SWA out of BUF--help please

[tmli]

The flight leaves at 7:30a.m. what time should I be at the airport? We have booked rooms at the Clarion but the shuttle doesn't start until 6, that sounds too late to me? I will be bringing my laptop so I can get our boarding passes online.

Also, if I need preboarding for my ds and I, do I need a special boarding pass?

Does BUF have curbside check in? Would we be better to forego the shuttle and get taxis to the airport?

 

[cabmom]

Relax, deep breath....

Ok, you'll be fine taking the shuttle. We left our hotel at 6am for the airport. It's not an international flight so you only have to be there an hour before.
You'll get to board early with your son if he is special needs.
I'm not sure about curbside. You might want to post this on the Transportation Board, they are very knowledgable.
We leave on Jan 4th, but we fly out at 7:10pm. We got direct flights each way for $75 each for 5 of us.

Enjoy your trip!
Marilynn

Just did a search on www.iflyswa.com here is some info:
http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/disability.html
http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/checkin.html

 

[maryliz]

Hi there. We are flying out of BUF Jan 6th. I found out the following from the transportation board. Yes, they have curbside check-in. Go ahead and print your boarding passes, as anyone would. If you are eligible for pre-boarding, they will instruct you at the airport where to line-up, and regardless of what "class of boarding pass you have" (ie. A,B, or C), you will preboard with the other eligible passengers. I've also been told that if it is due to a disability, they give those people blue envelopes (???) or something so that the people waiting to board don't wonder if that person should actually be in that line-up (AKA the boarding police - LOL). Actually I think whatever they give you is supposed to make it easier to handle to pass. If you are preboarding because your child is 4 and under, it will be very obvious to those NOT boarding just yet And, preboarding with smaller children may be non-existant on your flight if half of the flight would fall into that category.

This is the first time flying with our kids, so we shall see how this all works out! DD is 7 and DS is 4 so we want to ensure that one parent is with each child.

Have a great time!

Mary-Liz

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Hi there -- we're also flying out on the morning of Jan. 4 but spending the night of the 3rd at the Holiday Inn Express on Buell. I'm looking forward to flying Southwest -- although DW insists my only reason for flying SW is an attempt to get on "Airline." Of course, we all know the best way to make that happen.
I'll also have my laptop along for the trip -- but no printer to print the boarding passes. Any ideas or suggestions for doing so at both HIEX and SSR?

 

[tmli]

Yeah, I have been trying to figure that one out myself. I wonder if you could in the hotel business center?

 

[TimNDansMom]

DisneyLisa had her laptop with us on our November trip, so we each signed in online after midnight, day of our flight home, and got our (A) boarding assignment.

When you check in at the airport simply tell the agent that you already have your boarding assignment, but need your boarding pass printed. It is very easy, just remember to ask that it be printed, though.

I told the agent that I had signed in online for my boarding assignment, but forgot to tell her that I still needed it printed off. When I got to security, I had no boarding pass in my envelope with the baggage claim tag!

The lady at security was very nice and told me not to panic, because I thought I'd lost it. Fortunately, DisneyLisa, who was with another security person, saw there was a problem, came over and knew what I had forgotten to do. We returned to the check in desk and got my boarding pass printed off.

Each ticket has to have been purchased separately in order to get your boarding passes online. You each need a confirmation number.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

It was my understanding that SW now allowed boarding passes to be printed out regardless of whether they are individual or family purchase. Could anyone please confirm or deny this?

 

[TimNDansMom]

Oh, I hadn't heard that news, Neil. You could try the transportation forum too.

 

[tmli]

Thanks Julie for the info, that is exactly what I needed to know. Neil, according the SWA website you are correct they have just changed the policy so that multiple passes can be printed off one ressie number.

 

[tmli]

Good News Neil, I just discovered they film AIRLINE in BWI....it's a little early on a Sunday a.m. but I'm sure I can be drunk by the time I get there...anything for my 15 minutes!!!

 

[TimNDansMom]

Thanks for clarifying the new info about printing off boarding passes for multiple tickets, Tracey. When Dh and I flew together on SW last year, we weren't able to do that.