Question about flying SW

[tarheel618]

Okay I haven't flown in about 7 years so I have a few questions.

I know for SW that I should check in online 24 hours before my flight? Do I just then print my boarding passes? Or can they be printed at the airport?

I bought seats (at regular price) for my 5 year old and 1 year old. Can I check them in online or do they have to verify their age (I don't see why since I didn't buy an infant/child fare ticket)

It is my husband, myself, and the girls if we are eligible for preboarding can we all board together?

Next, for the 1 year old, do I just bring her carseat with us for her to use on the plane. I realize that I will have to check my 5 years booster seat. The carseat is a 5 point harness seat is this acceptable for the plane?

Thanks

 

[Microcell]

Okayy... My youngest is five and we have not used a car seat in the plane for him but one time, when he was two. We had a five point as I recall. Used it because I thought he might try to get out of the seat at a bad time. There should be a sticker on it somewhere that says FDA approved on it.

You can definitely check them in online or there. I have never had to produce documentation on my kids at all but I usually travel with their birth certificates and SS cards because I don't ever want to be accused of not being their mother when travelling. I know I am paranoid!

You have what I like to call the golden ticket, being your 1 year old. We get to use our golden ticket for the last time this trip! What I mean by that is that you get to preboard with the entire nuclear family, so it does not matter what group you get, because you have a child under five.

My Dh has done the 24 hour boarding pass online only to find out we didn't have paper, so he has gone to the airport to print up his boarding pass. I can't remember if he got to keep the group number or not, but it does not matter because you have the golden ticket!

Have fun!

 

[plutolovr]

Just to reiterate about printing/reprinting boarding passes. Yes, with Southwest you can check-in online or by using a web-enabled telephone (which is great for when you're not near a computer), if you don't print out the passes at that time you can go to the kiosk at the airport and print/reprint them there. You WILL maintain your boarding letter (ABC) that you got when you checked-in online.

 

[Snoozan]

Just so you know - there have been instances where they did not allow for pre-boarding of young children due to the vast # of them on the flight. It's best you do get the boarding passes at the 24 hour mark, just in case.

 

[tarheel618]

Thanks for the info. I was worried I would run out of ink or something and screw everything up. I will definately register 24 hours out and pray for an A pass as a backup in case we don't get to preboard.