SouthWest Boarding Group Question (Mixed Tiers)

[huckabear]

Just checked in for our flight and my husband, oldest daughter and I all got Boarding Group A. However, my younger two kids (aged 9 and 6) got the first passes for Group B. Will they not let them board with us or will one of us have to wait with them?

 

[siskaren]

Either you or your husband will have to wait and board with them - they won't allow someone in B group to board with A group.

 

[Allison]

I just flew Southwest and they specifically announced that if groups were split up, the people with the lower number could go back with the people with the higher number but you could not move up to a better position.

 

[huckabear]

That's kind of what I figured. Do they check ID at the gate? Meaning, my husband could go on with my two girls and I could wait and go in with my son.

 

[goofy4tink]

If you're switching with a daughter, then fine. That way, no questions at all when your bp is scanned at the jetway.

 

[rwdavis2]

That's kind of what I figured. Do they check ID at the gate? Meaning, my husband could go on with my two girls and I could wait and go in with my son.

Why would ids matter? Just boarding passes.

 

[n2mm]

OP, this is my fear too. Did you buy Early Birds and still get B boarding passes? How far out did you buy the Early Birds if you did? We are traveling with our 3 granddaughers in early August. I bought the tickets and the early birds 6 months before the flight. I'm hoping that will help us stay together in boarding. One of my granddaughters has never flown before and they are 8, 10, 10. While they are older, this is the first time we are traveling with them alone (out numbered). I'm hoping to be with the 8 yr old and the 10 yrs old that has never flown. My husband and the other granddaughter can hopefully be together somewhere else. I'm having buyers remorse now.

 

[focusondisney]

OP, this is my fear too. Did you buy Early Birds and still get B boarding passes? How far out did you buy the Early Birds if you did? We are traveling with our 3 granddaughers in early August. I bought the tickets and the early birds 6 months before the flight. I'm hoping that will help us stay together in boarding. One of my granddaughters has never flown before and they are 8, 10, 10. While they are older, this is the first time we are traveling with them alone (out numbered). I'm hoping to be with the 8 yr old and the 10 yrs old that has never flown. My husband and the other granddaughter can hopefully be together somewhere else. I'm having buyers remorse now.

Not the OP, but we buy Early Bird right when we purchase our tickets, usually just after flights are released. We have always gotten "A" boarding passes, usually in the 20's to mid 30's. We do travel on the early morning direct flight to Orlando & late evening direct flight home. So I think if you did buy that early, you should be ok.

 

[kwdw]

OP, this is my fear too. Did you buy Early Birds and still get B boarding passes? How far out did you buy the Early Birds if you did? We are traveling with our 3 granddaughers in early August. I bought the tickets and the early birds 6 months before the flight. I'm hoping that will help us stay together in boarding. One of my granddaughters has never flown before and they are 8, 10, 10. While they are older, this is the first time we are traveling with them alone (out numbered). I'm hoping to be with the 8 yr old and the 10 yrs old that has never flown. My husband and the other granddaughter can hopefully be together somewhere else. I'm having buyers remorse now.

If you bought early bird - you should be able to find "3" and "2." They might be a few rows apart - but you should be fine. You might have to go farther back in the plane to get closer.

Don't have buyer's remorse! This will turn out okay.

I did get in B group once even though I bought EB (like B4). Between the A group and family boarding - there were still sets of three in the back half of the plane. But USUALLY early-bird will get you in A - and then you won't have a problem.

 

[n2mm]

Thanks guys for the reassurance. We are on a 10:45am flight out of bwi on August 1. When we booked the flight in February we purchased the early birds then. Guess I'm a little nervous taking the kids alone without the parents this trip.

 

[jayhawk74]

That's kind of what I figured. Do they check ID at the gate? Meaning, my husband could go on with my two girls and I could wait and go in with my son.

IDs are not checked at the gate so you, the 9 year old, and the 6 year old can board with the "A" Boarding cards while your Husband and older daughter can board with the "B" Boarding pass. SW doesn't care who holds the Boarding Pass as long as they board in the order of the pass.