Southwest Boarding

[zeferjen]

Does anyone know about Houston airport? Here is my connection:

Depart LOS ANGELES INTL (LAX) at 06:50 AM
Arrive in HOUSTON HOBBY (HOU) at 12:05 PM

Change planes in HOUSTON HOBBY (HOU) at 12:45 PM
Arrive in PHILADELPHIA PA (PHL) at 5:05 PM

Anyone know if the SW flights are close to each other there? Thanks!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Did you try googling that airport for a map or other information about which airlines are at which gates?

 

[ironz]

You can also see which gate the flights are scheduled to land at and take off from if you search your flights on flightaware.com or flightstats.com"

For example....the LAX-HOU flight today arrives at Gate 20 in HOU, though yesterday it arrived at Gate 51. (obviously subject to change based on gate availability), and the past three days it has departed to PHL from gate 47.

then you can do a Google search and see the HOU airport layout.

 

[DebbieB]

You can also see which gate the flights are scheduled to land at and take off from if you search your flights on flightaware.com or flightstats.com"

For example....the LAX-HOU flight today arrives at Gate 20 in HOU, though yesterday it arrived at Gate 51. (obviously subject to change based on gate availability), and the past three days it has departed to PHL from gate 47.

then you can do a Google search and see the HOU airport layout.

If you do a search, be sure you are looking at Hobby and not George Bush, which is the main airport in Houston.

Hobby is not very big.

http://www.fly2houston.com/HobbyInternational

http://www.fly2houston.com/hou-Maps-and-Directions

 

[zeferjen]

Thanks so much! Looks like a small airport, so that is a good sign.

 

[Minnesota!]

I do have severe panic/anxiety attacks (just ask my wonderful DH about the frantic texts he has been getting as we closer to our flight!!!!). However, I KNOW going in there is a possibility of not sitting with my DH. It's just what it is. Distract yourself with something else - a book, a suduko, etc. Breathe breath breathe.

Remind yourself that every minute, every second you make it "without" DH, you are doing it ON YOUR OWN!!! That's a huge accomplishment!!

It might feel like you are going to die just thinking about it - but YOU WILL NOT!!!! Breathe breathe breathe. And yes, do NOT go with heavy medication. You won't have to worry about being by DH - because you won't be allowed on the flight at all.......

Focus. Breathe. Survive..

 

[HHSTigerFan]

Nothing 3 or 4 Miller Lites won't take care of..

 

[Minnesota!]

Nothing 3 or 4 Miller Lites won't take care of..

Ha! Pretty much my plan We fly out at 6am next Thurs...and I am planning on a Bloody Mary or 3 before we leave the house...and a beer back, too. Nice and calm momma = nice and calm kiddos!

 

[dsneprincess]

Okay, first, there are Extra Legroom sears available on that flight - but you knew that.

Get to the airport EARLY. Three hours prior to flight time isn't unreasonable. Check in with either the skycaps ($2 surcharge per bag, goes to the airline, isn't the tip) or at the counter. Ask about seats in row 25!!!!

I know they're showing as assigned - but if you look at any distant jetBlue flight, even the day new fares open up, these six seats always display as assigned. That's impossible... even without considering they're not especially popular (non-reclining, near the restroom). I know I'm not making much of a case for the seats, but they're probably not actually taken.

Barring that, ask about any three seats together that don't require you to pay extra. Barring that, yes, go for the Extra Legroom seats. Be advised the Flight Attendants monitor who sits there. If you don't pay for the upgrade, you'll be sent back to your original seats.

ETA: I just finished talking to a jetBlue agent about my own flight, and then asked about this situation. She assured me they hold back seats for assignment at the airport - and reminded me that they don't overbook. She, too, said to get there early .

I was able to find 2 seats together just after check-in opened at no extra cost!! Thanks for your expertise & help!!

 

[kerplop]

Houston Hobby is very small (only one terminal!) and the SWA gates are all right there together. That should be plenty of time, provided the flight is on-time!

 

[RainbowsMist]

So I purchased our first ever SW tickets today (6 of them) and also paid the $10 pp each way for the Early Boarding

It says it will "auto check us in"....is this true? So I don't have to check in at the 24 hour mark? It will just email me our boarding info? At the 24 hour mark we'll be somewhere on the road between Nova Scotia and Manchester.....and I don't have anyone that can check-in for me and I'm not sure about cell service in the car. Also, does SW have the Kiosks at the airport to print out the boarding passes or maybe I can do this from the hotel?

Thanks

 

[goofy4tink]

So I purchased our first ever SW tickets today (6 of them) and also paid the $10 pp each way for the Early Boarding

It says it will "auto check us in"....is this true? So I don't have to check in at the 24 hour mark? It will just email me our boarding info? At the 24 hour mark we'll be somewhere on the road between Nova Scotia and Manchester.....and I don't have anyone that can check-in for me and I'm not sure about cell service in the car. Also, does SW have the Kiosks at the airport to print out the boarding passes or maybe I can do this from the hotel?

Thanks

When you pay for EBCI, one of the terrific things is that SW checks you in at the 36 hr window. BUT..they don't email you anything. Most of us just get online the day prior to departure and print out the boarding pass. Since you'll be on the road, you can wait until you get to the airport. There will be kiosks that you can print your bp's out at.

 

[RainbowsMist]

When you pay for EBCI, one of the terrific things is that SW checks you in at the 36 hr window. BUT..they don't email you anything. Most of us just get online the day prior to departure and print out the boarding pass. Since you'll be on the road, you can wait until you get to the airport. There will be kiosks that you can print your bp's out at.

Thanks so very much

 

[gmeh1]

Ha! Pretty much my plan We fly out at 6am next Thurs...and I am planning on a Bloody Mary or 3 before we leave the house...and a beer back, too. Nice and calm momma = nice and calm kiddos!

Yep, Bloody Mary's do the trick every time. Now, are the kids going to be calm cause you have had some BMs or are you going to share?

 

[DVC Daisy]

Well, an update. I DID survive LOL

I found that the Southwest employees are all so NICE! We checked in at exactly the 24 hr mark with iPhones & the highest boarding number we got was A23 between all 4 legs of the trip. We easily snagged the exit row seats, not a problem, for each flight & I did just fine no alcohol necessary

I did have to do some focused breathing before the first flight, but after we were actually seated, I was good.

 

[Danibelle]

Personally, I would never chance not paying for the EB check in if sitting next to each other is what is important to you and your family. Also, coming from somebody who did pay for EB check in for all 7 of my party, I would be upset if I saw somebody saving seats for the rest of their party when only 1 person paid for the EB check in.

Thank you for this! If sitting together is necessary, then please pony up for EBCI for all your passengers. Southwest will rarely make someone move to accommodate a family.

Updated: Glad it all worked out for you.

 

[FourBees]

I agree with everyone about purchasing EBCI for everyone in your party. But here is a question - how would you feel about a person saving a seat for a family member if they both had EBCI's but one persons was further ahead in line than the other member. I have heard that you don't necessarily get numbers in chronological order and the main reason I get it is so we can sit together.

 

[deegack]

I agree with everyone about purchasing EBCI for everyone in your party. But here is a question - how would you feel about a person saving a seat for a family member if they both had EBCI's but one persons was further ahead in line than the other member. I have heard that you don't necessarily get numbers in chronological order and the main reason I get it is so we can sit together.

Since the plane is mostly empty when ebci board (unless a trough connection) then it shouldn't be a problem but you always have the option of boarding together at the later boarding number. Ie if you are A20 and your so is A25 you can both board at A25.

 

[goofy4tink]

Saving a seat, or even two, isn't a horrible thing...if you're going to use it. No one is really going to mind....especially if that saved seat is a middle one!!!
But, don't plan on saving entire rows. That's not a cool thing to do.