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

[BellaBaby]

All that is required is that the card holder, individual, be on the reservation. The credit card is linked to the RR account, how actually pay for the flight is irrelevant.

Just to clarify, you have an account in your name and your husband has a separate account in his name? Not cards, but accounts?

Hi, yes we both have RR accounts as well. So sounds like we should be fine.

 

[clh2]

Question about getting seats assigned when purchasing tickets. My DH and I both prefer aisle seats. When we purchase our tickets, is it easy to do 2 tickets close together, but not necessarily next to each other (Ie a window and an aisle)?

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Question about getting seats assigned when purchasing tickets. My DH and I both prefer aisle seats. When we purchase our tickets, is it easy to do 2 tickets close together, but not necessarily next to each other (Ie a window and an aisle)?

Assuming you're paying for a fare that includes ticket selection (or have a credit card that allows it) you can pick whichever two seats you want in your category.

My mom and her husband like the aisle across from each other and they did that no problem.

 

[focusondisney]

Question about getting seats assigned when purchasing tickets. My DH and I both prefer aisle seats. When we purchase our tickets, is it easy to do 2 tickets close together, but not necessarily next to each other (Ie a window and an aisle)?

It’s going to depend what category ticket you booked & how many people have booked seats before you did. If you’re booking for several months away, you should be fine. If you’re looking to fly on Saturday of your area’s winter break next month or spring break in March, many seats may already be booked. Put your dates in & search flights. You can view the seating chart of open & booked seats for each flight you might be considering.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Flying home today. Watching the Vegas flight board at the next gate. I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed such a cluster and long boarding time with SW. An elderly woman asked the CS rep about preboarding and was told, “Honey, we have assigned seating now. There’s no reason not to board with your group.” I thought she was going to cry. It was snarky enough that I just purchased priority boarding for $12 for this leg to avoid his scorn. There’s no way I can stand as long as these Vegas people did before being allowed to board.

I'm not sure I understand. They better have wheelchair boarding-I don't care whether it's pre boarding or "with my group". But there are some of us who can't even walk a full step, let alone down a jet way. OK, so once I get on the plane, I have assigned seating, but grant me a wheelchair at least.

 

[SkyGuy]

I'm not sure I understand. They better have wheelchair boarding-I don't care whether it's pre boarding or "with my group". But there are some of us who can't even walk a full step, let alone down a jet way. OK, so once I get on the plane, I have assigned seating, but grant me a wheelchair at least.

They do, but if you ask a CS rep about it you may be told they don’t offer it anymore. It’s still the first group to board, and they still offer wheelchair assistance for those who need it. They need to train their reps on how to answer questions about it.

 

[Frwinkley]

Flying SW for the first time this weekend since the changes. We paid for seats and picked them at the time of booking.

Is there any need to check-in 24 hours before the flight like in the old days?

 

[FreeTime]

Flying SW for the first time this weekend since the changes. We paid for seats and picked them at the time of booking.

Is there any need to check-in 24 hours before the flight like in the old days?

You don’t need to check in right at 24 hours but you still must check in.

 

[Sleepyluke]

I admit I can be slow at times, but help me oh wise people.

We have a Premier card currently and looking at a trip next February for family of 4. We should have enough points for 3 of our 4 tickets if not all 4 by then, but looking at the new rules I am thinking. Should we upgrade to the Priority card at least for a year to get the ability to book preferred seats at time of booking so that we could sit together? It seems the preferred are free at that level, even if we book basic. I am not against sitting toward the back, but for a few bucks more this year we could get the "better" seats and since it is most likely points, not a terrible option. I am just not sure if points/cc is the best bang for the buck. Am I understanding correctly in my thinking? Correct me where I am off.

Thanks

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I admit I can be slow at times, but help me oh wise people.

We have a Premier card currently and looking at a trip next February for family of 4. We should have enough points for 3 of our 4 tickets if not all 4 by then, but looking at the new rules I am thinking. Should we upgrade to the Priority card at least for a year to get the ability to book preferred seats at time of booking so that we could sit together? It seems the preferred are free at that level, even if we book basic. I am not against sitting toward the back, but for a few bucks more this year we could get the "better" seats and since it is most likely points, not a terrible option. I am just not sure if points/cc is the best bang for the buck. Am I understanding correctly in my thinking? Correct me where I am off.

Thanks

How long ago did you open the premier card? If you're eligible for a new SW card bonus, it would be better to close the premier and instead open a new priority card to get the bonus. Then, you'll have the points for all 4 tickets and have the seat selection at time of booking. The bonus offer guaranteeing that you have enough points for your whole booking would be worth the extra annual fee cost to me.

If you're not bonus eligible, only you would know if the extra $80 in annual fee is worth the seat selection at time of booking versus within 48 hours.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We flew home from Orlando yesterday. We had seats in row 17 and was able to switch to row 7 less than two hours before boarding - at no extra cost. I soon found out why 2 seats in row 7 were open - they were bulkhead seats without a window. I missed a great sunset. Is there any way to find out where the bulkhead rows are on the flight? This was an older plane that had not been upgraded with the new seats yet.

 

[geargrinder]

We flew home from Orlando yesterday. We had seats in row 17 and was able to switch to row 7 less than two hours before boarding - at no extra cost. I soon found out why 2 seats in row 7 were open - they were bulkhead seats without a window. I missed a great sunset. Is there any way to find out where the bulkhead rows are on the flight? This was an older plane that had not been upgraded with the new seats yet.

I pulled this from Google. Also added a little bit that was missing about 7A

Windowless Seats by Plane Type:

• 737-700 Series: Seat 7A and 8F is known to lack a window.
• 737-800 Series: Rows 10 and 11, specifically 9A, 10A, 11A, and 11F, often have no window.
• 737 MAX 8: Rows 10 and 11 are recommended to be avoided for guaranteed window views.

.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We flew home from Orlando yesterday. We had seats in row 17 and was able to switch to row 7 less than two hours before boarding - at no extra cost. I soon found out why 2 seats in row 7 were open - they were bulkhead seats without a window. I missed a great sunset. Is there any way to find out where the bulkhead rows are on the flight? This was an older plane that had not been upgraded with the new seats yet.

I think (?) that a picture of the plane when you select seats will identify the bulkhead rows. I also think that if you pre board or if you're under 14 years old, you can't sit in the bulkhead seats. So if you choose a bulkhead seat beforehand, the system should pop up with a screen asking you if you're eligible to pre board and if you're under the age of 14. If you answer "Yes" to either question, the system should refuse to let you pick the bulkhead.
Also, let me ask you a question-did you say that you moved up from one seat to another that was further forward at no additional cost? If so, then the person who told me otherwise was wrong. When I flew Southwest on 2/4, someone told me that Southwest won't let you move your seat forward without paying, although apparently lots of other airlines do. On Southwest, you can move parallel or back further if seats are empty, but not forward, they said.

 

[focusondisney]

I also think that if you pre board or if you're under 14 years old, you can't sit in the bulkhead seats. So if you choose a bulkhead seat beforehand, the system should pop up with a screen asking you if you're eligible to pre board and if you're under the age of 14. If you answer "Yes" to either question, the system should refuse to let you pick the bulkhead.

These restrictions only apply to exit rows, they have nothing to do with bulkhead seats. Bulk head row means they have a wall in front of them, such as the first rows on entering the plane. Preboarders always sat in the first rows with Southwest’s open seating.

I haven’t booked with SW since assigned seating started. But when booking a trip that includes a child under 15 on Jetblue, the exit rows show as unavailable. No pop up needed because they’re not even an option for a group with a child.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I think (?) that a picture of the plane when you select seats will identify the bulkhead rows. I also think that if you pre board or if you're under 14 years old, you can't sit in the bulkhead seats. So if you choose a bulkhead seat beforehand, the system should pop up with a screen asking you if you're eligible to pre board and if you're under the age of 14. If you answer "Yes" to either question, the system should refuse to let you pick the bulkhead.
Also, let me ask you a question-did you say that you moved up from one seat to another that was further forward at no additional cost? If so, then the person who told me otherwise was wrong. When I flew Southwest on 2/4, someone told me that Southwest won't let you move your seat forward without paying, although apparently lots of other airlines do. On Southwest, you can move parallel or back further if seats are empty, but not forward, they said.

There isn't any indication of where the bulkhead is on the seat selection chart.

We were able to move from row 17 to row 7 at no extra charge while waiting for our flight at the airport. I have the SW RR premier card, which might be why it was free to move seats.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I pulled this from Google. Also added a little bit that was missing about 7A

Windowless Seats by Plane Type:

• 737-700 Series: Seat 7A and 8F is known to lack a window.
• 737-800 Series: Rows 10 and 11, specifically 9A, 10A, 11A, and 11F, often have no window.
• 737 MAX 8: Rows 10 and 11 are recommended to be avoided for guaranteed window views.

.

Well, this complicates things. We always pick window seats because of motion sickness. I had no clue that preferred seats would potentially include a windowless window seat (to me, that should be coded as a regular seat even if it's towards the front of the plane).

I went in and adjusted our April flights to avoid seats based on current plane, but what if they switch out the equipment? What do we think the chances are that my 9A window seat on a Max 8 suddenly becomes a windowless seat on a 737-800?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Well, this complicates things. We always pick window seats because of motion sickness. I had no clue that preferred seats would potentially include a windowless window seat (to me, that should be coded as a regular seat even if it's towards the front of the plane).

I went in and adjusted our April flights to avoid seats based on current plane, but what if they switch out the equipment? What do we think the chances are that my 9A window seat on a Max 8 suddenly becomes a windowless seat on a 737-800?

I had row 10 on our March flight and was able to change to row 6 for no extra charge - which was a nice surprise.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I had row 10 on our March flight and was able to change to row 6 for no extra charge - which was a nice surprise.

I have a family of 5, so would need 2 or 3 seats available together, which feels less likely. I'll still check at 48 hours but not expecting that much to be open