Seating risk with Southwest

[Luisfba]

I've never flown Southwest. We usually fly JetBlue but for our upcoming trip the cost is just much higher than what I would like to pay. That said, with Southwest the price is significantly less than the equivalent flights with other airlines.

However, I am very concerned about seating. We are a family of 4 (2 adults, and two girls, 7 and 11). The 7 year old can be a bit just cannot seat by herself. The 11 year old has some anxieties.. and I'm not sure how it would go if she isn't next to one of us - or at least real close ( I'm pretty sure she'd be ok if one of us is behind her or on same row with 1 person in between).

The flight would be from Manchester NH (Boston area) to MCO. Flying there Tuesday April 18, 2017 (Tuesday after Easter, 9am flight), coming back Sunday April 23rd (10am flight).

So.. If I get early bird check in (probably purchased about 5 months or so prior to the flight), how much risk is there we won't be able to at least be able to get two sets of two seats?

 

[KangaFan]

I don't think you'll have any problem getting seats all together with early bird check in, but if you want to save yourself the $$$, we've never had a problem as long as we check in at the 24 hour mark. We usually do this for the way down and if we're planning to be in the parks the day before we leave, we just pay for early bird on the way home so we don't have to worry about checking in.

 

[rwdavis2]

If you get early bird there is virtually no chance you will not find 2 sets of 2 seats together. I assume that the MHT flight originates there so there will not be already on the plane when you board.

 

[NH-to-FL]

So.. If I get early bird check in (probably purchased about 5 months or so prior to the flight), how much risk is there we won't be able to at least be able to get two sets of two seats?

DW and I have made many flights back and forth between MHT to MCO on Southwest with Early Bird Check In and have never had a problem getting seats together. I think mid plane was the furthest we have ever ended up. With the advanced booking you have I foresee no problem.

From your description I interpret that you are planning to take a non-stop flight. That's all we take. My experience is that they are always full so expect to have the third seat in the row filled.

I assume that the MHT flight originates there so there will not be already on the plane when you board.

For MHT to MCO that is my experience. For MCO back north to MHT there is a small possibility that there will be some people on the plane coming from one of the other Southwest Florida destinations. I remember one flight that originated in Ft. Lauderdale. As I said above it has not interfered with our ability to get seats together.

Wishing you a magical trip!

 

[goofy4tink]

Buy the EBCI and do it when you buy your flights. If you do that, you should have no issues getting seats together.

 

[n2mm]

Buy it and you should be ok. Don't wait to buy it. We travel with our grandkids 9 yr old and older and we always buy early birds. We have always did ok. It's still stressful prior to getting our passes. We normally fly Jetblue to avoid the SW stress though, but sometimes we need a better time. But Jetblue would have to be significantly higher for me to fly SW, but we get free luggage on JetBlue, so we don't have to deal with that expense.

 

[firstwdw]

I've never flown Southwest. We usually fly JetBlue but for our upcoming trip the cost is just much higher than what I would like to pay. That said, with Southwest the price is significantly less than the equivalent flights with other airlines.

However, I am very concerned about seating. We are a family of 4 (2 adults, and two girls, 7 and 11). The 7 year old can be a bit just cannot seat by herself. The 11 year old has some anxieties.. and I'm not sure how it would go if she isn't next to one of us - or at least real close ( I'm pretty sure she'd be ok if one of us is behind her or on same row with 1 person in between).

The flight would be from Manchester NH (Boston area) to MCO. Flying there Tuesday April 18, 2017 (Tuesday after Easter, 9am flight), coming back Sunday April 23rd (10am flight).

So.. If I get early bird check in (probably purchased about 5 months or so prior to the flight), how much risk is there we won't be able to at least be able to get two sets of two seats?

I sent you a private message! small world, we are on same flight In case you don't see the private message, I would suggest you purchase the EBCI as soon as possible and you will not have any issues at all. We always fly out of MHT!

 

[canadiandisneynut]

We are a family of 3. We have never purchased early bird and always sit together when I book us in right at the 24 hour mark. We usually fly a full plane from BUF to MCO.

 

[Minnesota!]

Ditto to all above. Purchase it and then don't think a thing about it again.

 

[AngiTN]

We are a family of 3. We have never purchased early bird and always sit together when I book us in right at the 24 hour mark. We usually fly a full plane from BUF to MCO.

Same. We never buy it and we have always sat together (as a family of 3)
I check in at 24 hours on the dot.
While I wouldn't ever count on it I have seen the SW Flight Attendants announce that they need folks to move so a family can sit together. One flight she even said "this plane will not take off till I get them seated together". Now, I doubt she was serious but she did get the family seated together. I got the impression they'd been delayed making a connection (based on what I overhead) and they were the last people to board the flight.

 

[scard192]

we too prefer JetBlue but prices are way more $$ than SW so we are flying SW PVD-MCO and I bought EBCI that day I booked the flights (about 2 weeks after the SW schedule opened) 5 moths before we travel. even at $30pp SW was still over $200pp cheaper. I just figure in as part of the cost of the fare.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Get Early Bird. You will get seats together for sure (they might not be in the very front though). All the SW planes I've been on are 3-3 seating, so with a party of 4 you may need to have 1 adult/1 kid across the aisle or in front/behind in order to have a parent seated immediately next to each child, unless you want to go with kids in the aisle and window, parent in the middle, and other parent across the aisle. There will probably be other persons in your rows. So be aware which seat(s) you would prefer to leave open for other passengers.

I don't ever buy Early Bird but I have no need for it. They're also selling peace of mind.

 

[Roxyfire]

I can't imagine people willingly wanting to sit next to a child they don't know. But, the bystander effect is real and I've never flown Southwest before, so I have no idea if people are accommodating or not.

 

[Ranger111]

You know, if you absolutely, positively have to have seats together -- and I mean absolutely, you are going to have to fly on an airline other than SWA.

Having said that, not even then are you absolutely sure, because the airlines reserve the right to move you around. Not likely, but it does happen.

Very likely on SWA you will have no problem with the Early Check-in or even hitting the button yourself at 24 hours.

But, again, if you want to be the "surest" you can be.....you have to put up the $$$ -- much better odds than Vegas, but travel nowadays has become somewhat of a carnival and not in a fun way.

 

[tjmw2727]

You know, if you absolutely, positively have to have seats together -- and I mean absolutely, you are going to have to fly on an airline other than SWA.

Having said that, not even then are you absolutely sure, because the airlines reserve the right to move you around. Not likely, but it does happen.

Very likely on SWA you will have no problem with the Early Check-in or even hitting the button yourself at 24 hours.

But, again, if you want to be the "surest" you can be.....you have to put up the $$$ -- much better odds than Vegas, but travel nowadays has become somewhat of a carnival and not in a fun way.

And on the flip side my experience is the opposite ! Traveling alone with 2 dd's even back when they were preschool I was separated from them on Jet Blue, US Air and American but never had an issue with SWA. We would head to the airport very early and spend extra time at the check in counter trying to get it fixed. Jet blue was very helpful at seating us together, AA did it but not willingly and US Air left us to figure it out on board (we did!) just a few examples.

Totally agree with your last sentence I weigh the "extra" cost vs the alternative and always pay for a seat assignment/EBCI to make sure my trip goes smoothly. FWIW the EBCI fee on SWA is much less than a checked bag fee on most other airlines.

OT - Back in the day I would have rather stood/sat in the line when it was literally first come first seated on SWA than argue with the desk agents on the legacys about how my 3yo really couldn't be seated 3 rows away from me.

 

[DVC California]

As others posted, you should be fine with EBCI. Just adding how we use to split up when our DDs were little. If they were BFFs, it would be three in one row and one across the aisle. If there were in a mood, two rows, girls by the window and my wife and I in a middle seat. Never, ever had anything later than B 1-30, even without EBCI as we call right at T-24 hrs.

 

[Timothy02359]

EBCI and enjoy your vacation!

 

[kamik86]

Your on a direct flight and not from a "hub" type airport (BWI or Midway) where your likely to have a partially full plane and people that are ahead of you from having checked in to a prior flight.

In that situation the only time I have ever had an issue between any two places was when90% of the plane was a school group that all checked in at once. That was once on many many legs of flights (I did 20+ a year for a few years)

The only other thing that could give you an issue is being late. Since your direct this is easy to avoid because there is no worry about a late connection making you late. So just make sure you get to the airport in plenty of time so that your at the gate a full 40 min before the flight leaves minimum. This way you will be sure your there before they start boarding and won't miss your position.

 

[gwynne]

I can't imagine people willingly wanting to sit next to a child they don't know. But, the bystander effect is real and I've never flown Southwest before, so I have no idea if people are accommodating or not.

I can't imagine not buying EBCI if I was traveling with someone who I wanted/needed to sit next to either child or adult.

I am missing the "bystander effect". That references victims who are not offered help in an actual emergency.

 

[puffkin]

We have done tons of flights PHL-MCO and BWI-MCO and have never once bought EBCI and also have never not gotten seats together (party of 3 adults, 2 kids). It isn't even something I remotely stress about and I happily save my money!