They don't use paper tickets normally. This is a rare occasion of someone booking a vacation that included tickets.

Andrew, fwiw, I found all of your posts on this thread helpful and I understand your frustration with the FAs on other airlines. DH and I have experienced much of what you describe and didn't find anything nasty in what you wrote.

Even if this is a travel agent issued ticket, shouldn't there still be a reservation/confirmation code from SW? Otherwise, how will they track any one person?

If you don't find the code on your ticket, then I'd suggest following the suggestion to call SW and ask THEM for the code.

The travel agent should have it also.

Thanks to everyone for responding. To clarify, Southwest agents tell me that because I booked through Southwest Vacations and have a paper ticket, I MUST check in at the airport - can't do it online. I guess that's the price you pay for getting a "good deal" on a vacation! Also, my confirmation number is much longer than the 6 letter & number combinations mentioned by many of the posters here. I did try it online and the tickets aren't recognized.

koryn,

I'd suggest just getting to the airport a couple of hours ahead of your flight to check in. We did this on the way home from Vegas last week and received B36 boarding passes. My husband and I were still able to sit together with no problems. If you have trouble finding seats, just ask other passengers if they would be willing to move so that you can sit together. We've found people are usually kind enough to let couples stay together.

OK this is getting off target but I can't help it.

Too Andrew and the other person...as a frequent flyer...if I found someone sitting in my assigned seats and they refused to move, I would rip out their eyeballs and toss it down the isle where they would get them all dirty rolling around on that filthy carpet.

I find it IMPOSSIBLE to believe that the air attendent would not move the person....I know this because I have seen it happen and I believe that it would violate some faa rule not to be in our assigned seat.

Though I detest SW, I do admire them for their on time, and they are absolutely my airline choice when you need a last minute ticket...but never would i fly with them on a regular basis. Thank you very much but I just love my 13F and you better not be sitting in it when I get there!

Flying out of Albany, you will be boarding a flight originating in Albany, rather than one that stopped and is continuing its trip .. so chances are you will get seats togeather.

And if you don't, so what? I think the longest SW flight is about 5 hr long, and I spend more than 5 hr each day away from my companion. Actually, back in the days of just numbers, we got #128 & 129 and still got seats together. But still - all seats arrive at the same time.

When I get an "A' pass, there's no way in hell I'm going to stand in line. As another posted - just sit down until your section is called. Thanks for passing on the info about Vacation tickets not being eligible for online check in ... too bad, but worth knowing. Enjoy your trip.

rb_travelerxATyahoo, Southwest has changed their boarding system so you don't have to swarm the lines anymore. You are now awarded actual slots in line. So instead of "A" you are "A28" or "A34" and the positions are marked. You don't need to find your place in line until just before the A group boards. It's a big improvement over the previous system.