SouthWest A Group

[Iggipolka]

If you want to be in the A Group for boarding, check out http://www.boardfirst.com/index.html. They guarentee that you'll be in the A group and that your family members will sit together! Pretty nifty.

 

[goofyforlife]

but why pay for the service when you can check yourself in online.....

and boardfirst can't guarantee that half the plane pre-boards with young children as it often is when boarding at MCO.

At MCO, if you're not first in the A line (and people do sit there an hour or so before flight time) you're usually halfway back in the plane. (no problem sitting together either but you're back there) Our last flight half the plane was in pre-board. We were third in line for the A group and sat three rows behind the emergency rows. There were more than 20 people behind us in the A group. Very few people were in B&C. (because they became pre-board with young children.)

 

[EmptyNester]

I'd rather do it myself and save the $5.00/pass.

Also, they don't actually guarantee an "A" boarding pass - "A" boarding passes are the only passes they charge you for.

 

[grimley1968]

Will do the online check-in thing. Much easier and more direct way to get the A passes.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Didn't even check the OP's link, because others posted that the service charges money. Why in the world would anyone pay for this? I have never ever had trouble getting A seats by using the on-line check-in, and the main reason why we fly Southwest is cost. By the way, the on-line check-in is easy, and now that you don't have to wait until 12:01 AM, it sounds even easier.

 

[lawgs]

this might be coming to an end

Southwest have shut down another "robot" boarding service which was free ( post on flyer talk about this ) seems some people complained about not getting A passes even when they were "hours" ahead of scheduled departure


www.flyertalk.com

 

[NotUrsula]

Lots of people use these services because they won't have an internet connection handy 24 hrs out from their flight times.

It is just as easy to ask the hotel staff to do it. Personally, I've found that exactly 24 hrs is only necessary when you are flying on a big holiday travel day; most days you don't have to time it so closely. Plenty of times I've had the hotel concierge do it after I get in from dinner for a flight that leaves early the following evening. (Of course, having the concierge get them isn't really free; I normally tip just this amount. I'd rather give the money to a hotel employee than to a service, if it comes to that.)

Lately I haven't had to have hotel staff do it for me anymore because it is now possible to check in using a web-enabled wireless phone. Details on that are at http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/wireless_access_faq.html

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Thsi would be a complete waste of money.

 

[CarolA]

If you want to be in the A Group for boarding, check out http://www.boardfirst.com/index.html. They guarentee that you'll be in the A group and that your family members will sit together! Pretty nifty.

How can they "guarntee your family members will sit together" ?? In theory even if you get an A there is a chance that your family won't all get to sit together if there are thru passengers on the plane.... And then how do you prove you didn't get to sit together to them.....

 

[tmt martins]

This is funny I did an on-line for some co-workers in Cali for our flights home .
One said I should start charging people for it.

I laughed Just thinking I'm only doing this to test out my Blackberry and Cell to make sure they work for our trips

 

[salmoneous]

While I think it's best to log in yourself or have a friend do it, there are folks who want to use this type of service. If so, check out www.board-a.com . It works the same as boardfirst, but is easier to use and FREE.

 

[allonte]

While I think it's best to log in yourself or have a friend do it, there are folks who want to use this type of service. If so, check out www.board-a.com . It works the same as boardfirst, but is easier to use and FREE.

board-A is no longer in service

 

[TDC Nala]

yes, I don't get this at all. What's wrong with checking in yourself, online, 24 hours before your flight? If you do that, you'll most likely get into the A group. And I don't know how they guarantee that your family will sit together. Somebody posted on this board once that they were traveling with 15 family members and wanted them all to sit together. Suppose there were a lot of travelers on a continuing flight and they'd taken all the seats that would work for this group of 15? Then what? I'd bet all it does is give the group another means to argue with the flight attendants: "I paid to have my group sit together and I want these people moved!"

If you've got a small group, unless you are in the back of the B group or in the C group you will most likely be able to sit together...possibly in the back of the plane, but the back of the plane lands at the same time and place as the front of the plane. If you've got a big group and are thoroughly determined to have seating together, it's probably best to book an airline that assigns seats. Even then, there isn't any guarantee they won't move you.

 

[CarolA]

yes, I don't get this at all. What's wrong with checking in yourself, online, 24 hours before your flight? If you do that, you'll most likely get into the A group. And I don't know how they guarantee that your family will sit together. Somebody posted on this board once that they were traveling with 15 family members and wanted them all to sit together. Suppose there were a lot of travelers on a continuing flight and they'd taken all the seats that would work for this group of 15? Then what? I'd bet all it does is give the group another means to argue with the flight attendants: "I paid to have my group sit together and I want these people moved!"

.

And the flight attendants will look at you like you have grown a second head when you tell them you paid to sit together! This is not a SW endorsed business so the FAs don't care what you paid. It will however give them something to talk about "did you see those folks who paid someone to print thier boarding passes???"

 

[jlovesee]

I dont know about the sitting together.. but I know my husband did the math (he has to he's 6'4"!) and if you are in boarding group A you are pretty much guaranteed a window/row seat just due to the maximum # of people that can have a A boarding pass. That is if half of the plane isn't in pre-boarding... That just bothers me.

I also saw someone said that the hotel will usually do it for you. Not necesarily. When we have stayed at Comfort Inn's etc in the past they won't even accept a fax for you usually anymore, let alone print off a boarding pass. Im not endorsing paying $5.00 for a service that we usually can do ourselves, but in cases where you have no choice...


Jennifer