Southwest A group - okay for families?

[cheryterese]

I just got our boarding passes for tomorrow and got A55-58. Do you think this will be good enough to be sure our family of 5 sits together (18 month old will be on our laps so no boarding pass for him)? Dh is afraid of flying and it will be the first flight for all the kids ages 4.5, 2.5 and 18months so I want us together. Just wondering if I should do Early Bird or if this is good. Thanks!

 

[rwdavis2]

Don't worry, even if you had mid to early "B" passes you would probably be able to sit together. Your only issue is that you may have to sit further back in the plane with the high numbered A passes. SInce you have passes now, Early Bird is not an option on the way down. Only on the way back.

BD

 

[cheryterese]

Don't worry, even if you had mid to early "B" passes you would probably be able to sit together. Your only issue is that you may have to sit further back in the plane with the high numbered A passes. SInce you have passes now, Early Bird is not an option on the way down. Only on the way back.
BD

Thanks. Hoping to get as close to the front as we can. We may do EB on the way home since we'll be in one of the parks at check-in time the day before.

 

[bumbershoot]

You will be FINE. IF there are business fare people boarding, filling all 15 of those spots, you will be the 55th through 58th people on the plane. It is doubtful that the other 54 are all single passengers sitting all alone. You will be fine.

And you'll be boarding before their official family boarding time; so there will be families with littles getting on after you.

 

[goofy4tink]

You are not going to be up front...plain and simple. There are going to be at least 40 people in front of you..not counting any business select people or those who are preboarding due to medical or other issues. But, at least 40 in front of you. You will find that people will fill up the window and aisle seats first, leaving the middle seat open. If the flight attendents say it's a full flight, there will be some moving around, as families fill in those middle seats rather than have a stranger in between them.
The only times I have been able to get all three of us in front of the wing was when we flew business select, or it was an off time flight so I was able to snag A17-19. Even then, we were about 4 rows back before we could get three seats together.
Will you all be seated together? Yes. But you will have to head to the back of the plane in order to get three seats together. Even then, someone, dad I would imagine, will have to sit by himself..either across the aisle from the rest of you, or in front or behind the row you are all in.

 

[cheryterese]

You are not going to be up front...plain and simple. There are going to be at least 40 people in front of you..not counting any business select people or those who are preboarding due to medical or other issues. But, at least 40 in front of you. You will find that people will fill up the window and aisle seats first, leaving the middle seat open. If the flight attendents say it's a full flight, there will be some moving around, as families fill in those middle seats rather than have a stranger in between them.
The only times I have been able to get all three of us in front of the wing was when we flew business select, or it was an off time flight so I was able to snag A17-19. Even then, we were about 4 rows back before we could get three seats together.
Will you all be seated together? Yes. But you will have to head to the back of the plane in order to get three seats together. Even then, someone, dad I would imagine, will have to sit by himself..either across the aisle from the rest of you, or in front or behind the row you are all in.

Is Southwest 3 across on each side? I can't remember (haven't flown in 6 years).

 

[Hannathy]

Forget about being at the front to get off quickly because

A. you won't be due to your boarding number and
B. you shouldn't even try with 3 little kids there is no way you'll be quick!!! so let the people who can be quick get off then take the time you are going to need to get organized and get off. Don't hold everyone up trying to get off early.


I would if I were you try to get 2 sets of 2 seats not 3 and 1. I would put the 2.5 yr old with which ever adult is not holding the lap baby and have the oldest child sit with the lap baby adult. the person with the baby doesn't need to be trying to care for a 2 yr old also. This way the lap baby adult can pay much more attention to the baby and the older child can manage their care themselves and entertainment and also help amuse the baby.

 

[Jestocost]

Just wondering if I should do Early Bird or if this is good. Thanks!

Also, just to address this question, the time to benefit from EBCI has passed for your flight tomorrow. EBCI works by checking you in 36 hours before your flight and assigning you your number(s) then. It won't be of any use once your boarding numbers already have been assigned. Sign up now for the return trip if you want to use EBCI.

 

[malibuconlee]

Is Southwest 3 across on each side? I can't remember (haven't flown in 6 years).

Yes, it's 3 across on each side of the aisle.

 

[cheryterese]

Yes, it's 3 across on each side of the aisle.

Okay, not sure how to seat us then. I was hoping it was 2 on one side and 3 on the other. I was going to put DS1 by the window and DH next to him on the aisle, myself on the other aisle with baby on my lap and DD next to me in the middle leaving that window seat open for whoever else. I was thinking it would be good to have DH and I both on the aisle so we could pass baby back and forth if necessary (hoping he falls asleep soon after take-off as it will be his exact nap time!) and DS1 wanted to sit by the window. Hmmm...anyway, thanks for the info.!

 

[DVC-Don]

Last trip down to Orlando we had upper B's (46,47,48 & 49) and we all sat together.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Okay, not sure how to seat us then. I was hoping it was 2 on one side and 3 on the other. I was going to put DS1 by the window and DH next to him on the aisle, myself on the other aisle with baby on my lap and DD next to me in the middle leaving that window seat open for whoever else. I was thinking it would be good to have DH and I both on the aisle so we could pass baby back and forth if necessary (hoping he falls asleep soon after take-off as it will be his exact nap time!) and DS1 wanted to sit by the window. Hmmm...anyway, thanks for the info.!

You could try having you and your kids sit in one row of 3 and have your DH sit across the aisle in an aisle seat. That way, you can still pass the baby, but keep an eye on the other little ones and your son gets a window seat.

 

[cheryterese]

You could try having your and your kids sit in one row of 3 and have your DH sit across the aisle in an aisle seat. That way, you can still pass the baby, but keep an eye on the other little ones and your son gets a window seat.

That's what we'll do! I'm "in charge" of everyone anyway, since Dh has a phobia of flying and is already starting to check out.

 

[malibuconlee]

However you decide to put your family I suggest whoever is going to hold the baby get a window seat. Especially if you think he/she will nap on the plane. That way you can lean up against the wall of the plane.

DH always takes our daughter. He likes to sit on the side so his left arm is against the wall. That way when our daughter is asleep in his left arm he has his right arm free to take a sip of his drink or whatever since he is right handed. Of course he's usually taking a nap with her LOL.

Personally I would put on adult with the older kids and have the lap baby with an adult in the row behind them. But I have no experience with traveling with more than one child.

 

[tjmw2727]

You could try having your and your kids sit in one row of 3 and have your DH sit across the aisle in an aisle seat. That way, you can still pass the baby, but keep an eye on the other little ones and your son gets a window seat.

In your situation with your DH's apprehension - I would put DH in the aisle in front of Mom with the baby for 2 IMHO big reasons.

1 - The baby will be kicking and pushing into the the seat in front just by moving and its much better if that is dad.

2 - So the person in front of you won't recline and leave you little to no room for the child on your lap. (Assuming your DH won't recline on you! )

So I would pick the first open seats with one asile and a row of three behind and put dad in the asile in front of mom with the 2yo next to mon and the older child by the window. Hopefully the older child can hep the 2yo with their things and manage themselves.

 

[cheryterese]

In your situation with your DH's apprehension - I would put DH in the aisle in front of Mom with the baby for 2 IMHO big reasons.

1 - The baby will be kicking and pushing into the the seat in front just by moving and its much better if that is dad.

2 - So the person in front of you won't recline and leave you little to no room for the child on your lap. (Assuming your DH won't recline on you! )

So I would pick the first open seats with one asile and a row of three behind and put dad in the asile in front of mom with the 2yo next to mon and the older child by the window. Hopefully the older child can hep the 2yo with their things and manage themselves.

That's a great idea! Thanks! I will be so happy when the airplane "ride" is over with!

 

[NotUrsula]

Just note that your lap child WILL need a boarding pass, of sorts. You will not be able to get through Security without a separate "security document" for him, which you will need to obtain at the SWA ticket counter. Leave extra time to stand in line and get it before approaching security.

The airline will insist on seeing a copy of his birth certificate before they will allow him to fly as a lap child at no fare. TSA will NOT need to see the birth certificate, just the airline-issued security document.

PS: One other thing to note. If your DH sits separately and you plan to swap the baby, make sure that he does not sit with a party that also has a lap child. Each row only has one extra oxygen mask per side, so there is a rule that no more than one lap baby may be seated in each row/section. If he was sitting with someone with another lap child, and he was holding your child, the FA would make your DH hand him back to you, sleeping or not.

 

[Nicole&Becker]

Group A is great because normally families with small children are asked to board between groups A and B. So you are ahead of the game. I would not try for anything else as that is better than Family Boarding. The only other way to get on the plane faster is if someone in your party is disabled. You all should be just fine in getting to sit together as the planes don't usually fill very fast in the first group. Just snag overhead space as soon as you can because that does fill up really quickly.

Good luck and have a great time! Tell hubby to bring an MP3 player or something to keep him calm.

 

[cheryterese]

Just note that your lap child WILL need a boarding pass, of sorts. You will not be able to get through Security without a separate "security document" for him, which you will need to obtain at the SWA ticket counter. Leave extra time to stand in line and get it before approaching security.

The airline will insist on seeing a copy of his birth certificate before they will allow him to fly as a lap child at no fare. TSA will NOT need to see the birth certificate, just the airline-issued security document.

PS: One other thing to note. If your DH sits separately and you plan to swap the baby, make sure that he does not sit with a party that also has a lap child. Each row only has one extra oxygen mask per side, so there is a rule that no more than one lap baby may be seated in each row/section. If he was sitting with someone with another lap child, and he was holding your child, the FA would make your DH hand him back to you, sleeping or not.

I do have his birth certificate with our travel documents because I remembered reading that somewhere. Good to know about the oxygen masks though. 5 hours and we'll be in the air!

 

[kimis]

It should be fine! Even if you had a C pass people will move around for families.