Southwest Boarding Question/Advice

[Sonnyeclipse]

So my 17 year old daughter decided last minute to come with me this weekend to WDW to cheer me on in the Dark Side Challenge. We are flying Southwest out of BWI and are separated in the boarding process. I am A-35 and she is B-7. I have only ever flown Southwest with my family when we were all together in the boarding process so this is new for me.

I am curious if anyone has a thought on if I board first, will she have any issue getting the seat beside me (middle seat). She will have anxiety if she has to sit by herself and I'm debating whether to board first or to go back and board with her in the B group. I just don't know if I board at B-7, do I run the risk of not getting an aisle or window seat.

Any thoughts?

 

[strat68]

You can always move backwards in line to join her. With B-7 you will almost definitely get an aisle or window. If the plane originated somewhere else then you may not. With B-7 she should be able to get a middle seat if you board at A-35.

 

[karpy111]

Since the OP is boarding first could she save a seat for her daughter?

 

[Bebella]

I agree with the above poster. Board with her in the B group. At the beginning of that B group, you're most likely to get seats together, it just might be toward the back of the plane. "Saving" seats is frowned upon, and you never know with people and air travel these days...people get too upset, and I like to avoid any possible confrontation.

 

[Bebella]

Since the OP is boarding first could she save a seat for her daughter?

She could...but what if the person in the aisle or window seat in the same row is also trying to save that middle seat for someone? Best to just avoid any confrontation and board together in the B group.

 

[Cirlonde]

My husband and I flew last October from MCO to DAL and I was late doing the online check-in (stupid time-zone change messed me up!) So we ended up at the end of the B group. We were still able to very easily get two seats together, although we were not able to get a window seat. I would not expect that you would have any trouble at all finding two seats together at the B7 boarding point.

 

[kamik86]

She could...but what if the person in the aisle or window seat in the same row is also trying to save that middle seat for someone? Best to just avoid any confrontation and board together in the B group.

The easy way to do this... what I did when I was A list and my husband checked in at 24 hours and got B something is just to ask. I purposely tried to pick a row with someone at the window and check to be sure they weren't savign the middle seat. Then I would sit at the aisle.

Never did anyone even TRY to sit in the middle seat before he boarded for saving the seat to be an issue because no one tries to sit in the middle seat between two strangers until that is the only option left.

 

[HollywoodTowerHotel]

I have read numerous threads about SW and the boarding policy. Saving of seats constantly comes up, and the consensus seems to be that saving seats "is frowned upon."

That leaves me wondering several things:

1. By whom is saving seats frowned upon? Southwest? Other passengers? Is it noted somewhere?

2. What if two people board the plane at the same time and get seats together, but then one goes to use the lavatory? This would result in a need to wait until one is able to return to the seat that has already been claimed (due to the flow of passengers boarding) and the other one looking like he/she is "saving" a seat. You are allowed to use the lavatory before flight, right (assuming you really have to go and did not go before boarding)? Isn't this better than waiting for everyone to board and then holding up leaving the gate?

3. How often have you seen an issue occur with people getting into disagreements about seats on SW? I'm curious because I have not, but that does not mean that it does not happen. The only time I had someone argue with me about seats was when I was assigned a seat on what was then AirTran and they were given my same seat number by Disney Airline Resort Check-in. They had to move, as my check-in was much earlier than theirs and was through AirTran instead of Disney. In that case, the flight attendants dealt with the problem. Do SW flight attendants get involved in "seat disputes"?

 

[supersnoop]

Do SW flight attendants get involved in "seat disputes"?

No. Southwest does not have a seat-saving policy. Which means they won't intervene. If you're saving a seat, they won't stop you. If someone else plops down in that seat, they won't stop them, either.

 

[JessM]

I personally would have you board at your assigned A-37 and chose an EMPTY row. Put a bag in the middle seat and save it for your daughter. Go back a few rows if you don't want people constantly asking about the middle seat. No solo travelers will want your window, and likely the aisle will get take by a solo traveler and you will be all set. Your daughter won't be that far behind you.

 

[goofy4tink]

SW really doesn't care if you save seats. It's other passengers that get annoyed when you do so. BUT....if you are sitting in an aisle seat, and want to save a middle seat? I doubt anyone is going to have an issue with that. I would board in your A35 slot. Your dd can board in her B7 slot. When you board, head to the rear of the plane. Then plop down in the aisle seat that you like, and put a book or jacket, or whatever, on that middle seat. No one is going to care. It's when someone boards early in the process and then proceeds to save more than 1 or 2 seats that annoys others.
I doubt you will have any issue at all sitting together!

 

[goofy4tink]

I have read numerous threads about SW and the boarding policy. Saving of seats constantly comes up, and the consensus seems to be that saving seats "is frowned upon."

That leaves me wondering several things:

1. By whom is saving seats frowned upon? Southwest? Other passengers? Is it noted somewhere?

2. What if two people board the plane at the same time and get seats together, but then one goes to use the lavatory? This would result in a need to wait until one is able to return to the seat that has already been claimed (due to the flow of passengers boarding) and the other one looking like he/she is "saving" a seat. You are allowed to use the lavatory before flight, right (assuming you really have to go and did not go before boarding)? Isn't this better than waiting for everyone to board and then holding up leaving the gate?

3. How often have you seen an issue occur with people getting into disagreements about seats on SW? I'm curious because I have not, but that does not mean that it does not happen. The only time I had someone argue with me about seats was when I was assigned a seat on what was then AirTran and they were given my same seat number by Disney Airline Resort Check-in. They had to move, as my check-in was much earlier than theirs and was through AirTran instead of Disney. In that case, the flight attendants dealt with the problem. Do SW flight attendants get involved in "seat disputes"?

1. Other passengers.

2. Few people head to the lav upon boarding. But, if that were the case, I doubt anyone is going to try to sit in their seat.

3. I have never seen an issue. Well other than one time about 6 people boarded the plane and plopped down in 4 different rows. There were empty seats in each of the rows. You should have seen the panic when the FA announced that there were no empty seats on the flight!!! Those 6 people scrambled to get seated with each other rather than have strangers sitting in the seats they had hoped to keep empty!!
As far as Disney giving the incorrect seats goes.....they didn't. Disney has nothing to do with seat assignments. RAC is merely curbside checkin...with the curb very far from the terminal. When a RAC CM checks you in, they are acting as a representative of that particular airline. AirTran made the mistake, not Disney.

 

[HollywoodTowerHotel]

1. Other passengers.

2. Few people head to the lav upon boarding. But, if that were the case, I doubt anyone is going to try to sit in their seat.

3. I have never seen an issue. Well other than one time about 6 people boarded the plane and plopped down in 4 different rows. There were empty seats in each of the rows. You should have seen the panic when the FA announced that there were no empty seats on the flight!!! Those 6 people scrambled to get seated with each other rather than have strangers sitting in the seats they had hoped to keep empty!!
As far as Disney giving the incorrect seats goes.....they didn't. Disney has nothing to do with seat assignments. RAC is merely curbside checkin...with the curb very far from the terminal. When a RAC CM checks you in, they are acting as a representative of that particular airline. AirTran made the mistake, not Disney.

Thanks for answering my questions.

To clarify, I did not mean they were given the wrong seats "by Disney." I just meant that when they checked in using RAC, that they were assigned the seats that were already assigned to me.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Because they were assigned unavailable seats by the airline's own system, it makes sense that airline staff intervened.

SW doesn't assign seats, so this same issue wouldn't occur.

 

[LisaS]

I don't think you will have a problem but since you are flying out of BWI there may be through passengers on the plane before you get to board, reducing the number of open seats for the passengers boarding in BWI. If you want to increase your odds of sitting together in whatever type of seat you prefer (aisle vs window), your daughter could purchase a boarding upgrade at the podium. For $30-$40 (it varies by flight) and subject to availability, your daughter will get a boarding position in the Business Select group (A1 - A15). She can board at that time and try to save a seat for you or just hang back and board with you at A35.

 

[bumbershoot]

1. By whom is saving seats frowned upon? Southwest? Other passengers? Is it noted somewhere?

Passengers. SW won't keep you from saving, and they won't keep someone from sitting in the seat that you're saving.

2. What if two people board the plane at the same time and get seats together, but then one goes to use the lavatory? This would result in a need to wait until one is able to return to the seat that has already been claimed (due to the flow of passengers boarding) and the other one looking like he/she is "saving" a seat. You are allowed to use the lavatory before flight, right (assuming you really have to go and did not go before boarding)? Isn't this better than waiting for everyone to board and then holding up leaving the gate?

That's not saving a seat. That's someone who has claimed a seat, is on the plane, and is just doing something else. Saving a seat means you are the only one from your party on the plane and you're keeping that seat for someone who hasn't yet boarded.

 

[DebbieB]

I would get on with A35 and go behind the exit row and take a middle seat and save a window seat. Text her the row #. With family boarding after A, it fills fast plus there may already be people on the plane.

 

[nkereina]

You're flying to Orlando which often has a large number of families with children, which means family boarding may be larger than you'd see on another SWA flight. Family boarding occurs between the A and B boarding groups. While I doubt it would preclude you from getting two seats together at B7, I probably would board at A35 and head to the back of the plane, and save the middle seat. Middle seats are usually the last to go, especially in the back, so by the time she gets on at B7 I'd think you'd be ok. While saving seats may be frowned upon by fellow passengers, its not against the rules.

 

[Shanti]

Never did anyone even TRY to sit in the middle seat before he boarded for saving the seat to be an issue because no one tries to sit in the middle seat between two strangers until that is the only option left.

This can be an issue when a couple (or parent & child) comes and wants two seats, including the middle. I've experienced this.

 

[cruisin5]

I would board at A35, find an empty row near the back of the plane after walking past some empty rows - stand at the aisle seat with your hind-end towards the aisle and fuss with your carry on, sweater, scarf, headphones, shoes. Everyone will walk on by ... (I tend to be passive-aggressive). You could also keep sniffing and clearing your throat.

If your airport boards from the front AND back of the plane - go to the back!