Southwest boarding strategy - 9 adults and 3 kids

[Budget Queen]

I'm not trying to game the system.

 

My husband will board in Group A (early bird). He will do his best to sit near my parents, but he will not be saving seats either.

 

I will board with my 2 year old niece (who will be sitting with me and DH for the flight),

 

Your claim of not saving seats, then you write you are sitting with your husband? How would that be known if boarding separately?

[celle]

How long is the flight? If it's only a short flight, i don't think it's essential to all sit together. As long as there is one adult to sit with each child, there shouldn't be a problem. No pre-planned strategy needed.

[April-in-NC]

Your claim of not saving seats, then you write you are sitting with your husband? How would that be known if boarding separately?

 

Because I can't imagine that him boarding with group A (early bird) and me boarding between group A and B with my niece or nephew would result in no empty seats next to my husband.

 

If for some strange reason that two people who boarded between us really felt the need to sit in that row then it is easy enough to move to a different one where there are seats available.

 

Do you honestly think that I would have asked my original question if we were just going to save seats? If that was our plan I wouldn't be worried about it because we would be saving seats...

[April-in-NC]

How long is the flight? If it's only a short flight, i don't think it's essential to all sit together. As long as there is one adult to sit with each child, there shouldn't be a problem. No pre-planned strategy needed.

 

The flight is about 3 hours, not too bad, but not exactly short when you're dealing with active children who most likely won't want to sit in their seat.

[purduemom1]

I can understand the OP's concern but I can't imagine that the flight attendants would want children that young sitting with strangers so I doubt that you will have a problem getting seats together even if the fa has to ask someone to move. I fly frequently, although not on WN, and have found, in most cases, other passengers to be accommodating when necessary. So just check in at the earliest possible time and don't stress and spoil your cruise.

[Jade13]

The kids have to board with their boarding number. They cannot tag along with someone that has a lower boarding number. By purchasing Early Bird for only one person, you have made sure their boarding numbers will be different. Now, if you husband wants to board with the kids, he will have to go back to their position in line.

 

 

OP - Check in immediately when you can. I have always had group A boarding and have never paid additional for it.

[ArthurUSCG]

So, here is my suggestion based on our experience flying from BWI to MCO multiple times. Check as much luggage as you can, 2 checked bags are free with South west.

Ask the gate/desk attendant if the 3 adults board in the Family group but with out the kids but with the carseats. Having the carseats with you when you ask tends to help the attendant understand. The 3 adults will board after A (early bird) but before the mass groups. Group A is only A1 thru A15.

Since you have carseats, you MUST have a window seat and the middle seat. Most other passengers will see the carseat and avoid the remaining aisle seat like the plague.

 

Then the kids and the 3 remaining adults will board when their number comes up or can wait and board at the end. We tend to board at the end to minimize the amount of time the kids are stuck in their seat.

 

The only time this didn't work was when most of the plane was families going to WDW. That flight did not have a family boarding due to all of the kids. The attendant even made an announcement that ALL window seats except for the emergency exit on the flight are reserved for carseats. The flight had 40 carseats, it was crazy.

Edited February 3, 2016 by ArthurUSCG

[Clarea]

So, here is my suggestion based on our experience flying from BWI to MCO multiple times. Check as much luggage as you can, 2 checked bags are free with South west.

Ask the gate/desk attendant if the 3 adults board in the Family group but with out the kids but with the carseats. Having the carseats with you when you ask tends to help the attendant understand. The 3 adults will board after A (early bird) but before the mass groups. Group A is only A1 thru A15.

Since you have carseats, you MUST have a window seat and the middle seat. Most other passengers will see the carseat and avoid the remaining aisle seat like the plague.

 

Then the kids and the 3 remaining adults will board when their number comes up or can wait and board at the end. We tend to board at the end to minimize the amount of time the kids are stuck in their seat.

 

The only time this didn't work was when most of the plane was families going to WDW. That flight did not have a family boarding due to all of the kids. The attendant even made an announcement that ALL window seats except for the emergency exit on the flight are reserved for carseats. The flight had 40 carseats, it was crazy.

Group A goes up to A60.

[ArthurUSCG]

Yea, A is 1-60 but usually the family boarding is about the paid earlier bird 1-15 group. It has been about 2 years since we flew. Is the entire A group seated before the Family group now?

[purduemom1]

So, here is my suggestion based on our experience flying from BWI to MCO multiple times. Check as much luggage as you can, 2 checked bags are free with South west.

Ask the gate/desk attendant if the 3 adults board in the Family group but with out the kids but with the carseats. Having the carseats with you when you ask tends to help the attendant understand. The 3 adults will board after A (early bird) but before the mass groups. Group A is only A1 thru A15.

Since you have carseats, you MUST have a window seat and the middle seat. Most other passengers will see the carseat and avoid the remaining aisle seat like the plague.

 

Then the kids and the 3 remaining adults will board when their number comes up or can wait and board at the end. We tend to board at the end to minimize the amount of time the kids are stuck in their seat.

 

The only time this didn't work was when most of the plane was families going to WDW. That flight did not have a family boarding due to all of the kids. The attendant even made an announcement that ALL window seats except for the emergency exit on the flight are reserved for carseats. The flight had 40 carseats, it was crazy.

 

Good suggestion here. However in the OP's case, 2 of the six adults hope to board early because of mobility issues (may not be able to also handle a car seat or a child) so that leaves 4 adults, 3 car seats and 3 kids.

[Clarea]

Yea, A is 1-60 but usually the family boarding is about the paid earlier bird 1-15 group. It has been about 2 years since we flew. Is the entire A group seated before the Family group now?

Yes, unless they have a blue sleeve, family boarding is between A and B.

[Desert Cruisers]

Yea, A is 1-60 but usually the family boarding is about the paid earlier bird 1-15 group. It has been about 2 years since we flew. Is the entire A group seated before the Family group now?

 

Group A is 1-60. Group A 1-15 is for Business Select tickets. Early Bird does NOT guarantee that you will be in Group A. You are paying for Southwest to automatically check you in before the 24 hr mark which usually, but not all of the time, will get you into Group A.

[cherylandtk]

And I can attest that Early Bird does NOT guarantee you will be in the A boarding group.

[megr1125]

Group A is 1-60. Group A 1-15 is for Business Select tickets. Early Bird does NOT guarantee that you will be in Group A. You are paying for Southwest to automatically check you in before the 24 hr mark which usually, but not all of the time, will get you into Group A.

 

THIS!!! ^^^^^

 

 

 

And I can attest that Early Bird does NOT guarantee you will be in the A boarding group.

 

As can I ....and it's really annoying when it does NOT get you into the A group....

 

And yes, ALL A numbers board, then family, then B and C...

 

ALL pax must have their own boarding pass if they're over 2 years old I think...keeps people from trying to game the system...

[ArthurUSCG]

If you are taking carseats, and you guarantee that the toddler will get the window seat and the adult will get 1 of the other seats. Now most people will gladly give up the middle seat to not sit beside someone elses kid.

 

Just be glad this is not one of the Jetblue flights booked on the southwest website. Since the SW system can't assign seats, the computer assigned no 2 people in our group of 10 together and we had 3 kids with carseats assigned window seats. That was a giant screw up, SW should have sad screw JB assigned seats and went to SW style boarding.

[Clarea]

If you are taking carseats, and you guarantee that the toddler will get the window seat and the adult will get 1 of the other seats. Now most people will gladly give up the middle seat to not sit beside someone elses kid.

 

Just be glad this is not one of the Jetblue flights booked on the southwest website. Since the SW system can't assign seats, the computer assigned no 2 people in our group of 10 together and we had 3 kids with carseats assigned window seats. That was a giant screw up, SW should have sad screw JB assigned seats and went to SW style boarding.

I think you mean Airtran, and I agree, I'm glad that crossbooking mess is over.

[frugaltravel]

As can I ....and it's really annoying when it does NOT get you into the A group....

 

If there are only 60 numbers in the A group and 75 people pay for early boarding, how do you think everyone would get into the A group? I guess they could just increase the A group to 75 to satisfy you, but if you were A75 or B15 would it really matter? :confused:

 

ALL pax must have their own boarding pass if they're over 2 years old I think...keeps people from trying to game the system...

 

No, it is an FAA regulation. Over 2 requires their own seat and can not be a "lap baby."

[ArthurUSCG]

I think you mean Airtran, and I agree, I'm glad that crossbooking mess is over.

 

yea, Airtran, I think they were flying the 717 planes that were in a 2-3 configuration. The plane was quieter.

[katiemiller1@charter.net]

We've traveled SW many times with large groups. We've never had a problem upgrading one to early boarding. That lucky passenger then saves a bunch of seats around them until the others get on. He/she will get a few irritated looks from other passengers, but a nice "I'm sorry, we're traveling with a bunch of kids" usually smooths things over.

[purduemom1]

We've traveled SW many times with large groups. We've never had a problem upgrading one to early boarding. That lucky passenger then saves a bunch of seats around them until the others get on. He/she will get a few irritated looks from other passengers, but a nice "I'm sorry, we're traveling with a bunch of kids" usually smooths things over.

 

Saving for very young children might be ok with others but for teens and adults, seems like taking advantage of the situation. I believe the OP stated that they did not intend to save seats. Common sense tells me that early boarders saving blocks of seats defeats the intent of the WN boarding system.

[Clarea]

If there are only 60 numbers in the A group and 75 people pay for early boarding, how do you think everyone would get into the A group? I guess they could just increase the A group to 75 to satisfy you, but if you were A75 or B15 would it really matter? ...

To add to the frustration, Southwest has many flights with a stop, but no change of planes. So there can be a good number of "through" passengers on the plane before A1 gets to board. This happens to us often when flying from STL to MCO/TPA/FLL, because many of our flights start out at MDW.

 

 

yea, Airtran, I think they were flying the 717 planes that were in a 2-3 configuration. The plane was quieter.

I agree, the DC-9 type aircraft were quieter if you sat in the forward section. On the other hand, if you were all the way aft, WOW.

[StLouisCruisers]

Since I've moved to Georgia, I find the SW flights out of ATL have a lot of people with connections here. For instance, you're flying CMH to FLL but you have a connection in ATL. Therefore when you check in 24 hours prior to the CMH flight, you get your boarding number for both flights. When I go to check in for my ATL to FLL flight, all the A15-60 numbers are gone and I'm assigned a B number. That is when checking in exactly 24 hours in advance of my flight. So frustrating! This didn't happen when I lived in St. Louis.

 

I usually only buy Early Bird at the end of a cruise so I don't have to check in while on the ship. And we buy Early Bird for both of us. I saw a guy boarding Early Bird last trip and putting a book on the seat next to him for his wife who boarded at the very end. Too bad someone didn't say, I'd like that seat and plop down there. No saving allowed, you know.

[frugaltravel]

I saw a guy boarding Early Bird last trip and putting a book on the seat next to him for his wife who boarded at the very end. Too bad someone didn't say, I'd like that seat and plop down there. No saving allowed, you know.

 

In reality, how many people want a middle seat anyway? My guess is that would be one of the last seats to be taken anyway.

[ducklite]

My advice is to head to the back of the bus. Typically the front fills first, and if your adults are in the last rows the likelihood of people trying to sit with you is quite low.

[grandma*knows*best]

........

Remember - no seat saving allowed on WN. So, if someone wants to grab those seats next to you before the rest of your group boards, they are rightfully allowed to take those seats. ..

 

 

Completely untrue. Southwest has no policy about saving seats.