I am not really concerned, but we didn't pay extra...we do fall into the under 4 category so we didn't feel a need. But, we figured, if someone wanted to sit next to my squirmy almost 3 year old, go for it. Mama will take a drink...
You know, I am just kidding. I know we will be sitting together. I just figure most people either understand or really don't want to be sitting next to a toddler.
If I had older children that will freak if they have to sit next to someone else, that is a different story. But in the slim chance that you aren't sitting next to each other, I would say politely ask the person they are sitting next to. If that doesn't work, train your kid to be super sobby so they won't have a choice....REALLY JUST KIDDING!!!!
You may keep saying 'just kidding' but that's a sore subject around here. Many, many have come here and said they would take their chances on getting seats together...after all, no one was going to want to sit next to their squirmy, sick, coughing, whining...whatever...toddler. If you need to sit next to someone specific, you have a few choices....hope to get a boarding group low enough to enable this, pay extra for EBCI, or book an airline that allows you to choose your seats...but be careful, these airlines can, and do, change aircraft and flights, which can mean you lose those seating assignments.
Here's my issue with that type of 'joke'....I do what I need to do in order to be seated with whomever I need to be seated with. I am not giving up my seat, that I planned accordingly for, to someone who chose to not take the proper steps. I was on on SW flight, well before the current boarding process, where you had to get to the gate early and get into line...A, B or C group, depending on when you got there. If you got there early enough, you could get into the A group. But, you had to stand in that line for 90+ mins!!! When that line was full, those arriving had to get into the B group and so on. Well....as I stood there, with my dd (then about 9), we watched a woman and her ds (about 5) arrive. They sat down at the gate for a bit, then got up and left. Okay. Then, about 30 mins prior to boarding back they came...and wandered around the gate area, checking on shops and such. I didn't give it any more thought. So...we boarded the plane...If I remember correctly we were about 15th in the A line. We took our seats, towards the front. The B group boarded, and then finally the C group. Those in the middle to the end of the C group were having issues finding seats together, so split up in many cases. About 45 seconds went by where no one further boarded the plane...great I figure, we can leave. Not so fast bucko!!! That woman and her child came charging in. She was unable to find two seats together and she went to a FA and complained. An announcement was made that a mother and her child needed to be seated together, would someone give up their seats and split up?? Nothing happened. THe FA made a second announcment, and I quote....'We have a mother and child who need to be seated together. This plane is not leaving the gate until they are seated together. So...who is going to give up seats so they can be accomodated?' A couple did agree to split up....I felt sorry for them...they were seated about 5 rows behind us....nice older couple..who were now on opposite ends of the plane, in middle seats rather than the middle and window seats they had taken I am assuming they were at the end of the A group.
My issue??? People got there early, stood in that line, chose their seats and still had to split up so someone who decided they didn't want to wait in a line?? Sorry, that's wrong, IMHO.
So..please, don't even joke about making others feel badly or guilty if they don't give their seats to those who didn't plan correctly.
Has anyone flown on SW with a special needs child? I read on SW's site that people with cognitive disabilities (the closest category they had on their FAQ page for someone with autism) are eligible for pre-boarding (or whatever the correct term is). He is 4, so would probably fall under family boarding anyway, but I was just curious if anyone had any experience with this?
BTW-I did contact SW with this same question on their boarding contact email, and they say they will get back to you within so many business days, but I haven't heard anything. I plan on calling them just to make sure I understand the policy.
Thanks for your help!
I would checkin, online, at that 24 hr window. That way you'll have a bp in hand. When you get to the gate, talk to the gate attendents...they will more than likely give your ds a medical preboard card which will allow you to preboard before everyone else. But, please, don't expect the entire family to be able to preboard with you....you may be allowed to, but it might not happen.
