Southwest Airlines Concern

[LongLiveDisney1]

Is it almost mandatory to buy the early bird check-in in order to make sure your family doesn't end up in Section B and possibly sitting apart?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Low Bs, unless you have a party of 10, shouldn't be a problem sitting together, it's when you get to Cs that it can be a bit more problematic.

Remember the first two boarding groups have 60 slots and the plane holds 122 or 137 seats and there is a boarding group C. Although possible that you could get on a plane where each row has a person in it with a B1 boarding pass, most likely that wouldn't happen.

 

[LaurenT]

Just make sure you check in at exactly the 24 hour mark. We did it today and got low Bs...we won't have any trouble finding seats together.

 

[Hannathy]

If it is extremely important for you to sit together and a priority then you should pay for the service.

It really all depends on how many others pay for the service as to how far down the list you will be.

Just don't not pay it and expect others to move for you, especially if they paid for the service.

 

[Jestocost]

A big factor can be where you are flying from. If you can provide some additional details, that might be helpful.

 

[mrsstats]

We recenlty flew back from West Palm Beach to LI. With early bird 1 in our group of 4 got B1. The rest of us where at the end of the A's.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

We always check in online right at 24 hours and get B seating, but it never matters because we always have small children. Families with small children (4 years and younger)pre-board right between A and B. After A, and before B.
How old is your youngest?

 

[dancin Disney style]

We always check in online right at 24 hours and get B seating, but it never matters because we always have small children. Families with small children (4 years and younger)pre-board right between A and B. After A, and before B.
How old is your youngest?

You can't always count on the family preboard....if there are too many familes the gate agents will not allow it.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

You can't always count on the family preboard....if there are too many familes the gate agents will not allow it.

I think the number must be pretty high because we have been in some pretty long family pre-board lines and have never been refused.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I think the number must be pretty high because we have been in some pretty long family pre-board lines and have never been refused.

It's up to the gate agents whether they do a family preboard or not. I don't know if there is a set number. I've seen, many times, that they have a high number of families and they will make an announcement saying that only one adult can board with the under 4's.

 

[mdsd8700]

We have been flying SW as long as I can remember (before the days of A,B,C boarding) and we don't use EBC. There are 4 of us and we sit two and two. We always check in exactly at 24 hours and usually get A but sometimes get B. I know for some it eases their mind and they like using this option. I am not sure if we have just been extremly lucky or what but it has never been an issue not using EBC and I like to save the $80 and use it for something else.

If you are very nervous about A/B or have a larger party then I would suggest going with the EBC.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[pigletto]

It can also largely depend on where you are flying from. If the plane is already partially full with people for a connection, you might have more trouble.

If it matters .. pay for the EBCI. I know out of Buffalo we have been mid to late B's WITH the EBCI. Plane was full and apparently everyone had paid for it. We still got seats together, but I don't know that we would have without the EBCI.

If it's really important to you, then I would just go ahead and purchase it for your peace of mind.

 

[StrwLady]

This is about the only thing I am happy that I will be in boot for the trip. I will need a wheel chair down to the plane so I will be preboarding. I'll still probably check in 24hours in advanced though.

 

[TamaraQT]

Is it almost mandatory to buy the early bird check-in in order to make sure your family doesn't end up in Section B and possibly sitting apart?

Being in the B boarding group is ok. I prefer A, but B15 is the worst I've had at the 24 hour check-in mark and we are a family of 5. We found seats without a problem, but sitting together is not a priority. 4 of us like window seats so we sit apart except for DD who will sit in a middle seat with one of us. We fly out of Philadelphia which I think airport size and location can also be a factor of boarding position. More people seem to do EBCI now, or are online at the 24 hour mark. One flight I met a lady who ended up seperated from her family. She wasn't familiar with SW and thought her C12 position was a seat on the plane. She was going back and forth looking for her seat. Our flights are usually filled to capacity. As another poster said, there are times when the attendants will not let an entire family preboard. That happened to us once, and happens quite a bit in Philadelphia to MCO during summer months. DD and I got on without the rest of the family. That is when we had B positions. But I sat towards the back, behind the wing and my family was able to find window seats near me without a problem. Now with all that said, we are flying SW this year 7/18. I will be driving in to work at the 24 hour check-in mark, so I paid for EBCI to ensure a decent boarding position. We are flying back on AirTran and I paid for seats. To me its worth it, and in the end, it comes down to personal preference. Look at buying EBCI as a little peace of mind for you to have less things to think about. Have a FABULOUS vacation!!

 

[goofy4tink]

On the vast majority of SW flights I have been on, those in the B group had little trouble finding seats together...at least 2 and 2 that had to take different rows. It was once you got about 1/3 of the way through the C group that people started having a hard time.
But, with that in mind, I usually pay for EBCI for my flight home from WDW. I just prefer to let SW get me checked in vs having to worry about being near a computer at the 24 hr window.
We are seeing people getting higher and higher B groupings at busy times of year.

 

[dancin Disney style]

It can also largely depend on where you are flying from. If the plane is already partially full with people for a connection, you might have more trouble.

If it matters .. pay for the EBCI. I know out of Buffalo we have been mid to late B's WITH the EBCI. Plane was full and apparently everyone had paid for it. We still got seats together, but I don't know that we would have without the EBCI.

If it's really important to you, then I would just go ahead and purchase it for your peace of mind.

LOL....the last 4 or 5 times we have flown out of BUF we got A's(around A45ish). I've never bought EBCI for my southbound flight. The flip side of that I usually buy it for my flight home because I'm not always able to check myself in at T24.....so far, with EBCI I've always had a spot in the A20's.

 

[DVC-Don]

We've been B-46,47,48, 49 and sat together.

 

[PatMcDuck]

TO save $$, you could just have 1-2 pay for the EBCI and have them "save" seats for the others.

It might not make you popular, but SW does not have a rule against it, as far as I know. I see people doing it. Just don't try it in the first 10 rows, then you might have some arguments.


I usually fly either alone, (so I just check in at 24 hour mark and roll the dice) or with my handicapped son who needs a pre-board. Last time, on the PHL to MCO flight, we were the FIRST ones on the place, and it was weirdly thrilling. We just took row 4, window and middle seat, nothing that interesting, but it was still pretty cool to watch the place fill up. DH pays for the EBCI when he flyies alone, he tries for the exit row every time.

I will use my iPhone SW app next time to check in for the flight home to PHL, then I do not have to be near a computer.

 

[focusondisney]

TO save $$, you could just have 1-2 pay for the EBCI and have them "save" seats for the others.

It might not make you popular, but SW does not have a rule against it, as far as I know. I see people doing it. Just don't try it in the first 10 rows, then you might have some arguments.

Actually, I think they do. I'm pretty sure if you are saving seats & someone wants to sit there, the flight attendants will tell you that you can't save seats. Remember SW has open seating. That means you are entitled to sit in any seat that is unoccupied when you board. A "saved" seat is unoccupied. So anyone is entitled to sit there.

Now I don't think many people will argue with you & make you give up the saved seat. But I wouldn't count on saving several seats for a prolonged time, especially near the front.

Edit: if you want to try to save seats, I would suggest heading to the last few rows. Less likely someone will argue for those seats.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Actually, I think they do. I'm pretty sure if you are saving seats & someone wants to sit there, the flight attendants will tell you that you can't save seats. Remember SW has open seating. That means you are entitled to sit in any seat that is unoccupied when you board.

WN may have unassigned seating, but their policy is not to get involved with the saving seats issue.