Southwest Family Boarding--Did Age Change?

[mom2AidanAndEli]

I know there was a test run a month or so ago where they were including much older children in the family boarding process. Anyone who's flown recently run into this? Just wondering whatever happened.

We're a family of 4, two teenagers, but would still like to sit together! I didn't do EBCI for our trip down because it's never been an issue. I check in right at 24 hours, and get A or early-mid B--never had an issue sitting together. But now I'm thinking if every family with a child under, what was it 8 or 9, gets to board before the Bs, even a mid-B is going to be very late!

We did do EBCI for the ride home so hoping that will be all set.

So what's been your recent experience???

 

[disny_luvr]

When we flew Southwest last week families with children age 5 and below were able to board between boarding groups A and B. I'm not sure what the age was before so I don't know if it changed or not.

 

[n2mm]

I read they are still testing. I'll be flying them in two weeks will post back. Though we did buy early birds for all.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We're flying out Saturday and back the next Saturday. Will let you know what happens, tho we aren't headed for Orlando.

 

[codimouse]

We just landed today.
4 and under between groups A and B

 

[vicarrieous]

5 and younger? I thought the policy was 4 and younger. This would make me happy since we will have a just turned 5 year old and 2 year old at the time we fly.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

The official policy is still ages 4 and under.

 

[codimouse]

5 and younger? I thought the policy was 4 and younger. This would make me happy since we will have a just turned 5 year old and 2 year old at the time we fly.

Ugh. Sorry. Fat fingers. 4 and under. I will edit now.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Thanks all! Personally, I hope it stays at 4 and under. If they raise it to 8 or 9 or whatever they're thinking about, won't that be half the plane on a trip to and from Orlando???? I can see that getting ugly fast!

 

[codimouse]

Thanks all! Personally, I hope it stays at 4 and under. If they raise it to 8 or 9 or whatever they're thinking about, won't that be half the plane on a trip to and from Orlando???? I can see that getting ugly fast!

Exactly. Our departure and return flight was 3/4 kiddos.

 

[goofy4tink]

Flying out of TF Green in 10 says....we shall see! I did do EBCI though, I usually don't when I'm flying by myself.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Flying out of TF Green in 10 says....we shall see! I did do EBCI though, I usually don't when I'm flying by myself.

That's where I'll be flying from next month--looking forward to hearing what the latest is!

 

[Spunky946]

We just flew this week and it was 4 and under both ways.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks all! Personally, I hope it stays at 4 and under. If they raise it to 8 or 9 or whatever they're thinking about, won't that be half the plane on a trip to and from Orlando???? I can see that getting ugly fast!

And then it will be even MORE cranky kids who don't understand why they are sitting in a plane, not being able to be up and moving, while the plane just sits there for 30 more minutes...

Never understood boarding early for kids...just made my son more annoyed.

 

[dancin Disney style]

It's funny, almost every SW flight that I've been on in the last 4-ish years the ground agents have been super lax with the age 4 or under rule. Back in March of this year we flew to MCO and there was a family that we happened to ride the parking shuttle with. We chatted with them and the kids were 8 and 10. Turned out they were on our flight. When family boarding was called they got up and joined the line. I watched as I was curious if they would be sent back out of the line. No, they boarded. On our flight back home they were there again....same thing they used the family boarding. That flight, I would say there were at least 35-40 people in the family line(most were adults) and very few kids appeared to be under age 4.

I would like to see SW actually enforce their own rule, whatever that age may be and also only allow 1 adult with one child and 2 adults with more than 1 child. The exception would be a family with a lot of kids. More adults if there were say 6 kids or more....in a case like that though I would think that they would need to preboard and go straight to the back of the plane to have the time and space to get settled.

 

[goofy4tink]

The prevailing thought, years ago, was to keep your kids off the plane for as long as possible, so as to get as much excess energy as possible expended!! But, now with SW's boarding policies, that's gone the way of the dodo!! Sure, those with car seats need to board early in order to get it properly strapped in. But, for SW to have family boarding, that allows for the entire family to board and grab rows of seats together, while those who have paid for EBCI have to struggle to get 3 seats together, just doesn't seem right. Perhaps it's time for SW to allow all the EBCI passengers to board, then family boarding, then the non-EBCI people can board. If a family has a car seat to install, then they can pay EBCI and board with that group. Otherwise, it's family boarding.....and then be sure that those boarding in the family boarding group meet the qualifications. I just don't think it's fair to make those who have paid an addtl fee to have to wait until those who haven't paid the fee, but have young children, get to board prior to them.
Or, SW can just stop selling EBCI after the A group is done...no EBCI slots for B or C groups.

 

[dancin Disney style]

The prevailing thought, years ago, was to keep your kids off the plane for as long as possible, so as to get as much excess energy as possible expended!! But, now with SW's boarding policies, that's gone the way of the dodo!! Sure, those with car seats need to board early in order to get it properly strapped in. But, for SW to have family boarding, that allows for the entire family to board and grab rows of seats together, while those who have paid for EBCI have to struggle to get 3 seats together, just doesn't seem right. Perhaps it's time for SW to allow all the EBCI passengers to board, then family boarding, then the non-EBCI people can board. If a family has a car seat to install, then they can pay EBCI and board with that group. Otherwise, it's family boarding.....and then be sure that those boarding in the family boarding group meet the qualifications. I just don't think it's fair to make those who have paid an addtl fee to have to wait until those who haven't paid the fee, but have young children, get to board prior to them.
Or, SW can just stop selling EBCI after the A group is done...no EBCI slots for B or C groups.

I agree totally.

 

[DebbieB]

It's funny, almost every SW flight that I've been on in the last 4-ish years the ground agents have been super lax with the age 4 or under rule. Back in March of this year we flew to MCO and there was a family that we happened to ride the parking shuttle with. We chatted with them and the kids were 8 and 10. Turned out they were on our flight. When family boarding was called they got up and joined the line. I watched as I was curious if they would be sent back out of the line. No, they boarded. On our flight back home they were there again....same thing they used the family boarding. That flight, I would say there were at least 35-40 people in the family line(most were adults) and very few kids appeared to be under age 4.

I would like to see SW actually enforce their own rule, whatever that age may be and also only allow 1 adult with one child and 2 adults with more than 1 child. The exception would be a family with a lot of kids. More adults if there were say 6 kids or more....in a case like that though I would think that they would need to preboard and go straight to the back of the plane to have the time and space to get settled.

That happened on a flight I was on last year. I heard the family behind me talking at the gate. The wife said we got C, I guess I should have logged on at 24 hours. They called for family boarding, the husband said we're a family. The grandmother said "4 or under". Their kids looked 8 and 10. The husband said "let's go". They got in the family line (not the grandparents) and got on with no question.

 

[dancin Disney style]

That happened on a flight I was on last year. I heard the family behind me talking at the gate. The wife said we got C, I guess I should have logged on at 24 hours. They called for family boarding, the husband said we're a family. The grandmother said "4 or under". Their kids looked 8 and 10. The husband said "let's go". They got in the family line (not the grandparents) and got on with no question.

That really ticks me off. Using that same logic my 16yo and I are also a family. It's been a while since I had an A boarding slot so while I'm in low B slot I get to watch all the people trying to cheat the system board before me with their way over age 4 kids. Sometimes grandma and the etc. are also in the family line....that really burns me.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

That really ticks me off. Using that same logic my 16yo and I are also a family. It's been a while since I had an A boarding slot so while I'm in low B slot I get to watch all the people trying to cheat the system board before me with their way over age 4 kids. Sometimes grandma and the etc. are also in the family line....that really burns me.

Simple solution; don't fly Southwest.