Seat Assignment and Southwest

[LoveMyBoys]

This will be our first trip on an airplane as a family. We are flying SW, and I know that there are no assigned seats. I am planning to log on 24 hours before the flight to get the A pass. I also understand that we might be able to preboard because it will be me, dh, ds4 and ds2. We are flying out of PHL, on a 10:40 flight, we plan to get there 2 hours in advance, is that enough time? Are the A, B, C lines marked, so that we know which line to get in? Will they let us know if we are allowed to preboard? I have also read where people tried to get the A pass online, and it tells them that they need to go to the airport to get it, if that turns out to be the case for us, am I out of luck about getting an A pass? Once we do get on the plane which seats do you think we should pick? I am assuming there are 3 seats in a row, and there is 4 of us. Should we do 3 seats in a row, and an isle seat, or should we do 2 and 2 one behind another, should we do window and middle or middle and isle? Last time I was on a plane was 7 years ago, so all of this is so new to me. Thanks for any help.

 

[katallo]

The aisles are clearly marked A B C and they do announce pre-boarding. You can also wait in the pre-board area if you like. When we fly SW with boarding passes we've been told to arrive about 1 - 1 1/2 hours early. Seating is up to you. Will your chlldren have car seats? Many people choose the aisle and window and hope that the middle seat doesn't fill (that really depends on how full your flight will be).

 

[beccasmom]

Getting there 2 hours ahead of time is an excellent idea even if you obtain your boarding passes online. Security lines are often long and traveling with little ones takes some extra effort! We fly from PHL (we're leaving tomorrow for WDW on SW! ) and as the day goes on, going through security can take time, especially in the morning.

Seating preferences are subjective, but we prefer the front of the plane. If you pre-board, you will have a chance to pretty much choose your seats. The A-B-C lines are clearly marked. Pre-boarding "rules" for your flight are communicated by the SW rep, but ask when you get to your gate. There is a pre-boarding line. Your children are pretty young; you should be ok. You can sit all across if that's important to you or have you and your husband take one child. Keeping the children occupied while in flight is important; flying is boring for little ones. If your children might squabble when they're restless, separation - not too far away, probably within easy sight for reassurance - might help. Take snacks - SW only gives out pretzels and drinks.

 

[MickeyMomma]

You will definately be able to preboard since your kids are under the age of five. If I remember correctly, you can't check-in online until 12:01am the day of your flight. Also, if more than ONE person is on a given reservation, you can not check-in online. I love checking in online, but the last time I flew with my son, the system wouldn't let me do it.

 

[jimmiej]

If I remember correctly, you can't check-in online until 12:01am the day of your flight. Also, if more than ONE person is on a given reservation, you can not check-in online. I love checking in online, but the last time I flew with my son, the system wouldn't let me do it.

I think it recently changed to 24 hours.

 

[bride03]

I am not trying to be mean or anything. I just have horrible experience to go along with this advice...if people get on, why do they leave a seat open or offer to move and help it so that everyone can at least be near the person they are flying with? I'm sick of flying SW and people don't want to move so you can sit next to your family. It's like a freaking "amazing race" episode. On my Honeymoon, I had to sit across the way from my new hubby because there were two people who just didn't want to move. I think it's just RUDE. LOL, sorry, BAD BAD memory! I just think that people need to think about this ESPECIALLY when they are flying alone. They should all sit together or something.

 

[ducklite]

The flights from PHL to MCO originate in Manchester for the most part, so there are often already people onboard and in seats before you board.

Because there are so many people with little kids who fly SW on that PHL to MCO route, they often suspend preboarding for anyone except wheelchair customers. (The one time I flew SW they didn't allow preboarding even to people with car seats.)

The security lines in PHL and MCO can be absurd. At PHL a few weeks ago they stretched all the way back past the moving walkway to the stairs to get to the parking deck area. I travel light, do online check-in, and still allow minimum 90 minutes for just me--solo experienced traveler at PHL and MCO--other airports I'm down to about 45.

You should have no problem getting two pair of seats, but be prepared to NOT be sitting right next to each other. ANd also keep in mind that people will sometimes move around to help families stay together, but on that route 90% of the travelers are families, and they don't want to be broken up any more than you do.

Anne

 

[bicker]

Southwest, and all the airlines, really, make getting decent seats so difficult, we don't find it reasonable to expect folks who have gone through all that trouble to get a little comfort for themselves to give it up voluntarily, just for our comfort. That's why, when asking someone to move seats, it's always best to offer them better seats than they have currently.

 

[ducklite]

Southwest, and all the airlines, really, make getting decent seats so difficult, we don't find it reasonable to expect folks who have gone through all that trouble to get a little comfort for themselves to give it up voluntarily, just for our comfort. That's why, when asking someone to move seats, it's always best to offer them better seats than they have currently.

Good advice. I wouldn't give up my first three row aisle seat for love or money. Ask me to switch to a middle or any seat in the back of the plane and you'll be greeted with resounding laughter, regardles of the reason for your request.

Anne

 

[LoveMyBoys]

I wasn't planning on sitting window and isle and leaving the middle seat open, I just wanted to see what other parents with little kids preferred as far as window and middle vs. isle and window and also if it's better to do 3 across and an isle seat. I was thinking all of this before I realized that the flight originates in Manchester, and already might have alot of people on board. I don't really have a problem not sitting close to one another, as long as we get 2 and 2, so that it's parent and a child together. I appreciate all the responses. Also, is it possible for me to call SW the day before to see if the flight is full.

 

[katallo]

I hope I didn't start something. My point was that if your flight isn't full, you can spread out a little especially with car seats. It's funny, my husband and I flew SW in March. We had two seats in the front and saw a family with young children board late. They couldn't find seats near each other so we moved and took individual seats.

 

[bdklein]

It's just easier.

 

[LoveMyBoys]

Thanks

 

[andriade]

We had this very problem on Southwest in June. The security lines took FOREVER out of LAX. We BARELY got on our flight. By the time we got there, there were no 2 and 2 seats available. We were flying with our 2 year old and 3 month old at the time. We really HAD to sit 2 and 2. The flight attendants were really nice and bribed some other customers with free drinks during the flight. We had to be middle seat and aisle seat due to the carseats. It probably won't be that bad. Our flight attendants were very nice and helpful. Our kids were horrible on the flight but that was all us!


Good luck and vaya con dios!

 

[byoung]

We love Southwest. Hope they stay the way they are.

 

[ducklite]

We had this very problem on Southwest in June. The security lines took FOREVER out of LAX. We BARELY got on our flight. By the time we got there, there were no 2 and 2 seats available. We were flying with our 2 year old and 3 month old at the time. We really HAD to sit 2 and 2. The flight attendants were really nice and bribed some other customers with free drinks during the flight. We had to be middle seat and aisle seat due to the carseats. It probably won't be that bad. Our flight attendants were very nice and helpful. Our kids were horrible on the flight but that was all us!


Good luck and vaya con dios!

Flawed logic here. Don't you think that everyone else on your plane had to go through the same security lines? Yet they managed to be there in time to grab seats in order to not disrupt the boarding process or inconvenience others. Especially knowing you had two young children you should have planned on being there extra early.

And car seats have to be in a WINDOW seat, not middle or aisle, per FAA regs, so I"m not sure why you were put in middle and aisle. If I had been in the window seat in that row I would have made a stink about it as it's a safety issue.

Anne

 

[bicker]

And car seats have to be in a WINDOW seat, not middle or aisle, per FAA regs

Thanks... I thought something looked horribly wrong with that picture. It's definitely a safety issue, and any flight attendant who allows a car seat in an aisle seat should be fired.

 

[LoveMyBoys]

are kids allowed to sit in the window seat, I thought i read somewhere that they are not. Thanks

 

[goofy4tink]

are kids allowed to sit in the window seat, I thought i read somewhere that they are not. Thanks

Absolutely. That's the place my dd has flown since she started flying at age 5. If you get to that window seat with your child, feel free to sit in it.
What I have an issue with are the families that get to preboard, with their entire family of about 10, who then preboard and sit in the aisle and window seats, hoping that those middle seats won't be needed. What are they thinking on a flight to Orlando??? Of course those seats are going to be needed. I still can't see the reasoning behind letting entire families preboard. If there is a family made up of grandparents, children, parents, aunt/uncles all traveling together, they should allow only the parents to board with the kids. The other family members shouldn't be allowed to preboard. Sorry, I know that is going to make some angry but when almost the entire plane, in front of the wings, is full....with people trying to save those middle seats, then something is amiss. It might be time to crack down. Yes, I know...SW offers some pretty good fares, but when I have to wait until 40 people are preboarded, about 20 minutes, and then dd and I have to sit several rows behind the wing in order to get a window and a middle seat, after being about 7th in the A line... well....I just won't be flying SW for a long time.

 

[seashoreCM]

Flawed logic here. Don't you think that everyone else on your plane had to go through the same security lines? Yet they managed to be there in time to grab seats in order to not disrupt the boarding process or inconvenience others. Especially knowing you had two young children you should have planned on being there extra early.

And car seats have to be in a WINDOW seat, not middle or aisle, per FAA regs, so I"m not sure why you were put in middle and aisle. If I had been in the window seat in that row I would have made a stink about it as it's a safety issue.

Anne

Be fortunate that the airline does not adopt and enforce Disney's auditorium policy of "fill in every available seat". Starting from the rear and making an exception allowing families with car seats to skip so that car seats end up at the windows.

There is no net inconvenience to others. If the family had been there earlier they would have gotten the window seat and whoever was in it would have sat elsewhere, exactly as if the flight attendant made a last minute request to move.

It is not rude to fail to arrive early. If a flight attendant does not intervene the person already in the window seat had first choice, aisle, middle, window, or different row when the family arrived with the car seat, and the family takes what is left. If a flight attendant does intervene (more likely but once in awhile overlooked and then somebody gets an infraction), everybody has to obey.

Rows with aisle and window occupied and middle empty are more likely to be attacked by the F/A since only one person needs to be moved to make room for child, car seat, and caretaker.

Children may take window seats except on the WDW parking lot trams.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm