Southwest boarding strategy - 9 adults and 3 kids

[em-sk]

This entire process is silly.

 

In Canada, the government has slowly pressure on the major airlines to ensure kids get seated with their parents. I think it is one of these things where if the industry does not do it on its own the government will likely force the move in the future. The previous conservative government was asking for a voluntary approach. The current government is more likely to force the issue.

 

The policy that Canadian carriers have adopted for kids under 12 year is: "The airlines say where families are separated, crew members look for open seats and ask other passengers to voluntarily relocate to accommodate them."

 

Radio Canada article:

http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2015/09/30/minister-asks-airlines-to-seat-kids-with-parents/

 

I wonder if the same type of pressure is being place on the airlines in the us.

Edited March 29, 2016 by em-sk

[ducklite]

This entire process is silly.

 

In Canada, the government has slowly pressure on the major airlines to ensure kids get seated with their parents. I think it is one of these things where if the industry does not do it on its own the government will likely force the move in the future. The previous conservative government was asking for a voluntary approach. The current government is more likely to force the issue.

 

The policy that Canadian carriers have adopted for kids under 12 year is: "The airlines say where families are separated, crew members look for open seats and ask other passengers to voluntarily relocate to accommodate them."

 

Radio Canada article:

http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2015/09/30/minister-asks-airlines-to-seat-kids-with-parents/

 

I wonder if the same type of pressure is being place on the airlines in the us.

 

 

 

Of course they do. And people will often move without a problem to accommodate them. Here's the rub. I live in Orlando where 95% of the plane is kids with parents. The other 5% is typically business travelers who have either earned status or paid extra to board early in order to assure the seat of their choice. Someone who has done so is not going to give up that seat because a parent was too cheap or self-absorbed to take the same steps to get their seats of choice, and the people traveling with kids aren't moving away from their family to accommodate someone else.

 

I regularly fly WN from MCO to RDU--it's direct and often within a few dollars of the competition that takes double the time. My company always buys us the early check in so we can sit where we want. If someone asks me to swap 4C for 4D or even 5 or 6D, sure. But I'm not giving up 4D for 23B.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Ducklite, very well stated.... I couldn't agree with you more.

 

I also fly Southwest and always purchase the Early Bird check in. I like asile seats near the front portion of the plane.

 

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Sent from my VS880 using Forums mobile app

[Sea Hag]

As others have said, early bird doesn't guarantee you A boarding group. Last time I purchased early bird, I got low B's, which was fine for me traveling alonel

 

Direct from SW website:

 

Better Boarding PositionWe'll automatically check you in and assign your boarding position within 36 hours of your flight's departure - that's 12 hours before general boarding positions become available. While EarlyBird Check-In doesn't guarantee an A boarding position, it improves your seat selection options to help you get your favorite seat.

[Chairsin]

I had not flown Southwest for some time until this past week and I can tell you the boarding process is still problematic. When we have flown longer Southwest flights in the past we have purchased eat,y bird but this was just over a one hour flight so it did not seem necessary. .Going I checked DH and myself in at the 24 hour mark and I got A54 and he got B52 (found that rather strange). Obviously we would not be sitting next to each other -- but no way I would have even though of saving him a seat. But clearly I was in the minority -- when I boarded I noticed many passengers had placed an object on an adjacent seat trying to "hold it". When I went to sit on one seat the woman in the seat next to it told me her husband was sitting there but had just gone to the restroom -- likely story! On the way home it was even worse -- because this flight was not totally full when we went to sit down ( we were both consecutive B numbers this time -- again checked in almost exactly at 24 hours) in two open seats near the front the seated passengers, upset that they would not have an open middle seat next to them, told us as the plane was not full we should go sit in the back of the plane and leave these seats vacant Seriously? We just sat down anyway. BTW, charming flight attendants on both flights but they did nothing to try to discourage passengers from seat saving. As for families, they made an announcement pre boarding that families traveling together with young children could board together after the A group. Is this something new?