Southwest & seating

[JJ&JSMOM]

I'm researching different airlines and I like what I'm reading on SouthWest Airlines. However I am concerned - we're a family of 5 & there is no assigned seating. Any families ever have a problem? It sounds like the earlier you get your boarding passes the better. So when we get our boarding passes will everyone in our family get assigned the same letter? Anybody have any problems sitting together? I don't mind splitting up the family as long as DH is w/one or two kids and me w/the other one or vice versa. TIA.

 

[npmommie]

I have been stressing over this since learning the policy after I bought the tickets......I had no idea prior, I obviously don't fly much......LOL
anyway, from what I hear if you check in online 24 hours prior you will most likely get an A boarding pass and should have no problems......the seats are 3 on each side of the aisle.
even with a B pass, some say you won't have trouble.
I called southwest and they were able to tell me if my flights were originating where I was getting on, in other words there won't already be people on the plane. which makes your chances better,
also if you have a child under 5 years old you will be able to board before the B group, if you do not get an A pass.
and also from what i understand you check in each person online so if you aren't quick enough I suppose one could end up with an A and one with a B, But the southwest representative said they would let the family board with the A person.......she said they do everything they can not to split families up.
my ds is 4 yo so if I don't get an A pass we will be able to board before the B group........we are a group of 4.......so hubby can take 1 kid and I can take 1 kid if we have to split. they actually may like that if they can each get a window seat........

 

[pamjb]

Since you have a 2 year old, you will be able to do preboarding. However, SW recently changed their boarding procedures.

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

The boarding order is this.....

Medical preboards
A Boarding Passes
Families with children under 5 (I have seen this changed at the gate to children under 3 due to the number of kids that fly to Orlando)
B Boarding Passes
C Boarding Passes.

With that being said, your best bet is to get an A boarding pass. I easily been able to do this by checking in online within 24 hours of my departure time. Also, I have had B boarding passes and haven't had a problem with my family of 4 sitting together. We may not have been in the front of the plane, but we have been able to sit together. I have flown SW about 8 times in the past 2 years, and have yet to see a family split up (and these flights were all PHL to MCO). Make sure you are at the gate in plenty of time.

SW had a boarding tutorial right before they made the change in procedures. I will see if I can find it.

Trust me, you will love SW

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

I have been stressing over this since learning the policy after I bought the tickets......I had no idea prior, I obviously don't fly much......LOL
anyway, from what I hear if you check in online 24 hours prior you will most likely get an A boarding pass and should have no problems......the seats are 3 on each side of the aisle.
even with a B pass, some say you won't have trouble.
I called southwest and they were able to tell me if my flights were originating where I was getting on, in other words there won't already be people on the plane. which makes your chances better,
also if you have a child under 5 years old you will be able to board before the B group, if you do not get an A pass.
and also from what i understand you check in each person online so if you aren't quick enough I suppose one could end up with an A and one with a B, But the southwest representative said they would let the family board with the A person.......she said they do everything they can not to split families up.
my ds is 4 yo so if I don't get an A pass we will be able to board before the B group........we are a group of 4.......so hubby can take 1 kid and I can take 1 kid if we have to split. they actually may like that if they can each get a window seat........

Thank you for your reply. I feel much better. It seems kind of strange not to have assigned seating but I guess it must work for them. Thanks again for the info.

 

[pamjb]

You will only have to check each person in individually if you have a separate confirmation number for each passenger. If everyone is listed under the same confirmation number, then everyone will have the same boarding letter.
One of the biggest reasons for the no assigned seats is that it allows them to turn around the flights faster. I have been on a full SW flight, with 40 preboards and the elapsed time from the first person boarding the plane to leaving the gate is 15 minutes. If it gets me to where I am going sooner, Yeah
Also, just because you have an assigned seat on a different carrier, doesn't necessarily mean you will have that seat. My last flight with Delta had me changing my seat assignments 6 times between purchasing my ticket and leaving on the plane. They didn't tell me that deleted my seat assignment, I had to discover it on my own.

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

pamjb: Thanks for all the info - I appreciate it very much. SW has the only non stop flight that is somewhat close to us so I'd really like to try that. Last time we flew USAir which was fine - great flights no complaints. I just wish before I booked non refundable tickets I had researched more. We did have a connecting flight to meet and we did so in plenty of time but I just think it would be such a luxury to just get on the plane and know that the when we get off the plane we'd be in Florida. No hauling all our carryon/car seat in between flights rushing to the next plane.

However we would have to drive to 4-5 hrs to get to the Manchester airport so we'd have to park & fly at a nearby hotel so I guess I need to figure out if it would be worth it. Maybe not moneywise but it would be so much easier. Thanks again!

 

[npmommie]

You will only have to check each person in individually if you have a separate confirmation number for each passenger. If everyone is listed under the same confirmation number, then everyone will have the same boarding letter.

Thanks for this info, I didn't know that. We all 4 have the same confirmation number.........
The only problem I foresee is me remembering for the flight back to go to guest services for them to do my boarding pass for me. I don't have a web enabled phone or a laptop.

 

[pamjb]

If you have a computer savvy friend or relative, they can also check you in. All they need is your confirmation number and one of the names on the confirmation. You can reprint your boarding passes at the airport.
I set the alarm on my cell phone to remind me, regardless if I am checking in online, or with my phone.
Depending on your flight time, I may even be able to check you in.

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

I forgot about printing boarding passes from the resort. That could be tricky depending on the time of the flight. Knowing my luck I'd be in the middle of the MK when it was time to check in. Would have to plan to be at the resort 24 hrs prior to flight to print boarding passes - thats kind of a pain! But doable I guess.

 

[npmommie]

I forgot about printing boarding passes from the resort. That could be tricky depending on the time of the flight. Knowing my luck I'd be in the middle of the MK when it was time to check in. Would have to plan to be at the resort 24 hrs prior to flight to print boarding passes - thats kind of a pain! But doable I guess.

From what I have learned reading this board........guest services at any of the parks will do it for you.
My plan is to be at guest services at least 15 minutes before the 24 hr mark.......which will be 2:30 in the afternoon.

 

[npmommie]

If you have a computer savvy friend or relative, they can also check you in. All they need is your confirmation number and one of the names on the confirmation. You can reprint your boarding passes at the airport.
I set the alarm on my cell phone to remind me, regardless if I am checking in online, or with my phone.
Depending on your flight time, I may even be able to check you in.

Thats a good idea.......I didn't even think of that. I wonder if my cell phone has an alarm?? hmmmm I will have to look, then I can remember. Its at 2:30 pm so it shouldn't be hard to find a friend to do it for me...........my relatives are not web savvy enough

 

[momrek06]

Thats a good idea.......I didn't even think of that. I wonder if my cell phone has an alarm?? hmmmm I will have to look, then I can remember. Its at 2:30 pm so it shouldn't be hard to find a friend to do it for me...........my relatives are not web savvy enough

Call ANYONE possible. I was traveling recently with all my DGF's and going to be on the road at the 24 hour mark for my return SWA flight. DH was at home in MA and I called him and told him to go online at 11am and select my BP's. When I got to the Airport Marriott where we were staying for the last night I went to their Business Ctr and printed the PB's off. Make sure where ever you are at 2:30pm and plan to call a friend, you need to have your CONFIRMATION # to oder the PB's.

Also, I just flew SWA and the order now is Pre-Board, A, then parents with small children, B and C!!! Small children are not boarding with pre-board.

Next time you print your PB's take a CLOSE look at them, they are NUMBERED. I have been told that in the near future you will still need you have your boarding passes but you will also have a NUMBER on them as well. That number is your seat assignment.

 

[WildGrits]

I too had heard a lot of SW horror stories before we went. Please don't let them worry you. The folks at SW are really great.


Get your Boarding passes the day before and when you get one the plane, Take the ramp to the rear. Everyone is so busy trying to get at the front of the plane, the back is empty.

While in the parks, go to Guest Relations to print out your return boarding passes. Every park has a guest relations.

If you want someone else to do it from home, all they need is the Confirmation number and the last name of the lead passenger.

As I said before, please don't sweat it. The folks at SW are great.

 

[pamjb]

Next time you print your PB's take a CLOSE look at them, they are NUMBERED. I have been told that in the near future you will still need you have your boarding passes but you will also have a NUMBER on them as well. That number is your seat assignment.

The number is not exactly your seat number. They are going to have boarding groups and you will board by that number. It is to alleviate the lines that people insist on sitting/standing in at the gate. You still can pick whatever seat you want.
Here is a link to the SW boarding tutorial that they sent out.

http://www.southwest.com/help/boardingschool/

 

[vacation dreamer]

I'm researching different airlines and I like what I'm reading on SouthWest Airlines. However I am concerned - we're a family of 5 & there is no assigned seating. Any families ever have a problem? It sounds like the earlier you get your boarding passes the better. So when we get our boarding passes will everyone in our family get assigned the same letter? Anybody have any problems sitting together? I don't mind splitting up the family as long as DH is w/one or two kids and me w/the other one or vice versa. TIA.

I travel with a party of 7 each January, 2 adults 5 children and we have never had a problem sitting together, even the year we got "C" boarding passes. One year 2 had "A" and the rest have "B" so we sent 1A and 1C on together and they picked out and saved the seats until the rest got on.

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

Thanks to everyone for the tips. I didn't realize Guest Relations in the parks could print boarding passes - great tip! I would have been booking it back to the resort just for boarding passes. Well our vacation isn't anytime soon - not even planned yet as we'd like to wait until DD2 is 4 sad1: - seems so like so far away). But I don't want to rush it as kids grow up fast enough w/o rushing them. We just got back 10/7 and I'm dying to go again. I'm trying to keep myself busy - painting the girls room & son's room - blah blah blah - Its not keeping my mind off Disney but I shall try.

Thanks again everyone!