Southwest's boarding with kids policy change.. again

[firsttimemama]

You used to board first if you had small children.
Then it was you board after the A group (unless you're in the A group)


Now they seem to have switched back to you board first if you have kids under 4.

At least this was our experience on a flight Tuesday.

just FYI

[maestramommy]

Really? I wonder why the change. I thought the first change was understandable.

[firsttimemama]

well maybe it was just the SW employees at that airport making that decision.. I just looked it up online and their website still says the policy is to board between A & B if you aren't in the A group

[Tondi G]

A friend of mine just flew with southwest and said they didn't offer a pre-board (her DS is 8 months old)... she was bummed cause it was difficult getting down the aisle with the car seat and bags and baby in tow... and people already seated on the aisle!

[AnnieW625]

I think that it might be an airport decision because the last two times I have flown on SW they have asked for pre boarders. I always go to the counter and ask the policy when flying with DD.

[geochick]

A month ago kids with A boarding passes boarded with the A group. All others boarded at the front of the B line.

I always make sure I have an A boarding pass, then it's a non-issue.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We just made our first SW flights this spring so I am a novice with them...how can you up your odds of being group A? I don't really want to have to sign up for things, if I can avoid it.

Beth

[TwinFoxes]

We just made our first SW flights this spring so I am a novice with them...how can you up your odds of being group A? I don't really want to have to sign up for things, if I can avoid it.

Beth

It's first come first served. So either print your boarding pass at home, or get to the airport super early. But so many people print their boarding passes at home now, it will be hard for you to get into A group if you don't.

[geochick]

We just made our first SW flights this spring so I am a novice with them...how can you up your odds of being group A? I don't really want to have to sign up for things, if I can avoid it.

Beth
Pretty much the only way to get an A pass is to be online EXACTLY 24 hours before the flight. Check in online. You can't do this more than 24 hours. If you're in a hotel in the middle of the Amazon jungle 24 hours before your flight, bribe someone at home to check you in. You can reprint the boarding passes at the airport. Easy, peasy.

ETA: my sister and I both were online checking in for our last SW flight exactly 24 hours early last month. I got A, she got B. She's slow and checks typing and spelling and stuff like that. You snooze, you lose on SW. Be fast. Be ready to click the boxes that list all the passengers traveling with you. Be ready to click OK or ACCEPT or whatever it says. Don't hesitate or you will get B.

[SnuggleBuggles]

But, you can't print a boarding pass at home if you are checking bags, right? When traveling with the family even though we are light packers, I can't imagine not having checked bags.

Beth

[firsttimemama]

But, you can't print a boarding pass at home if you are checking bags, right? When traveling with the family even though we are light packers, I can't imagine not having checked bags.

Beth

No this is not correct. You CAN print boarding pass even if you are checking bags

You cannot print boarding pass online at home for lapchild under 2 unless they are age verified (details on this on SW website)

[gobadgers]

You can still print your boarding pass at home, and check bags at the airport.

DH and I take the easy way out when we've flown SW - we don't bother with being in the A group and just board with the family boarding. We've never had trouble getting seats together, although it's usually near the back of the plane.

[SnuggleBuggles]

That's good to know that you can print them and still check luggage. Thanks!

Beth

[Staraglimmer]

nevermind.........................you already answered my question :)

[geochick]

But, you can't print a boarding pass at home if you are checking bags, right? When traveling with the family even though we are light packers, I can't imagine not having checked bags.

Beth

You can check bags...you just have to stand in the right line at the airport at the SW counter to drop your bags off before going through security. I checked bags and checked in 24 hours before online. Printed my boarding passes at home or at my hotel too.

[fivi2]

On most SW flights, you can pay extra (business class? I think it is called) to be guaranteed an A even if you don't check in early. On some routes, I believe enough people do this so that it isn't likely you will get in A even if you check in 24 hours ahead...

At least, that is what we did last time we flew SW. I don't know if that is the case for every route!

[writermama]

having lugged 2 kids and 2 carseats down the aisle of a crowded plane by myself several times, I'm not a fan of the "families board after A" policy -- I'm sure neither are the cranky passengers who got bumped by the carseats as I inched past them or the people waiting in line behind me as I took a lot longer to get down the jetway or into a seat, or wrangled the kids while I got the seats installed ....

I wish SW would go back to a family preboard, perhaps with conditions, for example, "if you are traveling with CARSEATS and kids you may board after the medical preboards", perhaps on the condition that you sit in the back of the plane. That would get us on the plane and out of the way. If you want to sit in the front 10 rows, for example, you can take your chaces in the A group or boarding after the As.

[Octobermommy]

Is there any way that we won't get a full row together (3 seats) if we board between A &B? I just booked flights last night for a trip this fall. Ooh, just thought, it is a flight to Orlando so I am sure there will be a lot of little children.

[geochick]

Is there any way that we won't get a full row together (3 seats) if we board between A &B? I just booked flights last night for a trip this fall. Ooh, just thought, it is a flight to Orlando so I am sure there will be a lot of little children.

I wouldn't worry about it. When I had an A pass and my sister had a B pass, we had no problems sitting together. I saved her seats near me in the back, but I didn't need to. She was a middle B number, and by the time she and her family were allowed to board, there were still PLENTY of seats near me in the back. People fill up the front first...because they want to get off first. If you aren't in a rush, head to the back. If you had a C boarding pass, I'd worry a bit. Don't worry between A and B! Seriously, by the time my sister boarded (and it wasn't a huge plane...3 seats on each side), there were still at least 30 completely empty seats near me in the back. Easy. Don't waste another minute worrying. If you are worried, be online EXACTLY 24 hours before you fly and get an A pass. That should solve all your problems.

[almostamom]

DS has severe nut allergies and on our last flight (April) we were permitted to board prior to the A group due to his allergies.

The flight prior to that it didn't matter - there were only 6 passengers on the entire plane! Our little family was half of that!

Linda

[SnuggleBuggles]

Is there any way that we won't get a full row together (3 seats) if we board between A &B? I just booked flights last night for a trip this fall. Ooh, just thought, it is a flight to Orlando so I am sure there will be a lot of little children.

We had no trouble at all getting 4 in a row. We were over the wing- no 4 together in front of us but lots behind us.

Beth