First Time On Southwest Airlines

We have reservations for Orlando, FL in May. Can anyone tell me the best way to approach the seating arrangements. We are traveling with 3 children and do not want to BE separated. Is it first come, first serve as far as seating goes on this airline? Some say yes ~ some tell me that seats are assigned now. Im really confused. Please Tugger friends.........HELP!

Is it best to get there 1 1/2 - 2 hours before flight time or is more time needed with this airline?

Southwest airlines reply

Southwest offers a web based boarding pass. It allows you to obtain your boarding pass 24 hours prior to flight time. They have changed their boarding policy so that you board in a more orderly fashion. The boarding pass will give you a letter (A, B, C) and a number. If you get a A-30, then prior to boarding you will line up according to number. Generally, if you get an A or the B 1-30 you will be able to get a good seat. After that it is less certain.

We fly Southwest often and feel that this new boarding policy has improved things significantly.

It isn't as good as assigned seating, but the price is great.

Just be very, very, very sure that you get that boarding pass online.

Go to www.southwest.com for more info.

As to arrival time. It depends on the airport. We usually try to be their 90 minute to 2 hours prior.

You were given a good explanation.

The best way to assure you will be sitting together is to go online and get your boarding passes as soon as they are available. That is 24 hours ahead of flight time. However, we discovered that even when we got boarding passes in the dreaded "B" group, three of us still had no problems finding seats together, we just had to go farther back in the plane than usual.

I agree that the boarding process with the new system is more civilized than in the past.

If you do not get an A boarding pass then "an adult traveling with a child four years old or younger will board between the “A” and “B” boarding groups." See http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/checkin.html

gnipgnop said:

Is it best to get there 1 1/2 - 2 hours before flight time or is more time needed with this airline?

Click to expand...

See http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/suggested_arrival.html

The A1 - A15 (I think) boarding passes are reserved for "Business Select" passengers, who have paid more for their tickets. Frequently there are none of these, so someone with boarding pass A16 will be the first on the plane.

In the old days, the strategy was to arrive 2 hours before your flight and get a plastic boarding pass number, and they'd call you by number ranges (1-15, 16 - 30....) A little later they added the 24 hours pre-boarding check-in on-line and issued the A, B or C boarding group you were assigned. Then, you arrived 1-1/2 to 2 hours early to sit in which ever group line you had, usually on the floor.

The "new" system is somewhat a blending of the two, but they take you in order...so if you have an A22, those who are A23 and higher aren't going to board ahead of you, even if you havn't been sitting on the rug for 2 hours. You simply wait in the terminal and maybe 5 or 10 minutes before boarding you stand between some grouping letters and numbers near the gate and figure out with the others there where your boarding pass # fits in with the others there.

I must admit it was very stressful the first time I did it as I didn't know what to expect. Now I relax and just wait for them to start with the pre-boarding announcements and saunder over to my place in line. It's much better.

Also in the bad old days I used to "moooo" on the jetway as I felt a lot like cattle being herded compared to assigned seating. I've never been a big fan of Southwest because of their seating arrangements but it's much better with the current system and the prices are hard to beat.

When we flew Southwest a couple of weeks ago, they had a special "blue jacket" (I think?) boarding pass for families with children. When some families with children did not have the blue jacket pass they were put into a separate line. Since we didn't need a blue jacket pass I am not sure what was going on there--maybe this is something new they started with the new boarding system? I really do think the new system is a big improvement! Boarding is very quick and not as aggravating as the old way.

I think the blue jacket is for pre-boarding, like those needing extra time. I thought families with children were supposed to board between either the Business Select and the rest of the A group, or between the A and B groups. I'm pretty sure all of that information is probably available on the Southwest website. Maybe I should go check to make sure.

Okay, here we go from the Southwest website:

Boarding Procedure
(View a quick tutorial of the new way to board)

Each Customer will be issued a boarding pass grouped by A, B, or C based on when the Customer checked in or based on the fare they purchased. Customers may check in online at southwest.com, at the Skycap Podium, Ticket Counter, Departure Gate, or E-Ticket Check-In kiosk (where available).

Prior to general boarding, Customers with disabilities or unaccompanied children between the ages of five and 11 may preboard. Customers who choose to preboard cannot sit in an emergency exit seat.

Effective October 2 in all Southwest cities, an adult traveling with a child four years old or younger will board between the “A” and “B” boarding groups. If you have an “A” boarding pass, please feel free to board with that boarding group. With an all-jet fleet outfitted with comfortable, leather seats, our families with small children are easily accommodated together.

Because Southwest Airlines maintains an open-seating policy, general-boarding Customers may sit in any open or unclaimed seat. Customers holding boarding pass "A" will begin general boarding, followed by Customers with boarding pass "B," and then "C." General-boarding Customers who choose an emergency exit seat must meet all requirements set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration and Southwest Airlines.

I hope this doesn't sound too stupid but:
A - boarding pass will let you board the aircraft first.
B - second
C - last (getting whatever seats are left)

IS THIS CORRECT?

Yes. And on your boarding pass will be printed a boarding number, A33, B25, C.... This is your boarding group, and position in that group.

Just take to heart you need to get on-line, check-in as close to exactly 24 hours prior to your flight's departure and print out your boarding pass from your home or office computer printer when doing so. That's important.

gnipgnop said:

I hope this doesn't sound too stupid but:
A - boarding pass will let you board the aircraft first.
B - second
C - last (getting whatever seats are left)

IS THIS CORRECT?

Click to expand...

That is correct. Some people pay higher rates for 'a' priority. The key is to go online to www.southwest.com as close to 24 hours (to the minute) before scheduled flight time as you can, and get your boarding pass if this is really important. You don't need to physically print it as you can do that at the check-in desk. Your number in line won't change.

Then families with children will board between the A's and the B's.

I know this sounds waaaay too complicated, and it really isn't as long as you go online for your boarding pass the day before you fly. Oh, and if you have multiple legs, you can get the boarding passes for all flights 23:59 before the first flight.

You just don't want to stumble up to the check-in counter to check bags an hour before the flight. OTOH, we've met some nice people who ended up with the seat betwen DW and me because they did just that and their family was scattered around the plane in other center seats.

Jim Ricks

Thanks

Thank You All, Very Much. As Usual You Are So Helpful.

We flew Southwest once last year. For both flights (coming and going) we did not go on-line and print our boarding passes ahead of time. We were not aware of Southwest's funky seating arrangements. Both times, eventhough we arrived early, we were in group C. We had 2 adults and one child (9 years old) traveling together. We had no problems finding a seat together. The second time, We were separated. An adult and child were able to sit together, and one adult had to sit alone. My child is 9 and even at that age would have been upset if he had to sit alone. We didn't know that they would separate children. I also saw some adults give up seats together for families that did get split up. It is nice to know that there are some understanding humans still out there.

Knowing that this is how Southwest operates, I definately would print out that boarding pass as soon as it can be printed if you are traveling with children.

I used to loathe traveling on Southwest, but recently have come to realize that they run a good operation. The boarding process is now more organized and they are certainly the best at turning a plane around...they don't mess around at getting people off and on a jet. Last week I had to change my flight plans for a trip out west, which involved flying to a different city. It could not have been easier....all done online, no change fees, simple.

Wow!! So many good thoughts and advice. You guys are the "greatest"!

MANY THANKS