SWA/issued tickets/can't get boarding pass

[Henlady]

Can someone explain this scenario to me: Trip to DW purchased thru Travel agent who purchased thru Disney. Actual "paper" tickets were issued. When person went online earlier today to print boarding pass, she couldn't. She checked and was told that since they had tickets in hand, they were "E" tickets(?) and didn't need a boarding pass. I thought Southwest issued A,B or C boarding passes and that is how you were let onto the plane for seating purposes. Just curious as to how this works.

Thanks in advance for the info.

 

[seashoreCM]

1. They may be old fashioned* tickets (still valid but requiring check in at the airport).

2. The person may have been randomly or intentionally pre-selected for secondary security screening requiring check in at the airport.

It is still necessary to get a boarding pass (with A, B, or C in the case of Southwest). Long ago, some airlines sent you your boarding passes with your tickets (or your travel agent printed them) but this is no longer done because of #2.

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

* Nowadays most airlines use electronic ticketing where the only piece of paper sent to the passenger is a receipt or itiinerary description. The term e-ticket should refer to electronic ticketing but some airlines may use the term for another purpose.

 

[bradk]

yeah, something's not right. a paper ticket is not an e-ticket. e-tickets are paperless tickets.

i would just call southwest and see what they say. once you're marked as checked-in (i don't know how paper tickets are handled to be honest), you can't check-in again online. i actually had a situation where bad timing got me locked out of being checked in at the remote check-in desk, but a call to jet blue got me cleared so they could do it again.

i'm assuming it's such an issue here because you're hoping for an A group (or so). so i'd call them just to see what can be done. I know for example if you use your mobile phone to check in, you obviously can't print the boarding pass, but you're still guaranteed the respective boarding group.

 

[bg4]

the way I understand it paper tickets cannot use on-line check in and have to check in at airport with agent and depending on when you check in it will determine what group you get. May be worth it to drive to airport a day in advance to get bp.

did a google and got this (from SWA.com)

Q: Can I use E-Ticket Check-In if I have a paper ticket?
A: No. Customers with a paper ticket of any kind will need to check in at either the Skycap Podium, Ticket Counter, or Departure Gate (to check in at the gate, you must have a Security Document).

 

[I'mNoPrince]

The funny thing is we used Southwest Vacations a few years ago for a vegas trip .

They also issue paper tickets and it negated the chance for 24hr on-line check-in. I sorta understand other TAs but SWV should be doing E-tickets.

Get early but check I don't think you can check-in to far in advance.

 

[Henlady]

Thanks for the info. This person had received some "faulty" info from their TA on some other parts of their plans for this trip and I was just curious as to how it was working for her flights, since I hadn't heard of this scenario before. She should be on her way this morning, so I'll be curious to hear how things went with her when she gets back.

 

[bgdiznee]

SW also does the paper ticket with all their Vacation Pkgs. We've bought them several times to go to Las Vegas as its such a good deal with airfare and hotel (especially for relatively last min. travel). But you can't check in online. It says this right on your travel docs when you get them. The only suggestion I can make is to get to the airport as early as possible before your flight time. But even that doesn't guarantee you'll get anything better than a B boarding pass. I've checked in as early as 4 hours ahead of time and gotten a C. It really depends on where the plane is coming from and how many thru passengers they have on board already. Is your friend traveling with a small child who qualifies as a preboarder? If so they can get a special blue preboarder pass and still be first in line irregardless of when they checked in or what letter pass they were given at check in.