Southwest Boarding Pass Confusion

[ScottyP]

Hi there,
We are flying Southwest for the first time this August. I have been following all the posts about the airline, but I admit I am confused about the boarding procedure. I understand you can go online 24 hours in advance and select your seats, but what I don't understand is the A, B or C pass. If you have your seat selected why does it matter what order you board in? Also, we are travelling with young children, an infant included who will be on my lap. Does this affect the 24 hour pre selection?

[vamaggie]

Unless SW has changed their policies you DO NOT get an seat assigned before phyiscally boarding the plane. Going online will print the boarding pass but not assign a seat. That is what the A, B, & C groups are. Group A boards first, and gets first choice of seats, then B then C. They will preboard families with small children but I would go online 24 hours before your flight and get A group just in case.

[ScottyP]

Thank you for clarifying that. That makes more sense. So as I understand when you get on the plane you select your seat, kind of like general admission, and that is why when you boad is so important?

[DVC2004]

Right- when you board in group C you may not be able to sit with your party. You can always ask if someone will switch seats, though, especially if you have young kids with you.

[Mousefan29]

We fly Southwest regularly. With little ones, 4 and 1, we're always allowed to pre-board. This is very helpful and ensures that we all sit together. If you don't have young children, it's important to get online and get your boarding passes as soon as they're available. Then, line up at the gate. They have markers for the A, B, and C boarding groups. It's a little like herding cattle...

[DisneyAddict62]

We just flew SW a couple weeks ago, and it drives me nuts the people that will stand at the front of those lines just to get on the plane first! It's a big plane, room for everyone!

I do always go exactly 24 hours before to get the A though, but I don't stand at the front of the line for an hour just to get on first! We checked in at the airport on our return flight, and we got B, which isn't bad either. There are 5 of us, and we have always got to sit either the whole row across, or at least behind each other. Of course, we always end up near the annoying loud person or the crying baby though, never fails! :fit:

[disneyfan328]

don't forget that you need to do the same in reverse if you want the a boarding pass, so you either need a laptop, cell phone with internet or go to guest services at the park or your hotel and see if they will do it for you. Since you have small children it shouldn't be a problem and you probably won't need the A pass, but just in case anyone else is reading this - you have to check infor each leg of the trip. good luck and have a great time.

[LauraF]

I get amused when I hear about the lengths people will go to get "the seats" on Southwest. Think of it like riding the bus - first come, first serve for seat choice, and if you're lucky and ask nicely, somebody might be willing to switch seats with you. I've had to be separated (on other airlines) before, and I deal with it. I've made some very interesting friends that way.

As long as I can sit next to my BF during the flight I'm flexible about what boarding section I get. (Plus I have the bonus of not getting trampled by the rude people who cannot bear to wait their turn.)

Reality check -it's a VACATION and I'm gonna relax, not freak about my seat.

[tyandskyesmom]

We always go on 24 hours in advance fo rthat A boarding pass and we have always pre-boarded with small children. The reason we want that A boarding pass is that SWA doe not have to pre-board any children. They also do not have to pre-board whole families (about 5 or 6 years ago only the child and one parent could pre-board now whole families can). So if the whole plane appears to be pre-board eligible due to children they may not offer it.

When we flew with Skye as a lap child just before she turned two we could not check in inline because they needed age verification. We had to physically show a ticket agent her birth certificate to prove she was not two. So you may not be able to check in on line with a lap child. Rest assurred that most of the time they pre-board with small children so you should not have a problem pre-boarding.

I'd just like to mention that we line up in the pre-board line as soon as we arrive. Of course, if people with wheel chairs or who are actually needing the pre-board for "real" reasons show up we move back so they can go first easily. The reason it is important for us to pre-board or be in the first boarding group is because for us we do not want to get split up. I would not want my kids seperated from a parent and I would not like my kids annoying anyone but me (I guess I am just selfish that way ;) ). I also am not one to enjoy talking to someone I am stuck with for 2 1/2 hours. And if my DH were to be seperated from the kids and I it would make it more difficult to enjoy my trip. And yes we have been on flights where people were not willing to relocate. One time a parent and a child in a car seat (so a young one) could not find two seats together (since the seat had to be aganist the window). No one would budge. They were not even asking for the whole family to sit together just one parent and a child and people did not budge until the attendants started offering up free drinks.

[pixidust1976]

I took an Amtrak train with my children once and there were not two seats together, or even within eye shot of each other, in six cars worth of seats.

We walked up and down the isles several times and not a soul would move for us.

My 3 year old had to sit where I could not see her, but boy could I hear her. GAB GAB GAB GAB GAB..... Needless to say the person she was gabbing to finally decided to give up her precious window seat that she wouldn't part with earlier just to get some peace!!!!!!

I guess I luck out there if we don't get to sit together this September on our return flight... because unless the person she sits beside is deaf or doesn't mind hearing EVERY little detail of our trip... they will most likely offer to move after a little while. :D

[TheRustyScupper]

It is simple
. . . "A" means you board in the first group
. . . "B" means you board in the second group
. . . "C" means you probably sit in a center seat