Southwest Seat Question??

[nelle]

We are flying from Milwaukee to Orlando this fri on Southwest. Having never flown Southwest I have no idea how many seats are in a row.. Are they 6 across so 3 and 3 or 3 and 2? Or like a cattle car as many as you can fit.

Thanks for the help!

 

[EMAW_KSU]

We are flying from Milwaukee to Orlando this fri on Southwest. Having never flown Southwest I have no idea how many seats are in a row.. Are they 6 across so 3 and 3 or 3 and 2? Or like a cattle car as many as you can fit.

Thanks for the help!

3 and 3

 

[tabbytrekker]

As the person above already said, all the Southwest flights I've flown on it was 3 and 3.

I just wanted to add one thing since you said this is your first time flying Southwest - you might already know this though. Make sure to check-in online as soon as you can. I haven't flown Southwest in awhile, but when I have, whenever you check-in is where you are placed in boarding since back when I flew Southwest they never had assigned seating. So make sure you can check in as early as possible, that way you have a better selection of seats - especially if you are traveling with other people and want seats together.

 

[Karl66]

You can check in online begining 24 hours before your scheduled departure time. As pp said this will be very important if you want to sit together with your group especially if you are traveling with young children. Have a great trip!

 

[magicaldisney]

With the age of your children (if they are all going) I would consider quickly going into your reservation and purchasing EBI (early bird check in). Someone just posted that they checked in at exactly the 24 hour mark and were in the lower B boarding group.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

With the age of your children (if they are all going) I would consider quickly going into your reservation and purchasing EBI (early bird check in). Someone just posted that they checked in at exactly the 24 hour mark and were in the lower B boarding group.

EBCI won't do much good at this time, she flies Friday. She won't be getting a much better boarding number than if she just checks in at exactly 24 hours before her flight.

She may want to consider purchasing EBCI for the flight home though. It is $10 per passenger.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

As the person above already said, all the Southwest flights I've flown on it was 3 and 3.

Probably because this is the only configuration of WN planes,

 

[nelle]

EBCI won't do much good at this time, she flies Friday. She won't be getting a much better boarding number than if she just checks in at exactly 24 hours before her flight.

She may want to consider purchasing EBCI for the flight home though. It is $10 per passenger.

Thanks for the help! I purchased EBCI when I book our tickets cause we are going on a cruise and can't check in early for our return trip.

Just wondering does the EBCI boarding number go by who purchases the EBCI first? So the sooner the purchase the higher the number?

This will be our first time flying with the twins and it might be our last time. There is a big group of us going 3 adults and 7 kids ages(15, 12,10,10,7,1,1)so we would like to sit together but if not the only ones that have to sit with us are the 1 yr olds and the 7 yr old who has autism and severe ADHD. So if we break up in twos it should be fine.
I'd much rather drive but DH doesn't have the time off and I can't go by myself with all the kids and my mom who is going with us didn't want to drive.
If the flight down goes bad we might just rent a car and drive home.
Thanks for the help!!!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Thanks for the help! I purchased EBCI when I book our tickets cause we are going on a cruise and can't check in early for our return trip.

Just wondering does the EBCI boarding number go by who purchases the EBCI first? So the sooner the purchase the higher the number?

This will be our first time flying with the twins and it might be our last time. There is a big group of us going 3 adults and 7 kids ages(15, 12,10,10,7,1,1)so we would like to sit together but if not the only ones that have to sit with us are the 1 yr olds and the 7 yr old who has autism and severe ADHD. So if we break up in twos it should be fine.
I'd much rather drive but DH doesn't have the time off and I can't go by myself with all the kids and my mom who is going with us didn't want to drive.
If the flight down goes bad we might just rent a car and drive home.
Thanks for the help!!!

Yes, EBCI usually goes by first come first serve gets the lower boarding numbers.

You still want to get on at 24 hours and get your boarding passes, but you may want to also consider the following:

With your Autistic child, you may be able to get a blue sleeve and board first so you can get the child settled. You can ask at the gate when you arrive. Also, if you get B boarding passes, you may want to consider boarding between As and Bs with your 1 year olds.

Don't worry. You will be able to get your seats near each other and at least 1 adult can be with each of the younger children.

Hope you have a great flight. I have always found SWA to be accommodating.

 

[HelenParr]

It almost certainly will not be as cattle driven as you fear. Don't be afraid to ask questions of your fellow flyers and the desk worker at SW. It is fairly organized since they went to the numbering system.

Yes, EBCI is assigned by order purchased. The thing that confuses it is business class flyers, and similar SW frequent flyers are in better A slots. Plus, all folks needing assistance get on first.

Other than watch and listen to the instructions, because many are basically wandering about, I recommend an adult go first in your line of people, then kids, then adults. I often see the strategic error of folks who think having kids walk in front of them will be best, and this is a fail every time because the kids are mega confused and stop in the aisle every three feet. The whole gig is to target an area that looks like enough seats to fit your group. Also will help if you have a "3 here, three there, and 4 there" idea ahead of time. Not sure if the 1 yo flyers have their own seats, but that will affect your strategy. Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[Tara]

You would think first purchased, first served would be the method for EBCI boarding numbers, but this has not been my experience. I've found that when you check in plays a part, too.

Example: I purchased 1 ticket with EBCI, then another ticket with a different confirmation number. I did not add EBCI to this 2nd ticket until later. When I checked in, I did that 2nd ticket first and the boarding number was better than the ticket purchased first, even though it was purchased first AND had EBCI added first.

 

[nelle]

Yes both 1yr olds have a seat so we have 2 clunky carseats to haul too.
Maybe I will ask about the blue sleeve. Then maybe I can board with him and the two carseats and get those buckled in before the girls board. Would that be allowed?
Thanks for the help!

 

[navywifetill2002]

EBCI really isn't needed with children under 4. Those families get to board after the A group and we've never had a problem getting seats together.

As far as the car seats go the flight attendents on my flights always make sure they are "approved" seats then make sure they are fastened correctly.

 

[deegack]

EBCI really isn't needed with children under 4. Those families get to board after the A group and we've never had a problem getting seats together.

As far as the car seats go the flight attendents on my flights always make sure they are "approved" seats then make sure they are fastened correctly.

Sw has been known to suspend family boarding to and from Orlando because so many people would qualify. Also depending on the size of your party you may not all be able board during family boarding. And if the plane is full they may enforce the no seat saving policy. If you are concerned make sure you checkin right at 24 hours or purchase early boarding

 

[francie57]

Agree with pp, on our recent flight to MCO there was no early boarding for families with small kids since that would have been the majority of the people on the plane. As far as the boarding passes with early check-in, we used it and purchased it on the first day that our tickets were available and we were A19 and 20. We have it purchased for both ways on our Aug. trip. We never checked in on the flight home until we took the luggage to the RAC desk and got 19 and 20. The last thing I want to do on vaca is have to be on a computer at the 24 hour mark. The $10/person is so worth it to me.

 

[LisaS]

Just wondering does the EBCI boarding number go by who purchases the EBCI first? So the sooner the purchase the higher the number?

Yes the earlier you purchase EBCI the better your boarding position will be. However, customers who purchased Business Class tickets and then A-listers get their boarding assignments first. Anytime fare customers with EBCI have priority over "Wanna Get Away" (or "Senior" or "Ding") fare customers with EBCI so those of us in the cheap seats are going to be furthest back in the EBCI section of the queue.

You would think first purchased, first served would be the method for EBCI boarding numbers, but this has not been my experience. I've found that when you check in plays a part, too.

There are some interesting posts on the flyertalk forum about this. If an A-lister or EBCI customer cancels his/her flight within 36 hours of departure, that boarding position goes to the next person to check in. Since the EBCI customers will already have their boarding assignments at that point, the next person to check in ends up somewhere in the EBCI portion of the boarding queue even though they did not purchase EBCI.

 

[Tara]

There are some interesting posts on the flyertalk forum about this. If an A-lister or EBCI customer cancels his/her flight within 36 hours of departure, that boarding position goes to the next person to check in. Since the EBCI customers will already have their boarding assignments at that point, the next person to check in ends up somewhere in the EBCI portion of the boarding queue even though they did not purchase EBCI.

Again, this has not exactly been my experience. In my example, the first person I checked in did have EBCI but their itinerary was purchased after mine and their EBCI was added well after mine. Nevertheless, their boarding number was better than mine. (And no, they weren't A list, both tickets were WGA fares.)

 

[goofy4tink]

I just wouldn't worry about it. Get checked in asap at that 24 hr window. You have the under 4 kids that should be able to get some of you boarded in between the A and B group. If you want, you can also ask about being able to board early, as a medical preboard with your 7 y/o. They may allow that as well. BUT...be prepared to have the family split up. I doubt they will allow the entire family to board together, either at the front of the line or inbetween the A and B groups. Decide before you get there who will board when. Then, be flexible.

 

[LisaS]

Again, this has not exactly been my experience. In my example, the first person I checked in did have EBCI but their itinerary was purchased after mine and their EBCI was added well after mine. Nevertheless, their boarding number was better than mine. (And no, they weren't A list, both tickets were WGA fares.)

I do remember reading this here before and I have tried to duplicate it. For our last trip on SWA I purchased my ticket and EBCI then I purchased my DH's ticket and EBCI. I checked him in first, then I checked myself in. I got the lower boarding position.

So perhaps it is a bug in their software that only happens on rare occasions or maybe they fixed it between when it happened to you and when I tried to duplicate it.

 

[mom2brooke76]

This will be our first time flying with the twins and it might be our last time. There is a big group of us going 3 adults and 7 kids ages(15, 12,10,10,7,1,1)so we would like to sit together but if not the only ones that have to sit with us are the 1 yr olds and the 7 yr old who has autism and severe ADHD. So if we break up in twos it should be fine.
I'd much rather drive but DH doesn't have the time off and I can't go by myself with all the kids and my mom who is going with us didn't want to drive.
If the flight down goes bad we might just rent a car and drive home.
Thanks for the help!!!

Don't worry, you will be able to, at the very least, preboard with the 7 year old. I fly monthly on SW with my dd, 8, who is severely ADHD and is believed to be autistic as well. Each time I let them know at the gate and they always give us a blue preboarding sleeve. Good luck!