Southwest Early Bird Checkin

[Lewisc]

The "rule" as per the website is one adult with the 4 year old son. GA will generally let the entire family board, sometimes even the extended family. The "real rule" is whatever the GA announces. The fewer famlies on the flight the more liberal the GA is likely to be.

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

 

[JLKennedy]

That's fine. I almost rather wait with my kids, because if you've ever seen a 60 pound, 4 ft tall....nothing but testosterone boy...you've met my son. He can't sit still, and I'd be chasing him more than he'd be in his seat.

But let's be honest, as a parent, as long as each of us (parents) can find a seat with 1 child, it's not the end of the world. We are all closed in on a plane for 3 hours....where will they go? And heaven forbid the oxygen masks come down, I highly doubt the adult/passenger sitting next to you 8 year old, wouldn't assist your child...I just don't see what the point is.

This is my first SW flight, I am usually a Spirit flier, so now that I know the actual rule is 1 adult and 1 child 4 or under, that clarifies.

But how do I check in? I have 1 confirmation for all 4 of us. Is it 1 check in or 4?

Thanks!

 

[tjmw2727]

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 don't think SWA calls it "family boarding", per the website:

"An adult traveling with a child four years old or younger will board between the “A” and “B” boarding groups. If you have an “A” boarding pass, please feel free to board with that boarding group. With an all-jet fleet outfitted with comfortable, leather seats, our families with small children are easily accommodated together. "

Most of the time your entire famiy will board but in markets with large numbers of children/families they can be more strict.

 

[taliategan]

I did not realize this was available a few weeks ago when I purchased our departing flight tickets for January. I think I will buy them for my wife and two daughters (9 & 7) to assure that one of us will be sitting with them. Also, my wife is not a flyer and helps her a lot if she is sitting in the front of the plane. I will check-in at the 24 hour mark for my boarding pass - I will be curious to see how far behind them I will be in boarding. It does not matter to me where I sit, but I think I will probably be able to get a middle seat fairly close to them. I do not mind the 24 hour check-in procedure, but I am sure there will be a time when I will not be able to do it. I do like SW because there are no other add on fees, so I am not really in favor of this early bird check-in fee - but with children, there is not option but buying to make sure you can sit with your kids.

 

[Nennie]

FYI regarding Southwest notification of EBCI.

I'm flying this weekend (tickets booked months ago), and got an email last night with the subject, "Nennie, Your trip is right around the corner." When I opened the email it gives me my confirmation number and "announces" EBCI, with a link to purchase it.

So it looks like SW will be sending these emails out a few days before our flights? Kind of stinks for those who want to purchase it (I did not purchase it) since EBCI is supposedly done in the order of when EBCI was purchased.

Anyway, just wanted to post the info in case anyone was interested!

 

[Moomduck1]

But how do I check in? I have 1 confirmation for all 4 of us. Is it 1 check in or 4?

Thanks!

Put the one number in. After you submit that number, it will bring you to another page. Each person's name will be listed and there will be a checkbox next to each name. Click on each person's name.

 

[TDC Nala]

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.

"Family boarding" doesn't mean your whole family always boards when you have a child under 5. The usual boarding as performed at most airports I've been to is for the eligible child, parents and siblings (or whoever the accompanying adult is if it's not a parent). If the gate agents feel there are too many persons in the family boarding line, they MIGHT announce that family boarding will be limited to the eligible child plus one adult. I have seen that happen twice at MCO when there were around 50 people in the family boarding line.

 

[TDC Nala]

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

Not sure what this means - but if 75 people pay the early bird fee, there's no way they're all getting A passes. Is anyone aware of the order in which they're checked in? If it's that the first to pay is the first to be checked in, then how do you know, at the time you pay, how many passengers paid the early bird fee ahead of you? Those questions should be asked before one purchases Early Bird with the idea of guaranteeing themselves an A pass.

 

[Tricia1972]

From what I read at Southwest.com, it sounds like your EBCI order is based upon your fare. Dings seated after internet specials. Internet specials seated after Wanna Get Aways, and so on.

Once you're sorted by 'fare class', then it's based on when you purchased EBCI.

So if you "Ding" and purchase EBCI late in the game, you would be a B in your instance of 75 people purchasing EBCI.

 

[bavaria]

But let's be honest, as a parent, as long as each of us (parents) can find a seat with 1 child, it's not the end of the world. We are all closed in on a plane for 3 hours....where will they go? And heaven forbid the oxygen masks come down, I highly doubt the adult/passenger sitting next to you 8 year old, wouldn't assist your child...I just don't see what the point is.

Thank you for being reasonable. The reality is that posters on this thread and the other one HAVE accused others of not helping, which astounds me, as very few posters know each other in real life, and very few people have been through such situations and know how they will react. Often strangers do better than parents/spouses in such situations.

And yet other posters are claiming the child molestor scenario. I cannot imagine a more confined, secured space than an aircraft for someone to commit a crime, unless they plan to be another DB Cooper. Of course there is a very remote chance of something untoward happening, but people need to weigh those chances as part of their decision making process. If one believes that child molestors are on board aircraft on a regular basis, then it would make sense to do whatever it takes (ie purchase early boarding, or a seat on AirTran, or fly a legacy carrier with assigned seats) to have the most assurance of seats together.

Accusing other posters of such heinous behaviour is hyperbole, and some people are just grasping at weak arguments or counting on shock value to validate their behaviour.

 

[NLD]

Just wanted to let everyone know...

We (family of three, me, dh, and dd5) leave for Orlando tomorrow. My dd's and my tickets were purchased together, dh's was purchased separately, so I had to do two online check-ins this morning due to two different confirmation numbers.

We did not purchase EBCI.

At the 24 hour mark I checked in... or tried to. My browser wouldn't send the info for some reason and I had to redo it all. By the time the check-ins went through, it was about 12 minutes past the 24 hour mark.

I ended up with a B12, dd ended up with B13, and dh ended up with B18.


I don't know if we would have gotten As if it weren't for the Internet/browser difficulties, or if there were enough EBCIs purchased for our flight that all As were already given out, or what... but there you have it.

Bs are just fine for us, I expect it won't be too hard to get dd seated with at least one parent.

 

[Lewisc]

Passengers who connect in your city get their BPs 24 hours before their first flight. They can get their BPs at least 1.5 hours before you can.

Unless your flight is very early connecting passengers is the most likely explanation.

 

[NLD]

Thank you for the explanation LewisC--that makes sense.

.

 

[Belle102498]

Just wanted to let you all know the situation I encountered. I have a flight leaving tomorrow at 1:05. I checked in today at 1:06, and got B 03 and B 04. Now, this isn't really an issue for me and my husband, because when we get to the airport we are able to get the pre-boarding passes. (We are both handicapped). But I just wanted to let people know that it looks like the afternoon flights get more people doing the early-bird check in, so if you want A group for an afternoon flight the early check in seems to be the way to go. Just though I would let ya know.

 

[bar10der421]

I tried checking in yesterday at the 24 hr and 1 min mark and was not accecpted. Hit the submit button again at exactly 24 hrs and received B11 and B12.

We can live with that, but for the return I am not sure I will have access to a computer the day before our flight. Since I seem to have developed a strong apprehension about flying in my "old age", I would not be happy being in the C group if it meant not sitting with DH.

Therefore, I bit the bullet and coughed up the $20 for EBCI for our flight home. We will see what happens.

 

[luvmy3jewels]

I just checked in to our flights out of ORF exactly 24 hours before our flights. We have six in our party flying and we all got A passes (22-27). I have already paid for the Early Bird seating on the return flight just for the sake of convenience.

 

[Mayhem1976]

I just checked in for my flight, PVD-->MCO non early bird, at T-24 hours and we got A29, A31 and A33. Which is crazy to me because we were all on 1 confirmation number!

 

[Avonlady1001]

Just checked my sister in (flying alone) BWI-MCO at T24 non early bird. She got B6. Not an issue since she's alone...it's the 8:55am flight. I told her not to worry, she'll get an aisle or window SOMEWHERE...

I really hate it, but I think I'm gonna pay the $40 & do EBCI for me, DH, DD4 & DS1. I just can't stand the stress. I know one thing, though, unless the SW flights are super cheap & adding $80 on for this nonsense STILL comes out cheaper than Jetblue, this is the LAST time I fly SW.

ETA: I did it. Paid for our return flight, but am taking our chances on the outbound. Sent SW a nasty email about how this will be my last flights w/ SW. Feel better now that I said my piece to them. Won't matter one damn bit in their eyes. But it does in mine.

 

[twinklebug]

I'm VERY interested in what the queue numbers will be going to/from big resort destinations (mco) as we approach the holidays, for both those who paid for EBCI and those who checked in at T-24.

 

[DVC Sadie]

I'm VERY interested in what the queue numbers will be going to/from big resort destinations (mco) as we approach the holidays, for both those who paid for EBCI and those who checked in at T-24.

I'm almost afraid to read the outcome.

I've been lurking and reading both this thread and the other thread and I have to say that this thread is so much more civilized and reasonable.