care LOL I am generally the last A to board and in most cases there are LOTS of empty seats for me to choose from.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

CarolA has it all correct.

I will add that POP will check you in for your return trip 24 hrs in advance so you can get your As as well.

you can also do this if you have a cell enabled with web.Or have a family member or friend do it for you and reprint your boarding passes at the airport.

 

[seashoreCM]

The sections for A, B, and C are the queueing areas in the airport. The seats in the airport are not included in any of those sections. If a kidnappable child got a boarding pass with a different letter, he may wait in his parents section anyway.

There are no sections in the plane itself that you must sit in.

 

[zurgswife]

If your 3 yrold is going you will most likely be able to preboard. I would definately suggest printing a boarding pass online at the 24 hr mark just in case.

 

[Silverbelle990]

Thank you to all the posters. My Ds 3 is not going as i feel he is too young for the trip and scared of santa so will be scared of the characters. Just one more thing is there three seats together or are they 2 and 2?

 

[I'mNoPrince]

3 seat together on almost all of SWA planes.

 

[ironz]

I don't get in line as I don't care LOL I am generally the last A to board and in most cases there are LOTS of empty seats for me to choose from.

I do this, too....I am not so picky that I have to be in the first couple of rows...and I don't see the need to stand or sit on the floor for 1/2 hour or so.

Would be different if not travelling alone, though.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I do this, too....I am not so picky that I have to be in the first couple of rows...and I don't see the need to stand or sit on the floor for 1/2 hour or so.

Would be different if not travelling alone, though.

We do it as well and we are a family of 3 . Now if there are seats that are directly in the line we will sit there and let the line come to us and put our bags down. But other then that even the back of As we never had a problem finding plenty of seats in the back of the plane.

 

[CarolA]

One suggestion ASK! If you don't see a lot of folks at the gate go ask the agent how full your plane is. I have seen people sit on the floor RIGHT in front of the A boarding area for an hour only to discover there are 30 people total on the flight. The plane seats over 150, with only 30 you can practically each have your own ROW!

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

This is probably my least favorite aspect of Southwest. By placing passengers into one of three groups for boarding, it encourages the urgent, competitive mentality. It's not always convenient for people to be at a web-connected pc 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds before scheduled departure. To make matters worse, you can often see travelers lining up the moment the previous flight has boarded (let alone departed!) While many Southwest employees exude a relaxed attitude, it can be anything but for passengers who are trying to sit together or are concerned about seats on longer flights.

 

[jennib5426]

If you have an A pass do you need to line up early?
Can you just hop in the end of the A line when they star boarding?
You wont be first but you are still before B & C, right?

I fly SW for the first time in March to MCO.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

If you have an A pass do you need to line up early?
Can you just hop in the end of the A line when they star boarding?
You wont be first but you are still before B & C, right?

I fly SW for the first time in March to MCO.

Thats correct and what we do all the time just hop in the back of the A line


ExPirateShopGirl :: this is why we love SWA they hardly ever cancel or change flights and if they do you still can get your As to sit together.

We flew I think AA for work me and co-worker had seat together.They changed the flight by 5 min and switched it to a new number for a full flight I ended up at the front and he ended up at the back.

Most cell phones are able to check-in at the 24hr mark as well as a family member from home.Even the resorts do it for you. I forgot on my last flight in DEC just caught up in other things and must have deleted the info off my cell.So no 24hr reminder thus no check-in remembered on our way back to the resort at 12:00am 4hr past my check-in iIended up with A's still on a full flight .

I'll take my cowcalls and $50 flights all day long.

 

[salmoneous]

This is probably my least favorite aspect of Southwest. By placing passengers into one of three groups for boarding, it encourages the urgent, competitive mentality. It's not always convenient for people to be at a web-connected pc 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds before scheduled departure. To make matters worse, you can often see travelers lining up the moment the previous flight has boarded (let alone departed!) While many Southwest employees exude a relaxed attitude, it can be anything but for passengers who are trying to sit together or are concerned about seats on longer flights.

It's not Southwest's open seating policy that encourages the "urgent, competitive mentality." You see the exact same thing on legacy carriers - people edging up trying to be the first person from Group 3 or Rows 15-25 to get on the plane.

Once you understand how the system works, SW is a breeze to deal with. I worry much more about sitting together on legacy airlines that SW. With SW, I am in control. On other airlines, they can mess something up with my seats. (Note - you don't have to be connected to the internet 24-7, just have to know one person connected at the key time).

 

[salmoneous]

If you have an A pass do you need to line up early?
Can you just hop in the end of the A line when they star boarding?
You wont be first but you are still before B & C, right?

Exactly - the best time to get on the plane. Not only do you get to skip waiting in line, but you get to choose who to set near, and who to avoid. Hmmm, potentially crying babies in this section, no.... large group of teens over there, not a chance... ah, bunch of small quiet looking folks - I'll sit right here.

 

[CarolA]

This is probably my least favorite aspect of Southwest. By placing passengers into one of three groups for boarding, it encourages the urgent, competitive mentality. It's not always convenient for people to be at a web-connected pc 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds before scheduled departure. To make matters worse, you can often see travelers lining up the moment the previous flight has boarded (let alone departed!) While many Southwest employees exude a relaxed attitude, it can be anything but for passengers who are trying to sit together or are concerned about seats on longer flights.

Oh that's not near as good as the compulsive folks in Birmingham. They get in the line BEFORE the prior flight has departed. So there they are waiting in the A line to go to Orlando when they start boarding the flight to Cleveland. Talk about a mess, these same folks seem to think that if they just stand there blocking the way those folks behind them trying to go to Cleveland won't mind... SW has to basically THROW them out of line.

And I agree it's not just SW. I have been known to loudly announce on DL flights GEE I didn't know that First Class could seat 100 folks. They announce "now boarding Zone 1" which is First Class and the entire gate area RUSHES the boarding area which means those of us who ARE in ZONE 1 get to shove them out of the way to board....

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

ExPirateShopGirl :: this is why we love SWA they hardly ever cancel or change flights and if they do you still can get your As to sit together. I'll take my cowcalls and $50 flights all day long.

Some people don't mind it. Others do. Not everyone has the ability or know-how to check in at the 24 hour mark. You've obviously learned how to work their system. Nothing wrong with that. Personally, I will keep my $0 flights and hop into that empty First Class or exit row seat (when available!) or my T & F only flights when we need confirmed seats.

My point was... it puts the burden on the passenger for that 24 hour period and airport arrival time if they wish to sit together or get an aisle/window, rather than the airline. With other airlines, one can confirm ahead, schedule changes or not.

 

[salmoneous]

it puts the burden on the passenger for that 24 hour period and airport arrival time if they wish to sit together or get an aisle/window, rather than the airline.

Exactly! I trust me much more than I trust Delta.

 

[mtmbyck]

This is my first time flying Southwest and I must say this is the craziest system I have ever heard of.

We are flying Detroit to Orlando and I was able to secure seats online 60 days prior as was expalined at the time I booked. When I went online, the only rows showing were rows 30-45 (nothing closer to the front) amd most seats were taken.

I secured 5 seats in row 33 (A-E) as we are my DH, 2 DD's and Grandma.

Then I tried to book my return and it showed the flight was full! All seats taken so I called SW and the lady was incredibly rude and did not explain any of the ABC thing and told me that I would have to wait until check in to get my seats becuase all of the seats she could issue were FULL! I told her I was travelling with children and she said there was nothing she could do.

So you are saying that as we check in ... we get a letter with our boarding pass (they give out A's first but these are mostly given to those that call 24 hours ahead). The you wait in the waiting area by your letter and they board by letter - first come first serve into seats.

So I need to call 24 hours in advance and get a letter A and then get on board before everyone else (should be easier with kids) so that I make sure I can sit with my family. OH YA,k that's a much more efficient way then just assigning seats! Sorry - a little frustrated!

 

[salmoneous]

Mtmbyck,

It doesn't sound like you are flying Southwest Airlines. If you try and mix up the system for your airline with the advice in this thread, it is going to seem pretty darn crazy.