Southwest Family Boarding--Did Age Change?

[Boopuff]

Oops. yes you're correct.... the families were AFTER A group...

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Yes, SWA will accommodate you!

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Southwest doesn't require children to be seated by their parents. If this is important to you, you should pay for EBCI

 

[mickeyhereicome]

I read through some of this post and I didn't see a post that said one way or the other on the age. I read this on SWA website; General boarding starts with Business Select customers, who are guaranteed positions at the front of the A Group, followed by Rapid Rewards tier Members and the remaining Customers in the A Group, families with children under age 5, then groups B and C.

Also on SWA website;
Do families get to preboard?

An adult traveling with a child four years old or younger may board during Family Boarding, which occurs after the “A” group has boarded and before the “B” group begins boarding. If the child and the adult are both holding an “A” boarding pass, they should both board with the “A” boarding group.

 

[senadler]

I just flew SWA last week. Family boarding was still 4 and under, but they also announced only two adults could board with the child. I have seen very large families with many adults board during this time before with only one child. I don't know if this was isolated or a change in the policy.

 

[DebbieB]

I just flew SWA last week. Family boarding was still 4 and under, but they also announced only two adults could board with the child. I have seen very large families with many adults board during this time before with only one child. I don't know if this was isolated or a change in the policy.

I've seen them announce parents only many times, no grandparents, aunts, cousins, etc. I've also seen them turn away grandparents from the line (assuming a parent is there).

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

This surprises me, only because the Flight Attendants/Crew arrive at the gate, check in, and board and prepare the plane. The Gate Agents control boarding.

This confuses me as well. Wasn't this your experience on your return trip, not your flight to your family?

It was my return trip, I just felt like she was judging me for flying under those circumstances. And obviously I had to fly home from said visit. Now, could I have been reading too much into it? Possibly as I was very emotional, my hormones were way out there (ended up with extremely low thyroid since that pregnancy) but I still think there was a better way to handle the situation. Even without pre-boarding a little kindness or help would have been appreciated.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

It was my return trip, I just felt like she was judging me for flying under those circumstances. And obviously I had to fly home from said visit. Now, could I have been reading too much into it? Possibly as I was very emotional, my hormones were way out there (ended up with extremely low thyroid since that pregnancy) but I still think there was a better way to handle the situation. Even without pre-boarding a little kindness or help would have been appreciated.

If you're talking about your experience not being allowed to pre-board with children on United, again, they don't do this. Gate agents and flight attendants deal with all sorts of people all day long, including people who are real pains, so it is likely you just took things too personally.

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

If you're talking about your experience not being allowed to pre-board with children on United, again, they don't do this. Gate agents and flight attendants deal with all sorts of people all day long, including people who are real pains, so it is likely you just took things too personally.

I'm not sure they didn't pre-board back then. It was 15 years ago and I had pre-boarded the trip out. Either way, I understand if they didn't allow pre-boarding at that airport. It was the attitude and treatment that bothered me. If they had allowed me to pre-board and still treated me so rudely I would still not like it. And as I said even just offering to help by carrying a car seat would have been nice. Or being patient while I was boarding in my proper boarding call would have made my outlook different.

I can understand policies are different at different airports/airlines and no I don't expect them to bend the rules for me or anything. Still you can say no we don't pre-board while being nice. I guess when I was growing up I was taught to treat everyone with respect so I hadn't expected such a snarky attitude. I have never encountered a bad attitude from any of Southwest's employees so we fly with them now.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm not sure they didn't pre-board back then. It was 15 years ago and I had pre-boarded the trip out. Either way, I understand if they didn't allow pre-boarding at that airport. It was the attitude and treatment that bothered me. If they had allowed me to pre-board and still treated me so rudely I would still not like it. And as I said even just offering to help by carrying a car seat would have been nice. Or being patient while I was boarding in my proper boarding call would have made my outlook different.

I can understand policies are different at different airports/airlines and no I don't expect them to bend the rules for me or anything. Still you can say no we don't pre-board while being nice. I guess when I was growing up I was taught to treat everyone with respect so I hadn't expected such a snarky attitude. I have never encountered a bad attitude from any of Southwest's employees so we fly with them now.

A bad attitude is never acceptable. However it is also not the job of anyone on the aircraft to haul your stuff on board for you. As you have said, you were emotional at the time, so I'm sure stuff that you would have normally shrugged off bothered you. It happens to most of us.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I'm not sure they didn't pre-board back then. It was 15 years ago and I had pre-boarded the trip out. Either way, I understand if they didn't allow pre-boarding at that airport. It was the attitude and treatment that bothered me. If they had allowed me to pre-board and still treated me so rudely I would still not like it. And as I said even just offering to help by carrying a car seat would have been nice. Or being patient while I was boarding in my proper boarding call would have made my outlook different.

I can understand policies are different at different airports/airlines and no I don't expect them to bend the rules for me or anything. Still you can say no we don't pre-board while being nice. I guess when I was growing up I was taught to treat everyone with respect so I hadn't expected such a snarky attitude. I have never encountered a bad attitude from any of Southwest's employees so we fly with them now.

I'm not sure you mentioned this happened 15 years ago; kind of a long time to hold a grudge over a pretty minor incident.

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

A bad attitude is never acceptable. However it is also not the job of anyone on the aircraft to haul your stuff on board for you. As you have said, you were emotional at the time, so I'm sure stuff that you would have normally shrugged off bothered you. It happens to most of us.

I never thought it was their job. I was noticing that one airline has people that offer to do something kind (maybe not part of their job but they offer) and prefer that airline. That's why my family loves Disney because they did more than just their job, they went above the mark. My kid got sick at the park and they offered a shuttle to get him and DH back to the room quick. The Housekeeping also brought extra sheets. I also look for ways to help others like passing extra glow sticks to fussy kids, I stay and help clean up at events even if that wasn't my volunteer position, etc. It is the way I was raised.

I'm not sure you mentioned this happened 15 years ago; kind of a long time to hold a grudge over a pretty minor incident.

I was never misleading. I said when my older kids were little so anyone noticing my signature could see how old my kids are now. Which reminds me I will need to update the boys ages as they have had birthdays since I last did. I never said I held a grudge, I just mentioned to another poster how yes one bad representative may color our opinion of a company. They had mentioned one with Southwest so I thought to point out there are people with attitudes on other airlines. I hadn't thought of it in years. Who knows maybe someday we'll fly United doubtful as we always find a better price on SW but ya never know.

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't expect anything extra. For instance...as many know, my dd flew to London a few weeks ago. She said she needed all that crap, I told her to winnow it down to just one checked bag. Oh no, I can't live for three months with just that one bag. Well, I told her, you're going to need to be able to lug those two big bags around, in addition to your large carry on tote bag!!! She knew no one was going to help her out...she made the choice to take all that stuff, she gets to move it around!!! I'm sure she felt stupid when she found that the majority of the other kids managed to get all their things in one bag!!!

It is not up to any airline employee to help you with your bags, or kids, or whatever. Did airlines allow families to preboard long ago? Probably. Do they now? In some cases. But, here's the thing.....if you think you're going to need assistance getting from your seat at the gate to your seat on the plane because you have kids and all the required 'stuff' that goes along with kids? How the heck do you intend to get from your car to the gate..thru security and such? How do you expect to get from the gate to your destination at the arrival airport, to baggage claim?

You can't compare an airline with Disney CMs...just not the same thing. Oh, and all that so-called 'magic' some get at WDW? Not me. One shining example....last May my dd (21) was feeling really sick. It was crazy hot/humid. She had a nasty sore throat, so we went to First Aid and got an ibu. I told her to sit there, with her friend, while I went and got her a bottle of water. I was gone for about 10 mins. When I got back, she told me that a CM had told them they needed to leave, they aren't allowed to just sit there and relax! Seriously? All you had to do is look at her and you knew there was an issue. She was beet red!!! She and I left the park, her friend stayed behind to meet up with some friends. Dd went back to our room and just slept. Turns out she had strep!! Had had it for 2 weeks, but hadn't shown any symptoms until that day!!!! And we didn't know about it for another 2 weeks!!! She felt better the next day, went to the 24 hr party, and left first thing in the morning after the party. We have dealt with illness while in WDW...no one cared all that much. But, then again, it's not their job, it's mine!

People need to be informed before they travel. Know what is going to happen. Those that have no idea are bound to be confused and angered!