southwest a, b, c help

[kdkbrebel]

We are flying sw for the first time. From reading here I understand I need to be online 24hours before flight to get boarding passes. Unfortunately I will be in class giving finals at that time so it will be about an hour later that I can be online. Any hope of still getting to sit together? Or at least 2 and 2? How many A'a are there? is it the same for B's and C's? Also for the return flight do I use Orlando time or my home time which is central?

 

[Tara]

There's no way to predict what boarding number you'll get if you check in an hour later. Here's the breakdown:

A1-A15: These are reserved for Business Select passengers who pay the highest fares. I fly Southwest a lot and have rarely seen all 15 spots taken

A16-A60
B1-B60
C1-whatever the last number is...

I think there are 137 total seats, though. Remember if you get a B pass that the entire A group will be in front of you, plus families with children under the age of 4 - they are allowed to board between As and Bs if they don't already have A boarding passes. If you don't mind splitting up with 1 child with you and the other child with your husband (or have the teens sit together if they are okay with that), you shouldn't have any trouble as long as you get a pass better than about B30-B40. If you want 1 row of 3 seats and another on the aisle across from it, you'll need to be in the A group or very early in the Bs.

For $10 per person each way, you can purchase Early Bird Check-In and you don't have to worry about the 24-hour thing. You will automatically be assigned boarding numbers at 36 hours prior to your flight. This will put you behind any Business Select passengers but ahead of everyone who checks in at 24 hours. And you don't have to do anything special other than fork over $10 per person. I use EBCI every time now and I wouldn't have it any other way - no fooling around making sure I'm online at whatever time is needed.

And to answer your last question, for your return flight, you figure the 24-hour window based on local time, which is Orlando time in this case.

 

[kdkbrebel]

thank you I appreciate it. So you really feel its worth the 80 bucks?

 

[lawgs]

We are flying sw for the first time. From reading here I understand I need to be online 24hours before flight to get boarding passes. Unfortunately I will be in class giving finals at that time so it will be about an hour later that I can be online. Any hope of still getting to sit together? Or at least 2 and 2? How many A'a are there? is it the same for B's and C's? Also for the return flight do I use Orlando time or my home time which is central?

there are 60 A's, (15 of which are set aside for business passengers and in addition anyone who buys ECBI....10$ per person .... get checked in at the 36 hour mark ), then 60 B's and the residuals are C's....most planes hold approximately 130+ passengers

not everyone in the party has to buy ECBI, it has happened where one person buys the ECBI and then saves seats for the rest of the party ( Southwest does not seem to have any real policy on saving seats even though they say they have open seating policy ...translated that means if the seat is OPEN you can occupy it

Now i have you thoroughly confused.....

seats are 3 and 3 each side .... if you get A or Lower B's you should be able to sit all together

anyone can check you in at the 24 hour mark

mother father sister brother aunt uncle....etc

they just need the confirmation PNR and name it is booked under but YOU would have to trust the person a LOT ......with that information they could also cancel the booking

 

[Tara]

thank you I appreciate it. So you really feel its worth the 80 bucks?

1. YES, YES, YES. I just consider it part of the airfare now.

2. In your case, you wouldn't have to buy EBCI for both parts of your trip as the real issue you have is with checking in for the flight down. However, it is SO nice to not have to worry about checking in while you're on vacation!

 

[Elmo007]

thank you I appreciate it. So you really feel its worth the 80 bucks?

Depends on the date and time.

Flying out of MCO on the weekend - absolutely

Flying to MCO from Long Island on a Wednesday - not as much

I usually get EBCI coming home only

 

[Tara]

Depends on the date and time.

Flying out of MCO on the weekend - absolutely

Flying to MCO from Long Island on a Wednesday - not as much

I usually get EBCI coming home only

But if you couldn't be online at the 24-hour mark for your flight to MCO, would that change your answer?

 

[kdkbrebel]

correct. now i am confused. since we won't have a computer how can I check in for return?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Guest Services at any park.
Lobby Concierge at any resort.
Southwest's mobile site on your web-enabled phone.
A reliable friend/relative who can be online 24 hours prior to your return flight.

With the two latter options, you can simply 're'print your boarding passes at an airport kiosk.

Oh, but if you're staying onsite, Remote Airline Checkin at your resort will do it all for you.

 

[kdkbrebel]

Guest Services at any park.
Lobby Concierge at any resort.
Southwest's mobile site on your web-enabled phone.
A reliable friend/relative who can be online 24 hours prior to your return flight.

With the two latter options, you can simply 're'print your boarding passes at an airport kiosk.

Oh, but if you're staying onsite, Remote Airline Checkin at your resort will do it all for you.

does POP have the rac?

 

[iteachlit]

It's RESORT airline checkin, and, yes, POP has it.

However, I'm not 100% sure that RAC will check you in for SWA at the 24 hour mark. If you are in the Magical Express system, RAC will usually print your boarding passes and deliver them with your luggage tags the day before departure.

Because most other airlines have reserved seating, there's no risk of a worse seat because of a late checkin. SWA is different. If RAC checks you in at the 16 hour mark, you may get a B or C boarding pass.

My suggestion is to go with EBCI through SWA or be sure to checkin at the 24 hour mark. If RAC attempts to check you in after the fact, there's no harm. You'll keep the boarding pass you get at the 24 hour mark.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It's RESORT airline checkin, and, yes, POP has it.

It's whatever I want it to be. Goofy said so, and Donald quacked out an agreement

 

[goofy4tink]

It's whatever I want it to be. Goofy said so, and Donald quacked out an agreement

True. It has been called both. It matters not....still RAC.

To the OP..only you can decide if EBCI is 'worth it' for your group. Is there anyone else available to check you in at that 24 hr window?? Can be a family member or just a friend. I checked in my ex-dh and his family back in Janurary (and no, I did not linger so as to get him C group!!!)

If you pay for EBCI, you don't have to worry about where you are or what you'll be doing at that 24 hr window. SW will check you in at the 36 hr window..you just print your boarding passes when you get to the airport or if using RAC, they can do it then.

 

[dj2]

i know it's been said, but just ask someone to check you in at the 24 hour mark for your trip there. and the same for your trip home.

or for the way home you can go to guest services at the correct time (in any park or resort) and they'll check you in. it might not be at the exact second, but it will be within minutes.

 

[n2mm]

I always ask someone to do it for me. Anyone (family or friend) can check you in and you can print your boarding passes at the kiosk, or resort.

 

[Cmbar]

Or you could just pay for two of you to get EBC and then save seats for the other two. I know I am going to get flamed for this, but nobody wants to sit in the middle seat anyways. We pay for half of us to be guaranteed an A pass and then try to check in the other two as close as possible to the 24 hours mark. Works fine for us. I usually check in one parent and one child on Early Bird. My kids love helping "save seats by looking unruly so no one wants to sit next to them! Just kidding. My kids are angels

At the very least you can save a row with you and your one child and when you DH and other child get on the plane, your DH can find an extra seat if you haven't saved it and then at least you know your other child can sit with you.

My DH has a mobile phone with web access, so we check in via the mobile website while at the parks. It is easy. Wherever we are we can check in. Prior to him having that phone, we simply went to Guest services and asked them to check us in. Very easy, but a little bit of planning.

Good luck! Enjoy your trip!