Southwest seat selection

[jncvh]

I am just about to book my October airfare thorugh SWA as the have the best rate with a non-stop flight on the way down but have never flown SWA before. I am a family of five with an infant and was wondering if SWA has seat selection available when you book or do you have to wait until you check in the book your seats? I don't really want to have my family spread all over the place. The rate that I received is $1050 from BUF to MCO and return from RSW to BUF. I was hoping for a DING but nothing has come up yet. If I book tickets now and a DING comes up will SWA credit back the differnece in vouchers on a flight within 12 months?

 

[MScott1851]

You will be allowed to preboard if travelling with an infant or children under the age of five. Also, if any of your party are elderly or handicapped, they qualify for pre-boarding.

You need to call Southwest now and request assistance pre-boarding. They may flag you now, or you may just need to check in with the agent when you get there. You will receive a special blue boarding pass, and receive priority boarding.

 

[DebbieB]

Southwest does not assign seats, it is open seating when you board the plane.

 

[lawgs]

with an infant under 5, you do not even have to check-in at the 24 hour mark...

since they allow you to preboard, the Letter on your boarding pass does not make any difference


you could have a C and still get on through pre boarding

you should have no problem sitting together under your scenario

 

[kaytieeldr]

Southwest will probably, but not definitely, allow you to preboard with an infant. They sometimes do not allow any family-preboards on flights to/from Orlando because then, well, MANY of the passengers would preboard (negating the "A" and "B" boarding pass advantage for passengers traveling without small children).
If a DING fare becomes available and you are able to book it (this is not automatic), yes, Southwest will give you credit. Travel booked using the credits must be completed within one year of the original ticket purchase. Say you buy tickets today for travel in October; a DING (or other lower) fare comes out and you are able to rebook; you eventually decide to fly somewhere June 27, 2007 and return July 4, 2007. You can use the credits for your June 27 flight but NOT the return flight.

 

[NotUrsula]

If family preboarding is suspended (and it occasionally is on flights to/from MCO), then the only guaranteed way to preboard with a healthy baby is to put the child in a carseat. Due to FAA restrictions on the placement of carseats, they always must be preboarded. In such cases, extended family will not be allowed to preboard with the baby; parents and siblings only.

A blue preboard sleeve is not issued for family preboarding; those are only given to persons who ask for preboarding due to disability.

 

[MScott1851]

Oops! My bad. When I flew out of Nashville last week, all the preboards had a blue sleeve...even the ones travelling with babies. I guess different airports have different rules. I can imagine if EVERYONE in MCO with children under five tried to preboard...there would not be anyone in the regular line!

 

[jncvh]

I'm still alittle weiry to book with SWA. I usually book through Jetblue and love to fly them due to the fact that you can pre-select your seat and they have the tv's in the seat. But SWA has better prices right now by almost $70 per person and has a direct flight on the way down. My youngest daughter will be two so I have to purchase a seat for her but will bring a car seat for her to sit in. The other two will be 13 and 15 and I am not to worried where they sit as they like to be alone anyways, but I would prefer them to sit close to me.

With picking your seat as first come first serve do you find that it is a mad rush to get on the plane or do most people stay civilized?

 

[DebbieB]

I used them 2 weeks ago and my 12 year old niece and I had A boarding passes each way and had no problem. With a 2 year old, your whole family can probably preboard. I didn't see anyone having a problem with seats. If you are going to save $70 per person, I wouldn't think twice.

 

[DonnaL]

We've been using SW from PHL for a few years now and frequently travel with our grandson (who's almost 5 now, but, was only two when we began using SW) We have never had a problem getting seats together. Maybe not all six of us (three in front and three behind or something of that nature) but,
our daughter has always been able to sit with our grandson and DH and I either across from them or in front or behind and our two sons (one teenager and one twenty something) somewhere nearby (maybe a row or two away) and that's EVEN IF the plane originated somewhere else and there were people onboard already. Usually from PHL that's not the case and we are able to sit totally together. However, we usually travel to MCO during slower travel times (not summer and not Christmas) either early December or mid January so I'm sure that makes a difference.

 

[jncvh]

Thanks for all of the advice. I am going to try SWA.

Thank you

 

[rlrx]

Just flew to MCO from BUF 2 weeks ago and they called families with children under 4 to board first (and those who needed assistance). We could have our pick of any seats except an exit row. We had "B" boarding passes both ways but didn't need them because we also preboarded on the way back. The direct flight was worth it.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

The nonstop am SW flight from BUF to MCO originates here. We are taking that one in September and bought DS a seat so he could use his carseat. I was hoping for preboarding...glad to hear they do it at BUF!

Otherwise I would be fumbling with the seat like an idiot, trying to hurry up and get out of everyone's way.

We were going to fly USAir, but they cancelled their nonstop flight on Saturdays. I have a 20-month-old. The less time we have to torture our fellow flyers, the better.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I have one suggestion (okay, plea ) In a situation like the OP's, where you have a small child and other travelers who'd prefer not to sit with you, please try to place one member of your party in the seat directly in front of the small child!

 

[LSchrow]

I have one suggestion (okay, plea ) In a situation like the OP's, where you have a small child and other travelers who'd prefer not to sit with you, please try to place one member of your party in the seat directly in front of the small child!

 

[dd316]

How big are their planes?

 

[katiedid0801]

How big are their planes?

I believe they are all 737s-3 seats on each side of the aisle.

 

[dd316]

I believe they are all 737s-3 seats on each side of the aisle.

Nice! My wife's not real big on crop dusters.

 

[DonnaL]

SW flies all 737's.....IMO they have some of the nicest aircraft in the industry.
I've read some articles on the choice of aircraft and it seems that is another of their cost reduction measures. By having an entire fleet of the same plane SW is able to keep maintenance costs more manageable than airlines that have several different types of planes. Makes sense...