seating on southwest

[babygirlamg]

wont be able to do checkin online for my flight due to no printer.....so since im probably going to get a boarding pass at the airport im assuming it will be last boarding ....my question is its just me and my 9 year old going they wouldnt split us up right....my daughter is very nervous about flying so am i and i dont think she can handle being away from me...

 

[Escapecar]

You don't need a printer to check in online.

Do the check-in 24 hours before the flight, and print out your boarding pass at the kiosk at the airport. Worst case, you'll get a "B" check-in, so plenty of seats will be available when you board.

Just be sure to have your confirmation number or original credit card with you, you will need those at the kiosk.

 

[JenSinMA]

You don't need a printer to check in online.

Do the check-in 24 hours before the flight, and print out your boarding pass at the kiosk at the airport. Worst case, you'll get a "B" check-in, so plenty of seats will be available when you board.

Just be sure to have your confirmation number or original credit card with you, you will need those at the kiosk.

No printer needed. Just check in from wherever you are at the 24-hour mark, and then print later. You'll be fine.

Btw OP, I'm in Mass too. Are you flying out of Boston or Providence?

 

[tjmw2727]

You don't need to print your boarding pass in order to check in at T24 and the closer to that time you check in the better your boarding pass.

Alternately you can purchase EBCI for an additoinal $10 per person each way and SWA will automatically check you in at T36.

Finally, yes you could be separated from your 9yo if your are amoung the last to board. So IMHO its best to be proactive and take the steps to decrease the odds of this happening - ie by the EBCI or at least be at your comptuter or smartphone at T24.

 

[babygirlamg]

flying out of hartford CT closer to that airport then Boston

 

[ferg3298]

agree with hartford

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

You don't need to print your boarding pass in order to check in at T24 and the closer to that time you check in the better your boarding pass.

Alternately you can purchase EBCI for an additoinal $10 per person each way and SWA will automatically check you in at T36.

Finally, yes you could be separated from your 9yo if your are amoung the last to board. So IMHO its best to be proactive and take the steps to decrease the odds of this happening - ie by the EBCI or at least be at your comptuter or smartphone at T24.

I agree! Now that people are paying to sit with their fellow travelers/family, people are even less inclined to give up their seats for someone who didn't bother.
We flew Airtran a year or 2 ago and paid the $6/pp for our family of 4 so we could sit together: 2 kids and I together, dh in the aisle seat behind us.
On the way home a frantic mom of 3 very young children frantically pleaded for him to trade seats so her 5 yr old wouldn't have to sit alone. Of course dh jumped up but he didn't know we paid for our seats.
I asked her why she didn't just choose her seats when she booked and she replied she didn't think she had to because she has young kids and assumed the airline wouldn't separate them. I made it a point to let her know we did pay and that's why we were seated together.

 

[babygirlamg]

southwest doesnt allow to chose your seats before hand

 

[bumbershoot]

southwest doesnt allow to chose your seats before hand

I think she was illustrating a point.

Since they have the Early Bird checkin now, for which you pay money, it's possible that there will be fewer people on the plane who would be overjoyed to switch seats so that you and a 9 year old sit together.



Just log in and check in at the 24 hour mark, and close out the browser. When you get to the airport, print out the boarding pass. Totally easy. No need to print at the time.

Or pay for Early Bird.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I think she was illustrating a point.

Since they have the Early Bird checkin now, for which you pay money, it's possible that there will be fewer people on the plane who would be overjoyed to switch seats so that you and a 9 year old sit together.



Just log in and check in at the 24 hour mark, and close out the browser. When you get to the airport, print out the boarding pass. Totally easy. No need to print at the time.

Or pay for Early Bird.

Exactly! We always pay for EBCI (or choose seats on other airlines). I would not be so willing to switch. Dh is just oblivious about vacation planning and simply shows up when it's time (& pays, lol!) That lady was lucky to be next to dh since most other passengers would likely say no if they paid.

 

[goofy4tink]

You can checkin at the 24 hr window without a printer. Then, when you get to the airport, just go to one of the self serve kiosks and print out your boarding pass there.
Or, pay for EBCI and let SW check you in...than, again, use the self serve kiosks at the airport.

But yes, you could end up with two very different boarding numbers, so your dd could very well be split up from you. BUT....lets say you get boarding number A45 and your dd gets B12. You can go back to B11 and ask if everyone minds moving up one spot so you can be with your dd. Most people are happy to do that.

But again, you don't need a printer...you can print your boarding passes at the airport after checking in at home.

 

[dancin Disney style]

BUT....lets say you get boarding number A45 and your dd gets B12. You can go back to B11 and ask if everyone minds moving up one spot so you can be with your dd. Most people are happy to do that.

.

You don't have to ask anyone to move up. You are allowed to board any time after your own group/number.

 

[goofy4tink]

You don't have to ask anyone to move up. You are allowed to board any time after your own group/number.

That may very well be so, but if someone just stepped in front of me, without any explanation, I would be a bit miffed. You can certainly tell how many people are waiting since it is grouped in 5's. So, if someone stepped up and just said they were moving back from A45 to B10 or so, most people would be fine. It's just a matter of courtesy..not so much asking for permission.

 

[AngieBangie]

If you have a smart phone you can check in there too with the free Southwest app. It's free on both Android and iPhone. Then, like the others said, print it at the kiosk at the airport or when you get home. Just make sure you have your confirmation number with you!

 

[renda460]

I was on a flight about 6 months ago and nobody was willing to give up their seats for a mom with her daughter who was around 9yo. The mother kept insisting that she will not be separated, and the flight was getting delayed more and more. The flight attendants kept asking, but nobody was budging. Finally they were able to get 2 aisle seats that were somewhat close, so the mom unhappily took them. I definitely would not count on people giving up their seats. Be sure to check in, and then have the boarding passes printed at the airport.

 

[mousefan1972]

My kids are 6 and 8. If I chose to not take measures to increase our chances of being seated together (paying to choose seats, or paying for EBCI, etc), I most certainly would not expect others to move to accomodate us.

9 is plenty old enough to sit alone on a plane for a couple of hours. Once the seat belt sign is turned off you can walk over to her seat and check on her as much as you need to. If I had paid for my family's seats, I would not move so a 9 year old could sit with her parent. Sorry if that sounds mean. Just my opinion.

 

[babygirlamg]

ok def think im going to go and get the EBC....

 

[Donna M]

Yup - better safe than sorry

 

[Momoftwins+1]

With southwest people with young children get to board between a and B I believe it is no matter their boarding number so they can be seated together ( granted this would not help with a 9 year old ) paying the extra is worth it though we always do with SW so we get first choice on the plane !

 

[bumbershoot]

Yup - better safe than sorry

Or check in at exactly 24 hours out.