SW etiquette question...

[hfalk]

Next week my family will be flying Southwest for the first time. I have been reading a lot on this board about the A/B/C passes and boarding. From what I've gathered, when you get there everyone stands/sits in the appropriate line. Here is my question. If my husband drops off my daughter and myself while he parks the car (my daughter is 5 and it would be easier not to make her ride the shuttle from the parking lot), can he get into line with us when he gets to the gate, or would he be expected to get in the back of the line by himself? We'd obviously like to stay together, but we don't want to irritate others in line...
Thanks!

 

[Gooofy-Blade]

I don't see this as being a problem.............regardless, even if he doesn't get in line with you, I doubt anyone would hop into the airplane seat beside you and your child before your husband boarded. You could even leave the seat between you open to ensure your husband has a place next to you.

 

[gigi1313]

you can absolutely hold a place for your hubby in line... and when he arrives then you can take your dd to the restroom while he holds your places... then when you get back, send him for coffee/bagels... then when he gets back, take a quick walk to buy a pack of gum (there's none to be found in all of wdw or mco)... then when you get back, hopefully it will be time to board

 

[kmermaid]

I totally agree that no one should be bothered by this. We are leaving on the 12th and I doubt my 12 yr old (going on 18) will want to stand in line with her family! When are you going? Just curious cuz I'm in Jamison.

 

[hfalk]

Thanks! We are leaving next Friday (5/11) night so we can spend Saturday at Sea World and then we're headed to the Animal Kingdom Lodge on Sunday...

 

[tjmw2727]

First of all don't worry, SWA is a great airline and I actually prefer the opten seating.

I have never had a problem waiting with part of our party in the A/B/C line. DH or I wait in line while the other takes the kids to the restroom etc but as it gets closer to boarding you will all want to be in line.

However, personally in your situation I would rather wait for my dh to park and all go through security together. If DH or I gets pulled aside for additional screening I would want my dd's to have someone to wait with. If you arrive to the airport early you and dd can get dropped off and wait for dh to park. Then when he is done you can check your luggage with SWA and proceed through security to the SWA Gates.

If you check in online 24 hours in advance and get A boarding pasess you really don't have to worry about being 1st in the A line. Unless its the 2nd leg of a connecting flight you will find 3 seats together and at worst case 2 so one adult can sit with your dd.

TJ

 

[carolina_yankee]

I agree that there should be no problem with the rest of your party joining you in line. Everyone has the same boarding letter in that line, and no one expects your family to be split up!

The one thing I've notice is that some airport gate agents actively discourage folk lining up before a certain time, usually 20-30 minutes are so before the flight comes in. This is esepcially true at some gates in PHL. In that case, folk often sit in the chairs that have been strategically placed to line up with the A/B/C queues, but there is still a large enough gap between the end of the aisle and the queue area to be certain of who's who. I've never figured out if the folks sitting in the chairs consider them "in the queue" or not.

Dirk

 

[pamjb]

I only stood/sat in the queue line my first and second flights with SW. But I have always had A boarding passes. I typically sit in the chairs at the gate until the A's start moving onto the plane. We have always had seats together.
That being said, I have often seen kids sitting in the lines, while the parents sit in the chairs waiting. Haven't seen a problem with that either. You shouldn't have a problem getting in line with your DD and your DH joining you. You may (or may not) be able to preboard with a 5 y/o. I have seen other posters say that you can preboard under 5, but when we fly from Philly, I can only heard of 3 and under.

 

[Lewisc]

I'll agree with the previous posters BUT if you're getting to the gate area after a lot of passengers are already lining up you're not allowing enough time to get to the airport. Most airports suggest you arrivie 1-2 hours before your flight.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Since you're asking about etiquette... it seems to me in general that whenever possible, the majority of any party should remain in the line the majority of the time. Also, you should never all get out of line at the same time and just leave your luggage. There have been reports of Gate Agents considering this unattended luggage and removing it from the line

 

[carolina_yankee]

Also, you should never all get out of line at the same time and just leave your luggage. There have been reports of Gate Agents considering this unattended luggage and removing it from the line

That certainly makes sense, and is a very helpful reminder. I've seen folks drop their bag at the A queue, and then take a seat - so it's always in sight - but that still strikes me as rather rude.

Dirk

 

[allieoop]

But I think SW won't check you in or check baggage at the curb or gate and you can't get through security unless everyone on the reservation is together anyway. If DH lets you out at the curb, you'll have to wait for him for check-in.

 

[hfalk]

But I think SW won't check you in or check baggage at the curb or gate and you can't get through security unless everyone on the reservation is together anyway. If DH lets you out at the curb, you'll have to wait for him for check-in.

Really??? We don't check any bags, and I can't imagine if we each have our own boarding pass already printed out how they even know who is on a reservation together...

 

[gigi1313]

dh always drops the kids/i at the curb and goes to park the car... we curb check our luggage and then head inside... if we're planning to eat breakfast at the airport, we go thru security and get on line to buy food and he meets us in the cafe or at the gate... if we're not eating, we usually wait for dh inside the airport doors and all go thru security together... i prefer the latter 'cause it means i don't have to schlep dh's carryon! (oh, and 'cause then he pays for breakfast, leaving me more of my spending money for wdw! LOL!)

i've never had a problem w/either scenario and we fly a few times a year

 

[Gooofy-Blade]

But I think SW won't check you in or check baggage at the curb or gate and you can't get through security unless everyone on the reservation is together anyway. If DH lets you out at the curb, you'll have to wait for him for check-in.

This is not correct. As long as you are checking the baggage as yours and have your own boarding passes, there is no problem. If this happened to you allieoop, someone was very wrong and going outside of the spectrum.

 

[hfalk]

Thanks so much for all the information! These boards and all you helpful people have been so wonderful for planning our trip!

 

[allieoop]

This is not correct. As long as you are checking the baggage as yours and have your own boarding passes, there is no problem. If this happened to you allieoop, someone was very wrong and going outside of the spectrum.

It's happened to us twice at the Nashville airport - two different years. Once, the curbside baggage checker wouldn't check us in until my husband came back from parking our car. The second time was at the security check-in last year, security guard wanted everyone on the reservation to go through together.

 

[tjmw2727]

It's happened to us twice at the Nashville airport - two different years. Once, the curbside baggage checker wouldn't check us in until my husband came back from parking our car. The second time was at the security check-in last year, security guard wanted everyone on the reservation to go through together.

At the TSA (Security) checkpoint all they want is your boarding pass, they have no idea who the travel party is as everyone has their own separate boarding pass. I have gone through security alone or with my dd's when my dh was on the reservation but arriving separately. The TSA is only checking that the name on the boarding pass is the same is the passenger.

My husband has also left the secure area alone and returned with no issues even though the reservation was originally for our family of 4.

Since the OP will already have boarding passes and is not checking luggage her plan will work just fine.

TJ

 

[Rpsemont]

We usually fly out of BDL. We've been to WDW 10 times in the last 4 years and almost always, DH drops DD, me (and anyone else who happens to be travelling with us) at the airport, then goes and parks the car. Before you could print the BP on line, we would just make sure he had his own copy of the itinerary, and he would use the Kiosk to get his BP while we would get one from the skycap. Now, I just make sure he has his own Boarding Pass. We also do this on the return from MCO. He drops us and the luggage and and returns the car and meets us at the gate.

 

[inkkognito]

As long as there is at least one member of your party in the line, it's not a problem. I have seen it happen often and have left the line myself to go to the restroom while my hubby holds my place.

However, as others have said, it is NOT acceptable to leave unattended luggage. Once I was the first one in the A line and a man came up and asked if he could leave his bags for me to watch. Uh, duh! NO! Not in this post 9/11 world! And even putting that aside, if he wants a good spot in the A line, he can just wait like everyone else. I told him "No" but he left it anyway. As people entered the line, they ended up shoving and kicking it back, so by the time he eventually returned, he was at the end of the line. I've noticed that in general SW fliers ignore or move bags left in the line with no one attending them.