Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[buckeev]

I've decided SWA is nothing, if not unpredictable regarding the boarding procedure on any given flight. For our past four flights, (not just HOU-MCO either), hoping to obtain an "A Group" BP, I have purchased the Early Boarding Passes but have had only a 50/50 success rate. Kinda a bummer, but we've still been able to sit our family "within earshot" of each other.

 

[talulabelle]

I would love to buy our tickets for $79, but it's just going to be me with my 5 and 8 year olds. Is there a chance we could separated all over the plane? I could check in 24 hours in advance with no problem, but do they help keep kids with their parent(s)?

you will be fine! i just took a complete full (every seat taken) flight from ORlando with my DD and even though I checked in early and had B boarding passes we were running late and just made the plane. They had already boarded and we were the second to last group to get on the plane. As the plane fills all the aisle seats and window seat go first. SO the last boarders get on and find every middle seat open in the rows. they head all the way to the back hoping to find seats together. We got on and found 2 middle seats across the row from each other (now my dd is 15 so it didn't matter) the people in her row moved over nad she got the ailse. So we only had 1 person in between us. The family that got on last had small kids. The flight attendents asked for people to move. When at first no one was moving, they offered free drinks to anyone who moved and a bunch of hands went up. I have always found that they try hard to keep kids with their mommas.

Even with that - if you check in at the 24 hr mark you will be fine. You might not board on a completely empty plane, but you will defnately find 3 seats together - it may be toward the back - but you will be fine.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Got an email today saying that you can now combine SW/AT flight segments. I just tried to book BNA to Pensacola via the SW site. Theoretically it should have given me some option to go from BNA to an AT hub via SW and then hop an AT flight to Pensacola. DIdn't work. Is this flight not possible or could it be not fully rolled out yet.

 

[stargazertechie]

The flight attendents asked for people to move. When at first no one was moving, they offered free drinks to anyone who moved and a bunch of hands went up.

One can only hope

 

[Pocahantas]

Can Southwest credits be used to purchase a flight for someone different? I have a credit in my name and need to purchase a flight for my daughter's friend to come with us to Disneyworld this summer.

 

[jenseib]

Can Southwest credits be used to purchase a flight for someone different? I have a credit in my name and need to purchase a flight for my daughter's friend to come with us to Disneyworld this summer.

no

 

[msjprincess]

How does 24 hour check in work with flights that have one stop and a plane change? I fly SWA all of the time but we always fly non-stop. For our next trip I may end up booking flights that have a stop. Do I check in for each segment?

 

[jenseib]

How does 24 hour check in work with flights that have one stop and a plane change? I fly SWA all of the time but we always fly non-stop. For our next trip I may end up booking flights that have a stop. Do I check in for each segment?

You just Check in once

 

[wisconsinmama]

I am looking into purchasing our tickets through Southwest and don't understand their child policy. Do I have to buy a special ticket for the kids and have proof of their date of birth? Any info would help..
My kids are 4,6,9

 

[poohj80]

I am looking into purchasing our tickets through Southwest and don't understand their child policy. Do I have to buy a special ticket for the kids and have proof of their date of birth? Any info would help..
My kids are 4,6,9

No, kids your ages will be same as adult priced tickets.

 

[CarolynK]

We just made a reservation for 3 tickets (DH and kids) + 1 companion (me). I understand why I have my own confirmation number, but why don't the 3 that were made together have the same confirm number??

We are not new to SW - and our last flight also had 4 diff confirm numbers - but I thought it was because we made several changes to them...this was one ressie made at the same time for 3 people, so I'm confused!

When checking in, are we going to be able to use just DH's confirm number, or will we have to type each one?

 

[CarolynK]

We just made a reservation for 3 tickets (DH and kids) + 1 companion (me). I understand why I have my own confirmation number, but why don't the 3 that were made together have the same confirm number??

We are not new to SW - and our last flight also had 4 diff confirm numbers - but I thought it was because we made several changes to them...this was one ressie made at the same time for 3 people, so I'm confused!

When checking in, are we going to be able to use just DH's confirm number, or will we have to type each one?

So, called SW today and I can answer my own question When multiple reservations are made on points, each person has their own confirmation number, even though the reservations were made at the same time under one RR account.

 

[MISSYLEXI]

Sorry if this was asked and answered already. But I know the fares for Oct and Nov will be released on March 4th, but at what time of day do they release them?

 

[bjscheel]

So, called SW today and I can answer my own question When multiple reservations are made on points, each person has their own confirmation number, even though the reservations were made at the same time under one RR account.

So I have two RR accounts. We will probably be able to buy 4 one-way tickets to San Diego plus 1 one-way ticket back home on one account. Then buy the other 3 tickets back home with the other account. Will all eight tickets have a different confirmation number? When I check in, I will be checking in 4 separate times? I don't really like that, but since the kids are 11 and 14, if they are separated from us, they will survive.

I am thinking about EBCI for the flight home. I can check in at 24 hours while we are at home, but when we are at Disney Land I can't plan on it. We don't have smart phones, well we might by June, and I don't want to count on getting on wifi at the hotel for something that important. We might want to be at the park. I need to research EBCI. Do I buy it at the same time as the tickets or can it be added later?

Is it easy to check in on an iPhone? DH might get one next month, but we have no experience with smart phones, though we have iPod touches. If we could check in on his phone, then maybe I wouldn't need to do EBCI.

 

[Cmbar]

So I have two RR accounts. We will probably be able to buy 4 one-way tickets to San Diego plus 1 one-way ticket back home on one account. Then buy the other 3 tickets back home with the other account. Will all eight tickets have a different confirmation number? When I check in, I will be checking in 4 separate times? I don't really like that, but since the kids are 11 and 14, if they are separated from us, they will survive.

I am thinking about EBCI for the flight home. I can check in at 24 hours while we are at home, but when we are at Disney Land I can't plan on it. We don't have smart phones, well we might by June, and I don't want to count on getting on wifi at the hotel for something that important. We might want to be at the park. I need to research EBCI. Do I buy it at the same time as the tickets or can it be added later?

Is it easy to check in on an iPhone? DH might get one next month, but we have no experience with smart phones, though we have iPod touches. If we could check in on his phone, then maybe I wouldn't need to do EBCI.

Just my opinion but it sounds like you are getting most of your flights for free, so I wouldn't hesitate to splurge on the EBCI for the return flight home. It is easy to check in on smartphone, but like you said you don't know where you will be at that time. If you have a smart Phone however you should have access through the phone company and not need wifi as you do with say your Ipod touch. Just a thought. Have they raised the EBCI prices or are they still $10? If so I think it is $40 bucks well spent. Good luck and have a blast in Disneyland!

EBCI can be added later, but the later you add them the farther back you get checked in. If you add early you get the earlier A's. Does that make sense?

 

[bjscheel]

Just my opinion but it sounds like you are getting most of your flights for free, so I wouldn't hesitate to splurge on the EBCI for the return flight home. It is easy to check in on smartphone, but like you said you don't know where you will be at that time. If you have a smart Phone however you should have access through the phone company and not need wifi as you do with say your Ipod touch. Just a thought. Have they raised the EBCI prices or are they still $10? If so I think it is $40 bucks well spent. Good luck and have a blast in Disneyland!

EBCI can be added later, but the later you add them the farther back you get checked in. If you add early you get the earlier A's. Does that make sense?

Yes, free flights so that makes the choice a little easier, sounds like EBCI is the way to go for returning home. And yes, that makes sense about getting EBCI right away, I hadn't thought of that!

I'm so antsy about getting this taken care of. Our last points should post on about the 15th of this month and our flights are in June. Prices are creeping up on some dates. Our dates are flexible, so I'm going to go with the best airfare on dates a week apart.

The other problem is I don't know which airport we'll use. One airport will have a good fare going out, but another will have a good fare coming back. Omaha has more choices of times, but Des Moines is closer and seems to be overall cheaper. But the flight back from SNA gets in late at night to DM. KC is 3 hour drive, but has decent fares and offers nonstops to San Diego, therefore making total travel time about the same, but the kids hate long drives. The times coming home aren't ideal, but doable. There is just no clear winner!

 

[CarolynK]

So I have two RR accounts. We will probably be able to buy 4 one-way tickets to San Diego plus 1 one-way ticket back home on one account. Then buy the other 3 tickets back home with the other account. Will all eight tickets have a different confirmation number? When I check in, I will be checking in 4 separate times? I don't really like that, but since the kids are 11 and 14, if they are separated from us, they will survive.

Yeah, each person on an award ticket has their own confirm #, and at check-in time it slows things down a bit but you'll be pretty close in numbers, so it shouldn't matter.

I am thinking about EBCI for the flight home. I can check in at 24 hours while we are at home, but when we are at Disney Land I can't plan on it. We don't have smart phones, well we might by June, and I don't want to count on getting on wifi at the hotel for something that important. We might want to be at the park. I need to research EBCI. Do I buy it at the same time as the tickets or can it be added later?

EBCI has gone up to 12.50, I think. Probably worth it for the way home, though, although we've never used it since we do have smartphones. But, for peace of mind....

 

[rdevine10]

1st time flying southwest in quite some time. We are a party of 4. We have one confirmation #. So, when I check us in at 24 hours in advance, we all get checked in together?

Thinking of buying the early boarding for the return trip. We bought both ways last time. Ughh... thats another $50 I would not like to spend! Last time we had no issue with 2 rows, 2 in each row. They were right in front/back of each other. This time I just hope one adult and child sits together. Or 1 adult with the 2 kids and 1 adult alone. Stressing over this.....

Next time I think I need to go back to an airline were I get assigned seats.

 

[lynn71092]

1st time flying southwest in quite some time. We are a party of 4. We have one confirmation #. So, when I check us in at 24 hours in advance, we all get checked in together?

Thinking of buying the early boarding for the return trip. We bought both ways last time. Ughh... thats another $50 I would not like to spend! Last time we had no issue with 2 rows, 2 in each row. They were right in front/back of each other. This time I just hope one adult and child sits together. Or 1 adult with the 2 kids and 1 adult alone. Stressing over this.....

Next time I think I need to go back to an airline were I get assigned seats.

We were on the last flight out Tuesday night and my sister paid the extra fee, I did not. She had A25, I had A31. Maybe becuase it was the last flight out it might not have been full.

 

[stitchlovestink]

1st time flying southwest in quite some time. We are a party of 4. We have one confirmation #. So, when I check us in at 24 hours in advance, we all get checked in together?

Thinking of buying the early boarding for the return trip. We bought both ways last time. Ughh... thats another $50 I would not like to spend! Last time we had no issue with 2 rows, 2 in each row. They were right in front/back of each other. This time I just hope one adult and child sits together. Or 1 adult with the 2 kids and 1 adult alone. Stressing over this.....

Next time I think I need to go back to an airline were I get assigned seats.

Yes, when you have one confirmation # it checks you all in at the same time...so you should end up with consecutive #'s or very close to it.
EBCI is a very personal preference. Since they don't limit the number of them they sell, I don't care to purchase them because you can pay all that $ and still end up with a crappy boarding # in the B's and have to wait and board after family boarding. To me if you paid for EBCI, you should AUTOMATICALLY get to board BEFORE family boarding no matter what your assignment is but that's not the case. So it's not something I'd be willing to pay for. But that's just me.