Southwest-Do they have snacks for nonstop flights?

[mylilnikita]

Hi. I will more than likely be traveling on Southwest Airlines with my 5 year old daughter in November out of Norfolk , Va. I have never flown on Southwest. Do they have the beverage and snack cart on the non stop flights? Is it also true that there are no seat assignments? Any advice would be appreciated.Thanks.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

They have a drink cart and serve snacks. There are no seating assignments and your child is too old to preboard (it is for those with kids 4 and under). Get there 1-1.5 hours early and you will have no problem getting a seat together.

For more information and possibly anything you could ever want to know follow this link.

http://www.southwestair.com/travel_center/

 

[dcfromva]

mylilnikita,
They do serve snacks on SWA--sometimes it is a very small bag of peanuts or a very small bag of mixed pretzels, nuts, etc. With a 5 year old--I would definately pack a more sustantial snack. (I'm thinking from ORF, your flight is just under 2 hours? )
I don't know if ORF is anything like BWI for the boarding process, but the folks at BWI are quite familiar with the boarding process and the flights are generally sold out whenever we fly, and our DS is 14, so no pre-boarding for us, either. We generally get there 2 hours early to get a boarding pass with a good boarding group (the link Gail gave you will provide more details). We have always been able to get our seats together (that is in 12 flights in the past 3 years).
I have even seen an occasion where a Dad and a young son have arrived after the boarding process is almost comlete (almost all the seats are full) and the SWA flight attendant sucessfully asked for volunteers to change seats so the two of them could sit together. But, I think the best thing to do is to arrive early and not take a chance.
BTW, I really get a big kick out of SWA. The flight attendants I have seen are probably the nicest I've seen on any airlines. Sometimes, they sing the safety message. Other times they tell jokes. ..."if you are traveling with small children---I'm sorry..." Sometimes, they do demonstrations. One time, we were flying to Buffalo and a couple of flight attendants unrolled toilet paper down the entire length of the aisle. They were demostrating one of the features of their new B737-700 model. The flight attendant flushed the toilet in the back of the aircraft and the toilet paper spanning the length of the aisle instantly disappeared.... The flight attendant in the front of the aircraft said, "I'm not going to tell you how we discovered this, but I just wanted to caution you that you don't want to be sitting on toilet when you flush it!" ( ) Sometimes, the flight attendants play it straight, but one consistant thing is they have always been extremely nice.
Enjoy your flight.
-DC

 

[sammi]

Well we leave on our first trip with Southwest verrrrry soon! Also out of Buffalo and I think I'll just pack us a couple of muffins to take on board with us since we'll be leaving sooooo early (7:35 AM!)

dcfromva and Gail...........between both of your funny Southwest stories I can't wait to give them a try!!!

Sounds like a really great airline! Tell you all about our experience when we return in 25 days!!!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

I love Southwest, they are great.

The flight I usually take is a non-stop from Orlando to Manchester, NH and back. They always serve complimentary drinks, as well as a large snack pack. The package includes cookies, crackers & cheese, fruit gummi snacks, and something else. At any rate, it was actually pretty decent. (A heck of a lot better than the mystery meat log from previous years! lol)

Despite the snack, I usually bring some stuff of my own to munch on for the flight. Not because Im hungry, but because I like to munch when Im on the flight.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Sammi,
On our last flight, they had a male FA and he was an absolute hoot!!!! He was doing the preflight info stuff and of the seat belt he said, "you buckle it just like you do everyday in your car" that was the end of that lesson. Then they got to the "complimentary air" should the plane have problems and he said the usual put your mask on first and then your child's or someone who is behaving like a child and then he said, "you will sound like this" and he proceeded to sound like the guy in Star Wars with his breathing and then he said " Luke, I am your father". I totally lost it!!! Then he started to point a "very important" landmark just before we landed in Hartford, he had us all looking..........at HIS house!!!! I know this looses a lot in the translation and it is almost "you needed to be there" but, a lot of the times these FAs are real clowns. Always professional, but, do prove the point that you can have fun while being professional. I do wish more airlines (or any business for that matter) would loosen up a bit, life should be fun.

On another flight, one FA sat with us for most of the trip. Getting up, of course, when needed. She was curious about Dee and I ( we are an interacial couple) and wanted our "read" on how we are treated. It seems she married someone from the middle East and was sort of in the same boat. It was a lot of fun and certainly made the flight interesting, she also bought us a drink.
I think part of the friendly attitude was because we had the correct amount for the first drinks.

Wow, this is long and I will stop!!!! I just love SWA and if they paid more I might consider working for them.

Enjoy your flight and your vacation. Remember, if you have any other questions, just ask.

 

[sammi]

Great stories Gail!! This is going to be a fun experience!!

Chip 'n Dale Express.....it sounds like the snack will be fine as our flight is around 2 1/2 hours.

I just stopped by here in between trying to pack for 3 1/2 weeks and I needed a real break and you just gave me a good laugh!!!

I hope we have just as good a flight as any one of yours!!!They sound like a totally awesome airline!

 

[CRCrazy]

(A heck of a lot better than the mystery meat log from previous years! lol)

'
LOL - we also fly the SW flight out of Manchester Airport - we like the 9 am flight leaving and the 3 pm flight returning!

My youngest used to LOVE the "Jim Stick" in the Southwest snack kits - We would gather all the leftovers from everyone else's and save them to put in her fanny pack for the parks! She was devastated in December, when we got the new, improved snack - Oreo's, a six pack of Cheese Nip crackers, and some gummi snacks - no Jim Sticks!

We also love Southwest - but don't fly them for the food! For our early morning snack - we hit the Dunkin Donut's in the airport for a muffin, although my oldest likes the fruit cup at the other little kiosk in the airport.

 

[Tink42]

We just returned today from WDW flying on Southwest from and to Buffalo. Snack was a drink and a bag of peanuts and a bag of Wheat Thins. Crew was amazing, enjoyed our flight very much. Only wish we didn't have to get home today as they were overbooked and offering money back on your ticket ( one way cost), also $300 (southwest credit) and they would pick up the cost of your accomodation for the night, meals and transportation to and from the hotel, if you would give up your seat. We would have been flown back home tomorrow but DH had to be back for a meeting.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Only wish we didn't have to get home today as they were overbooked and offering money back on your ticket ( one way cost), also $300 (southwest credit) and they would pick up the cost of your accomodation for the night, meals and transportation to and from the hotel, if you would give up your seat. We would have been flown back home tomorrow but DH had to be back for a meeting.

For that I would have "called in well".

 

[Bear Necessities]

This thread makes me feel much better. I hate flying and our family of 5 will be flying Southwest in August. This will only be my 2nd flight and Im already white knuckling it. Glad to know we will be in good hands. Thanks for posting the thread mylilnikita this is helpful info for me too!

 

[bigsis1970]

thanks everyone for the reassuring SWA thread here.. i will be trying it for the first time w/ my 2 kids ( just us 3 )out of MHT and glad to know they serve something other then just the 5 peanuts !! We also will be eating either on the way or in the airport - we have a 9 am flight .. Michelle

 

[sammi]

We just returned on Friday and flew Southwest for the very first time and I might say it won't be the last time either! We were very pleased with their service.

On the way down we were given a package of cookies and a drink of our choice (I chose a glass of orange juice) and on the return flight we were given a package of peanuts,a bag of crackers and a drink. All in all we were very pleased with the snacks, and some folks brought a little snack of their own choosing on the flight............which ok too.

By the way our flight was Buffalo to MCO also!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by bigsis1970
thanks everyone for the reassuring SWA thread here.. i will be trying it for the first time w/ my 2 kids ( just us 3 )out of MHT and glad to know they serve something other then just the 5 peanuts !! We also will be eating either on the way or in the airport - we have a 9 am flight .. Michelle

When I fly out of MHT, there's a small store near the Southwest gate... They have sandwiches, and salads in to-go containers. I usually pick something up from there for the flight, and it works out great

 

[NotUrsula]

We usually are on an evening flight, so I have to get dinner.

Air flights are the one and only time that DS (5) is allowed to have
Lunchables. I get a complete one that has punch in it, too, so that everything is there for him. Having his food complete is great, because he often does not want to wait until the FA's get around to passing out the drinks, and in a sealed package like that, I don't have to worry about spillage going through security.
(Had that happen once; they flipped the bag on its side without looking, and a glass juice bottle shattered on the belt.)

For the grownups, I get deli food. There is a deli that is on our route to the airport, and I call the order in ahead of time and tell them that I need it wrapped to travel, I also pre-pay with a CC. That way I can just run in, pick it up without waiting in line, and slip it into the little lunch-size soft cooler that we use in the parks; we put that in a carry-on. I make it a point not to get anything too pungent, out of consideration for the other passengers, but we do get envious looks over the peanuts!

 

[PatriciaH]

Since you can print out your boarding pass online now does that have your boarding group on it or do you have to check in again at the airport to get this?

 

[CarolA]

Actually what I printed out on SW was not a boarding pass but some type of security pass. I would then have to stand in line at the gate. So instead I just left that thing at home and stood in line at the counter to make sure I got an A pass.

 

[jimmytammy]

I am so glad you folks posted on SWA. Just about all my questions were answered without asking. One question, whats the deal about the boarding pass/boarding group? We will be traveling with Me DW DD who is 10 DS who is 9 and MIL. Would like to sit together or at least have kids with us close by.

We have been checking flights constantly for early Dec on Delta and just about every other airline close to us. Prices for direct flights keep rising. We got spoiled by Midway out of RDU but they shut doors. We flew Delta for $128 direct 1 1/2 hrs last Dec but same flight is $199 now for same time. Whats the deal?

Anyway, seriously checking into SWA now but its to far away time wise and SWA wont sell for Dec yet.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

am so glad you folks posted on SWA. Just about all my questions were answered without asking. One question, whats the deal about the boarding pass/boarding group? We will be traveling with Me DW DD who is 10 DS who is 9 and MIL. Would like to sit together or at least have kids with us close by.

The trick to this is get there early for a A or B boarding pass.

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/checkin.html

This should explain the boarding procedure. There is NO guarantee that you will sit together (naturally getting a boarding pass with an "a" or "b" on it will pretty much take care of that), and the FAs cannot move people to accomodate you, but, should it occur that you cannot find seats together, they will ask for people to volunteer to move to accomodate you.

 

[nhrenee]

I also fly SW out of Manchester, NH. The crew was really "on" , even for them, lol. The one that really cracked everybody up was "We would like to call your attention to a 80 year old man flying for the first time today", so naturally everyone is looking around to see who it is, then the FA says "Please say hello to our Captain on the way out!".

I love the lunchable idea. My daughter is always begging for those and I refuse to buy them. She would be thrilled!

Since I booked online and did "ticketless" travel, you need a "security document" (printed off SW website) as well as a photo id and copy of your itinerary.

I didn't check luggage in MHT and I didn't see the e-ticket check in machine in the SW waiting area so we checked in at the counter and got C tickets. Ended up almost last on the plane and sat behind one another. In Orlando, they had a whole row of machines before security. I used it about 2 hours before our flight and got an A card. It's even quicker if you have a rewards card.