Southwest Airlines Question...

[scrappingtwinmom]

We are flying out on SW on Sunday and my son is 6 and autistic. I was thinking it would be good to try to sit in the bulkhead (I think that's what they are called) seats because there is a wall in front of you instead of a person with a seat to be kicked. BUT I need to have either a tray table or some place to put the dvd player for him. I need to know if those bulkhead seats still have a tray table? If so where does it come from? The seat?

Thanks in advance!

 

[antree]

The trays come from the seat. Make sure you get to the airport early, SW does not have assign seating. Wheel chairs board on first then childern, then assigned boarding pass A,B,C.

 

[scrappingtwinmom]

Thanks for the tray table info. We should be A's but we can pre-board with my son as he uses a chair for travel etc. Guess we'll take our chances with the bulkhead seats. Seems we'd be less likely to disrupt others from there.

Thanks again...

 

[karliebug]

They probably won't allow you to sit in a bulkhead row because I believe it is an emergency exit row and no one under I think 16 is allowed to sit in that row.

 

[shovan]

We have had seats without trays in the front of the planes on Southwest. DH is in a WC & needs room & assistance to be transferred into the plane. The area they usually seat WC parties does not have an emergency exit, but most also do not have trays. I would call Southwest & ask them what area of the plane would be best for your son. Good Luck!

 

[vacation dreamer]

We are flying out on SW on Sunday and my son is 6 and autistic. I was thinking it would be good to try to sit in the bulkhead (I think that's what they are called) seats because there is a wall in front of you instead of a person with a seat to be kicked. BUT I need to have either a tray table or some place to put the dvd player for him. I need to know if those bulkhead seats still have a tray table? If so where does it come from? The seat?

Thanks in advance!

On Southwest there are no trays in the bulkhead seats. And someone said they are emergency rows and the bulkhead is not on Southwest. You could have someone in your group sit in the seat in front of him.

 

[mrsksomeday]

My b/f has Cerebral Palsy, we have flown Southwest twice in the last year and sat in the front rows. There were no trays. If you have more than you and your son flying with you, I would do as shovan suggested and just have one of them sit in front of him.

Have a magical trip!!!

 

[dj2]

i don't think SWA lets pre-boarding people take the bulkhead row anyway.

 

[antree]

We have been flying SW for a few years and I have 2 childern, and I have had the first seat. When you board you can sit anywhere, they do not announce anything about seating and emergency exits.
This past March when we flew the people in the wheelchairs had boarded first and took all the front seats, we were 3 rows back.

As far as the trays go me and my DH both swear the trays were in the arms rest.

Iw ould call them about the trays and far as boarding as long as you are the first in line you can sit anywhere you want.

We sat on the floor for over an hr. waiting for the plane to board, so we can be one of the first people to board. Just get in line early, if you have to leave the line make sure someone in your party stays there.

 

[scrappingtwinmom]

Thanks for all the different ideas. I think we are going to sit my sister and the girls in the row in front of us. Then if my son kicks and squirms he'll only be bothering his sister (like usual, LOL). ALso we can hang his dvd player from her seat!

Thanks again. I fly out on Sunday!

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

i don't think SWA lets pre-boarding people take the bulkhead row anyway.

Our DS10 is in a wheelchair, so we've always Pre-Boarded on SWA. We've always taken the bulkhead row when we fly SWA to Disney ... it's never been an emergency row on any flight we've taken.

There have also been no trays in the bulkhead row on any SWA flight we've ever taken. When we brought it out to break up the monotony, a little, I've just held the DVD player on my lap with the screen turned towards DS and DW ... it worked out OK.

 

[bumbershoot]

It's possible bulkhead means something different to different people.

Last time we flew, the first pre-boarders were those with mobility, etc, issues, and then it was those of us with kids (I've posted before that I wasn't aware there was anyone else preboarding but those of us with kids so I jumped up to get on before the others, but quickly was glared down (by everyone), and I then waited for those who needed to board first more than we did).

The first row of our plane, with no space in front of us (so all carry-on items had to be above in the bins), with a wall in front, was NOT an emergency row, and, in fact, two of the seats were taken up by people with mobility difficulties, who had boarded before I did. Then I took up another two seats with me and DS. No one had a problem with any of us in those seats. And it was nice to not have to worry about him kicking anyone's seat.

I *thought* that all of SW's planes were the same as each other, and if that's so then there should be no problem. But maybe they have some that have that first row as emergency, and I was just on a plane without that exit door right there.

As long as you're on the type of plane that I was on, and there aren't people ahead of you who fill up that row, you'll likely be fine.

 

[slruud]

The restriction for emergency row seating is for the over wing emergency rows. The first two rows as you get on the plane, to the left and the right are what I think people are referring to as bulkhead seats. The emergency exits to the front are the main entry door and the galley door, where the plane gets restocked. The one poster is correct about the tray table being in the arm rest. Took me a few trips to figure that one out. Have fun.