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chanmar
LIF Adolescent
Member since 7/07 499 total posts
Name:
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Southwest/Children
Does anyone know what order they let families with children to board? Was it after the A group? or After the B group, and is there a specific age for children?
TIA
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Posted 10/14/13 6:26 AM  |
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mama2charlotte
LIF Adult
Member since 7/12 1014 total posts
Name:
Kimberly
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Southwest/Children
This summer it was people requiring special assistance, and then families with small children. Not sure what they consider small.
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| Posted 10/14/13 6:48 AM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
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Southwest/Children
The way it works is that if you are holding a medical blue boarding card, you board before everyone. Then it's A, then families with children 4 and under. Then B. If you have a child over 4, you board with your assigned group. Sometimes they waiver from that, but hardly ever.
Message edited 10/14/2013 8:39:36 AM.
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| Posted 10/14/13 8:39 AM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: Southwest/Children
If you are going to Orlando friends have said if there were a lot of families they skipped the family boarding.
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| Posted 10/14/13 8:57 AM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
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Re: Southwest/Children
Posted by Lillykat
If you are going to Orlando friends have said if there were a lot of families they skipped the family boarding.
We only fly SWA and have never encountered that out of Islip or Orlando.
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| Posted 10/14/13 10:16 AM |
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chanmar
LIF Adolescent
Member since 7/07 499 total posts
Name:
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Re: Southwest/Children
Posted by BargainMama
The way it works is that if you are holding a medical blue boarding card, you board before everyone. Then it's A, then families with children 4 and under. Then B. If you have a child over 4, you board with your assigned group. Sometimes they waiver from that, but hardly ever.
Ok, Thanks..Last time I went out, I had better boarding passes then after "A" Group..I guess I will see what I get when I check in online.
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| Posted 10/14/13 11:47 AM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: Southwest/Children
Posted by BargainMama
Posted by Lillykat
If you are going to Orlando friends have said if there were a lot of families they skipped the family boarding.
We only fly SWA and have never encountered that out of Islip or Orlando.
This happened to a few people I know with kids. Luckily they did the early bird and were end of group A so it didn't matter. It was out of islip but during a busier (kids out of school times) they said most of the plane was families with little ones so that might have made a difference. Might have had too many to do it?
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| Posted 10/14/13 12:31 PM |
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alli3131
Peanut is here!!!!!!
Member since 5/09 18388 total posts
Name:
Allison
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Southwest/Children
Their policy is after the A boarding. I do find that when I travel to FL there are so many wheelchairs and blue jacket people that by the time family boarding comes I ended up in the back and almost couldn't get a row for my family.
I have complained and even wrote a letter. SWA doesn't care.
I have flown Delta and USAir and those airlines let you board first.
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| Posted 10/14/13 1:48 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
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Re: Southwest/Children
Posted by alli3131
Their policy is after the A boarding. I do find that when I travel to FL there are so many wheelchairs and blue jacket people that by the time family boarding comes I ended up in the back and almost couldn't get a row for my family.
I have complained and even wrote a letter. SWA doesn't care.
I have flown Delta and USAir and those airlines let you board first.
Family boarding is a courtesy, so I can see why they don't care. They would just tell you to pay the extra to board under the "early bird" if you want to guarantee seats with your family. I have seen numerous times where one person in the family does the early bird, and saves the seats for the rest of the family. Whether right or wrong, it's an option.
It's really surprising that you wouldn't be able to get a seat after A and pre-boards though. B and C still have to board, so that just seems really weird!
Message edited 10/14/2013 4:52:07 PM.
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| Posted 10/14/13 4:51 PM |
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Mill188
LIF Adult
Member since 3/09 3073 total posts
Name:
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Re: Southwest/Children
Posted by BargainMama
Family boarding is a courtesy, so I can see why they don't care. They would just tell you to pay the extra to board under the "early bird" if you want to guarantee seats with your family. I have seen numerous times where one person in the family does the early bird, and saves the seats for the rest of the family. Whether right or wrong, it's an option.
It's really surprising that you wouldn't be able to get a seat after A and pre-boards though. B and C still have to board, so that just seems really weird!
You may not be able to get seats together when its time for family boarding because people save seats. There are 60 A boarding positions. Say each of those 60 people "save" one seat - you have 120 seats taken. The largest plane in the fleet seats about 175 people. I have no problem sitting in seats that have been "saved" especially if I paid for early bird boarding.
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| Posted 10/14/13 5:18 PM |
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alli3131
Peanut is here!!!!!!
Member since 5/09 18388 total posts
Name:
Allison
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Re: Southwest/Children
Posted by Mill188
Posted by BargainMama
Family boarding is a courtesy, so I can see why they don't care. They would just tell you to pay the extra to board under the "early bird" if you want to guarantee seats with your family. I have seen numerous times where one person in the family does the early bird, and saves the seats for the rest of the family. Whether right or wrong, it's an option.
It's really surprising that you wouldn't be able to get a seat after A and pre-boards though. B and C still have to board, so that just seems really weird!
You may not be able to get seats together when its time for family boarding because people save seats. There are 60 A boarding positions. Say each of those 60 people "save" one seat - you have 120 seats taken. The largest plane in the fleet seats about 175 people. I have no problem sitting in seats that have been "saved" especially if I paid for early bird boarding.
The reason why I had toruble was that there were (no lie) 15+wheel chairs and another 20 blue jacket pre-boarders. Then you factor in the 60 people in the A group. So that the plane was almost full.
I have seen it time and time again on SW. The wheel chairs go one but when its tome to get off the plane people are walking just fine. We call them the miracle flights. People get healed on the way. Its sad that people lie but after the last flight I took I understand why. I even saw a guy get a preboard blue jacket cause he said he had a peanut allergy.....not sure why you need to get on early for that...it was a peanut free flight so its not like he needed to sit in a certain free area.
Because SW has the open policy it has really made people lie to be able to get seats.
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| Posted 10/15/13 2:54 PM |
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KarenK122
The Journey is the Destination
Member since 5/05 4431 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Southwest/Children
I travel Southwest a lot...at least 4 times a year and the family boarding is always after the A group. I have never seen them cancel this but I have seen them limit it to only one child (below the age of 4) and one adult going through. The rest of the family would have to wait for their boarding number.
As far as the wheelchairs and blue jackets, a lot of disabilities can not be seen so you may have no idea of the issues that person has. As with anything there are people trying to cheat the system but overall most are there for legitimate reasons.
Just check in early online and hope for the A group.
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| Posted 10/15/13 3:39 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
Name:
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Southwest/Children
Peanut allergies pre board probably so they can wipe everything down around them before they sit down. Its an accomodation that is covered under ADA so no one should judge. My son has what you can call a hidden disability and we have recieved dirty looks. Oh well. We fly to FL all the time and have never experienced as many wheel chairs or blue cards as you say.
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| Posted 10/15/13 6:23 PM |
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