Southwest Early Bird Checkin

[twinklebug]

Just checked in for our flight tomorrow (ISP-MCO), no EBCI, at exactly 24 hours before....and got B8-B11!! I've never had a B before. I hope we will be able to sit together. I'm pretty sure it's a full flight, but still....

We did buy EBCI for the way home as we will be on a Disney Cruise and didn't want to have to think about it. I hope it works out better.

In General, the early Bs aren't bad. There are still a number of open rows mid to back of the plane. You'll do fine. Have a great trip!

 

[johde]

Flew back yesterday from MCO to Columbus, OH. I purchased EBC on Sept 7th. I received A18. I was the first to board after preboarding and I got the extra row. I purchased it more for the convience of not needing to checkin at 8:30 a.m. my last morning.

 

[twinklebug]

We just used this and what a waste of money!1 I really didnt even want it and I think I got it accidently but with all my medical issues I just didnt want to deal with trying to fix it. We got at the airport and I had to get a wheelchair, we were late because of severe bad weather. The boarding agent let other people and wheelchairs on in front of us even though we had like A17 and A18, we ended up in the last row in the plane.

Coming back we had like A18 and A19 too and since I had the wheelchair we did preboard anyway.

I am not planning on going to disney until next dec. but by then I hope I figure out how not to push the wrong button on the computer

So even though I had the early bird and the wheelchair they didnt take us in front of any other wheelchair pre boards, not that I was ecpecting that, but it just shows they dont even look at the pass if you are not in the reg. A line etc,

I'm sorry the first leg of the trip didn't go well. Please, don't hesitate to ask for pre-boarding when you're having medical issues (and this goes beyond just the wheel chair bit). You had every reason in the world to send someone up to the desk and ask for a blue(?) sleeve which will get you into the right boarding order even though you had an excellent boarding number.

The only complaint I have about pre-boarders are the people you see abusing it - the groups of 20 somethings heading off to ski pushing one or two fully capable friends in chairs (and switching off with others when they want to run to a store or the bathroom)

 

[jpeka65844]

I'm still on the fence about this so let me ask, what would YOU do?

We leave in 2 weeks. Right now, I have no EBCI purchased. I'm thinking I'll do it at least for the return flight seeing as how we'll be in a park at 24 hrs prior and won't want to fool with checking in.

When I fly out, it will be only me and DS4. Does SWA no longer do small children preboarding? I don't want to pay the $$, then be allowed to preboard anyway. If I call the airline, will they be able to give me an answer??

And if I don't pay it and just take my chances at 24 hrs, then there may be the slim possibility that my son and I will be separated. I know that has been discussed before and (no flames please) I will NOT be separated from my 4 yo son when I'm the only parent flying with him.

So, I feel like SWA is trying to SCARE me into buying it, but in the end, they may render my purchase useless.....

I don't know what to do!!!

 

[Lewisc]

Normal boarding procedure allows one adult with a child under age 5 (age 4 and younger) to board between the As and Bs. Family pre-boarding was replaced with family mid-boarding a few years ago.

Do you have a N/S flight? A late flight can result in passengers getting to the gate for their connecting flight after plane has already boarded. A BS ticket, A-Lister status, EB, low sequence number or even eligibility for family "mid-boarding" won't do you any good if SW is holding the plane for you and the only remaining seats are scattered.

To answer your question, if your child will be under the age of 5 at the time of your flight I'd save the few dollars and either board with an A BP or take advantage of family "mid-boarding". If your child will be 5 (or older) at the time of your flight you should spend the few dollars for EBCI.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Chicago to Orlando - departing on Christmas. Purchased EBCI and have A29.

 

[jpeka65844]

Normal boarding procedure allows one adult with a child under age 5 (age 4 and younger) to board between the As and Bs. Family pre-boarding was replaced with family mid-boarding a few years ago.

Do you have a N/S flight? A late flight can result in passengers getting to the gate for their connecting flight after plane has already boarded. A BS ticket, A-Lister status, EB, low sequence number or even eligibility for family "mid-boarding" won't do you any good if SW is holding the plane for you and the only remaining seats are scattered.

To answer your question, if your child will be under the age of 5 at the time of your flight I'd save the few dollars and either board with an A BP or take advantage of family "mid-boarding". If your child will be 5 (or older) at the time of your flight you should spend the few dollars for EBCI.

Thanks for your opinions, Lewis! Our flight out is the first one of the day, bright and early at 7:55 AM so no worries about continuing/connecting flights there.

And thank you for the reassurance that SWA doesn't PRE board but rather MID boards small children. DS is 4 so I should be good using this feature with him. I'll check in right at 24 hrs anyway; no worries there.

I DID get EBCI on the way back though. We'll be in the parks 24-36 hours prior and I like the idea of not worrying about check in.

 

[carmie3377]

Do you have a N/S flight? A late flight can result in passengers getting to the gate for their connecting flight after plane has already boarded. A BS ticket, A-Lister status, EB, low sequence number or even eligibility for family "mid-boarding" won't do you any good if SW is holding the plane for you and the only remaining seats are scattered.

We had this problem. We were in the A40s but due to our first flight arriving late, by the time we arrived at our new gate, they were boarding the Bs. They let us sneak in during the mid Bs and we still ended up on row 18 to get 3 seats together. Had we been a few minutes later (or our connecting been on time as it was about 10 minutes late), DD10 may had been sitting by herself and I would have had to request someone to move so I could sit with DS3.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

We're flying out today. We checked in right on the 24 hour mark and got A27, 29 , 30 and 31. Not sure why A28 was skipped?

We have EBCI for the return flight on NYs day.
Merry Christmas!

 

[preschoolmom]

I'd love opinions on our situation:

A 7:15 am non stop flight from Chicago to Orlando. Our flight is Saturday, May 29th (the start of Memorial Day weekend).

Would you pay EBCI - We're a family of five. Our kids will be ages 6 & 7, but it is the kids' first flight.

If we check in at 24 hours - will that be enough to get us in the A's? It is important to me for us to sit with the kids (we will split 3/2 - but I can't picture any of my kids sitting alone on their first flight).

I would prefer to save the $100 - but... I'll spend it if I have to.

Thoughts? Opinions? Thanks!

 

[keishashadow]

I'd love opinions on our situation:

A 7:15 am non stop flight from Chicago to Orlando. Our flight is Saturday, May 29th (the start of Memorial Day weekend).

Would you pay EBCI - We're a family of five. Our kids will be ages 6 & 7, but it is the kids' first flight.

If we check in at 24 hours - will that be enough to get us in the A's? It is important to me for us to sit with the kids (we will split 3/2 - but I can't picture any of my kids sitting alone on their first flight).

I would prefer to save the $100 - but... I'll spend it if I have to.

Thoughts? Opinions? Thanks!

jmho, the goal of sitting together doesn't require getting an A boarding pass. If your objective is to sit next to eachother vs sitting near the front of the plane (where most A boarders tend to sit), you probably wouldn't have a problem if you checkin @ T - 24 hours and head toward back 1/2 of the plane.

 

[preschoolmom]

jmho, the goal of sitting together doesn't require getting an A boarding pass. If your objective is to sit next to eachother vs sitting near the front of the plane (where most A boarders tend to sit), you probably wouldn't have a problem if you checkin @ T - 24 hours and head toward back 1/2 of the plane.

Thanks! This is what I needed to know. I haven't flown in a really long time. Of course I'd prefer the front of the plane, but I don't think it is $100 important to me Sitting with my kids was $100 important to me.

I'll be waiting right at the 24 hour mark - but now I don't need to worry for 5 months if for some reason we don't get an A.

I appreciate your reply!

 

[Echo queen]

Just checked in 24 hrs on the dot seats A44-47. $40 saved. Yeah

 

[krissyh]

Purchased EBCI for a MLK weekend trip from BUF to MCO - mostly to not have to worry about T-24 while at UO.
Hoping it will get us on early enough to get the exit row.
Otherwise, I'm torn. Not sure if we (niece 15) should take matching aisle (I know they don't exactly line up) seats or if I'm willing to get stuck in the middle with a stranger on the aisle.
Oh, do I hate this open seating nonsense, but, you get what you pay for and the flight was dirt cheap.

What kind of luck have people had out of BUF?

 

[mdteacher]

I think I will skip early boarding purchase for flight out of Baltimore at 6:40 am on a weekday, but am considering it for return since we'll be in parks 24 hours prior. We are going in April (not spring break), does anyone know how far in advance I can purchase early boarding if I decide to go that route?

Thanks so much!

 

[miprender]

I think I will skip early boarding purchase for flight out of Baltimore at 6:40 am on a weekday, but am considering it for return since we'll be in parks 24 hours prior. We are going in April (not spring break), does anyone know how far in advance I can purchase early boarding if I decide to go that route?

Thanks so much!

I purchased mine in OCT the day the flights were released for April, but I only purchased it for our return flight home.

HTH

 

[bellebookworm9]

I think I will skip early boarding purchase for flight out of Baltimore at 6:40 am on a weekday, but am considering it for return since we'll be in parks 24 hours prior. We are going in April (not spring break), does anyone know how far in advance I can purchase early boarding if I decide to go that route?

Thanks so much!

You can purchase it anytime from now until 25 hours before the flight. However, I think I read somewhere that they assign BPs based on when you purchase it, so you may want to take that into consideration.

 

[Tam1067]

We fly home tomorrow at 5:20 from MCO to Chicago. I Juliet checked. We have A22-26. I bought EBCI about a month ago.

I suppose I could have had a decent boarding number without it, but one of my odd has anxiety issues and it's important to me that we sit near the front and together. So I paid. That said I would not pay extra under normal circumstances.

 

[DisneyFan620]

i think we'll just be getting it for our return flight... not our flight there...

 

[momto3boys]

We did obtain A #20-22 but, wound up half-way back on the planedue to 4 blue-sleeve guests (2 actual - elderly individuals - and their companions) who planted themselves in staggered fashion with arms draped over the aisle in front & behind them throughout the first 6 rows of the plane...effectively taking 36 seats out of 'play'.

I personally would have been furious and I think you had every right to be upset. My question is: If the policy is to allow this nonsense to occur unless it slows boarding then what would they have done had you tried to sit in those seats and it stopped the process? Would the FAs have stepped in and asked you to move on? Would they have told them they cannot save seats? I'm sure this has happened many times already.