Southwest/online passes UGH!

[Beanie]

For what it's worth, when DH and I have preboarded with our children, we have always gone straight to the back and sat in the last row. We just figured with all our junk we had to cart around in the plane for the kids, it would be easier for everyone else on the plane! Not everyone with kids holds up the plane when it lands!

Of course, now that my kids are older, I can no longer preboard, so nothing to worry about anymore!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by wdwstar
i am sorry if i sound like in a tizzy state, i am not, just concern, its not the walking i have a problem its the sitting for the 2 1/2 hour flight.

Regardless of where you sit, it is still 2 1/2 hours, I can, however understand the need for an aisle seat in your situation. I do want to add, even with bad knees I manage quite well in a window seat. The legroom for my 32" inseam is quite adequate.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Beanie
For what it's worth, when DH and I have preboarded with our children, we have always gone straight to the back and sat in the last row. We just figured with all our junk we had to cart around in the plane for the kids, it would be easier for everyone else on the plane! Not everyone with kids holds up the plane when it lands!

Of course, now that my kids are older, I can no longer preboard, so nothing to worry about anymore!

You certainly are one in a million (or least a very high number), most are not that considerate. I do thank you.

 

[dlrhine]

My DH and I fly with two small little ones age 1 and 3 (both who are small and under 40lbs) we always buy them both their own seats and put their car seats in however we do this so often that we have it down to a science. I can say we have never held up passengers getting in or out of the plane. We each take one kid and we both know how to pop those seat in and out in a hurry, I can snap the buckle and grab the car seat in one hand the kid in the other and we are out. But then I don't pack a bunch of stuff to keep them occupied either, they just know they sit and behave for two hours they each get one coloring book which cuts down on what I lug. I will say though I alway sit over the wings as you are less likely to feel the turbulence. My husband is an Aerospace Engineer and actually designs commercial aircraft engines for Pratt Whitney. So per his advice for the turblence I have to be over a wing or I freak.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Just wanted to clear up the exit row thing:
I realize children are never allowed in the exit row. This was the first time in all of my years flying that a flight attendant actually questioned every individual if they had children on the aircraft anywhere. If the answered yes, they were told they could not sit there. In other words, child could be sitting with mom and grandparents in the back of the plane but dad could not sit in exit row.

 

[disneydebi]

i have a question in relation to dlrhine's post.
You mention that your children are under 40lbs?
They are younger than mine, but my 5 year old is still under 40lbs. I was hoping NOT to have to bring her car seat for the plane ride this time, since she is 5. I figured the lap belt on the plane would be fine.(of course i do still use the car seat in the car!) Am i going to be required to bring the car seat for her to fly? I hate to lug it as we won't be using it at WDW since we are staying on site and utilizing thier transportation??

Just wondering.

 

[dlrhine]

I'm not sure if they require it or not. I just know that the FAA suggest any child under 40lbs be in a FAA approved car seat. So we do it. You have to understand that being what my DH does for a living he works with the FAA regulations to often. So we always are by the book, and always buy the girls seats. I have never looked into if they are under 40lbs how they handle it.

 

[RIDISNEYLOVERS]

ILoveMyDVC: Hello Neighbor

Anyway - about pre-boarding - UGH!!

We came back from our WDW vacation on 5/8/04 and yes, we were one of the many families that pre-boarded!! It was DH, myself and our two children DD 4 and DD 1 - DD 1 was a lap child.

We flew from PVD - MCO on a non-stop flight and then from MCO - BWI - PVD - NEVER again will I do a connecting flight with kids!! This is ONE reason why we will only try to book with SWA out of PVD - they are the only airline that has non-stop flights to MCO!!

We NEVER held up any line (getting on or off the plane) with our children - we only brought ONE carry on that fit UNDER the seat. This was the second time we have flown SWA - the first with children and I must honestly say I do appreciate them letting us pre-board. When we FINALLY got thru the line in the airport and got our boarding passes they had a "C" on them and if SWA did not have pre-boarding we would not have sat together.
I am very thankful to SWA for letting families with small children pre-board.

Lisa

 

[Beanie]

I know this is OT, but does anyone know the "actual" age a child has to be to preboard? One time a Southwest employee told me that they had to be 5 and under and then once a Flight Attendant told me they had to be 4 or under. Which is the correct one?

Thanks

 

[Rpsemont]

It's not like the back of the plane is being dropped off in Pensacola, FL and then must walk to Disney

I'll second that, too!

 

[dznyntnh]

I am in complete agreement with OP.

I just got back from and Orlando trip using SWA and it will be my last until they get their act together.

I used to be a big SWA fan, but as they've embraced technology over service, I have become very disappointed.

To get up at 1201 to get an 'A' pass and then on the return flight to have to venture into the bowels of the Dolphin Business Center at midnight was not fun.

I was the first person in the 'A' line on both of my flights and I was at least the 50th person boarded each time. There were entire families (multi-generational) with one four-year old bording the plane.

My suggestion for SWa is that if you are going to preboard all these people, make them sit in the last five rows of the plane, then they can all that 'extra' time they are always whining about.

All that happens when they preboard all these people is that they cog up the works choosing front seats and getting kids all situated, etc.

 

[NotUrsula]

Dznyntnh; have you written to SWA to tell them that? Apologies if you have, but I think that a lot of people make the mistake of griping here or on Flyertalk, but don't tell the company directly about the source of their displeasure.

The only hope of getting them to crack down on abuse of preboarding is to let them know that it bothers you. Now that airport personnel are so jittery about "irates," sending a complaint letter is really the only legitimate way to make the point without coming off like a crank. If enough passengers complain, they will probably make the policy more restrictive.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Beanie
I know this is OT, but does anyone know the "actual" age a child has to be to preboard? One time a Southwest employee told me that they had to be 5 and under and then once a Flight Attendant told me they had to be 4 or under. Which is the correct one?

Thanks

From the SWA site:

Prior to general boarding, Customers with disabilities, unaccompanied children, and families with children under five years of age will preboard. Customers holding boarding pass "A" will begin general boarding, followed by Customers with boarding pass "B," and then "C."

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/checkin.html

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by ILoveMyDVC
Just wanted to clear up the exit row thing:
I realize children are never allowed in the exit row. This was the first time in all of my years flying that a flight attendant actually questioned every individual if they had children on the aircraft anywhere. If the answered yes, they were told they could not sit there. In other words, child could be sitting with mom and grandparents in the back of the plane but dad could not sit in exit row.

This might clear up this issue for you:

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/emergency_exit.html

This in particular covers it IMHO:

A passenger seated in an exit seat must not:

require a seat belt extension to fasten his or her seat belt
have a condition or responsibilities, such as caring for small children, that might prevent them from performing the applicable functions
have a condition that might cause the person harm if he or she performs one or more of the applicable functions

Name one person you know that would not ditch the door and go to their child in an emergency.
You might not see the logic or rational for this, but I sure do.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by disneydebi
i have a question in relation to dlrhine's post.
You mention that your children are under 40lbs?
They are younger than mine, but my 5 year old is still under 40lbs. I was hoping NOT to have to bring her car seat for the plane ride this time, since she is 5. I figured the lap belt on the plane would be fine.(of course i do still use the car seat in the car!) Am i going to be required to bring the car seat for her to fly? I hate to lug it as we won't be using it at WDW since we are staying on site and utilizing thier transportation??

Just wondering.

Traveling with precious cargo?
If you're traveling with an infant or small child, you should know that proper use of an approved child restraint device (CRD) enhances child safety on aircraft. For this reason, Southwest Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommend that infants and small children who weigh under 40 pounds be secured in an appropriate CRD when traveling by air.

It is a reccomendation, not a rule.

 

[Coach Rick]

I am definately a fan of SW, but can understand your frustration. I will be heading to DW in August in a party of 11 on the same flight, but I know there is no way we will be near each other, although with that many in the party they won't be very far apart.

The last time I flew SW (2 years ago) they bent over backward for us. We were one of those "pre boarders" as I had explained to the ticket person that my kids had no idea where we were going, and they boarded us early so they wouldn't hear the announcemet on the destination. They even took the sign down so the kids wouldn't see it. Once we boarded, we headed for the rear anyway so we could get the 6 seats facing each other, and be together. I to flew out of Providence. I hope the staff goes back to the cheery selves they were 2 years ago.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Coach Rick
I am definately a fan of SW, but can understand your frustration. I will be heading to DW in August in a party of 11 on the same flight, but I know there is no way we will be near each other, although with that many in the party they won't be very far apart.

The last time I flew SW (2 years ago) they bent over backward for us. We were one of those "pre boarders" as I had explained to the ticket person that my kids had no idea where we were going, and they boarded us early so they wouldn't hear the announcemet on the destination. They even took the sign down so the kids wouldn't see it. Once we boarded, we headed for the rear anyway so we could get the 6 seats facing each other, and be together. I to flew out of Providence. I hope the staff goes back to the cheery selves they were 2 years ago.

They are generally very cheery and fun.
They are taking those 3 facing 3 seats out as the retool the planes.
Get there early and you may be surprised to find you will all be very near each other.

 

[momtotwinglesx4]

Six seats in the rear that face each other? Tell me more!! That sounds perfect for a mom like me flying alone w/ 5 kids! Gail, you mentioned that they are removing these--would you say that most planes still have this set up, or most do not?

I have no problem whatsoever sitting in the rear of the plane, I just want all my kids by me! And, I assure you, my plane-mates do too.

 

[eljojo]

So does it pay to print out your boarding pass at 12:01 a.m or do you end up with the same result if you just show up at the airport early? Anyone fly S.W. and NOT print out a boarding pass - how did you make out?

 

[justhat]

I tend to disagree about not allowing people to preboard, in Southwest's case that is. Since there are no assigned seats, without preboarding there would be many cases of kids not sitting with a parent, then parents and/or flight attendants would be asking people to switch seats, etc. This would take up more time than preboarding. Also, even if they just let 1 person accompany the preboarder, the preboarders would 'reserve' seats. When we flew from BWI-MCO and BWI-Louisville we saw people reserving rows of seats for family/friends, or possible even just in hopes of getting an empty seat in their row.