Southwest Airlines - boarding question

sand2270

DIS Veteran
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Mar 5, 2008
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My ticket and my DD10's ticket were booked separately for the same flight, as a result we have different confirmation numbers. I always check in at the 24-hour mark but since I have two confirmation numbers there is a chance we won't have consecutive boarding numbers. Will we be able to board together with the lowest boarding number?
 
Unfortunately, no. I've been stopped before for that same thing. However, whoever boards the plane first can easily hold a seat for the other person.
 
Even if you are booked on the same confirmation number you can get non-consecutive boarding numbers. We had that situation on our last flight to MCO from STL; two consecutive numbers followed by a gap and then two more consecutive numbers.

With two separate confirmation numbers open up two windows and have all the information for each plugged into a different window. Then, just keep plugging away. You should get numbers close together. Sometimes you will find nice folks in line who will let you move up a couple of spaces or there's certainly no problem with the lower number moving back a few spaces. I'd opt for the latter, personally, as it eliminates the possibility of any problems.

The only time this could be an issue is if, for some reason, you get numbers far apart; especially if one's in the A group and one in the B group. That would be rare, but I suppose it could happen. In that case, you're not going to be able to work out anything to get the higher number up with the lower one. But again, there's no reason the lower number can't just board later with the higher one. Unless the higher number happens to be in a high B or in the C group (and if that's the case the lower one is probably a high B or a C anyway) it's not too likely that you won't be able to find two seats together.
 
When you check in online, open two windows and have everything ready to go for each passenger just before your 24-hour check-in window opens. You probably won't have consecutive boarding numbers, but it might keep you a little closer.

I would be torn between going first to select and hold the seat, or having DD go first so you could keep an eye on her until she boards. :confused3

Good thing I'm not a parent--I'd probably traumatize my children without even trying! :rolleyes:
 

Definitely get two windows (or tabs, depending on what browser you use) up. Get each window open to the right page, enter each traveler into their own window, get each window ready to go so you just are clicking on one button each.

When the time clicks over, click on one window, see that it went, switch to the other window, click.

easy peasy.


However, you're likely to be separated by a few numbers.

If she's too young to stand by herself for a few minutes, even with you right nearby, then just have the two of you stand at the "later" boarding number. So if one of you is 25 and the other 28, just go to 28. It's really the best way.

If she's old enough to stand "alone" (again, just a few feet away from you!) but not necessarily old enough to choose the seats AND she gets an earlier-boarding number than you, you guys can take the correct positions in line, then she can hang back once she gets into the jetway, and you can board together. And of course if you're the earlier number, you just wait too.


But I will tell you, people tend to be nice when you give them the chance to be. DS and I were separated by a few numbers when he was around 3 years old, and since there's chatting going on as people sort out who has what number and who stands behind who, people quickly figured out that one of us could have been a few numbers earlier. And everyone in between our two numbers said "oh please, go up to the earlier number, it's no big deal, please". So we did.

On our trip last month, DH was booked separately from me and DS. Our numbers were such that we were on opposite sides...DH was at something like 29, and DS and I were at 33 and 34. At the line-up poles, that meant he was second to last on his side, and we were up right near the front on our side. Although our placement in line didn't allow anyone to be kind while waiting (not close enough for conversation), as soon as we entered the jetway and DS called out to DH, people became aware. Not sure why hubby didn't stop and wait for us, but we did have ONE person tell us to just go up to him. She insisted I get in front of her, so we did, but the other people didn't hear the conversation and I wasn't going to just cut in front, LOL.


Anyway, if people see you being polite and going back to the later-boarding number position, they might very well be polite right back, and let you go to the earlier-boarding position.
 
'IF' the boarding numbers aren't too far apart, you may be able to just ask everyone to move up one slot...then whichever one of you had the lowest number can join the one with the higher number. For example...
you get A29, your DD gets A40. You could ask those between you and your DD, A30-A39, to move up one place. That way you could take the place of A39.
Or, just let your DD board first, get seated and you could follow. You will only be apart 5 mins at most.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I am not as worried about not getting seats together or being in different boarding groups, I typically check in right at the 24 hour mark and rarely do not get in the A group (and I can do one check in from my iphone and one from my computer, will just take some coordination :) ). Plus it is a direct flight so no connection to worry about. Whle I think it would be fine the paranoid part of me just isn't comfortable with her boarding without me. Since it is only on our outgoing flight (our return flights were booked together) I may just pay the $20 and pay for early check in just to be certain. I need to think about it.
 
/
If your daughter is young they are not going to seperate you. Just talk to the person at the gate before hand and they will take care of it for you. You can always call their customer service number and ask them too if you are really worried.:goodvibes
 
If your daughter is young they are not going to seperate you. Just talk to the person at the gate before hand and they will take care of it for you. You can always call their customer service number and ask them too if you are really worried.:goodvibes

ah good idea...so obvious so of course it didn't even occur to me. ;)
 





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