SWA and all the pre-boarders

[4greatboys]

We always fly SWA. For us its the cheapest and usually the only direct flight we can get in to Orlando on. We fly out from Houston Hobby they still do preboard there and I havent seen it abused there. We preboard with our small kids, the youngest is only 2. My older boys, teens, do not preboard with us but we do save them a seat.
However in Orlando when they say preboarding for kids 4 and under I too have seen many a tall 4 yr old. They were actually the size of 8 and 9 yr olds. But the attendant never said a word about.

 

[Julia M]

Interestingly enough for me, in the past few months, SWA tickets have been MORE expensive than United, Delta, American and America West.

I have purchased tickets for travel to Witchita (I know SWA doesn;r fly there, we were looking at a close by city like Tulsa), Minneapolis and Orlando, and I'm currently looking to buy for Las Vegas.

I consider it lucky I can pay Southwest prices and still receive seat assignments!

 

[Forevryoung]

I LOVE SOUTHWEST- ok that being said I have flown on SWA more times than I can count. I am on my fourth or fifth free ticket with the rewards program. I can count three times that my plane has been delayed and once was because the fog was so dense the plane coming in couldn't land. The people who work for SWA are some of the nicest people around- do everything with a joke and a smile. Now, I usually travel alone but every trip I see a family or a parent with a child get on after A or B boards or whatever and there aren't any two or three seats together, all they have to do is ask. The stewardesses will make an announcement if need be. I have given up my seat quite a few times to let two people sit next to eachother. I am sorry if people abuse the preboarding system but if you need seat assignments that badly, or want to complain about a lack there of, please don't take SWA. We will all get to the same place-

 

[heffalumps]

I am thinking of booking SW in the fall for our trip. There will be 4 adults and 1 child age three. Is it possible to preboard all together. Our friends with the child have never been on an airplane before and both are nervous about flying. I would like to sit with them but, would we be better off getting there early for A boarding instead of getting in the preboard line? I don't want to offend anyone.

 

[4greatboys]

I am thinking of booking SW in the fall for our trip. There will be 4 adults and 1 child age three. Is it possible to preboard all together. Our friends with the child have never been on an airplane before and both are nervous about flying. I would like to sit with them but, would we be better off getting there early for A boarding instead of getting in the preboard line? I don't want to offend anyone.

When we preboard they have wanted it to be 1 adult with the child (ren). But they will usually let both preboard with more than 1 kid. If your friends print out thier boarding pass at midnight and get an A, or even a B there is still a very good chance they can find seats next to you.

 

[seashoreCM]

Our friends with the child have never been on an airplane before and both are nervous about flying. I would like to sit with them but, would we be better off getting there early for A boarding instead of getting in the preboard line?

You can get the A boarding pass and also ask about pre-boarding later.

If you have an A pass you really don't need to pre-board.

If you are apprehensive about flying, I don't think pre-boarding is going to help.

 

[agnes!]

I am thinking of booking SW in the fall for our trip. There will be 4 adults and 1 child age three. Is it possible to preboard all together. Our friends with the child have never been on an airplane before and both are nervous about flying. I would like to sit with them but, would we be better off getting there early for A boarding instead of getting in the preboard line? I don't want to offend anyone.

When you fly Southwest you can print out your boarding passes(A,B or C) starting midnight of the day you travel. You will be able to print out your family's boarding passes, the other family will be able to print out *their* particular boarding passes. If both parties print theirs out around midnight (or perhaps early in the morning) and get "A", chances are good that at least some of you will be able to sit together. (Maybe the guys can sit with the three year old? and the ladies can order some adult beverages... )

agnes!

 

[lindaso]

I think a great solution would be to only allow preboarding to those needing to install a carseat. Believe me, you need that extra time to get the seat down the aisle without slamming someone and installing it while the baby/child is waiting in another seat while you fight with the seat belt.

My youngest is still 2 and in a carseat but when our preboarding days are over, I wouldn't see any reason to be the first ones on the plane. And hey, if I can't get a seat next to my kid...it'll be a quiet flight for me

 

[Liz]

What's this about Southwest having a fuel hedge? I don't understand that part.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

I really dont like southwest. It is the closest airport to our house, that is about the only reason I will consider it, Ds just came back from a trip sun. and he really didnt have a choice other than that flight. He got an a pass going because we printed it for him, coming back he got a c, o.k. he was unnacompanied but is 17 so he didnt care too much. I also see so many preboards and between the kids and the snowbirds here its a big chunk of the seats. I only consider the price secondary and guess what for our next trip we are going on american, southwest had more expensive prices and no direct flights so we chose American and we have an assigned seat. I guess I feel like southwest is a cattle car mentality, profit is their bottom line and that is it. If i can find a better price, I DO GO elsewhere.

 

[NotUrsula]

On SWA, carseats MUST be preboarded. Because of the FAA restrictions on carseat placement, they don't have a choice about allowing that, as they don't assign seats.

My take is, a max. of one adult with each child preboard, and only one escort for adult disability preboards. Also, seat-saving for later-boarding members of your party should be restricted to no more than 2 seats (as in, the rest of one row. Which, of course, is the unwritten rule of SWA "seatiquette" that applies now.)

 

[Gary M]

The SWA preboarding from IND to MCO is really entertaining. It seems that nearly everyone with white hair or over 60 years old think they are entitled to preboard. Many of the "seniors" have golf tans and are in great shape. The "seniors" get in line with the kids and the kids entourages. When all of these people get into the preboarding line they easily out number the A, B and C customers. The preboarding line snakes way back from the gate. When the word comes for the preboarders to get on the plane the "seniors" and the kids and their gaggles jockey for position and rush to the plane and their seats. When I get on the plane, most if not all, of the exit row seats are filled with the "seniors" that needed help or extra time to preboard. I thought in order to sit in exit row seats you have to be 15 years old or older (which they are) and in good enough health to handle the responsibilities of emergency exit row procedures. If you are in good enough health to handle the exit row duties then you shouldn't preboard.

I am over 60 with white hair, but wait in my A, B, or C line and am thankful that I don't need real help or extra time to preboard. The SWA flights from Indy to Vegas isn't as crazy as the flights to MCO as far as preboarding is concerned.

 

[mrsstats]

I fly Southwest for the price and it is the only non-stop airline to Florida. When we flew on Sunday 1/2 of the plane pre-boarded. They will allow both parents & child to board but not grandparents etc. What bothers me is the parents who get their at the last minute and then have the stroller that needs to be tagged before they get on. Then on getting off, they all clog up the exit ramp waiting for their strollers. It would be better to have them preboard and then sit in the back of the plane since they have to wait for their items to come up anyway. 2nd are the "elderly" who board and then sit in the emergency row exits. If they can't board with everyone else, how are they going to be able to help in an emergency.

 

[disnutt]

I have flown SWA before without my family and loved it. In May we're flying to MCO as a family. It's me, my DH, DDs 9 and 4 and DS 18 months. I am looking forward to having the ability to sit close together. Any time we have flown on a legacy carrier where you could choose seats I find that many couples will choose a window seat and an aisle seat leaving just the middle seat hoping that no one will take it and they'll have some extra room. That makes it difficult for my largish family to find enough room to sit near to each other. It helps having two parents to tag team the kids during a flight.

I think we're improving everyone else's flight by being able to keep the kids happy and laughing instead of screaming.

 

[debden]

Yeah,We flew from Albany,NY to Orlando in February and the gate guy came on the intercom and said 'Is there anybody NOT pre-boarding for this flight??'
Too Funny....

 

[Gary M]

I forgot to mention earlier that many of the pre-boarding "seniors" are lugging large carry-on bags with them.

 

[DMRick]

Both going to and from Albany last week we had minimal preboards (an dit was a holiday week). Coming home, there was a family with perhaps a 10 and 12 year old. Over the mic, the SW employee did ask, are one of these children under 5? The person said no, she then said, do you need to preboard, and they said yes. While nothing was apparent, I won't judge and assume they knew better why they had to preboard. We have also been on, when a preboarder sat in the emergency row, and the SW employee told him that preboarders could not sit there. My pet peeve is the people allowed to line up their suitcases in the A line, while they are off chatting in the seats. This trip, it was the first time they announced you had to be in line with your luggage, and the gal didn't look happy when she came up.

 

[C.Ann]

My pet peeve is the people allowed to line up their suitcases in the A line, while they are off chatting in the seats. This trip, it was the first time they announced you had to be in line with your luggage, and the gal didn't look happy when she came up.

-----------------------------------

This happened while I was in Orlando waiting for the flight home.. Several ladies set their luggage in the "A" area and then went over and sat down in the chairs.. After a bit some REALLY loud - REALLY wild - alarm went off like crazy and Security came rushing over to tell them they were NOT allowed to leave their bags unattended.. They either had to take them back to their seats or stand/sit next to them on the floor in the "A" area..

That alarm scared the bejeepers out of me!!!!!!

 

[seashoreCM]

: most if not all, of the exit row seats are filled with the "seniors" that needed help or extra time to preboard.

Ask a F/A to unseat a pre-boarder from the exit row if you want the seat. They may or may not do it for you but they have done so in the past.

If the F/A refuses, write a letter and ask for a perk on a later flight.

I think although I am not absolutely positively sure SW has a policy against letting pre-boarders have the exit row seats under the first come first served principle, it would be absurd if they did not.

However I am told that families with children may take the bulkhead row seats.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[inkkognito]

My very first Southwest flight is Monday morning, and I'll be up at 12:01 a.m. to get an A pass. If I see any unattended luggage in the A line, I will do what any good American would do and report it!
Just doing my small part to keep airports safe for the travelling public (and to keep rude people from inconveniencing others).
Barb