quick little rant on SWA boarding

[mmks]

Just needed to say that it must be fairly standard for the gate agent at MCO to say and stick to the no extended family rule, we watched it be enforced on our trip, and almost cheered! The funniest thing was though was a girl with a crown and sash being encouraged by her mother to go up and try to be pre-boarded , only to be met with an eye roll and no. I think all of us in line almost cheered , although I don't think the girl would have done it had it not been for her mother.

 

[Ronda93]

If I had another choice for non-stop service to MCO I'd take it. We only started using SWA on this route when Delta dropped their non-stop service.

I'm not sure how much of a premium I'd pay, but after this latest trip I'd go $20 a head.

 

[bopeep9207]

If they won't allow everyone to board together, why do they allow the preboarders to hold seats?

Southwest has great fares,but their policies keep me from flying them.

they really have only one objectionable policy and that is the preboarding stuff.
I have seen the FA's tell folks that hold more than one or two seats that they cannot do this in fairness to others.

 

[kldmom2000]

We just got back on Dec. 11th from Disney having flown SWA for the first time with a 4 yr old and 2 yr old. We did get to preboard, but both in Providence and Orlando, the ticket agents were strict about who could board w/ the family-they kept stressing it was for only the children and parents-no grandparents/aunts/cousins/etc... Personally, never having flown with kids before this trip, I don't know how on earth I ever could have managed to get the kids on and the carseats buckled in on time before the flight took off if we weren't able to preboard-both times it seems that as soon as they started boarding until the time we got to the tarmat was under 10 minutes!!!!

 

[DutchsMommy]

OK, so you're telling me if I don't preboard someone else might get stuck beside DS (3)???????!!!!!!.......Right ON!!! LOL

 

[DutchsMommy]

Hey, I just noticed - and I may be dense ( ) but they changed the little "titles" under our names - I am now a Mouseketeer (I guess the mods have never heard me sing!).

 

[Betty Breed]

When my girls were little we were flying home from Tulsa. We had to stop in Dallas (we were on SWA). Of course the flt was delayed and we almost missed the connection. When we ( me, my 4 yr old and my 2 yr old) got on the plane of course there were no seats together. The FA asked if some one would mind moving so my kids could sit with me. One person next to one of the few empty seats volunteered. We had paid for a seat for the 2 yr old. I said I didn't mind if we couldn't sit together and asked which one of the empty seats the baby could have. You should have seen the the # of volunteers then. lol

 

[lindaso]

I agree with the poster who said those installing carseats must preboard. I once flew on Delta and they wouldn't let anyone preboard. I was by myself with my infant and the seatbelt in her seat was broken. By the time I finally got it installed (in another seat), she was screaming and the entire plane was staring at me. An extra ten minutes would have made all the difference.

I must admit that I'm guilty of adding a "niece" to my preboard on SWA...but I have an excuse. Again I was flying alone with my DS and the plane was delayed a long time for weather issues. I met a 14 year old girl travelling by herself. She was not considered an unaccompanied minor and her relatives who dropped her off were not allowed through security. I felt very sorry for her, she was very nervous waiting all that time by herself so I sort of adopted her. She played with my toddler and I just felt like she should stick with us on the plane. Guilty as charged but I would do it again under the circumstances.

 

[zippehsmom]

linda I don't think that anyone would crucify you for that one. Unfortunately, it is all those people that push the envelope too far, that makes it bad for everyone. I think under those circumstances, I would have done the same thing.

zippehsmom

 

[bopeep9207]

linda I don't think that anyone would crucify you for that one. Unfortunately, it is all those people that push the envelope too far, that makes it bad for everyone. I think under those circumstances, I would have done the same thing.

zippehsmom

ITA!!!! I would have done the same myself.

 

[swilphil]

We just got back on Dec. 11th from Disney having flown SWA for the first time with a 4 yr old and 2 yr old. We did get to preboard, but both in Providence and Orlando, the ticket agents were strict about who could board w/ the family-they kept stressing it was for only the children and parents-no grandparents/aunts/cousins/etc... Personally, never having flown with kids before this trip, I don't know how on earth I ever could have managed to get the kids on and the carseats buckled in on time before the flight took off if we weren't able to preboard-both times it seems that as soon as they started boarding until the time we got to the tarmat was under 10 minutes!!!!

I'm in the same boat with VERY active boys that are 2 and 4. I just don't see why it would be so hard to give a special pre-board pass to the family when you check in. They have the names and ages of all the people in your party, so they could just give a pre-board pass to the parents and kids--no need for distant relatives. Of course, then you would have people saving seats. I hope SWA finds a way to crack down on people who abuse the system. I would hate to see them get rid of the pre-board option for kids. Though I'm with some of you, I wouldn't mind if someone else had to deal with my 2 year old on the flight.

 

[chasbos]

We are flying SWA for the first time this January. I have 4 DD's and I am glad that they are very used to flying. (Our trip from Buffalo to Orlando will be our shortest flight - We have been to Europe and St. Maarten - much longer flights.)

I did not know this policy when I booked - a bit of an after shock you would say. So I am hoping that all goes well and the 6 of us will at least be within a reasonable distance of each other (Our youngest is 6 - she is the only one I am worried about being by herself)

I am just hoping that at 7:00 am on a Friday morning it is not too busy - and by the prices they are offering, it must not be.

 

[DemonLlama]

We are flying out NS at 7:00 a.m. Thursday and we've accepted the fact that we may not be sitting together, even though I planning to get up at midnight and get our boarding passes then. The stress of worrying about it just isn't worth it, and the more I can keep a sense of humor about the people who just HAVE to get on that plane before me, the better. Those people's families have to live with that kind of mentality all year long. Letting them stress over getting to the plane first isn't going to ruin my trip. I'm going to Disney World!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

I just flew back to Orlando from Manchester last night. WHEW, what a full flight. I wasn't sure if I was going to get a seat with myself or not. We had a whopping 23 people on the flight!! Everyone got thier own full row... lol

 

[NotUrsula]

They have the names and ages of all the people in your party, so they could just give a pre-board pass to the parents and kids--no need for distant relatives.

Actually, they normally don't have the ages. The only way that SWA would be aware of passenger ages at booking would be if you paid a special age-restricted fare (for an infant or senior). As very few people choose those fares over the advance-purchase discount fares, SWA has no way of knowing who the guardian/child pairs are. They have to take your word for it when you show up at the gate. Having tickets booked on the same itinerary really doesn't mean anything; friends and extended family often do that to insure that they are on the same plane.

Once, when travelling alone with a baby on a crowded flight out of MDW, I was approached by a gentleman who asked if he could pretend he was DH's dad so that he could preboard. I laughed my head off and told him that if he had $500 in cash on him I *might* consider it. He decided that I was a b1tch, of course.

 

[Beanie]

I just flew back to Orlando from Manchester last night. WHEW, what a full flight. I wasn't sure if I was going to get a seat with myself or not. We had a whopping 23 people on the flight!! Everyone got thier own full row... lol

I am hoping this is how it is in January when we fly out of Manchester!!

 

[shelly3girls]

I completely agree that only the parents should be able to pre-board. But I also wish that people would keep their comments to themselves as they do not always know the whole story.
I was traveling with my two DDs ages 3 and 5 along with my sister and her 3 year old. I was pushing DD5 in a stroller with two booster seats strapped over my shoulders while my sister pushed the double stroller with both 3 year olds. I believe it should have been obvious that I had more than one child due to the number of carseats I was carrying. As I moved through the preboarding line I was literally harrassed by a couple as they yelled and pointed at us that obviously my DD was older than 4. I ignored them even as they yelled obscenities at us as we showed our boarding passes to the agent. Even after mentioning something to the boarding agent, the same couple made a comment as they passed me sitting in my seat with BOTH my children. It was truly a very uncomfortable situation but fortunately my DDs did not realize what was going on.

 

[Snoozan]

I think the best solution for pre-boarders is to require those that pre-board to have to go to the back of the plane. To me, that makes the most sense as these are the ones who need the extra time to board, so they wouldn't be holding up other passengers if there's no one who needs to get by them. This would probably also discourage all those "extra" people pre-boarding as most of them are probably trying to sit at the front of the plane, anyways.

Just my opinion, but this is why we'd rather pay the extra $ to fly Song as we much prefer assigned seating.

 

[crazywig]

I am hoping this is how it is in January when we fly out of Manchester!!

we've flown in january out of PVD to MCO and the flights have been completely full!

I think the best solution for pre-boarders is to require those that pre-board to have to go to the back of the plane.

i think that's a great idea. i never care where i sit, i don't see the point of trying to sit up front when most people have to wait down in baggage when they get off anyway!

 

[shelly3girls]

Snoozan
That is a very good idea. I preboard so that I can get carseats situated without bothering people. If that means I have to sit in the back of the plane I have no problem with it.