SWA tips

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
Multi stops is not unusual for many airlines. You had to know it was going to make stops when you made your reservation.

Gail there is no easy way (I always figure out a way to check) if the flight you're on is a continuation of an existing flight. If your flight stops in Baltimore people boarding in Baltimore may get stuck with "left over" seats even with an "A" boarding pass.

I agree there is too much abuse of the pre-boarding. I wish they'd either get rid of it, make the pre-boards take the LAST few rows or (in the case of SW) make you pre-board within your group. I think people who don't get a "A" boarding pass shouldn't be allowed to pre-board.

 

[CarolA]

Also, FYI, I think there's 30 people in each boarding group. That way you know that if you end up in group C, there will probably be at least 60 people boarding ahead of you.

Actually it is 45 people per group now.

Also, SW will sometimes preboard people who got selected for the full SEARCH at the security gate. I don't know why, I guess it is just thier way of being nice

I have never been on a SW flight where a small child was forced to sit by themselves. If you are nice to the flight attendant, they will even get on the intercom and beg people to move for you. Of course, I have seem SW flight attendants leave it up to the passenger to ask, but this was after the woman started the coversation with words that should not be repeated on a public board. Let's just say that starting any conversation with a word that sounds like witch does not win you points. As in WITCH! COME HELP ME! WHAT AN XXX WAY TO RUN AN AIRLINE! I CAN'T SIT AWAY FROM XXX. (Note: The child in question was about 10 and appeared to want to RUN away from Mom at that point. Someone finally moved just to get her to quit screaming! She cussed like a sailor all the way to Tampa)


The "window/aisle" seat selection seems legit to me. My coworkers and I used to do it all the time. Of course we just let the late arrival sit in the middle!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by donmil723
Although I know that there are people who will take advantage of preboarding, let's just be glad that we do not need to do so. This past summer, my DH, DD, age 18, and myself asked to preboard on our flight home from Orlando because we needed to sit in one of the front seats so we could be one of the first off the plane. You see, my father was dying and we were rushing to get home to say goodbye. SWA was very considerate and did allow us to do so. I hope we never have to use preboarding again!!!!

I'm glad that SWA has the preboarding policy as I know how hard it is to travel with young kids and all the extra stuff they need as well as traveling with people with disabilities. My dad was in a wheelchair for the last six years of his life.

Donna

Donna,
I am sorry to hear about your Dad and very pleased to hear that SWA did care enough to make it easy for you to deplane.

 

[Figaro]

I always have to pre-board and trust me, you wouldn't want me getting on while everyone else is getting on or after others have boarded (smile). We are always in the bulkhead seats if possible or directly behind them, as it would be an enormous hassle for the airline employees to move me the length of the plane to the back on the aisle wheelchair and then reverse the process when I disembark. So, while we are often the first ones on, we are always the last ones off(smile). Then add in the medical gear my spouse lugs along for me and the pieces of my wheelchair that can't go in with the luggage that have to be strapped together and stowed and it takes forever even though we pre-board and he is very quick (lots of practice)(smile).

And most of the people here would not believe how unpleasant people can be about the early pre-board.

My spouse will park me in my wheelchair where the gate agent tells us to park and we have been cursed at, ordered to get out of the way and had to listen to comments on a fair number of trips. One time the gate attendant unlocked the door to the jetway, told us to come through and told us to wait there just on the other side of the door instead of out in the main waiting area just to get us away from people who were upset that we had "line jumped" ahead of them since they were waiting in line first

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Lewisc
Gail there is no easy way (I always figure out a way to check) if the flight you're on is a continuation of an existing flight. If your flight stops in Baltimore people boarding in Baltimore may get stuck with "left over" seats even with an "A" boarding pass.

I agree there is too much abuse of the pre-boarding. I wish they'd either get rid of it, make the pre-boards take the LAST few rows or (in the case of SW) make you pre-board within your group. I think people who don't get a "A" boarding pass shouldn't be allowed to pre-board.

Lewis, I do know that there is no easy way to figure this out, short of calling SWA. BUT, my point was when you made the reservations you knew there were stops. They make that very plain on the website. Chances are very good if it stops, people are going to get off and others are going to get on. This is not unique to SWA other airlines do it too. I found comparing it to a bus a bit over the top. It is a normal occurance on airlines with stops on your flight.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Figaro
I always have to pre-board and trust me, you wouldn't want me getting on while everyone else is getting on or after others have boarded (smile). We are always in the bulkhead seats if possible or directly behind them, as it would be an enormous hassle for the airline employees to move me the length of the plane to the back on the aisle wheelchair and then reverse the process when I disembark. So, while we are often the first ones on, we are always the last ones off(smile). Then add in the medical gear my spouse lugs along for me and the pieces of my wheelchair that can't go in with the luggage that have to be strapped together and stowed and it takes forever even though we pre-board and he is very quick (lots of practice)(smile).

And most of the people here would not believe how unpleasant people can be about the early pre-board.

My spouse will park me in my wheelchair where the gate agent tells us to park and we have been cursed at, ordered to get out of the way and had to listen to comments on a fair number of trips. One time the gate attendant unlocked the door to the jetway, told us to come through and told us to wait there just on the other side of the door instead of out in the main waiting area just to get us away from people who were upset that we had "line jumped" ahead of them since they were waiting in line first

Some people are just plain stupid and clueless.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by NHmouse
When we flew SWA in August it seemed that they had tightened up on the preboard policy to my delight. They were only allowing immediate family with children 4& under( we saw them tell a hole group of angry aunts and uncles that they had to go to the C group of their passes - they arrived 5 minutes before boarding time ). I really had gotten fed up with people abusing this. We are a family of 4 children 10, 7 and all we try to do is get 2 sets of 2 or a 3 and 1. We are not picky about location and my dh or myself has moved before being asked to allow small children to sit with their parents simply because it is the right thing to do!

I agree, to some extent, with your comments re: kids and parents, but ( and this is where I lose some of my "niceness') when I have managed to get my old butt to the airport in time to get an A or B boarding pass and someone with children gets there after that and expects me or someone else to move to accomodate their lateness that is a no go for me. I have managed to get myself together and arrive so I can sit with Dee.
I am not excited about flying sitting beside someone I do not know. We taken our time, once, for a flight on SWA and paid the price for that by having to sit apart, we don't do that anymore.
You can call me selfish and uncaring and for this particular circumstance you would be totally correct. This is about the only time the Entitlement Mentality kicks in for me.

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
Lewis, I do know that there is no easy way to figure this out, short of calling SWA. BUT, my point was when you made the reservations you knew there were stops. They make that very plain on the website. Chances are very good if it stops, people are going to get off and others are going to get on. This is not unique to SWA other airlines do it too. I found comparing it to a bus a bit over the top. It is a normal occurance on airlines with stops on your flight.

Gail poster was talking about stops before they got on the plane which caused the plane to be full. I agree other airlines do it and the bus analagy is a little over the top. It's not that hard to check for arriving flight 30-60 minutes before your flight with the same flight number. Could just call SW but sometimes I do things the hard way.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Lewisc
Gail poster was talking about stops before they got on the plane which caused the plane to be full. I agree other airlines do it and the bus analagy is a little over the top. It's not that hard to check for arriving flight 30-60 minutes before your flight with the same flight number. Could just call SW but sometimes I do things the hard way.

Lewis,
I knew that and the poster went on to say they stopped a number of times. That was the part of the comment I was commenting on.
I do stuff the hard way too, but, sometimes I just take the easy way out. 30-60 minutes before the flight is not going to help in long term planning. Before I make reservations I want to know all this stuff. I now know that the flight I take out of Bradley is not a continuing flight.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Tigger&Belle
I agree that people should not abuse the preboard. However, I will be traveling alone with my 4yo and I would not have gone with Southwest if they wouldn't let me preboard because I wouldn't have taken the chance of us not being seated together. I called and confirmed about the preboarding before buying the ticket.

I think that they should only board people in my situation, people who have a carseat to hook up who have bought the ticket for their baby, and people who have a medical situation severe enough to really need the extra time. Seems that they are concerned about offending a few preboarders but in turn offend the rest of the people who are waiting their turn to board.

This is common in lots of situations (ie restaurants refusing to suggest to a diner with a noisy child that they walk the child around until the child quiets down). They make everyone else suffer because they don't want to lose that one customer.

Rant over....

T&B

If you were flying Delta, you would not be allowed to preboard. They limit that to folks with special needs.
I don't think I would want to judge the severaity of someone who has a medical situation. I did preboarding once when I had torqued my knee very badly. I wasn't that I needed extra time, it was that it was incredibly painful to stand on for any length of time. Under your rules, I would have had to stand on it and wait for everyone to stash their major appliance in the overhead. I was grateful that they allowed me this slack.
If you get to the airport early enough, you will get and A or B pass and that pretty much assures that you will sit together.

As to your example of a noisy kid in a restaurant, I hear that, but, found, if you ask for the manager, magically, the child stops.

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
Lewis,
30-60 minutes before the flight is not going to help in long term planning. Before I make reservations I want to know all this stuff. I now know that the flight I take out of Bradley is not a continuing flight.

I said it wrong, you can look through the schedule for flights scheduled to land in your origination city 30-60 minutes before your departure time. Find a flight with the same flight number and you now know where it originated from.

Most of the flights from ISP originate from ISP (since they dumped Providence service) but I suspect many (most?) of the flights from BWI originate elswhere.

 

[FredS]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
If you were flying Delta, you would not be allowed to preboard. .......If you get to the airport early enough, you will get and A or B pass and that pretty much assures that you will sit together.

I think you've completely missed the point that A)Delta allows seat assignment, and B)sometimes circumstances prevent one from receiving an A or B pass. Gambling each and every time you fly that you will be seated beside, for example, your five-year-old child, does not sit well with parents.

OFF TOPIC: As I vaguely recall, the OP was asking for tips, not a recitation of the website or for condescending comments on other's questions and comments. I think this is a classic example of why there is a rule about staying on topic, so those of us who might consider flying Southwest can obtain tips without having to sift through OT conversation.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by FredS
I think you've completely missed the point that A)Delta allows seat assignment, and B)sometimes circumstances prevent one from receiving an A or B pass. Gambling each and every time you fly that you will be seated beside, for example, your five-year-old child, does not sit well with parents.

OFF TOPIC: As I vaguely recall, the OP was asking for tips, not a recitation of the website or for condescending comments on other's questions and comments. I think this is a classic example of why there is a rule about staying on topic, so those of us who might consider flying Southwest can obtain tips without having to sift through OT conversation.

Recitation of the website is where you will find the facts.
If you don't like comments that can be construed as OT, then I suggest you read the web pages. In all reality, they are the most accurate place to find information.

Delta does allow seat assignments, but, how often have you read that they have changed equipment and the seats are not together, IMHO, that is a gamble. If you don't want to take the gamble of not being seated together, fly an airline that you think will keep you as you originally reserved. It is really simple.

 

[Figaro]

Gail wrote: "Some people are just plain stupid and clueless."
(Sorry, I can't figure out how to quote!)

I've mostly found that the majority of people are okay and that the ones who get the most upset about me and the wheelchair pre-boarding are the business people and the mothers of kids. Everyone else doesn't seem to make a big deal about it.

And I figure that the business people are just in a rush and probably sick of having to fly all of the time and wishing those of us who are leisure flyers would just HURRY UP(smile), while the moms are worried about not having enough time to get all of their equipment stowed, car-seats hooked up and just plain stressed because they are worried about keeping their child/children entertained during the flight. There have been a couple of times when my spouse has given up the bulkhead seat (if he can sit fairly close to transport me to the bathroom if I need to go which I try not since it is such a hassle)(smile), to someone who has an injury. There isn't any way to give it up to a mother and child very often, since my spouse and I are usually sitting on the 2 seat side of the plane and one seat usually won't do a mom and child any good.

I have to admit that I am nervous about flying American (never have flown with them before) for this coming trip. But that is mostly because I don't know how they handle things yet. Oh well, I keep repeating that it is good for me to try new things and learn new things(smile) and the trip will all work out fine.

 

[dizneyfan]

Interesting comments....didn't mean to spark a debate!

I had certainly never considered that the plane might already have passengers on it!!! Our flight out is at 9:10 a.m....so it's possible that the plane will have flown out of another city into Nashville.

Does anyone know how I can find out if our flight has made a stop previous to ours or has originated elsewhere? I know we are non-stop from Nashville to Orlando.

These boards have been so helpful...until reading here I had no idea that SWA didn't assign seats. We've always flown NW before and I usually worry about situating our seats away from the engines due to noise. I guess I'll just be grateful if we can get seats together! But for this price...I can put up with a little inconvenience!

Thanks for all the wonderful information...you guys are great!

dizneyfan

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Figaro
Gail wrote: "Some people are just plain stupid and clueless."
(Sorry, I can't figure out how to quote!)

I've mostly found that the majority of people are okay and that the ones who get the most upset about me and the wheelchair pre-boarding are the business people and the mothers of kids. Everyone else doesn't seem to make a big deal about it.

And I figure that the business people are just in a rush and probably sick of having to fly all of the time and wishing those of us who are leisure flyers would just HURRY UP(smile), while the moms are worried about not having enough time to get all of their equipment stowed, car-seats hooked up and just plain stressed because they are worried about keeping their child/children entertained during the flight. There have been a couple of times when my spouse has given up the bulkhead seat (if he can sit fairly close to transport me to the bathroom if I need to go which I try not since it is such a hassle)(smile), to someone who has an injury. There isn't any way to give it up to a mother and child very often, since my spouse and I are usually sitting on the 2 seat side of the plane and one seat usually won't do a mom and child any good.

I have to admit that I am nervous about flying American (never have flown with them before) for this coming trip. But that is mostly because I don't know how they handle things yet. Oh well, I keep repeating that it is good for me to try new things and learn new things(smile) and the trip will all work out fine.

As I said "some".

American is very nice and very considerate, you should not have any problems.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by dizneyfan
Interesting comments....didn't mean to spark a debate!

I had certainly never considered that the plane might already have passengers on it!!! Our flight out is at 9:10 a.m....so it's possible that the plane will have flown out of another city into Nashville.

Does anyone know how I can find out if our flight has made a stop previous to ours or has originated elsewhere? I know we are non-stop from Nashville to Orlando.

These boards have been so helpful...until reading here I had no idea that SWA didn't assign seats. We've always flown NW before and I usually worry about situating our seats away from the engines due to noise. I guess I'll just be grateful if we can get seats together! But for this price...I can put up with a little inconvenience!

Thanks for all the wonderful information...you guys are great!

dizneyfan

Yes, you can actually call SWA and ask about the flight. They can tell you.

Your attitude is great!!!

 

[CarolA]

Most flights out of Nashville seem to originate some place else. Orlando flights often originate in Chicago or Baltimore. However, since Nashville is a SW hub, normally the majority of the flyers get off to change planes. (Not guranteed!)

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
If you were flying Delta, you would not be allowed to preboard. They limit that to folks with special needs.
I don't think I would want to judge the severaity of someone who has a medical situation. I did preboarding once when I had torqued my knee very badly. I wasn't that I needed extra time, it was that it was incredibly painful to stand on for any length of time. Under your rules, I would have had to stand on it and wait for everyone to stash their major appliance in the overhead. I was grateful that they allowed me this slack.
If you get to the airport early enough, you will get and A or B pass and that pretty much assures that you will sit together.

Gail, if I were flying Delta I wouldn't want to preboard. When we've flown as a family (not on southwest) one of us will board with the carseat when our row is called (NOT preboard). Our older kids would either get on then or stay with the other parent. One of us would then walk around with our youngest child so he could get all of his energy out before getting on the plane.

As to "my rules" the last thing I would want you to do is to stand on your hurt knee any more than need be. Maybe I didn't word it exactly right. Sorry. There are some medical problems/reasons that are invisible to others. We could say that anyone with medical problems should use a different airlines, afterall. Just as I would have taken a different airline is SW had of told me that I couldn't preboard. I am only following their rules. I'm not trying to preboard for no reason.

T&B

 

[FredS]

Originally posted by dizneyfan
Interesting comments....didn't mean to spark a debate!

I appreciate your asking the question, and there was no reason for any ugliness, in my opinion. It is a bit tiring to search for the tips and well-meant suggestions amongst the pompous crud.