Southwest boarding strategy - 9 adults and 3 kids

[Happy2cruise]

Just another reason I like either AA or UA......I know exactly what my seat number is when I book. (equipment changes aside). No worrying about people saving seats or any of that nonsense. I can just board at my own pace as I just fly with a small backpack now and don't worry much about bin space. (and I have priority boarding on both). Plus the big one.....I pay LESS then I would if flying with the blue and orange.

Totally agree, that's why we have never flown SW;)

[ducklite]

Completely untrue. Southwest has no policy about saving seats.

 

 

I am forced to fly WN through work a few times a year. If I want an empty seat, I am going to take it. If the people in the rest of the row say they are saving it, I will tell them too bad, they are welcome to go find another row that still has three open seats, but I am taking this one. I assure you the FA's will agree with me.

Edited February 7, 2016 by ducklite

[StLouisCruisers]

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.

 

 

Well, since almost every flight I've been on in the past few years has been completely full, I'd say quite a few people would want that middle seat. No where else to sit!

[bouhunter]

Completely untrue. Southwest has no policy about saving seats.

 

Oh yes they do.:rolleyes:

[ducklite]

Well, since almost every flight I've been on in the past few years has been completely full, I'd say quite a few people would want that middle seat. No where else to sit!

 

 

Exactly, and a middle seat in an exit row or front of the plane is better than a middle seat in the back. Fortunately my company does buy us the early bird check in so that shouldn't be an issue.

 

And for the person earlier who said all window seats were blocked for car seats, 40 car seats won't take up every window seat, unless there were only 22 rows on the plane. Last time I looked, not the case on a WN 737.

[ArthurUSCG]

Exactly, and a middle seat in an exit row or front of the plane is better than a middle seat in the back. Fortunately my company does buy us the early bird check in so that shouldn't be an issue.

 

And for the person earlier who said all window seats were blocked for car seats, 40 car seats won't take up every window seat, unless there were only 22 rows on the plane. Last time I looked, not the case on a WN 737.

 

It was an older 737, I think a 500. So 21 rows, 1 starboard emergency exit row, and 1 missing port side window seat and the route after the emergency exit can't have carseats.

42-3=39

 

If it was a 300, then 24 or 23 rows with the same emergency exit setup.

48-3 =45

46-3=43

 

Either way, that is not a lot of window seats for other passengers.

 

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

[Jade13]

I am forced to fly WN through work a few times a year. If I want an empty seat, I am going to take it. If the people in the rest of the row say they are saving it, I will tell them too bad, they are welcome to go find another row that still has three open seats, but I am taking this one. I assure you the FA's will agree with me.

 

 

I take the closet seat available to the front of the plane so I can get out of there when the plane lands.

[Kag1526]

I didn't read the whole thread but as someone that has for a few years had A list on SW here are my tips:

 

1) Determine at the beginning who you really feel MUST sit next to an adult and who doesn't HAVE to. I didn't see the ages of teh children but those under 6 can board family boarding (policy on this is with 1 adult but they will generally allow more if it creates a problem situation, for example if a family is 2 parents, a 3yo a 4yo and an 8 year old. Well really the 8 yo is extra but they aren't going to make him board alone. Maybe in your case its each child has at least one adult and the other adults are ok.

 

2) For those that MUST sit next to an adult if any aren't under 6 buy them EBCI. They may be later in line then your husband but should be early enough that your husband can go back to board with them and be fine.

 

3) Be flexible for everyone else. Do not go in with X wants to sit with Y and Z etc. as if your looking for a given config you may end up worse off then if you go in being flexible. Example if you can't find 3 together maybe sitting 2 together in one row and one in the row across is ok.

 

4) For those that can board earliest your husband and those in family (not counting those preboarding, honestly before you get half way through A they will be surrounded with others as they will be in the front... so really your trying to sit 3 kids and 7 adults) have those people sit in the aisles and windows of one row if you want the full row, middle seats fill in last, middle seats with a child in either spot even slower so even if your last few adults are really far back you can get those middle seats.

 

5) Because some people may be seperated (honestly with your number of people you are highly unlikely to end up all in one big block) make sure everyone has their own snacks and entertainment. This applies to not just the kids but the adults as well.

 

 

One other thing to know just how much flexibility you have. Where are you flying from/to? Destinations that are likely to have alot of children on board you are less likely to have people move to make all children be together or have FA that help, because most of the plane has children they want to sit with too. (Think going to Orlando)

 

If your flying from somewhere that is a common hub (BWI or Chicago Midway) and your flight is not first thing in the morning you are likely to have much worse boarding positions because

1) Some people will already be on the flight from wherever the plane came from

2) Anyone that started their journey somewhere else and then this flight is their second leg got their boarding number 24 hours before their FIRST flight putting them a few hours before you in line.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Kag1526

[Kag1526]

I'm not trying to game the system. My dad can barely walk with a cane and needs assistance, so my mother will board with him. They will not be saving seats.

 

Also, just noticed that my thread title states 9 adults and three kids. It is actually 6 adults and three kids (4, 2, 2). We are hoping to have it work out that there is one child per two adults, but we realize that might not happen depending on how full the flight is.

 

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), then my sister will board with my two year old nephew, and my brother in law will board with their 4 year old son. We will all try to get seats near where my parents got seats, just for the ease of entertaining the kids, but if it doesn't work out it doesn't work out.

 

I am going to leave my post above in case it helps others but now for your exact situation.

 

Unless you are flying from BWI or Midway with the connection issues you are 99 percent likely to all be fine. Your probably not going to end up next to your parents but everyone else is probably going to be around each other. This is what you do.

 

Your parents will board first, they are probably going to be made to sit in the very front (the idea being if you have trouble walking why do you want to walk all the way to the back?) so honestly A boarders and other preboarders will fill in around them. They will be sitting on their own. My parents preboarded once and I had a mid A boarding number (A 30ish) and they were fully locked in by then.

 

Your husband will board next due to EBCI but its really not needed. He should sit towards the back where there are a few empty rows around him.

 

Everyone else will board as family boarding. You have 3 children that qualify and by this time only 3 adults that haven't boarded. Everyone sits near your husband.

 

Once As are all lined up make sure your whole group is lined up to the side ready for family boarding, espeically if when you get to the gate you look around and see alot of little kids. Family boarding is a bit of a free for all in order so you want to try to be near the front.

[frugaltravel]

Well, since almost every flight I've been on in the past few years has been completely full, I'd say quite a few people would want that middle seat. No where else to sit!

 

No. I would think they WANT a window or aisle but ACCEPT a middle seat. Do you really want a middle seat? Think about it. My guess is if your answer is yes, you are in the minority (i.e. do you intentionally book a middle seat with the window and aisle open on other airlines? I seriously doubt it).

 

Completely untrue. Southwest has no policy about saving seats.

 

Oh yes they do.

 

Please post a link to their seat saving policy. All I could find is this:

 

https://www.southwest.com/html/travel-experience/boarding-your-flight/

 

You can take any available seat, but it doesn't reference seat saving at all.

Edited February 8, 2016 by frugaltravel

[em-sk]

I just find these thread amazing.

 

Kids should be seated next to their parents. The main reason is the parent should supervise their kids. Why not try to board when ever the airline says you can board. If you can't get a seat with your kids just ask the flight attendant for some help. I have never flow south west (and generally try to avoid most US carriers) but my experience is most people are more than willing to move seats if it is not unreasonable to try to get kids next to their parents. Most in flight crew are willing to help deal with these types of issues.

 

If it is adults traveling together honestly your going to the same place. You will get off the aircraft within minutes of each other and being separated for a few hours is not a big deal. You manage to do it in other aspects of your daily routine. However in the case of kids or situations where someone in the party has medical or related issues helping to get people seated together just makes sense.

 

As a passenger why would I ever want to sit next to someone else's kids while the parents are elsewhere on the aircraft.

[ducklite]

What I find amazing is that people think FA's will sort it out. That is not the case. They will tell the parents to ask others to move. Intelligent parents will offer the better seat in exchange for the rotten seat. Intelligent parents would not expect someone sitting in a front aisle to trade for a rear middle.

 

As the children sitting alone, once they are old enough to ride the school bus Aline, there is no reason they can't amuse themselves on the plane. Intelligent parents recognize that kids age six and up are quite capable of flying alone, and make sure they have a snack and books or other quiet things to occupy their time.

 

As to the OP wanting to have two adults per child, it seems that an adult could amuse a child during the flight, and I don't see the requirement for two adults per child. Start early talking about the sights, sounds, noises, pressures and the behavior that is expected. There are a plethora of child's books about flying, start preparing before the trip. I sense anxiety on the OP's part, and kids will pick up on that. If the adults are relaxed and nonchalant about the trip, it's probable that the kids will be as well. By the way, great items for the plane are colored pipe cleaners, small Lego kits, coloring books and crayons, and of course videos on an iPad or laptop if the children are able to wear headphones. Otherwise, no video games, electronic toys, movies, etc. The headphone rules are the same for adults as they are for kids.

[msmayor]

What I find amazing is that people think FA's will sort it out. That is not the case. They will tell the parents to ask others to move. Intelligent parents will offer the better seat in exchange for the rotten seat. Intelligent parents would not expect someone sitting in a front aisle to trade for a rear middle.

 

As the children sitting alone, once they are old enough to ride the school bus Aline, there is no reason they can't amuse themselves on the plane. Intelligent parents recognize that kids age six and up are quite capable of flying alone, and make sure they have a snack and books or other quiet things to occupy their time.

 

As to the OP wanting to have two adults per child, it seems that an adult could amuse a child during the flight, and I don't see the requirement for two adults per child. Start early talking about the sights, sounds, noises, pressures and the behavior that is expected. There are a plethora of child's books about flying, start preparing before the trip. I sense anxiety on the OP's part, and kids will pick up on that. If the adults are relaxed and nonchalant about the trip, it's probable that the kids will be as well. By the way, great items for the plane are colored pipe cleaners, small Lego kits, coloring books and crayons, and of course videos on an iPad or laptop if the children are able to wear headphones. Otherwise, no video games, electronic toys, movies, etc. The headphone rules are the same for adults as they are for kids.

 

I have flown Southwest many times and have no issues with their boarding policies. All the flights I've flown, I don't think I've ever seen a parent struggling to find anyone willing to switch seats so they could sit next to their child. I also feel that if it is THAT important that you know for certain you will sit with your party, then don't fly Southwest...fly an airline that allows you to pick your seats.

 

I disagree with the statement in bold above because flying is different. There are people of ALL ages who are genuinely fearful of flying, and often young children who may ride a school bus by themselves every day may have never flown, and be terrified of the though of leaving the ground.

 

My son's first flight was when he was about 6 years old. He was scared, but managed OK as I was right next to him. After getting home, he said he would be happy never to fly again.

 

About 8 years later we wanted to cruise, and he really wanted to try the (then) brand new ship that had the Flowrider...Freedom of the Seas. I told him the only way that would happen was if he was willing to get on an airplane. He said he would, but would need me to be next to him.

 

So at age 14, a time when he rode the bus alone and even stayed in the house alone for short periods of time, he NEEDED his mother next to him. I spent the 2+ hour flight doing my best to keep him occupied so he focused less on the fact that he was on a plane and more on conversation, magazines and videos. Had he been alone in that seat, it might not have gone so well. I will add that as a family, we did NOT sit together. My daughter and husband ended up a couple of rows away.

 

There are adults who cannot easily sit on a plane, who need medication to get through flights. Its no different for some children.

[ducklite]

I have flown Southwest many times and have no issues with their boarding policies. All the flights I've flown, I don't think I've ever seen a parent struggling to find anyone willing to switch seats so they could sit next to their child. I also feel that if it is THAT important that you know for certain you will sit with your party, then don't fly Southwest...fly an airline that allows you to pick your seats.

 

 

 

I disagree with the statement in bold above because flying is different. There are people of ALL ages who are genuinely fearful of flying, and often young children who may ride a school bus by themselves every day may have never flown, and be terrified of the though of leaving the ground.

 

 

 

My son's first flight was when he was about 6 years old. He was scared, but managed OK as I was right next to him. After getting home, he said he would be happy never to fly again.

 

 

 

About 8 years later we wanted to cruise, and he really wanted to try the (then) brand new ship that had the Flowrider...Freedom of the Seas. I told him the only way that would happen was if he was willing to get on an airplane. He said he would, but would need me to be next to him.

 

 

 

So at age 14, a time when he rode the bus alone and even stayed in the house alone for short periods of time, he NEEDED his mother next to him. I spent the 2+ hour flight doing my best to keep him occupied so he focused less on the fact that he was on a plane and more on conversation, magazines and videos. Had he been alone in that seat, it might not have gone so well. I will add that as a family, we did NOT sit together. My daughter and husband ended up a couple of rows away.

 

 

 

There are adults who cannot easily sit on a plane, who need medication to get through flights. Its no different for some children.

 

 

I live in Orlando. There are times that 90% of the plane is families, and the rest is people who have paid good money for the right to board and select their seat ahead of the herd. They are not going to move from the seat they have in effect paid more for in order to accommodate someone who was either too cheap or too self-absorbed to plan accordingly to be seated by their child.

 

There is never a guarantee that you will be seated next to your child in any plane. I've seen people who were stand by after missing the flight they should have been in boarded last and have to take seats scattered around the plane. Including toddlers not seated with parents, because no one wanted to move from being seated next to their child, or in some cases, the plane was already late pushing back.

[FawnRiver]

Even having two adults per child isn't necessarily a guarantee of good behaviour. I was on a flight FLL to YYZ, in the front row (paid the extra for so DH could stretch out -he's 6'2). Seats were a 3 by 3 configuration, DH had the window, I was in the middle. In Row 2, there was a child in the middle seat between her parents, who obviously weren't paying any attention because the child popped up out of her chair and started punching me in the head right in the middle of the flight. It didn't really hurt me, but it scared the hell out of me!

When they got her back in her seat, they pulled out a lap top and distracted her with cartoons. I looked back at the mother and she just glared at me and said "what?", like it was somehow my fault.

I'm not saying anything like that is going to happen with the OP, at least they're trying to make it a not miserable flight for everyone involved. Flying Southwest makes it difficult of them, though.

[ducklite]

My husband was in a flight this morning (not WN) and had an upgrade to first. He along with two families who had three and four kids each. The kids and the parents were disruptive jerks who were rude to the FA's and loud, obnoxious, you name it. The kids were screwing around In the aisles, and the one father had his seat belt off and was up as soon as the plane landed, but it still took them almost two minutes to get their crap together and get off (holding up the entire plane behind them) once they got to the gate. Some people just need to go live in a cave in an island.

[April-in-NC]

We are back from our trip and our strategy worked an we were all able to sit near each other and keep the preferred ratio of 2 adults per kids on all three flights.

 

Yesterday was a long day with a lot of hurry up and wait as we got off the ship, transferred to FLL and then had to wait 3 hours at the airport before we could check our bags and go through security.

 

By the time we got on the last flight the kids (and adults) were all at the end of our ropes. The 4 year old had a meltdown on the last flight but otherwise we survived.

[Alaskanb]

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.

On our flights ELP-DEN I found the middle seats to have the best aligned leg room.

[Coolcruise02]

We are back from our trip and our strategy worked an we were all able to sit near each other and keep the preferred ratio of 2 adults per kids on all three flights.

 

Yesterday was a long day with a lot of hurry up and wait as we got off the ship, transferred to FLL and then had to wait 3 hours at the airport before we could check our bags and go through security.

 

By the time we got on the last flight the kids (and adults) were all at the end of our ropes. The 4 year old had a meltdown on the last flight but otherwise we survived.

 

Glad it all worked out! Thanks for reporting back.

[waterbug123]

I also feel that if it is THAT important that you know for certain you will sit with your party, then don't fly Southwest...fly an airline that allows you to pick your seats.

 

 

^^^this

 

Alternatively, pay the fee to get Southwest's early boarding. If I recall, the OP said that wasn't an option because one family member was trying to keep prices down. That doesn't fly in my book. If YOU are concerned about kids being seated with adults, including an adult family member who doesn't want to pay the fee, YOU pay the fee for them so that YOUR kids have a better chance of being seated with an adult. I mean honestly, that is the easiest option out of all that has been suggested.

[ducklite]

^^^this

 

Alternatively, pay the fee to get Southwest's early boarding. If I recall, the OP said that wasn't an option because one family member was trying to keep prices down. That doesn't fly in my book. If YOU are concerned about kids being seated with adults, including an adult family member who doesn't want to pay the fee, YOU pay the fee for them so that YOUR kids have a better chance of being seated with an adult. I mean honestly, that is the easiest option out of all that has been suggested.

 

 

Well said. I would add that if the extra $25 pp r/t is a budget breaker, perhaps the vacation isn't the best financial plan at the time.

[Gig103]

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

 

As a no-child traveler, that's about the only thing I like about Southwest's boarding procedures.

[Clarea]

As a no-child traveler, that's about the only thing I like about Southwest's boarding procedures.

I didn't like Southwest's boarding process at first. But after doing it for a few years, and going back to other airlines that have reserved seating, Southwest's process seems faster to me.

[Eemrald]

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.

 

If you all want to sit together, you are going to have to pay that Early Bird or take your chances.

 

Untrue. You may save seats. The website shows there is no policy on seat saving. Trying to save seats in the front of the plane or the OWWE will get you many not so happy looks I encourage you to save seats past mid-cabin.

 

Yes, technically someone can disregard your bags in the seats and take one if they like, but I've never personally seen that happen.

 

Parents and kids will sit together if the parents do their part to ensure at least an early B boarding pass by either checking in EXACTLY 24 hours beforee the flight or purchasing a couple of early birds.

 

Poor planning resulting in late arrival at the gate will give you the chaos you wish to avoid.

Edited March 12, 2016 by Eemrald

[Gallivanting Souls]

I know the OP said she was back already, but I wanted to chime in for family's in the future with similar problem. As others have said, check in at exactly the 24 hr mark. When it's your turn, go straight to the back of the plane. Most people want to sit towards the front. And keep this in mind ;) no one wants to sit next to screaming kids.;)

I have seen people with screaming kids get helped ahead of the line to keep the masses happy.