SW early bird or not?

[ccgirl]

That question has been asked several times on here and the consensus is that it is frowned upon. FAs do not allow saving of seats, so if someone decided to sit there, there is nothing he could do and the FA will not back him up. Plus if they catch him trying to save seats they may say something to him anyway.

This. The last flight I was on the FA's made an announcment this is open seating and people can seat anywhere another person was not. That people needed to remove bags from seats so people could sit it was a full flight and things like that delay boarding.

 

[ellie&mattys mom]

Such a toss up! I don't think that I could save 3 seats by myself

I purchased the 4 early birds as it is the Sat before our spring break starts!

not sure I could be at the 24 hour mark the day before

 

[ncc1701]

We used it the only time we flew SW.
We knew we would be at work at the 24hr for the flight out.I could do it from my work desktop(DH couldn't) but I was afraid I'd get sidetracked and wouldn't get to it.
Coming home we knew we would be at a wedding reception and didn't want to have to remember when getting back to the hotel.
Since we didn't have to pay for bags we thought it was worth the money

 

[palhockeymomof2]

We usually purchase it for our flight home since we don't want to worry about checking in while at WDW...I've never purchased it for our flights down and ...have been lucky getting A boarding passes each time.....this is out of islip

 

[budafam]

I purchased them last time but not for our next flight. Our last trip departed at 7:10 am and the plane was only half full... when we left Orlando, it was a full plane so I was glad to have it then but I'll be on at 24 hours exactly to do it this time. I'm not too worried.

 

[DebbieB]

We've never paid and have always sat together. We just check in 24 hours in advance. We only fly non stop direct so don't have to worry about getting on a plane with people on it already (other than those boarding before us).

But the flight could have started in another city and those people will already be on. For example, say the flight was Portland-Boston-Orlando. You get on in Boston, it's non-stop for you but people from Portland are already on.

 

[MollyMcDaniel]

What does it get you exactly? Do you get an 'A' position or do you board before A? We always did family boarding but our daughter is now too old for that.

 

[DebbieB]

What does it get you exactly? Do you get an 'A' position or do you board before A? We always did family boarding but our daughter is now too old for that.

You are automatically checked in at 36 hours, so you will be ahead of the people who do it online at 24 hours. You will most likely get an A, depending on the number of people who bought it. But you will definitely be ahead of those who did not buy it.

 

[ccgirl]

But the flight could have started in another city and those people will already be on. For example, say the flight was Portland-Boston-Orlando. You get on in Boston, it's non-stop for you but people from Portland are already on.

There's never anyone already on the plane. It always originates in PVD. I forget what it is called. I thought it was non-stop direct but maybe not.

What does it get you exactly? Do you get an 'A' position or do you board before A? We always did family boarding but our daughter is now too old for that.

You are automatically checked in at 36 hours, so you will be ahead of the people who do it online at 24 hours. You will most likely get an A, depending on the number of people who bought it. But you will definitely be ahead of those who did not buy it.

You don't always get on before people who bought it. The last few flights I have been on, I have heard people upset they paid for EBCI and got "B" and had to wait until after family boarding.

SW will check you in 36 hours in advance. The way they board is business class (sometimes not all positions are taken) then the rest of the A group. Then they allow family boarding then the B and C groups.