Southwest Airlines - question on connecting flights
 

I've only flown nonstops on Southwest,but we will be flying into Ft Lauderdale with a change in New Orleans. We have about a 50 minute layover in NO. Question: when we check in for our Southwest flight in Phoenix, will we get boarding passes for the NO connecting flight as well? Concerned that with such short connection time if we have to get boarding passes issued again in NO, we will end up in crappy seats.

We also have flown only non-stop on SW until this past month...We were going to Vegas and had to leave CT& go via Nashville, Phoenix then onto Vegas. We had to board a new plane in Phoenix and thus we did have to get a new boarding pass...which was easy..we always use the kiosks right in the terminal as soon as we got off the plane. We did have a 90min+ layover so we had lots of time. The gate agent also told us this flight would not even have 50 people, so they did not bother with the A, B, C loading..

I hate to say this but be prepared for a crummy seat. I fly SWA quite a bit so I speak w/ some same unfortunate experience. The Good news & why I love to fly SWA, you'll be on time. Good luck!

If I were you, I'd call the airline for a reliable answer to this question. Southwest is a great airline.

Check in online for both of your flights before you leave for the airport. (Hopefully you made separate reservations, because if both persons' tickets are in the same reservation, you can't use online check in.)

Also, check in for the first flight at TICKETING, NOT with the Skycaps. The ticketing agents are SWA employees, and they can check you in for the second flight, where the Skycaps cannot.

Even if you just wait until you get to New Orleans, 50 minutes should be plenty of time to get your second boarding cards. SWA only has one terminal there (if I am remembering correctly) and the gates are all pretty close together.

I've flown cross-country on SWA several times, and once you figure out their system, it's a piece of cake. :-)

No, you will not get boarding passes for the NO flight in Phoenix. You have to get them in NO, and yes, if you're there after everyone else is, you may end up with a lousy seat. The best thing to do is to check in online that day, but as stated above, for some reason they don't let you do that if you've got more than one person on the reservation.

But, definitely give Southwest a call, maybe they can tell you something different or helpful, these have just been my experiences.

love
roxy

Unfortunately we are both in the same record so online check in is not an option. Guess I won't worry about our seats on the connection. Not that long a fligth from New Orleans to Ft Lauderdale.

Just arrived home from Ft. Lauderdale on Southwest. Flight both ways had a connection. We were given a boarding pass at check-in for the first destination only. Upon arrival at first city we had to get our boarding pass for the next flight. Going down wasn't a problem. But return flight today was full. We were in the C group when we checked in at the gate. If this happens to you get in the C line as early as possible. We weren't in a big hurry, since we knew we would be at the back of the plane, but we didn't know every seat was sold. My friend and I weren't able to sit together. The gate agent did tell us that very soon Southwest will be issuing boarding passes for connecting flights at check in, which will be a big improvement. I haven't been through NO, but most of the airports I have been in have a designatated area for SW so you don't have to walk far after arriving to get to the departure gate.