SWA to join DME!

[DVC Grammy]

There was an article in the Orlando Sentinel stating this.
www.orlandosentinel.com/busin...l_home_promo o. (I hope I got the site right. )

It's supposed to happen in early '08!

( Sorry, it doesn't get you directly to the page, but if you put in Southwest Airlines and go to the article re: DCL, it's in there!)

 

[Lewisc]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-disney0307oct03,0,7105422.story

It's been rumored for more then a year that SW will be part of the RAC program in the near future. There is a computer issue. SW doesn't use the same computer system the other airlines use. SW has a new computer system that will be rolled out in 2008. I don't think SW will be part of the RAC program until their new system is rolled out.

I don't think early 2008 means early January, maybe sometime in the 1st Q.

 

[grimley1968]

That's good news! This seems like a perfect corporate sponsorship, with as many people on the DIS alone that seem to like both Disney and SWA.

 

[Pocahantas]

That is great news since we always fly Southwest!!!

 

[azgal81]

Excellent news!

 

[Mickdeb]

Is it really good news How far in advance can you get your boarding passes using RAC? Isn't it less than 24 hours? Or am I mistaken? I have never used RAC from WDW so I don't know about the exact procedures. Can you get your boarding passes at the 24 hour mark, but just check your luggage thru RAC using their procedures, isn't it not more than 6 hours before your flight?
Sorry for all the questions, just not sure that this is better, especially with SWA's new boarding procedures.
Hopefully, I am wrong and we won't have to lug the luggage on ME.
Thanks

 

[grimley1968]

Is it really good news How far in advance can you get your boarding passes using RAC? Isn't it less than 24 hours? Or am I mistaken? I have never used RAC from WDW so I don't know about the exact procedures. Can you get your boarding passes at the 24 hour mark, but just check your luggage thru RAC using their procedures, isn't it not more than 6 hours before your flight?
Sorry for all the questions, just not sure that this is better, especially with SWA's new boarding procedures.
Hopefully, I am wrong and we won't have to lug the luggage on ME.
Thanks

I don't think that article referred to RAC, but rather referred to DME, which is a separate service.

 

[Mickdeb]

The only part of DME that SWA doesn't participate in is the RAC part (checking in and checking baggage at the resort). From inception, people flying SWA airlines have always been able to use DME from their home airport, it was just on the return trip to MCO, we would have to bring our luggage with us and stow it under the DME bus. We were able to get our boarding passes at the 24 hour mark. My question is, will this change if SWA offers the return DME luggage service also known as RAC(remote airline checkin)?

 

[DVC Grammy]

Is it really good news How far in advance can you get your boarding passes using RAC? Isn't it less than 24 hours? Or am I mistaken? I have never used RAC from WDW so I don't know about the exact procedures. Can you get your boarding passes at the 24 hour mark, but just check your luggage thru RAC using their procedures, isn't it not more than 6 hours before your flight?
Sorry for all the questions, just not sure that this is better, especially with SWA's new boarding procedures.
Hopefully, I am wrong and we won't have to lug the luggage on ME.
Thanks

I don't see why we can't still get BPs at 24 hours and check in our luggage at the resort the following day.
Isn't that what we do now? With our BPs in hand (or in the system already), we go to our home airport and check in our luggage the day of our flight.

 

[Mickdeb]

I certainly know what we do now. My question is, will the procedure change I hope that yes, indeed we can still checkin in at the 24hour mark and just have RAC do a reprint, when they check us in with our luggage. Gotta have those A boarding passes

 

[Lewisc]

We don't know what will happen. Reliable posters said the way the system currently works might prohibit a guest, who already had a BP issued, from checking luggage at the RAC desk.

I'd hope that when the SW is finally rolled out passengers will be able to get their BP at the 24 hour mark but we won't know until it happens.

I certainly know what we do now. My question is, will the procedure change I hope that yes, indeed we can still checkin in at the 24hour mark and just have RAC do a reprint, when they check us in with our luggage. Gotta have those A boarding passes

 

[Mickdeb]

Thank you Lewis, I thought I had read something similar, hence my concern and questions. I actually don't mind the way it is handled now and would continue to bring my own luggage on, if it means not being able to get a boarding pass at the 24 hour mark by using RAC. As you said, we will have to wait and see. I appreciate your response.

 

[Lewisc]

FWIW I don't see SW keeping the current system much longer. I think SW will either charge extra for an "A" BP, give "A" BPs to passenger that book more expensive fares or stagger the check in times. Passengers with full fare tickets get to check in 24 hours in advance and passengers with cheap DING fares can only check in 4 hours in advance for example.