Really Don't Understand Southwest

[SandyinMonterey]

Right now Southwest seems to have the best airfare but I'm reluctant to pull the trigger. I have never flown Southwest before and I'm not familiar with their A,B, and C boarding or the early bird check in. My husband is disregarding Southwest all together because we have an eight yr old daughter and he feels if they can't guarantee we sit together, then we can't chance it. Do you ever get a seat assignment? If so, how? Any and all input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jewood1234]

Haven't been on SWA for at least a year, but we have always found fellow flyers more than flexible when we have asked to get all 6 of us together.

Also would recommend looking into "Business Select" upgrades if the flight together is a must-have. It basically guarantees that you'll board the plane first.

Hope this helps!

 

[Granny square]

Pay for early bird seating when you order your tickets and you will be fine.

 

[msd1776]

I would go with SWA. As long as you check in online as close to the 24 hours in advance, you can get a good seat and set together. If you aren't able to check in in advance, early!, you run the risk of being a C seating class.

Btw, they split the boarding into 3 groups A, B, C. A1 boards first,then A2' etc. SWA do hold out a number of seats for their preferred customers so that they can board early in the process....meaning they may hold out a1-a30 for them.

 

[Sweettears]

I would go with SWA. As long as you check in online as close to the 24 hours in advance, you can get a good seat and set together. If you aren't able to check in in advance, early!, you run the risk of being a C seating class.

Btw, they split the boarding into 3 groups A, B, C. A1 boards first,then A2' etc. SWA do hold out a number of seats for their preferred customers so that they can board early in the process....meaning they may hold out a1-a30 for them.

Business select is A1-15. I agree with Granny S. If you want to be certain do early bird check-in. This will give you low B boarding at worst. The 24 hour check-in is a crap shoot at best depending on how full the flight is and how many people are also checking in at the 24 hour mark.

 

[gwynne]

Pay for early bird seating when you order your tickets and you will be fine.

Business select is A1-15. I agree with Granny S. If you want to be certain do early bird check-in. This will give you low B boarding at worst. The 24 hour check-in is a crap shoot at best depending on how full the flight is and how many people are also checking in at the 24 hour mark.

I totally agree. Just pay for early bird check-in, and OP will be fine.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

If you're really worried about it, pay the extra $12 per ticket for early bird check in. If you don't want to pay, just make sure you check in RIGHT at the 24 hour mark. You won't get A boarding, but as long as you are somewhere in the B, you won't have a problem getting at least 2 seats together. They might be towards the back, but they'll be there. I've never had a problem.

 

[Granny square]

The cost is more than covered by the free luggage

 

[The big Disney nerd]

I love Southwest! http://www.wdwinfo.com/images/smilies/smile.gif Friendly airline. We have "bought our way to the front of the line" with the early bird service and been able to sit together without any problems.

 

[sam_gordon]

Right now Southwest seems to have the best airfare but I'm reluctant to pull the trigger. I have never flown Southwest before and I'm not familiar with their A,B, and C boarding or the early bird check in. My husband is disregarding Southwest all together because we have an eight yr old daughter and he feels if they can't guarantee we sit together, then we can't chance it. Do you ever get a seat assignment? If so, how? Any and all input would be greatly appreciated.

NO airline can GUARANTEE you will sit together. Even those with assigned seats. Equipment changes, delays, etc. A lot can happen. I suggest coming up with a contingency in case your DD sits by herself.

That being said, most airlines will work with you to sit her with at least one adult. But there are no guarantees.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

If you're really worried about it, pay the extra $12 per ticket for early bird check in.

The actual price is $12.50 per ticket, each way.

 

[figment_jii]

I also agree that if sitting together is a must, then pay for the early bird check-in. Otherwise, you still stand a good chance of being together if you check in as soon as possible or at a minimum, two together and one somewhere nearby. As normal, the back of the plane tends to be less busy (initially). I like Southwest as well, but tend to use it more for commuter hops opposed to long distance travel (just because of the seating issue with connecting flights). If I have a really tight connection, getting seats together is harder. If you aren't at the gate when your boarding group is called, they won't wait for you. You'll get to board when you arrive, but finding seats together will depend on how late you are.

 

[wiigirl]

Pay for early bird seating when you order your tickets and you will be fine.

 

[nilseks]

We fly all the time on SW with our 2 young boys and it has never been a problem. We always manage to sit together. I never buy Early Bird Check In because hey, I'm cheap like that. And half the time when we are returning home I forgot to check in at the 24 hour mark because I'm busy relaxing and vacationing. Last time we came home from Orlando on a full flight, didn't even check in until we got to the airport, got to the plane when it was already boarding, and still didn't have a problem. After all, no stranger wants to sit next to someone else's child and have to take care of them, lol. It works out fine.

 

[Granny square]

We fly all the time on SW with our 2 young boys and it has never been a problem. We always manage to sit together. I never buy Early Bird Check In because hey, I'm cheap like that. And half the time when we are returning home I forgot to check in at the 24 hour mark because I'm busy relaxing and vacationing. Last time we came home from Orlando on a full flight, didn't even check in until we got to the airport, got to the plane when it was already boarding, and still didn't have a problem. After all, no stranger wants to sit next to someone else's child and have to take care of them, lol. It works out fine.

Really? So it wasn't a problem to you? Or wasn't a problem for the stranger who had to adapt because you didn't care enough to make an effort?

 

[maxiesmom]

We fly all the time on SW with our 2 young boys and it has never been a problem. We always manage to sit together. I never buy Early Bird Check In because hey, I'm cheap like that. And half the time when we are returning home I forgot to check in at the 24 hour mark because I'm busy relaxing and vacationing. Last time we came home from Orlando on a full flight, didn't even check in until we got to the airport, got to the plane when it was already boarding, and still didn't have a problem. After all, no stranger wants to sit next to someone else's child and have to take care of them, lol. It works out fine.

I bet it is really not "fine" for those you have move out of their seats, so you can sit with your family, even though you are too cheap (your own word) to pay for EBCI. It is that exact mind set that makes so many people determined to not trade seats. If it isn't important enough for you to pay to have good odds of sitting next to your child, it isn't important enough for me to move to accommodate you.

For the record, no one would have to take care of your child. Many people wear headphones on flights, and are absorbed enough in what they are doing that they could ignore your child just fine. You may want to think next time of how upset your child would be if you run out of luck and no one will trade seats with you.

 

[Gracie09]

Really? So it wasn't a problem to you? Or wasn't a problem for the stranger who had to adapt because you didn't care enough to make an effort?

Seriously. Although people are getting sick of this attitude and may not be so accommodating. I know for me if you ask nicely and offer me a comparable seat ie not in the middle of the last row when I have a nice window seat mid airplane because i planned ahead, I may say yes. Otherwise the answer will be no. As for taking care of your kid, I find ear buds and a movie or ear plugs tends to take care of that issue.

 

[disneyag]

We've been flying SWA to Orlando since my 20 year old DS was 3 years old. Never had an issue having him sit with at least one parent. However, these days, I cough up the extra $12.50 for EBCI just to make sure. The "worst" boarding number I've gotten on EBCI was B36--and all 4 of us still got seats together.

You MIGHT find a nice stranger who will move for ya, but in this day of crappy air travel, I certainly wouldn't count on it.

 

[Granny square]

Actually there are many many many many nice strangers out there. Doesn't mean they appreciate being patsies for people who care more about a buck than their kid.

 

[disneyag]

Granny, I agree! I'm a nice stranger! It's just that if I made the extra effort to get EBCI, or pay for a Business Select ticket and picked my aisle seat early, I would be less inclined to be helpful to someone who thought they's just "wing it" and hope for someone to move. Check out the Flyer Talk boards. WOW, those people aren't moving for ANYONE!!!