SWA family boarding

[chic mama]

I have not flown SWA since having kids. I have looked at the family boarding policy (we have not purchased EBCI) and have a question. We will have 3 adults and 4 kids (ages 6, 4, and 7 month old twins) . Since we have 3 kids who qualify for family boarding, will all of us be able to board together between groups A and B?

 

[letsgoreds]

Did you purchase tickets for the twins? I am following to see if someone else has experience. If no tickets for the twins, then only the 4yo qualifies + adult to board during that time, as the rule is there to ensure young kids have seats adjacent to a family member. Guessing that it may be flight attendant dependent. Best of luck!

 

[DanieD0909]

Almost every time I fly with SWA the way they handle family boarding is different. It really depends on who is operating the gate/how full the flight is/etc.

Regardless of whether you bought a ticket or not for the twins they qualify for family boarding. I have a 22 month old and I've only purchased her a ticket once for a cross-country flight. But we have used family boarding on every flight that she has been on even when traveling as a lap child and that is 15+ flights. And it is always myself, my DH and my DD. all three of us board together every time.

If it was me, I would have your entire party plan in boarding during family boarding. You have a big group and I'm guessing a lot of stuff so before boarding even begins ask the gate agent where the line up starts for family boarding and be sure to be at the front of the line. The line up for family boarding can get quite long on flights to/from MCO depending on where you are going/coming from and time of day.
I've only seen them tell someone they couldn't board with family boarding one time and that was seriously a family of 8 people with one kid who looked more like 6 but they said he was 4.
Also, I always ask how full the flight is and if there are any empty seats. If they say that there are empty seats and you didn't pay for a seat for the twins; many times they have offered to let us take our car seat on for her to sleep in instead of gate checking it. My DD prefers to be held so we didn't use that option but it is always nice to know how full the plane is
I hope this helps. I fly with my DD on SWA alot so if you have any questions please message me good luck!

 

[DebbieB]

I have not flown SWA since having kids. I have looked at the family boarding policy (we have not purchased EBCI) and have a question. We will have 3 adults and 4 kids (ages 6, 4, and 7 month old twins) . Since we have 3 kids who qualify for family boarding, will all of us be able to board together between groups A and B?

They typically allow parents & siblings to all board at once. Who is the third adult? I've seen them turn away grandparents trying to board with the family. They usually make an announcement that it does not include grandparents, aunts, uncles. Not really a big deal because you will likely be able to save a seat for the third adult (save a middle seat).

 

[Betty Rohrer]

the 2 times that I have seen Southwest not do family boarding were flights to Orlando. when there are mostly families flying, they can not do family boarding. so it can happen

 

[chic mama]

Did you purchase tickets for the twins? I am following to see if someone else has experience. If no tickets for the twins, then only the 4yo qualifies + adult to board during that time, as the rule is there to ensure young kids have seats adjacent to a family member. Guessing that it may be flight attendant dependent. Best of luck!

I called SWA about this today since we do not have tickets for the twins. They said that family boarding is for children 4 and under even if they don't have a purchased ticket. They also said it is company policy to do family boarding on every flight, regardless of how many families there are! I guess we will just have to see how it goes but I am thinking it will be ok!

 

[francie57]

We have been on several SW flights to Orlando where they haven't done family boarding at all since there are so many kids on the flights. They may say its policy but there have been numerous people on these boards that have said the same thing about no family boarding. Hope for your sake it works out and there is but just know that there is that possibility.

 

[jayhawk74]

As a pilot I have talked with many Ops Agents (the people who do the boarding) and they all said that it is Southwest policy to do family boarding. They also said that if they don't follow Southwest policy it goes against their record and could lead to unpaid time off. However Family Boarding just includes the two parents, children four or younger, and the siblings of those children. So in the case of the OP the third adult would not be allowed to do Family Boarding.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Could the third adult board with the 4-year old while each parent takes a twin (plus the oldest kid?) As far as I know, SWA doesn't ask who the parent is, tho it may be obvious that the 3rd adult is a grand parent of the 4-yr old.

 

[chic mama]

Could the third adult board with the 4-year old while each parent takes a twin (plus the oldest kid?) As far as I know, SWA doesn't ask who the parent is, tho it may be obvious that the 3rd adult is a grand parent of the 4-yr old.

The third adult is my sister so it wouldn't necessarily be obvious that all the kids belonged to me. I guess since 1 adult per child under 5, we should be covered for all of us. If my sister has to sit somewhere else that is ok too I am just concerned about trying to get 4 small children, 3 backpacks, 2 diaper bags, 1 frazzled husband on to the plane while also folding up our 2 double strollers and 3 carseats for gate check!

 

[pooch]

Can you gate check the strollers and the car seats as soon as you get to the gate? That would get a lot off your plate. My hat's off to you. DH & I took DGS a couple years ago. We had 1 carry on and his car seat which we used on the plane and 2 adults to wrangle him!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Remember that each twin must be on a different row. You can only have one lap child per row

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

As a pilot I have talked with many Ops Agents (the people who do the boarding) and they all said that it is Southwest policy to do family boarding. They also said that if they don't follow Southwest policy it goes against their record and could lead to unpaid time off. However Family Boarding just includes the two parents, children four or younger, and the siblings of those children. So in the case of the OP the third adult would not be allowed to do Family Boarding.

This isn't correct. Southwest's official family boarding policy is one adult and one child age 4 or younger, not both parents.

 

[TJA]

Remember that each twin must be on a different row. You can only have one lap child per row

This is true (because there are only 4 oxygen masks in each row....accounting for 3 adults and 1 lap child). However, we flew with our twins many, many times when they were lap babies and our flights would move the 3rd person who joined our row to a different row. So our row would consist of just me, DH, and our twins. Now obviously we never flew on a full flight or this couldn't happen. But it was sure helpful to spread out and we could easily attend to the babies when needed (snacks/bottles, etc.).

 

[DebbieB]

Can you gate check the strollers and the car seats as soon as you get to the gate? That would get a lot off your plate. My hat's off to you. DH & I took DGS a couple years ago. We had 1 carry on and his car seat which we used on the plane and 2 adults to wrangle him!

When you gate check strollers & car seats, you have to drop them off at the end of the jetway near the plane door. They will not let you do that before boarding. Most likely the plane is not there yet and they will be delivering items to the people getting off.

 

[maxiesmom]

The third adult is my sister so it wouldn't necessarily be obvious that all the kids belonged to me. I guess since 1 adult per child under 5, we should be covered for all of us. If my sister has to sit somewhere else that is ok too I am just concerned about trying to get 4 small children, 3 backpacks, 2 diaper bags, 1 frazzled husband on to the plane while also folding up our 2 double strollers and 3 carseats for gate check!

I have to ask, how do you plan on hauling that all through the airport, and through security? Honestly, it sounds like you need to down size. I'm guessing you are renting a car, so want your car seats ready to go. Can you check the strollers? Reduce the number of bags you are carrying on board? Less will indeed be more when it comes to trying to juggle everything.

 

[Minnesota!]

I called SWA about this today since we do not have tickets for the twins. They said that family boarding is for children 4 and under even if they don't have a purchased ticket. They also said it is company policy to do family boarding on every flight, regardless of how many families there are! I guess we will just have to see how it goes but I am thinking it will be ok!

I have never seen family boarding done on any SWA flight I have taken - at least 12 legs. if it is a flight going to a "family destination" (which Orlando is), it doesn't make sense to do it.

I wouldn't count on family boarding, and, honestly, without EBCI...you might be lower down in boarding order.

 

[pooch]

I have never seen family boarding done on any SWA flight I have taken - at least 12 legs. if it is a flight going to a "family destination" (which Orlando is), it doesn't make sense to do it. I wouldn't count on family boarding, and, honestly, without EBCI...you might be lower down in boarding order.

And I've never seen it NOT done in flying 1-2 times per year to MCO from CT since 2006. I guess there's no consistency

 

[maxiesmom]

And I've never seen it NOT done in flying 1-2 times per year to MCO from CT since 2006. I guess there's no consistency

There isn't. Which is why I am always a bit scared for people who are depending on it to make things easier.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think it's far more important to mentally or actually practice moving everyone and everything. Talk about who takes what/who. Make sure everyone understands how to do things. This is going to be sweaty work, but it doesn't also have to be snarky work, LOL.

In my family we carried carseat on the hip, without holding onto the straps because our manuals said to not do that. So that was a bit harder, and made child-wrangling a little harder. 22 months old...Ergo back carry (or mei tai, etc), backpack on front, carseat to the side on one hand. Stroller...hmm. If seats will fit safely in strollers, maybe roll them down the gate ramp. Ooh, have the 6 year old push one or both if they are umbrella strollers and you can rig them together if just for that time period.

Practice this, at the very least mentally, so it remains sweaty, but not actually difficult. No need to start off a flight with "I thought YOU were going to hang on to the littles" "but I thought YOU were" etc etc.