Southwest Airlines

[Patty3]

I dropped off friends at the airport yesterday who were traveling on Southwest. Other than passengers with small children and wheelchairs, there were also travelers that were able to board before the others. What kind of ticket do these folks have and what do you need to get them? Thanks.

 

[lawgs]

those are the "pre boards" who have been able to get a "blue sleeve" from the gate agents for various reasons

it is not a different ticket, it is the "blue sleeve" it is IN that gets them boarded before the A B and C groups....

sometimes, if people have been bumped from other flights, they also are given preference in boarding


the only other thougth that comes to mind would be SWA employees boarding early too

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Patty3
I dropped off friends at the airport yesterday who were traveling on Southwest. Other than passengers with small children and wheelchairs, there were also travelers that were able to board before the others. What kind of ticket do these folks have and what do you need to get them? Thanks.

They may have had a physical disability that was not obvious by looking at them.

How did you get past security to see who was boarding?

 

[DMRick]

How did you get past security to see who was boarding?

Soon Albany will be allowing friends and family to the gate for drop off..they just never learn, and securtiy checks will be a nightmare with more people.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by DMRick
Soon Albany will be allowing friends and family to the gate for drop off..they just never learn, and securtiy checks will be a nightmare with more people.

ITA!!!!

 

[Patty3]

The friends I was dropping off were none other than my DIL and two Granddaughters, 1 and 2 yr old. I got some sort of pass from Southwest so that I could go to the gate and help her until it was time to board. This was at BWI and there were no lines at security, it was about 10AM. They did have her and those in wheelchairs board first, but then there were others standing around and as I was leaving they were asking for those with a certain ticket type. I did not know if they were some sort of frequent flyers like they have on Aloha Airlines. My DIL was going to visit her parents in Manchester, NH, so there was no way that she would be able to drive herself with the kids. I know that some do not think kids that age should fly. I have flown with them before and they are very well behaved. The 1 yr old usually falls asleep on the plane and the 2 yr old loves just looking out the window.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Patty3
The friends I was dropping off were none other than my DIL and two Granddaughters, 1 and 2 yr old. I got some sort of pass from Southwest so that I could go to the gate and help her until it was time to board. This was at BWI and there were no lines at security, it was about 10AM. They did have her and those in wheelchairs board first, but then there were others standing around and as I was leaving they were asking for those with a certain ticket type. I did not know if they were some sort of frequent flyers like they have on Aloha Airlines. My DIL was going to visit her parents in Manchester, NH, so there was no way that she would be able to drive herself with the kids. I know that some do not think kids that age should fly. I have flown with them before and they are very well behaved. The 1 yr old usually falls asleep on the plane and the 2 yr old loves just looking out the window.

It was nice you could get a pass. The tickets were either standby or blue covered.
I have no objection to children flying as long as they are like your DGDs and behave. But, I expect that from pax of all ages.

 

[lawgs]

now that you mention it was BWI Patty3

brings to mind another example last year when there were "government types" who had additional papers connected to their "tickets" and they boarded before the regular groups

we also remember ( he must have been a member of congress or something, being escorted by a maryland state trooper, who arrived just as the boarding of the A groups began )

it was september last year just before the big hurricane that shut down the east coast.....we were the last plane out of baltimore that day heading west to louisville and st louis....

those are some more variations we have observed over the past couple of years flying with Southwest

they also give out passes for people to accompany others to gates in buffalo, we have used it when our 80 year old mother in law is flying out on her own, just to make sure she gets going in the right direction

 

[CRCrazy]

Sometimes SW lets group passengers board together as a group - we've done this several times with our student group going to national competitions. We've traveled with a group of 15-30 people from MHT to MCO, BWI and Nashville.

Manchester always lets us preboard after the blue sleeve preboards, with the proviso that we will head to the back of the plane, and fill in every seat. They would rather keep the large group of teenagers and chaperones together, then spread them throughout the plane!

MCO and Nashville did not allow us this privilege, although we had A&B boarding passes, so still managed to mainly sit together. The Nashville flight was a continuing flight from San Diego - so that one was interesting - there were kids sitting all over the place, with no chaperones!