What happens when u have 2 buy a 2nd seat?

[pbharris4]

I've read the past posts but haven't seen what happens when you're asked to buy a 2nd seat.

I don't think I will have a problem, but just in case..what happens? Do they make you get off the plane and go buy another ticket? Do you miss your flight? (Ours is a 6pm flight and the last for the evening.) I got a $29/each way DING fare...so I don't know how that'll work? I flew Airtran last year and had the armrest down and buckled ok w.o an extender, but I gained the 60 lbs I lost back so it may be tight. We were going to drive, but got the great airfare. We rarelt fly anymore. Maybe I should crash diet for the next 2 months. I may just fit though. I hadn't even thought about it. As far as seating goes we were going to do DD11 at the window then DD4 in the middle, then me on the aisle then DH on the aisle across. If we're lucky to get A passes.

 

[pjpoohbear]

I remember hearing the gate agent on the show AIRLINE, which featured SW, say the extra seat is at the same price as the original ticket, if they ask you to buy it. If you ask to buy it, I don't know.

 

[robinb]

Southwest can be pretty strict about their seating. Even if you will be sitting next to your family. The good news is that if Southwest makes you purchase another seat and there is an extra seat on the plane when they push off they will reimburse you the purchase price of the ticket at a later date. The bad news is that they will charge you full coach for that ticket, not the great Ding! fare you scored. It's too bad you didn't think about it earlier when you booked your fare. The $80 RT you would have paid to have the extra room would have been well worth it IMO for no hassles and no worries.

 

[pbharris4]

Thank you for the replies, but I am still wondering how it is done? What if you have to pay for another seat..how do you go about doing it when you are already on the plane?

 

[robinb]

Thank you for the replies, but I am still wondering how it is done? What if you have to pay for another seat..how do you go about doing it when you are already on the plane?

They don't allow a "Passenger of Size" (Southwest's term for someone who needs two seats) on the plane with everyone else without buying the extra seat. I know that a couple years ago (according to the show "Airline") they would escort the passenger onto the plane early and allow them to try to fit in the seat with the arm rests down without anyone else on board. If they can't get the arm rests down they will make the passenger purchase and extra seat on the spot. Because of Southwest's boarding policy, it doesn't matter who you plan on sit next to, you still have to pay because you may end up next to someone else. Also seen on "Airline", sometimes the POS doesn't even make it to the gate without having to purchase the extra seat as the ticket agent will insist on it.

If you don't think you're going to get the arm rest down, then I would jump on the next Ding! and get another seat now instead of waiting. You will be a lot more comfortable. You may even be able to contact SWA to see if they will extend your current Ding! fare to an extra seat. If you wait you may have to pay full coach fare for the extra seat if you need one.

 

[chrismom2005]

i wanted to add that you will be able to preboard since you have a child under five. hopefully they dont give you any problems with your size seeing how the four year old is only going to use half a seat lol

 

[pamjb]

Here is the info direct from Southwest.com

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/cos_qa.html

 

[MushyMushy]

If you're at all worried about it, be proactive and get that ticket ASAP. I wouldn't want to go through the embarrassment of being singled out. You won't get that great $29 rate, but you still might get a good ding rate nonetheless. If you look on seatguru.com, you can see that Airtran coach seats are about an inch wider than SWA's seats.

That's what I did when we flew last year. I'd had a good $35 rate, but then after I found out about the Customer of Size policy and decided to get another seat, I had to pay a good bit more than that to get the extra seat. You don't want to have to pay for it at the gate, because then you'll be stuck paying the full fare!

 

[ducklite]

i wanted to add that you will be able to preboard since you have a child under five. hopefully they dont give you any problems with your size seeing how the four year old is only going to use half a seat lol

Not always. I have seen pre-boarding suspended on about 20% of my SW flights because almost everyone on the plane was a family with a kid four and under.

Anne

 

[pbharris4]

I just got off the phone with SW and they said I'd have to pay full fare at the gate if that happened. I can watch DING for that flight again and hopefully get lucky or pay now for the $79 fare each way. If I purchase that extra seat how do I go about not letting anyone occupy it? I wanted my 2 DDs next to me so they can watch the DVD together.

 

[pbharris4]

One more question for you.....if go ahead and buyan extra seat (it would be a seperate reservation) at the internet rate of $79 each way and then I get lucky and get a DING fare...will they refund me the $$$? I know you can cancel and rebook with 2 windows etc., but we probably won't fly again for awhile.

 

[MushyMushy]

I just got off the phone with SW and they said I'd have to pay full fare at the gate if that happened. I can watch DING for that flight again and hopefully get lucky or pay now for the $79 fare each way. If I purchase that extra seat how do I go about not letting anyone occupy it? I wanted my 2 DDs next to me so they can watch the DVD together.

When you get that extra ticket, it's not in your full name like your regular ticket was. If your name is Jane Smith, you would get that second ticket as J. Smith, and then when you go to get your boarding pass, you more than likely won't be able to do your boarding pass online. When you get to the airport, you'll go to a counter to get a boarding pass, and they will give you your boarding pass that's in your full name, and they'll also give you a little placard to place in your extra seat that says "reserved."

Also, you'll be able to pre-board probably with your whole family. You can pre-board with your oldest child, and your DH can pre-board with the youngest. If that doesn't work out, you'll still more than likely be able to get seats near each other if they are in the A group.

One more question for you.....if go ahead and buyan extra seat (it would be a seperate reservation) at the internet rate of $79 each way and then I get lucky and get a DING fare...will they refund me the $$$? I know you can cancel and rebook with 2 windows etc., but we probably won't fly again for awhile.

You wouldn't get a full refund, just a credit to be used within a year.

 

[dgaston]

I have a friend who always books an extra seat. She has an additional boarding pass that says "Extra Seat" that she puts between us. She tells me her credit card is credited for the extra purchase. She is mortified that someone will challenge her, or point her out, and that's plain wrong. She preboards due to numerous knee surgeries, but I wish she didn't have to suffer worrying about other's opinions of her.

 

[robinb]

I just got off the phone with SW and they said I'd have to pay full fare at the gate if that happened.[

I thought it was that way too, but I just read Southwest's own policy linked above and it states:

• What is the cost of the additional seating?
  If the Customer is holding an advance purchase, discounted fare, the second seat will be sold at the same discounted fare. If the Customer has purchased one of our low, unrestricted full fares, the second seat will be sold at the Child's Fare.

It would seem to me that your purchase price would be your Ding! fare. I think you'll need to call SWA back and ask them to clarify the situation.

 

[MushyMushy]

I thought it was that way too, but I just read Southwest's own policy linked above and it states:



It would seem to me that your purchase price would be your Ding! fare. I think you'll need to call SWA back and ask them to clarify the situation.

That's only when you're purchasing the extra seat at the same time as you're purchasing your original seats. I talked to them about this last year, trying to get my original discounted fare for my second seat.

 

[pbharris4]

I called SW to ask a question before I booked an extra seat at the internet fare of $79/each way. The woman was super nice and I just had a question like do they give me a pass or reserved sign to put on the seat. She didn't understand and I told her about thinking I may need to purchase one because I may be borderline not fitting and I had gotten a great DING fare, etc. She put me on hold, came back and said that they could give me that extra seat for the original $29/each way DING fare! Phew! It was linked together with the other reservation and I can check in online with both confirmation #s. I didn't ask what they policy was, but I got amore helpful rep this time when I called. I was concerned there wouldn't BE an extra seat. But after reading their policy on their site it does sound like you'd pay the same price as your advanced purchased, discounted fare.

Right now, I am glad I'll be on the flight and have extra room. I don't care if I am reimbursed or not..me and my DD will be glad to have the extra space. Heck, if I thought of it....I'd buy another seat so DH and other DD3 have room too.

 

[MushyMushy]

That's great news!

I'm so glad you were able to get that seat at a good rate. My experience with them wasn't so great when I went through it. The first couple of people I spoke with were total jerks about it -- one woman had me in tears.