SW and family boarding

[Dznypal]

My DS and family are going to WDW in Feb

he just booked the flights on SW

I was wondering how the family boarding works since my DGS will be just under 2

I assume they still go on line 24 hrs before flight to check in but with the little guy do they just board between A and B (at least I think its A and B)

regardless of what position they get when they do check in at the 24 hr mark

what happens if they get A at the 24 hr I assume they would just board with the rest of the A's

I hope this makes sense--we never flew when our kids were younger so this family boarding is all new to me

thanks all

 

[iheartdisney123]

I always pay for one person in my party to be early bird. That way you pretty much get a guaranteed A position and that person can save your seats. Family boarding is between A-B and we have had an instance where we couldn't get 3 seats together. I took my 2 year old and luckily hub was just a couple rows in front. Ever since then I pay the $10 for piece of mind.

Also, even waking up at 6:45am to make sure I check in at the exact 24 hour mark I have gotten B boarding....

 

[jodywgirl]

Yes if you get A you board with them otherwise you board before the B passengers

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[maxiesmom]

I have to say, I think it is in pretty bad taste to pay for one early bird check in and save seats. It may not be against the rules, but then, there is nothing stopping people from sitting in the saved seats either. The FAs won't help you to keep them saved.

Remember that there is the occasional flight where Southwest will not have family boarding. It doesn't happen all that often, but it can happen, especially if it seems the aircraft will be full of families.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

OP, this information is right on Southwest's website; take a look. Do a Google search for Southwest boarding school.

 

[Minnesota!]

FWIW - I have never been on a flight (SW) that has even HAD family boarding. Granted, we fly most to MCO so it does not make sense to do so since it is primarily families. However, even to San Diego and CHicago - still have not run into it.

I would not count on it being available 100%. Pay for EBCI if you are worried about it.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

FWIW - I have never been on a flight (SW) that has even HAD family boarding. Granted, we fly most to MCO so it does not make sense to do so since it is primarily families. However, even to San Diego and CHicago - still have not run into it.

I would not count on it being available 100%. Pay for EBCI if you are worried about it.

This is not my experience. I've always seem them do family boarding. I've probably flown southwest about 50 times in the last 3 years to many different cities and they only skipped it one time due to a late flight/quick turnaround. About 12 of those flights have been in and out of Orlando and they've always done it there.

 

[njmom76]

Always have family boarding and mainly to/from MCO. We typically buy early boarding though for peace of mind and not having to worry about the 24 hr mark on our way home.

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[n2mm]

I agree with others, if sitting next to your family is important to you, then buy the early birds. I plan to sit with my spouse next month so we both bought early birds. I certainly would've preferred not to pay the extra $25, but it wasn't an option. However, in regard to family boarding, every SW flight I've been on, or my family has been on has always had family boarding, after A group, and before B group. I only fly to and from MCO so it's always filled with kids. However, I've seen them enforce the only parents and kids, with the comment, no grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins....good luck op.

 

[DebbieB]

I've flown SW to Orlando several times and they have always had family boarding. I have seen them turn away grandparents who tried to board with the family (unless they are the only adults).

 

[Betty Rohrer]

depending on time of flight and where plane is coming from to get your airport from, the plane could already be 1/2 to 3/4 full when it arrives at your airport. this is esp true if only few people boarding at your airport. the people already on plane will have their choice of seats before preboards and A group get to board.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

depending on time of flight and where plane is coming from to get your airport from, the plane could already be 1/2 to 3/4 full when it arrives at your airport. this is esp true if only few people boarding at your airport. the people already on plane will have their choice of seats before preboards and A group get to board.

This is a really good point. I overlook this fact (and I'm sure others commenting do too) if you are used to boarding flights without through passengers. You have to know your airport and the flight you're on - in your example family boarding can backfire and EBCI is the way to go.

 

[paults]

Some people are missing something, you ARE NOT guaranteed an A BOARDING pass. You can end up with a B pass. Nothing is guaranteed.
As far as saving seats save them in the back of the plane, I for one will sit up front if someone is saving seats so be prepared to move

 

[kristenrice]

Some people are missing something, you ARE NOT guaranteed an A BOARDING pass. You can end up with a B pass. Nothing is guaranteed. As far as saving seats save them in the back of the plane, I for one will sit up front if someone is saving seats so be prepared to move

This is why I told my sister to only buy EBCI for her DH and DD6. My sister will board with DD2 (who will be traveling in a car seat) during family boarding which is between A and B anyways. They prefer to sit together, but if they get split up, they are OK with that too. FWIW, she is planning on checking in at the 24-hour mark anyways so she should not end up in the C's.

 

[maxiesmom]

This is why I told my sister to only buy EBCI for her DH and DD6. My sister will board with DD2 (who will be traveling in a car seat) during family boarding which is between A and B anyways. They prefer to sit together, but if they get split up, they are OK with that too. FWIW, she is planning on checking in at the 24-hour mark anyways so she should not end up in the C's.

Great plan, if family boarding is not suspended for that flight. I hope you told her there is a slight chance of that happening.

 

[kristenrice]

Great plan, if family boarding is not suspended for that flight. I hope you told her there is a slight chance of that happening.

I did

I think that worst-case scenario is that they all end up boarding in the B group. Our family is traveling with them (so we are 4 adults and 4 kids, oldest is 11) and none of us are getting EBCI for the trip down. I am just planning on getting up at 6:30 am on a Saturday to check us all in. We really don't care if we are seated together and I doubt we will have trouble finding 4 sets of 2 seats if we get B boarding.

On the way home, I decided to get EBCI for my family, just because I don't want to deal with it in the park. I will have to help my sister check in for her and DD2, but hopefully, they will get B boarding at the least, and hopefully family boarding.

Question...is there any early boarding consideration for parents with children who will be traveling in a car seat? Heres another one... since I already bought EBCI, I will most likely board before my sister and niece. Can I bring the car seat with me and install it so that it is ready for her when she boards? I guess that is considered seat saving so that won't work.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Question...is there any early boarding consideration for parents with children who will be traveling in a car seat?

No. That's pat of what Family Boarding covers - because, reasonably, a large number of Family Boarders will probably have car seats. If that were a special consideration, you can bet every parent would bring a car seat!

Heres another one... since I already bought EBCI, I will most likely board before my sister and niece. Can I bring the car seat with me and install it so that it is ready for her when she boards? I guess that is considered seat saving so that won't work.

Well, you could...yes, it would be considered seat-saving, about which Southwest doesn't have a policy one way or the other, but chances are if you head to the back of the plane and install the car seat, nobody boarding ahead of the toddle will demand the seat.

 

[DopeyDame]

Just got back yesterday with a 2 and 5 year old on SW. No problems with family boarding. At MCO they were militant about only two adults per child, and that the kid had to be 4 and under (so the family with the clearly preteen children who tried to board during family boarding were out of luck).

 

[kristenrice]

Just got back yesterday with a 2 and 5 year old on SW. No problems with family boarding. At MCO they were militant about only two adults per child, and that the kid had to be 4 and under (so the family with the clearly preteen children who tried to board during family boarding were out of luck).

My sister's kids will be 2 and 6 so her husband is going to board with the 6yo using the standard boarding procedures. I thought there might be a slight chance that they would allow all 4 of them to board together, but better safe than sorry.

That makes me wonder...what does the parent who boards with the child (and their car seat) do with the child while the car seat is being installed?? In our case, it won't be a big deal since there are 4 adults and one of us will be able to keep an eye on the child. I'm just wondering how solo parents would do it if the child is a pre-walker.

 

[Lisa75]

My sister's kids will be 2 and 6 so her husband is going to board with the 6yo using the standard boarding procedures. I thought there might be a slight chance that they would allow all 4 of them to board together, but better safe than sorry.

That makes me wonder...what does the parent who boards with the child (and their car seat) do with the child while the car seat is being installed?? In our case, it won't be a big deal since there are 4 adults and one of us will be able to keep an eye on the child. I'm just wondering how solo parents would do it if the child is a pre-walker.

I did it twice by myself and wore DS in a front Ergo carrier while I installed his car seat.