Southwest Airlines

[DwarfMaster]

I've never flown w/ Southwest as I recall hearing horror stories about the "cattle hearding" boarding process.

I hear it's changed over the years & is much better now. Can anyone explain it to me? If I'm traveling with kids, DS13 DD8, is there any chance at all that we wouldn't be seated together? Does it make a difference if I don't have access to a computer 24hrs before my flight? Do you have to pay extra to "pick" a seat, or guarantee sitting with your party?

After reading the responses on the "Baggage Fees" thread....Southwest is suddenly looking much more appealing to me

Thanks!!

 

[tazdev3225]

I flew Southwest last year and worried about that. I was on the computer at the 24 hour mark and was in an "A" seating group. You cannot pay for seating or guarantee that you will be together any other way. If you can't be on a computer at the 24 hour mark, I would get someone to do it for you. When I was at WDW last year I gave my DD my information and she did it for me and then called me back with my seating group. It isn't that bad if you are in the A or B groups to be together.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

The seating system was never bad. I thought it pretty good. But, yes, it's even better now.

On all airlines, including those that claim to give you reserved seats, there is no guarantee you will sit together. But it's very rare for people to have problems on SW.

You do want to be able to check in (or be checked in) 24 hours ahead of time. If you won't have access to a computer, you can give your confirmation number to a friend/family member who can do it for you.

No extra fees to pick a seat. (Nor any checked bag fees or other hidden charges).

Great airline - wonderful customer service and I think you'll actually like their seating process once you see it in practice.

 

[Ohiodislover]

We fly Southwest almost exclusively, and have for years. Never had an issue sitting together-The flight attendants will help you and the 8 Y.O. sit together. Is there a reason the 13 Y.O. needs to be beside you? I'm sure they can at least be close by, even w/ a later boarding group.

I agree--have someone else check you in and then print the boarding passes at the airport. You just need to give them the confirmation number.

 

[amid chaos]

All the WDW resorts will check you in at the front desk 24 hours before your flight...actually all of the hotels we have stayed in have done it for us.

If you end up not finding seat together, just tell them you are traveling with minor children and they will request people move to make room for all of you.

 

[ksjayhawks]

Definitely get on a computer 24 hours ahead and get your boarding passes. Even with a later group, you shouldn't have trouble sitting together--at least the 8 yr old and you, but be prepared for people to say "no" and prep your kids ahead of time that this could happen--they should be fine sitting alone. Lots of times there will be middle seats, one right behind the other, so you could end up sitting that way.

 

[Micca]

I've been on some SW flights where passengers who were already seated volunteered to moved around to accomodate some families. I agree that trying to get in the "A" group will make it easier to sit together where you'd like to be.

 

[DebbieB]

I've flown SW many times and have never had a problem picking a seat. For the outbound, I check-in at home or work at 24 hours. For the return when I'm at WDW, I go to whatever guest relations I am close to when the time hits (park, hotel, Downtown Disney). Last year I was at a dinner at CRT and was about an hour late (went to City Hall) and still got low B.

 

[Carl]

I don't travel with children, but it seems to me that people with children can go to preboarding and just ignore the A, B, C stuff. And of course if you board first, you have plenty of choice of seating.

 

[ElonGirl]

I love to fly southwest even if it means flying in/out of the airport thats 2 hrs from my house instead of the one thats 45 minutes. I've always found that they have the cheapest flights for the routes I travel. I would definitely check in at your 24 hr mark but if you can't (or can't find someone else to do it for you) then I'm sure you can find some one to switch seats so your family can sit together. I normally fly alone and would definitely give up my seat. I would even separate from my mom so a family with young kids could sit together. I remember being 8 and 13 and would not have wanted to sit next to strangers especially with those small airplane seats.

I know southwest does "family boarding" between the A and B groups but I don't remember how young the kids have to be. It might only be for families with younger kids but you might want to look into it if you don't get an A boarding pass.

 

[DwarfMaster]

We fly Southwest almost exclusively, and have for years. Never had an issue sitting together-The flight attendants will help you and the 8 Y.O. sit together. Is there a reason the 13 Y.O. needs to be beside you? I'm sure they can at least be close by, even w/ a later boarding group.

I agree--have someone else check you in and then print the boarding passes at the airport. You just need to give them the confirmation number.

There will be many of us flying together. Maybe 12 or 13 I know we can't all sit together, but as long as DS13 is near someone he knows...he would be fine. It was DD8 I was more worried about.

We will be on a cruise. Other than paying $20 to go online & check in (which I just might do)....Our ENTIRE family will be there.....I don't think I'll have anyone here at home to check us in.

I've been on some SW flights where passengers who were already seated volunteered to moved around to accomodate some families. I agree that trying to get in the "A" group will make it easier to sit together where you'd like to be.

How can you get in the "A" Group? Do you have to be one of the first to check in @ the 24 hour mark?


Thanks everyone for the help! They really seem to have the best prices & the no baggage fee is an added bonus

 

[pigletgirl]

The A 1-15 goes to business elite travelers but after that its everyone else! Just be ready to go right at the 24 hour mark and you should be ok.

 

[bumbershoot]

I never thought the old way of doing things was bad at all.

But this was is a bit nicer, especially when the gate employees will tell people to *sit down*, because there's no need to line up until they tell people to line up.

You know, if it's only the 8 year old you're worried about, you could get his ticket and one other person's (yours? one of the older sibs?) at the Business level, thereby guaranteeing A 1-15. So the 8 year old and someone else in your group could board in the very first group, and the rest of the family could board whenever they are allowed to, and your main concern would be solved. And if the 8 year old and his companion sat towards the back, the rest of the fam could very well be very closeby.

But if it's not worth the extra cost to you, then paying the money for the 15 minutes or so of computer time is probably worth it. Well actually, unless you're OK with the rest of the group getting C passes, you really should check yourselves in at 24 hours anyway, so I'd probably just budget in that time and money anyway.

Just get online about 15 minutes before the 24 hour mark, get a different browser window or tab up for each reservation (if you have multiple reservations), get it all ready to go, and just before the mark be ready to click through. Since you'll be doing this for the trip down you'll be an old hand at this for the trip back.

Anyway, it's definitely worth the screen time on the cruise, if only to let them know that YES you are going to be there, even if you were fine with C passes for everyone. And it might be worth getting the youngest and someone else the expensive tickets, to make sure you're seated together b/c your'e among the first 15 on the plane.

Have fun!

(oh and of course SW is great for a cruise b/c of the 2 checked bags thing. my brother's in laws went on a 50 day cruise and made sure to use SW so they could have more free checked bags.)