pre-boarding on Southwest
 

Can anyone tell me what's the best way to insure that a family of 3 can sit together on Southwest? Our child is a teenager so we can't "pre-board" and I know you can't get a pre-assigned seat. Should be check in online ahead of time or get to the airport early? Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

after midnite of your travel day, log on to sw website and get "A"group boarding pass. THen you will be sure to sit together.

Go online exactly 24 hours prior to travel time...The procedure changed recently.This was you will get your first group to board bp.

Glad to hear their procedure has changed. It use to be ridiculously stupid. We haven't flown with them since just after 9-11. At that time they had you cornered into lines of A, B, and C. People were jumping in front of each other...mass chaos. Very frustrating. Glad to hear that has changed.

You still go into the A/B/C lines. That has not changed. If you want to be the first to board in your group, you still need to get there early and "protect" your spot.

The difference with online check-in is that now you only need to line up once at the gate, and don't need to do the one in front of the counter in order to get an A or B pass.

As was suggested, log on and get your boarding passes 24 hours from departure. If you get an A, you will have no trouble getting 3 seats together. You can also do this if you don't have a printer but have internet access....just check in on-line, but "reprint" your boarding pass at the airport (either a kiosk, or agent) you will still get your original letter.

Sorry, but repeatedly I have seen these complaints and I can not comprehend what the problem is about the designation lines, nor about the non-assigned seating.

There is no need to be confused, to sit on floors, to save "spots" etc. If you are in A or B you will get to sit together. If you are in C, you will still get to sit together at least a goodly percentage of the time. Not always.

I don't know what there is about this that so undermines people sense of decorum. Also, I have had assigned seats changed MUCHO times, and on overseas flights too,so I did not sit with my party. Bummer.

It just brings on the agnst, I guess. But think about it. Really WHY? There aren't that many seats that are that "better" than others on a SW flight. It's almost like adults still fighting over the window seat upon entering the car, as siblings do.


Only 1 time on maybe 30 Southwest flights have I NOT sat with my companion and that was when I gave up my seat to a lady with a sick child who wasn't going to get on at all. My guy and I both moved to those kind of backward seats and I hear that they no longer have those face to face backward ones at all.

And I don't mean this comment to disparage your post, sandypo. I am not putting down your fine question. Just had to vent over the constant putting down of SW for this feature, when overall it often works better with less hassel than the seat assignments and changes.

And they do board kids and disabled for any reason first. But sometimes, like with the lady and the sick child- they get there late or had been bumped off another airlines to arrive late. They asked the entire plane if 2 or 3 people could move into the "backward" section with attendants that time to get her on and no one but we two would do it. It was from LV.

I just don't understand people sometimes.

Me, too, JJ

All of the seats on a Southwest jet get you to the destination. WHO CARES where I sit for the brief portion of my life that I am on the plane?!? What I care about is getting to where I am going!! ;-)

Well, maybe you aren't 6'3, or you haven't been in an exhausting 12-hour meeting or maybe you don't want to have to sit in the middle or maybe you'd like to be treated like an adult guest instead of a head of cattle.

MikeT, my son is 6ft 5 inches tall and flies frequently. Actually is flying Southwest to CA with the entire brood this month. And he is a CPA who flies to Dallas twice monthly in Business class and occasionally in a private jet out of a college airport (Romeoville, IL).

And he flies Southwest, gets his pass like everyone else and I haven't heard him comment even once about anything but the fact that he can get the entire family to CA and back (FIVE OF THEM) for under $1000 with tax.

And you also do not have to be in the middle nor in an especially cramped seat that you do not prefer if you get the A pass or B pass. I never have.

To the herd of cattle and adult comments, I can only say that it is all in the perception of service. I have been herded far, far worse at three times the price. And the most adult behavior is actually self-regulating and not one of hierarchy. Can you see it is only in the perception? Really I'm not being sarcastic- just saying, think about it.

If you want exactly what you want, you really want more room. If you want more room, go 1st class and pay 4 or 5 times more.

JJ5 is right. Anyone w/ an A or B boarding pass will be able to sit together, get an Aisle seat (or a window if that is what they want). And now w/ advance check in (you don't even have to do it 24 hours in advance) it is pretty fool proof.

I only fly Southwest occasionally now, but for many years I flew them for work 3 or 4 times a month - never had a problem.

Or you can fly Southwest only when absolutely desparate. With fare matching, I can almost always guarantee I can find a flight where I actually get to choose my seat and don't have to be next to a computer 24-hours to the minute before in order to get a section A.

I understand the attraction of Southwest, but being unable to choose your seat ahead of time is awful for busy people.

In addition, if you are on the end of one of their five-city legs, getting an "A" section doesn't guarantee you won't end up in an middle seat. If the plane has already been to LA, Phoenix, Houston, and Kansas City before it reaches Chicago or Columbus, you are going to be stuck in the middle even if you did everything right.

The 5-city scenario MikeT describes above is most unlikely.

As clarified, go online 24 hours prior and check yourselves in. It will show you in the "A" group (you can print out the boarding pass or not, doesn't matter, you are now officially an "A").

Southwest is a great airline. Out of Seattle they have been beating Alaska Air for ontime service (take-offs) lately.

I don't mind Southwest, although I accept that some people do. But the herd of cattle comment is interesting to me. Whenever I'm boarding a plane, whether I have an assigned seat or not, and also getting off a plane upon arrival, I feel like cattle. I hate the process, but what are you going to do about it?

Hello? What about flights that have originated elsewhere? If a flight originates in your hometown, sure you can sit together. But for a continuing flight, you can't be sure. I'm one of those folks who're freaked by flying Southwest because I can't reserve a seat. Yes, I realize I'll get there at the same time, but I'm claustrophobic, and sitting in a middle seat just isn't an option for me. I'm holding out hope that Southwest will come up with a new plan!

I have NEVER had to sit in a middle seat when I had an A pass. EVER. And I used to fly SW for business a LOT!

The thing I like the most about SW is that they didn't tear up my luggage like AA did. Plus, since I have a military ID, I could hop an earlier flight home for no fee with them.

If you catch a plane in the middle of the country, you often can't get two seats together because the 75 people already on the plane go and get the good seats. Once the disabled and families with little children, there's often little left.

IMO, the best way to get good seating is not to fly on Southwest Airlines. I just do not like being herded. Living in Phoenix, most of my domestic flights are on America West and I am very happy with them.
((D))8-)

I HATE Southwest's boarding policy. People line up an hour ahead of time to get their seats, which is ludicrous to me.

Yes, I am in Group C (AKA, the great unwashed) and I will probably sit next to you.

This defeats the whole concept, in my opinion. Even if I'm in the elitist A group, I refuse to stand in a line for an hour, which many "A" people do in order to garner a "good" seat.

Please.

Don't we all arrive at the same place at the same time? I mean, I don't want to score a middle seat any more than the next guy, but I am NOT, I repeat, NOT, going to stand in line for an "A" boarding opportunity.

Well the last time I flew to Portland, OR I booked on Alaska versus Southwest. Alaska had me on a Horizon Flight. Never again will I fly on Horizon. Flight home was on Alaska (use to love that airline). Never again will I fly on Alaska. I will in the future fly on Southwest up and down the westcoast. Never have had a problem with Southwest and the couple of times the flight was delayed they explained exactly why..no stress at all. Just my thinking.

Very well put, Loisde.
((D))8-)

Loisde: You say you are in Group C. Okay, are you always in Group C? Why don't you check in 24 hours prior and get an "A" pass or at least a "B". I don't get it, frankly. I understand that if someone is flying SW for the first time, they may not understand about the ABC boarding procedure. However, once you know, it seems unlikely that you would ever end up with a "C" pass again.

What am I missing?

Do you realize that some people have lives that don't allow them to be hanigng out on their computer 24-hours before the flight takes off. While the 24-hour policy is more humane than the earlier, midnight policy, it's still inconvenient if you are in a hotel, at a meeting, without access to a computer, without access to a printer.

I certainly agree with MikeT - not everyone has immediate access to a computer/printer 24 hrs a day at all times. I love SW and fly them often, and usually get A, but I sure can understand that it might be hard if you are in a meeting, out sightseeing, in church or whatever when the magical "24 hours" appear.

I've always managed to find an internet cafe where I could do at least the check-in part, even if I couldn't print the boarding passes. No, I wasn't hanging out exactly at the 24-hour mark, but I did get there as close to it as I could. When we left New Orleans, I checked in about 12 hours ahead, and I still got us "A" group.

Here's the point, Christie. It just doesn't need to be this complicated. Let adults make decisions about where they sit and don't make them stand in cattle stalls at the airport after scouring the city for a computer with a printer 24-hours ahead of time

I take Southwest, but only when it's the last minute and I have no other options.

I still get back to how even with assigned seats, most airlines make you line up and hang around a gate area and stake your claim and wait and then get on the plane and wait some more and haggle for overhead space. The process isn't fun. Yes, it's worse if you couldn't get better than a C and you are in a middle seat. But the last time I flew SWA, I checked in an hour before at the aiport and was B. I don't see why you even have to go to an internet cafe, really. This was a totally sold-out flight by the way, and I was still B.

Sf. That's called luck.

I love Southwest and their boarding policy but I also understand those that hate the systen. I love getting on the plane and choosing my seat based on where all the little rug rats are already sitting so none of them are kicking my seat or crying nearby.

Even if I forget to get my boarding pass at exactly 24 hours prior to departure I don't have a problem at least getting a B pass on the same day as departure. I've logged in as late as 3 hours before departure and managed a B pass.

Even when I get an A pass I sit in the bar until they start boarding and am the last A pass on board.

Yes, those getting on flights that have already been to other cities won't usually get the very front of the plane. I often fly to LAX and on the way and way home sometimes have stops. Only about 10-15 people have ever stayed on the plane. Not all of them even bother to move to "good" seats although I didn't really understand why they wouldn't. I've never seen the scenario where 75 people are on the plane.

I just flew United this week as they have directs to my destination whereas Southwest does not.

I paid extra for economy plus so I could get more leg room and be guaranteed a seat close to the front. My seat was in row 5, a toddler screamed in the seat directly behind me for 3 hours, and the plane ended up boarding earlier than what was posted on the boarding pass. I got on later than my group and had to store my carryon 10 rows behind me so I couldn't get off the plane quickly anyway. So even with an assigned seat you aren't guaranteed a good experience.

I love Southwest's Rapid Rewards system as I often earn free flights using their Visa card and by flying them all the time. From my hometown Southwest beats America West prices on a regular basis.

Amwosu, you are SO correct!! I also LOVE how I am able to avoid the small children when I fly SWA!

Mike, I see your point. You'd rather fly in an assigned seat, and that is your choice.

I also frequently fly to collectibles hobby conventions, so SWA's allowance of 5 pieces of luggage per person makes it the obvious choice for me! It would cost me an extra $150 to fly another airline and take the same amount of stuff.

So everyone was complaining, but here's a solution - I heard about it on www.johnnyjet.com which is my travel bible. Check out the website www.boardfirst.com - they will make sure you get one of the first groups!

Actually SavTrav, there's already been a huge thread about that website and how pointless it is as you can get your own A pass just as easily as having them do it for $5.

This issue would have made a great Social Psychology paper.

I don't internet the pass. I often get B, or even A, for just showing up 45 plus minutes before- when I have to be there to get through the Midway security lines anyway in ample time.

There is no NEED for anyone to stand in line for an hour at the terminal. You could just as easily get into the end of your A or B or C line within seconds of boarding- there is no DIRECTION for you to be required to get into these lines early at all. Those decisions are entirely your own.

I can understand if you have different standards. So just use the assigned seating airlines and over time you will get bumped from your seat for numerous reasons anyway, get put into a line to board as you do on any plane etc. There is no less herding that I can observe when doing this. But if it gives you less agnst- just do it.

All of these are highly self-perceptions of where you time is "wasted". On multi-leg trips we have often switched seats for visiting and other related reasons with absolutely no problems. On a ski club trip we tried to do this on an assigned seating plane and ended up getting censured for attempting and asking for this option.

I sure hope that a few more airlines get into the non-hierarchy modes and reduce prices while increasing actual on time departures and arrivals- as Southwest has.

I just want to thank all of you for your helpful and impassioned responses to my question. I didn't know that I would unleash so much passion and discussion, but I have enjoyed every bit of it and you are all very generous to take the time and trouble to share your opinions with me (and each other!)

I hope some of the marketing folks from Southwest are monitoring this board -- its like a free focus group!
Thank you again.

Sandypo

Southwest did float the idea of seat assignments a few months ago. And apparently most SW-aficionados prefer the current setup.

The thing is that there's no right or wrong. It works for some people, and not for others. If one likes SW's model, fly them; if not fly other airlines. I am definitely not going to passionate about it one way or another. Sometimes SW fares and routes fit me better, and I'll fly them seat assignments or not.

Conversely, a lot of people do like to have seat assignments. They can fly other airlines to their destination.

Good thing about this country is that we have choices.