Southwest Early Bird Checkin

[RMAMom]

While I agree with you in theory, here's my issue. Until every single person is aware of the whole EBCI system, it isn't a level playing field. Let's say I bought my tickets for my visit to my dad in Florida the day SW opened the window for my flights. There was nothing on the website that said anything about EBCI. Of course there wasn't...it wasn't in effect yet. So....assuming that I am a normal traveler and don't frequent online message boards, I have no idea what is going on. I go to my trusty computer at the 24 hr mark and find that I now have bps that are A58 and A59..what the heck?? Or worse yet..it's a great time to travel and I go online to checking and get B bps!!! Now, I have the entire A group boarding first, then all the families (who are now going to be saving seats because SW seems to think that's okay). I had no idea there was such a thing as EBCI.

I don't know. It all doesn't really impact me. I'm just playing devil's advocate I guess.

I received an email about EBCI from Southwest a day or two after I found out about it here. I did purchase my tickets online so they have my email but I don't know if I had booked on the phone if they would have that info.

Has anyone had any notice from Southwest other than email? Are they mentioning this to those that book on the phone?

 

[Nohal]

I never received an email from them after it was announced. I also booked on line for flight and then again for EBCI.

 

[Avonlady1001]

I received an email about EBCI from Southwest a day or two after I found out about it here. I did purchase my tickets online so they have my email but I don't know if I had booked on the phone if they would have that info.

Has anyone had any notice from Southwest other than email? Are they mentioning this to those that book on the phone?

I booked my tickets online back in April for travel the end of this month, they have all my info & they never notified me about it in any way. I read about it here first (the Dis is WONDERFUL)...someone said it was on the news. I didn't see it since I rarely watch the news...it wasn't in my local paper. I read that cover to cover every day.

On SW's site (which I go to every few days to see if my air has gone down) there is nothing really jumping out at you about it. It's there on the home page, but it's small.

I imagine something must pop up for you to pay for it when you book your tickets now...how else are you to know?

 

[babybaja2]

I received an email about EBCI from Southwest a day or two after I found out about it here. I did purchase my tickets online so they have my email but I don't know if I had booked on the phone if they would have that info.

Has anyone had any notice from Southwest other than email? Are they mentioning this to those that book on the phone?

I'm new to Disboards, for about a month now, and just happened across this thread a few days ago. I booked my Southwest tickets on line and they have my email address, but have not received an email about EBCI, so I would not have known if I hadn't seen this thread...

So, NO - the playing field is not level at this time... if we knew about the EBCI before purchasing our tickets, then that would be fair, knowing you risk not sitting together, or picking an airline that assigns seats... but for southwest to toss in a grenade while we are all blindfolded is just wrong...

and the funny thing is.. I could pay for my family, (which most people that want to sit together are doing) but it doesn't mean you will sit together... so all you are paying for is to hopefully board the plane a little sooner... maybe...

 

[pooch]

I did. I signed up for early bird check in on our return trip (on 9/29). This way I don't have to worry about getting back to the hotel 24 hours prior to check in ( I will be eating dinner in Teppan Edo 24 hours prior).

that you don't have to go back to the hotel to check in? This can be done at Guest Services at any park.

 

[Oshawa]

that you don't have to go back to the hotel to check in? This can be done at Guest Services at any park.

Really?? I didn't know this.

 

[tjmw2727]

Really?? I didn't know this.

Yes, guest relations at all the parks as well as the resorts will check you in, you can check in from a mobile phone if you are web enabled or a family member or friend can check you in from home. Then you can just re-print at the airport!

I have done it at Epcot and the Studios, just go a little early in case of a line.

Most of the time I use my cellphone or ask my sister to check me in if she is at work at T24. For our flight home in December I did purchase the EBCI - we shall see how that goes!

 

[1stvisit0909]

We did the EBCI. For our flight back we got A20-23. I purchased them the day the announcment came out. It was nice not having to worry about check in while we were at the parks.

For the record, MCO SW was still boarding families with children 4 and under between A & B.

 

[travelin' tigger]

Since our flight didn't seem full and it's a Thurs. night in Sept., we opted NOT to do EBCI. At the 24 hr. mark, my laptop was sluggish and it took a few extra seconds to get my reservation up but I got A42 and A43.

 

[Shelly S]

Just checked in for our flight BDL to MCO without using the EBCI. I had to check in 2 separate reservations and got A30 and 31 and A38 and 39.

 

[seashoreCM]

Really?? I didn't know this.

But you cannot time it precisely. If you are next in line at Guest Relations and T-24 hasn't arrived yet, the GR clerk will get a failure message when he tries to check you in for your flight. Or (if he knows how this all works) he'll take the next person while you remain in the on deck circle but when he finishes with that next person and gets the computer and mouse ready, it may be a few minutes after T-24.

 

[twinklebug]

For the record, MCO SW was still boarding families with children 4 and under between A & B.

Was it entire families, or just small groups? I have no issue with them boarding an adult with a child under 4 between A&B. It's when they permit the child and 5 adults all as a part of the same "family" to board together at MCO that I have an issue. There was a reason I stalked the computer at T-24 and now have paid for EBCI.

We booked our flights for our trip starting tomorrow when they released the dates. ...

the convenience of not losing park time our last day to check in at noon it was worth the extra money. I should not have booked early bird for flight going down. Printed our boarding passes at 24hr mark and we got A16 - A17. Are these the first boarding numbers?

Now that is exactly how it's intended to be used - as a convince. Could you check to see if those behind you boarding used EBCI?

 

[seashoreCM]

I should not have booked early bird for flight going down. Printed our boarding passes at 24hr mark and we got A16 - A17. Are these the first boarding numbers? .

Yes these are the first boarding numbers for "general" fliers including Ding ticket purchasers. Early bird kicked in and, this time, secured for you, somewhere around T-25, A16 and A17 that might otherwise have gone to someone else who did not book early bird but who clicked his mouse at T-23:59:59.9998 which is slightly before you clicked yours at T-23:59:59.9997.

 

[JLKennedy]

Slightly off topic:

I tried to book SW in March for Sept. trip. $59 each way, but got error message 3 times online, so I called and was able to book at $59 each way (return flight too), since it wasn't a "web only" price.

My question:

I have 4 people on my 1 confirmation number. I need to only check in T24 1 time right?

If each of us had our own confirmation numbers, I'd check all 4 in, but since I have just 1 confirm, it will automatically check all 4 of us under the 1?

Thanks! Next Thursday is my T24.

 

[JLKennedy]

Was it entire families, or just small groups? I have no issue with them boarding an adult with a child under 4 between A&B. It's when they permit the child and 5 adults all as a part of the same "family" to board together at MCO that I have an issue. There was a reason I stalked the computer at T-24 and now have paid for EB

Not to create an argument, but what else would define family boarding?

I have 4 people flying:

Me
Husband
Daughter 10
Son 4

We should board between A & B during the family boarding, as we are a family. If the rule is a parent and a child 4 and under, yes, you have a valid point, but from what I understand, it is family, so my husband and 10 year old, should board too.....now grandma, grandpa, aunt mary, uncle floyd...NO

 

[Moomduck1]

I did the EB check-in on the day that it was announced for our trip to MCO tomorrow. We had booked individual flights, so I had to do each person separately for their EB. At the time, people were wondering if the "financial" end of the ticket would play into how boarding numbers were assigned. DD's ticket was a reward ticket (free) so I did hers 2nd to see if it made any difference. It did not. I got A18, she got A19, and the other 2 going with us got A20 and A21. I am very happy that I did EB. Not just because of the boarding numbers, but because I was running around this morning and it totally would have messed me up to be sitting at the computer at exactly 24 hours prior and entering 4 separate confirmation numbers in. We are also doing EB for the way home, because it is more convenient than worrying about finding guest relations 24 hrs prior. We are only going for a long weekend, so this makes it much more relaxing.

 

[Moomduck1]

Not to create an argument, but what else would define family boarding?

I have 4 people flying:

Me
Husband
Daughter 10
Son 4

We should board between A & B during the family boarding, as we are a family. If the rule is a parent and a child 4 and under, yes, you have a valid point, but from what I understand, it is family, so my husband and 10 year old, should board too.....now grandma, grandpa, aunt mary, uncle floyd...NO

I have been on flights where the FA have allowed entire families (like the 4 in your immediate family) to board together for family boarding. And I have been on flights when the FA said no, just one parent and the 4yr old, the others go when they have the boarding pass. Makes no sense to me. I wasn't paying that much attention to it, as my children were older, but I did notice that it was different. There were no problems at the airport though. I would have noticed if families were upset.

 

[goofy4tink]

Not to create an argument, but what else would define family boarding?

I have 4 people flying:

Me
Husband
Daughter 10
Son 4

We should board between A & B during the family boarding, as we are a family. If the rule is a parent and a child 4 and under, yes, you have a valid point, but from what I understand, it is family, so my husband and 10 year old, should board too.....now grandma, grandpa, aunt mary, uncle floyd...NO

Your scenario shouldn't be an issue. But Uncle Floyd??? Nope!!! It is when families try to get everyone in their group..extended or not...on the plane with them. And that is abusing the perk for families.

When I was flying Delta a few years ago....they announced, at the start of boarding, that anyone who might need a bit of extra time boarding or getting settled was free to board at that time...before everyone else. Well...you should have seen how many people got up and ran to the gate!! It was truly incredible. There was one family, of about 6 with no young children or anyone visibly in need, who had been sitting nearby, that when they got up, one of the teenagers asked her father why they were boarding early. His answer?? "Quiet. Just follow your mother and I and we can get on faster." Man....what was the point??? Seats are assigned, no one was going to take their seats. Of course, when my dd and I finally boarded, at the end of the group because we were closer to the front of the plane, there was that same family...three rows behind us and still standing up and chatting and 'getting settled'....making it very difficult for others to get by them. The teenager?? Oh, she was nicely seated!!

 

[TheWog]

BUT...according to the way this works, if 75 people pay, they are not all going to get A passes. Some will get B passes. Then you have to wait until after family boarding. If 130 people pay, then some of them might get C passes. If there are already people on the plane, that obviously cuts down on available seats. There's no guarantees about what pass number you'll get or where you'll sit. It's all based on how many people pay per flight.

So, they are not getting first come first served boarding pass numbers?

 

[bookwormde]

JLKennedy,

My experience has been that the whole immediate family (no aunts and uncles) has been able to board, but I have seen post where it was just the child and 1 adult. I am thinking that they left the wording open to interpretation for allow the gate agents some flexibility on flights where family boarding for the complete family would be 50% of the airplane.

bookwormde