Southwest Airlines

[dvcmember83]

For those of you with families who have flown on Southwest Airlines, how easy is it to get a seat together if waiting to check in 24 hours in advance, rather than paying for the early bird check in? I know that I can do family boarding and also pre-boarding for my special needs son, but have been reading too many horror stories of families not being able to sit with eachother. TIA!

[Fangorn]

If you check in at the 24 hour mark, you really shouldn't have any issue with sitting together. You will most likely get an A boarding pass. If not, you can just do family boarding between the A and B groups.

It is mathematically impossible for there NOT to be at least 47 seats available in groups of 2 or more after the A group boards. Realistically, there will be 15 or more rows completely unoccupied at that point.

I'm sure it has happened that families have been split up, but my experience has been that even with C boarding pass and a completely full plane, SW will do their absolute best to figure out a way. On a flight in June, the flight was completely full. The last person to board was a mom with 3 children under 6(?). Before she even stepped onto the plane, the flight attendants were explaining the situation, and asking for volunteers to move around so as to seat them all together. There were so many
volunteers, that the family was seated quickly, and there was a round of drinks for the whole plane for being such good sports.

Unless you're a family of 54, you don't really need to worry. :)

The early bird thing is great for the flight home though - you just don't have to even think about taking time from your vacation to do the check in chore.

Steve

[yankeesfan123]

If you check in at the 24 hour mark, you really shouldn't have any issue with sitting together. You will most likely get an A boarding pass. If not, you can just do family boarding between the A and B groups.

It is mathematically impossible for there NOT to be at least 47 seats available in groups of 2 or more after the A group boards. Realistically, there will be 15 or more rows completely unoccupied at that point.

I'm sure it has happened that families have been split up, but my experience has been that even with C boarding pass and a completely full plane, SW will do their absolute best to figure out a way. On a flight in June, the flight was completely full. The last person to board was a mom with 3 children under 6(?). Before she even stepped onto the plane, the flight attendants were explaining the situation, and asking for volunteers to move around so as to seat them all together. There were so many
volunteers, that the family was seated quickly, and there was a round of drinks for the whole plane for being such good sports.

Unless you're a family of 54, you don't really need to worry. :)

The early bird thing is great for the flight home though - you just don't have to even think about taking time from your vacation to do the check in chore.

Steve

Pay a little extra for early bird check in.

[faline]

Southwest's method of seating is not my favorite. I have, however, flown them a number of times when they have been the most cost-efficient choice. We've flown them when you had to arrive at the airport really early to be handed an "A" grouping card; had to check in 24 hours ahead of time EXACTLY to get an "A" grouping seat; and have paid extra to be in the "A" grouping (though I understand that enough folks now do this that a "B" grouping is just as likely as "A"). I have never flown them with a child so have never been able to avail myself of the family seating which, last time I flew Southwest, falls between the "A" and "B" groups of seating.

Only once was I separated from my husband on a flight. We had connecting flights and due to a late arrival, coupled with a gate change and misinformation from staff, we were the last two people to board the plane. I ended up in a middle seat somewhere in the middle of the plane and my husband was in the back of the plane. For us, it was not critical to be seated together and the flight was only a couple of hours in duration.

[BrerGnat]

We are a family of 4 and have gotten seats together in positions as far back as B46-50. And there were still plenty of seats together at the back of the plane once we boarded.

[Zippy 1]

Every time we have flown Southwest our family has had no problem getting seats together. As mentioned above the staff will do all they can to seat your family together. Most people are willing to move around to help out

[etibbetts]

We always fly Southwest and I check in exactly at the 24 hour mark. We've always gotten the end of A or the very first B's and never had a problem to get all 7 seats together.

People are always willing to help out too. On my last flight I moved and sat alone so that a father and son could sit next to each other. If you check in at 24 hours, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. I personally think the early bird cost to not be worth it.

[epceddie]

I wish Southwest would start offering assigned seats on its flights. Jet Blue does and it's a breeze to pick your seats online. Plus, they board by rows starting at the back of the plane and it makes the boarding process a lot less stressful.

[MargaretMessler]

I never ever pay the extra for early bird, just make sure I check in at 24 hours mark (really easy now that you can do it thru the mobile app), and I have never gotten anything farther back than a low B number.

My mother on the other hand swears by it, and there have still been times that she gets a low B number.

Take that for what it's worth. I just don't personally think it's necessary, when you can just hop up to family boarding if you end up with a less than desirable # anyway. And with a family of four, you would be looking at an extra $100 round trip.

[Sylvia]

I've done both, and never had a problem getting my "preferred" seat location on the plane. I've typically been assigned an A group number, except one flight when I was in the low B group.

The best thing about the early bird is you won't have to constantly remind yourself about checking in. If you decide not to pay for the early bird, just be sure to check in at the 24-hour mark and you'll be OK.

As others have already posted, the flight attendants will do their best to seat you together, and most passengers are willing to change seats when necessary.

I always sit towards the back of the plane (usually an aisle seat in rows 20-22), and I've noticed that the seats at the front of the plane tend to fill up first. There are usually groups of empty seats towards the back, which seem to fill up last.

[dvcmember83]

Thank you everyone. Your opinions really have helped. We have never flown on Southwest before, so we weren't sure what to expect. :)

[cer]

I've done both, and never had a problem getting my "preferred" seat location on the plane. I've typically been assigned an A group number, except one flight when I was in the low B group.

The best thing about the early bird is you won't have to constantly remind yourself about checking in. If you decide not to pay for the early bird, just be sure to check in at the 24-hour mark and you'll be OK.

As others have already posted, the flight attendants will do their best to seat you together, and most passengers are willing to change seats when necessary.



This.

Here is something else to consider.. If you have a connecting flight, you may want to do early bird, so you can board as early as possible and sit closer to the front of the plane, so when you land you can get off the plane sooner and on to your next gate - especially if you don't have a lot of time between flights.

[mechanic]

I wouldn't call it a horror story for people not to sit together. (Special needs exception of course).
just a chance for a break from them.

[ThanxForNoticin]

Rule of thumb for us - if we are going to be able to easily get online and check in 24 hours in advance, we'll usually do that. But, as someone else recommended, use EB for the trip home. You can lose track of time sometimes on vacation, so we usually like to not worry about getting online to get a decent boarding spot on the way home.

As most have said, if you check in 24 hours in advance, you'll have a very good chance of finding seats to all sit together, either late in the "A's" or early in the "B's".

[KylesMom]

Traveling solo I don't worry about Early Bird Check-In. Traveling as a family on SW? Would not go without it into MCO!

[jans2kids]

More people must be paying the extra for trips home. Our flight was at 9:50pm this past Sunday and we were on the computer at the hotel at exactly 9:50pm the day before and got A53-A57 and there were only a total of 69 people on the plane.

[Goofster]

The big problem is the connecting flight if you have one. In my experience, Southwest is always late and we are rushing to the connecting flight. Each and every time, my entire family is scattered throughout the connecting flight plane. After the 3rd experience, we only fly the legacy carriers now.

[honeybear]

I am praying that there are no issues when we travel next week. I am going to print my boarding cards at midnight, and then I am going to try to be at airport as early as possible. Hopefully that will eliminate any seating issues. And I hope there will be not delay issues

[BrerGnat]

I am praying that there are no issues when we travel next week. I am going to print my boarding cards at midnight, and then I am going to try to be at airport as early as possible. Hopefully that will eliminate any seating issues. And I hope there will be not delay issues

Why print you boarding passes at midnight? You can print them right at the 24 hour mark when you check in.

Also, arriving early does nothing in terms of seating on SW. They begin the boarding procedure about 30 min before departure and everyone boards in numerical order. If you get A25 (for example) you will board between A24 and A26. You literally line up in number order.

Being early is better than being late, obviously, but as long as you are in the gate area when boarding begins, you will be fine.

[honeybear]

Why print you boarding passes at midnight? You can print them right at the 24 hour mark when you check in.

Also, arriving early does nothing in terms of seating on SW. They begin the boarding procedure about 30 min before departure and everyone boards in numerical order. If you get A25 (for example) you will board between A24 and A26. You literally line up in number order.

Being early is better than being late, obviously, but as long as you are in the gate area when boarding begins, you will be fine.

Oh so if my flight is 5am on monday, I can print at 5am on Sunday? I always thought It was a midnight on the day you leave. I don't know where I got that information. I know about boarding, but I don't want any issues with the plane being oversold and because we were the last ones there, we were picked to go on the next flight standby (I guess I watch too many airline episodes)

[BrerGnat]

Oh so if my flight is 5am on monday, I can print at 5am on Sunday? I always thought It was a midnight on the day you leave. I don't know where I got that information. I know about boarding, but I don't want any issues with the plane being oversold and because we were the last ones there, we were picked to go on the next flight standby (I guess I watch too many airline episodes)

Yes, check in and printing boarding passes can be done at the 24 hour mark. The only people who get bumped off are people who have not actually checked in prior to boardong commencing. Some people literally don't check in until they arrive at the airport, and do it at the counter. Otherwise, people who HAVE checked in but did not physically board the plane get bumped at the 10 min before departure point and that is when they let on people who are on standby. If you check in online, you are checked in and on the roster for the flight. Only if you are SERIOUSLY late will you be in jeopardy of being bumped.

[honeybear]

Yes, check in and printing boarding passes can be done at the 24 hour mark. The only people who get bumped off are people who have not actually checked in prior to boardong commencing. Some people literally don't check in until they arrive at the airport, and do it at the counter. Otherwise, people who HAVE checked in but did not physically board the plane get bumped at the 10 min before departure point and that is when they let on people who are on standby. If you check in online, you are checked in and on the roster for the flight. Only if you are SERIOUSLY late will you be in jeopardy of being bumped.
Gotcha! I guess I was always cautious and arrived at the airport super early because I never wanted to get bumped from my seat. I saw it happen on an episode of that show Airline and in my mind I though I would get bumped if I was the last one checked in on an oversold flight. Ever since then I have been getting to the airport at least an hour to an hour and a half early to avoid such a headache. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[BrerGnat]

Gotcha! I guess I was always cautious and arrived at the airport super early because I never wanted to get bumped from my seat. I saw it happen on an episode of that show Airline and in my mind I though I would get bumped if I was the last one checked in on an oversold flight. Ever since then I have been getting to the airport at least an hour to an hour and a half early to avoid such a headache. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

I love that show Airline! We flew out of BWI last month and I totally recognized one of the ladies from the show! When you hear pages for people in the airport to report to Gate whatever, THOSE are the people about to be bumped, usually. They are checked in, but never boarded. They are often the ones 3-4 drinks in at the nearby bar... ;)

[honeybear]

I love that show Airline! We flew out of BWI last month and I totally recognized one of the ladies from the show! When you hear pages for people in the airport to report to Gate whatever, THOSE are the people about to be bumped, usually. They are checked in, but never boarded. They are often the ones 3-4 drinks in at the nearby bar... ;)
LOL @ 3-4 Drinks in! I have been watching the old re runs on LRW network. I thing they are coming back with new episodes at the end of this month. Thanks for the info, now I now I am in good shape if I check in at the 24 hour mark!

[honeybear]

All checked in! So ready to go now!