PLease explain SW seating to me!!!!

[Lewisc]

Unless there are a lot of pre-boarders, many flights to MCO, almost every passenger in the "B" group can get seats together. A lot of us overplan. Other than looking for an exit row seat there isn't any REAL reason for passengers in the "A" group lining up early and even "B" passengers generally don't have to line up as early as many do.

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.

 

[CarolA]

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!

Are you possibly flying AirTran or maybe ATA (isn't ATA a SW code share?)

SW does not let you secure seats 60 days in advance on any of thier flights. That's why I think it's ATA and who knows what they do. (I don't think they do ABC either so you may be dealing with this at the airport)(Well I checked and it doesn't look like ATA since they don't show that flgiht connection!)



In your case SW's true seating would be better since the seats would NOT be taken by others who got thier seats before you.


Not a clue what is really going on here, but I think the poster is flying NorthWest. I seem to recall NorthWest has started a tiered seat assignement system. Pay more you get your seats when you buy the ticket, pay less you wait and this can and does happen.

 

[C.Ann]

Row 33 - 5 seats - A-E? That's not Southwest you're flying.. You need to check again and find out exactly what airline you ARE flying or this is going to be quite the mess come time for your departure!!

 

[ssnelle]

Okay, okay, you all have me nervous. We are flying in 6 days with SW and I was aware of this system, but called SW and they told me I do not need to call 24 hours in advance to get that A,B,C boarding pass because we are traveling with 3 young children (3, 5, 7) and said we just needed to get there early in order to preboard before the A, B, C 's...but one of you earlier poster's on this thread writes: 'maybe you can preboard with your 3 year old?!?'...DOES ANYONE KNOW THE RULES, I wasn't planning on calling the 24 hours in advance because I didn't think I needed to. HELP!

 

[salmoneous]

No need to be nervous. The rule is that a child under 5 can preboard with a parent. But usually they would let a whole family of children preboard together. And there is always the tiny risk that there will be no preboarding.

If you go ahead and check in at the 24-hour mark, you have no worries. If you all get to preboard - great. If not, then you have your A passes. No problem either way.

And, no matter what, keep in mind that the SW system simply does not force small children to sit by themselves. Worst case: If everything goes crazy, if you get there late, etc. they will get people to move around so that a young child can sit with a parent - though parents may be split and the whole family won't sit together.

 

[dkostel]

You do need to get a boarding pass (A,B, or C) but you can get it at the airport (because you'll preboard you don't need to get an A pass to assure that your fam will get seats together). Since one of your kids is 3, I'm sure they will let you all preboard, but you'll still have to give them your boarding pass. It is irrevelant what group your pass says you're in when you preboard.

 

[delilah]

SWA must have much better service to some cities than the one I am in. I just checked fares for the spring break trip I am taking. There is not a non-stop available, and the one closest to the times that I originally booked, with assigned seats, on NWA, is more than $100 more on SWA! I can't even check on fares for the trip we are planning during Memorial day week, since it hasn't been released yet. I'm sorry--I like having assigned seats all together with my family, not having to check in exactly 24 hrs ahead, and paying $300 less for the three of us for a non-stop flight.

 

[ssnelle]

Thanks for the replies, I am a little less nervous but I guess I will have to set the timer for the 24 hour mark before our flights JUST IN CASE; I shiver at the thought of my nervous 7 year old sitting by himself...he would rather pass on the whole trip than do that! Sounds as though SWA would not let that happen though, so that is comforting. So I guess I need the phone #, reservation # and my flight # to call at that 24 hour mark for the boarding pass, ANYTHING ELSE I NEED? Anyone have the phone number I need to call to get these boarding passes, I guess I will cover all my bases.

 

[CarolA]

Thanks for the replies, I am a little less nervous but I guess I will have to set the timer for the 24 hour mark before our flights JUST IN CASE; I shiver at the thought of my nervous 7 year old sitting by himself...he would rather pass on the whole trip than do that! Sounds as though SWA would not let that happen though, so that is comforting. So I guess I need the phone #, reservation # and my flight # to call at that 24 hour mark for the boarding pass, ANYTHING ELSE I NEED? Anyone have the phone number I need to call to get these boarding passes, I guess I will cover all my bases.

You don't call, you check in on line. (I don't think they do it over the phone.

Go to www.southwest.com (where you bought the tickets) Click on "Travel Fools" Under Air click on "Check in online" Put in your name and confirmatoin # from your reservation and follow the prompts. At Disney the front desk folks probably are pros by now. LOL! You get to do this for EACH reservation in your party.

 

[Aquagirl]

Go to www.southwest.com (where you bought the tickets) Click on "Travel Fools" Under Air click on "Check in online" Put in your name and confirmatoin # from your reservation and follow the prompts. At Disney the front desk folks probably are pros by now. LOL! You get to do this for EACH reservation in your party.

"Travel Fools" Haha!!!

 

[NotUrsula]

Carol is right -- SWA does NOT do checkins over the phone. (The exception being checking in via a web browser on a web-enabled mobile phone, which you can do, and which is dead easy.)

The normal way to check in for flights is with a computer. You don't have to do it yourself, and you don't have to actually be able to *print* the BP's at that time, you can wait and print them at the airport (your letter designation will stay the same). If you have someone else do it for you, be sure to provide them with a copy of your confirmation page, as they will need the confirmation number and all of the passenger names.

 

[CarolA]

"Travel Fools" Haha!!!

Typing is NOT my skill set.

That should read Travel Tools