Southwest boarding position questions About This Page:

[phoebec]

I am starting to stress about this southwest boarding thing. I have a daughter with ASD and was told I could board with her during preboarding. The problem is my husband is a phobic flyer and will be medicated and I don't really want to leave him and my other 2 kids unattended. For some reason, we all have different confirmation numbers so when I sign on 24 hours prior there is no guarantee we will all get the same boarding position that way. I know I am being cheap by not wanting to buy early bird but maybe I should just go ahead and do it. I know there is a chance they would let us all on during preboarding, but I'm a little nervous about it. Has anyone ever been able to preboard with more than just the individual with the disability? I would really prefer to get her settled before it gets crowded.

[Rebracer]

I just went through that with 2 disabled adults, myself and two small children. The disabled adults and one child got on first. I had to wait in line with the other child.

[JoanneS]

If you're concerned, I'd buy the Early Bird Check-In and that way you won't have to worry about checking in at exactly 6am. As long as you get a position in the B's you should be fine if you want to sit together.

[modisney]

Do the Early Bird. At the 36 hour mark, your boarding group/number is automatically selected for you, no need to be at your computer at the 24 hour mark. They typically do pre boards and A listers first, then the rest of group A, then families, then the B and C boarding groups. Don't think you can do the entire family on the pre board. Since you all have different confirmation numbers you will have to do each one separately for your boarding assignments. If you made the ticket purchases one right after the other, the boarding positions should be consecutive or close to it. It'll be the same for early birds. We cash in SW mileage and each time we do, we each have a different confirmation number but since I'm doing them one right after another, we usually end up with consecutive boarding positions. Hope that makes sense. Good luck.

[Fortissimo]

My friend's DD has ASD. Their last flight she found that boarding later rather than sooner was more calming for her DD as they had more time in more open space. Like you, she was worried about not being able to board with other family members so she just waited for after the "A" group to board. The rest of her family was Group B so they weren't too far behind.

Does your DD need to board early for extra time to get settled, or would that extra time outside of the plane be more beneficial?

[WillCAD]

If your flight is not terribly full, or if there are very few pre-boarders, the GA might allow your whole family to get in the pre-board lane. Explain your situation to them when you get to the gate, and ask politely. In my experience, SWA employees are generally very nice, accommodating, and friendly.

There are no guarantees that they'll bend the rules for you, however, so you should be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. The fuller the flight, the more strict the SWA GAs tend to be on the pre-board and family boarding rules. They're not trying to be jerks, they're just following their company's rules. Unfortunately, this can inconvenience those who have legitimate special needs, like yourself.

I can see two possible scenarios that might work for you, if you can't get the whole family into the pre-board lane:

1. Pay more. By buying a Business Select fare, which is generally about double the cost of a Wanna Get Away fare, you're guaranteed to board in Group A, positions 1-15. You could upgrade your husband and one of your kids to BS, then take two of the kids with you in the pre-board line, and you'll all be aboard within a minute of each other.
2. Stay together and board either in your regular position or in family boarding between Group A and Groups B. This could be the best option for you, especially if you get low boarding numbers in Group A. But it depends on whether your daughter needs pre-boarding or not. Will it be less stressful for her to board the plane before anyone else and have a longer wait while the rest of the pax board, or to wait a little while longer in the line while other pax board?

I have one more tip for you: if your family is separated and boards at different times, the first group should head all the way to the rear of the cabin and stake out a place there. The rear of the cabin fills up last, so there are always rows of seats available back there until Group B is almost finished boarding. You have the best chance of finding a group of seats together in the back of the cabin. The biggest drawback to this, of course, is that you'll have a longer wait to get off the plane when you land, which can try the patience of kids who are rarin' to go to WDW.

[phoebec]

thanks for all the great suggestions. I think I am either going to buy early bird for all of us or just the other 3 so they are not out there long. I do plan on sitting in the back of the plane, that was a great suggestion. That way it shouldn't be an issue getting seats together either way.

[CinderAbby]

Keep in mind when it come to EBCI, my understanding is you get checked in according to when you add the EBCI, not when you purchased the tickets. That means the rest of your family could still end up with B tickets.

[Tigger71]

Why don't you do what I've seen many others do - Pre-board with your DD and spread all your carry-on items across the seats you wish your family to sit on! By the time the stewards get to you and ask you to move your items for others, your family will be on board.
Whilst it's a little underhanded, I understand why guests do it. There are some guests (I know several) who would do it just to discourage guests on a non full flight to sit elsewhere! Good luck.

[DisneyWitch]

Originally Posted by Tigger71

Why don't you do what I've seen many others do - Pre-board with your DD and spread all your carry-on items across the seats you wish your family to sit on! By the time the stewards get to you and ask you to move your items for others, your family will be on board.
Whilst it's a little underhanded, I understand why guests do it. There are some guests (I know several) who would do it just to discourage guests on a non full flight to sit elsewhere! Good luck.

As a frequent flyer on SWA (usually with ECBI), I can see 2 potential issues with this solution.

1. As you already said, this behavior is kind of underhanded. Many people (or their companies) paid extra for business select and/or ECBI, and this is circumventing the rules. I don't know if that's what the OP wants to be exemplifying to her kids. Rules are there to keep things fair for everyone - the rules should apply equally.

2. just because others do it doesn't make it right or ethical. In addition, while I've seen people spreading their jackets, carryons, reading material, etc., on neighboring seats, I've also seen flight attendants ask them to stop, and to re-open those seats - often before the B group shows up. It isn't a guarantee that the OP is going to get seats together with her family in the end.

to the OP:
I agree with WillCAD - the back of the plane is a great place to set up shop. Not only are the overhead bins still empty, but there's less hustle & bustle, less people bumping into you as they walk by, etc. It's also closer to the bathroom. When we go to WDW, we often choose the back of the plane to sit because of how people exit.

Look, I am prone to panic attacks, and I'm not a big fan of being crunched in by a lot of people (but I forget about that when I am at WDW, go figure...). You see, there are flyers in the front of the plane who forget that they get to their destination at the same time as everyone else! So...let THEM stampede off and run over each other in a hurried attempt to get off the plane. We just take our time and deplane when the mad rush has ended. We end up seeing them all either at the DME line or the baggage carousel anywho. Furthermore, it might be more calming to your little one to not be part of the craziness.

Or...you can do what my (male) coworker does. He stakes out a seat and when people come in and eye the neighboring seat, he leans over the aisle to me and says loudly (so everyone can hear) "Yeah, Andrea...that Mexican food is really starting to talk back to me!! Those beans are doing a real number on my stomach!". Funny...all of a sudden people don't wanna sit near him.

[WillCAD]

Originally Posted by DisneyWitch

As a frequent flyer on SWA (usually with ECBI), I can see 2 potential issues with this solution.

1. As you already said, this behavior is kind of underhanded. Many people (or their companies) paid extra for business select and/or ECBI, and this is circumventing the rules. I don't know if that's what the OP wants to be exemplifying to her kids. Rules are there to keep things fair for everyone - the rules should apply equally.

2. just because others do it doesn't make it right or ethical. In addition, while I've seen people spreading their jackets, carryons, reading material, etc., on neighboring seats, I've also seen flight attendants ask them to stop, and to re-open those seats - often before the B group shows up. It isn't a guarantee that the OP is going to get seats together with her family in the end.

to the OP:
I agree with WillCAD - the back of the plane is a great place to set up shop. Not only are the overhead bins still empty, but there's less hustle & bustle, less people bumping into you as they walk by, etc. It's also closer to the bathroom. When we go to WDW, we often choose the back of the plane to sit because of how people exit.

Look, I am prone to panic attacks, and I'm not a big fan of being crunched in by a lot of people (but I forget about that when I am at WDW, go figure...). You see, there are flyers in the front of the plane who forget that they get to their destination at the same time as everyone else! So...let THEM stampede off and run over each other in a hurried attempt to get off the plane. We just take our time and deplane when the mad rush has ended. We end up seeing them all either at the DME line or the baggage carousel anywho. Furthermore, it might be more calming to your little one to not be part of the craziness.

Or...you can do what my (male) coworker does. He stakes out a seat and when people come in and eye the neighboring seat, he leans over the aisle to me and says loudly (so everyone can hear) "Yeah, Andrea...that Mexican food is really starting to talk back to me!! Those beans are doing a real number on my stomach!". Funny...all of a sudden people don't wanna sit near him.

This is why I don't eat Mexican food before I fly.

[CinderAbby]

Or...you can do what my (male) coworker does. He stakes out a seat and when people come in and eye the neighboring seat, he leans over the aisle to me and says loudly (so everyone can hear) "Yeah, Andrea...that Mexican food is really starting to talk back to me!! Those beans are doing a real number on my stomach!". Funny...all of a sudden people don't wanna sit near him.

That's a male for you. I'll refrain from typing the rest of what I thought though.

[HollyH]

Heading to the back of the plane is good advice. It fills up last and will be less hectic during the entire boarding process. Single travelers are less likely to want to take the 3rd seat in your row in the back......they'll look to fill in single seats at the front of the plane, ones they come to first. Of course, if you have a full flight, someone will sit there eventually.

And if you're wondering, I timed how long it took us to exit the plane once. We were in the last row of the aircraft and we exited the aircraft just about 5-7 minutes later than those sitting in the front. And again, there was a lot less hustle and bustle during the process at the back.

Are one of your other children young enough to qualify for family boarding? If you and your DD pre-board and DH and the other two board with family boarding (or even in the low B's), you should have no problems sitting together (very close -obviously you'll need 2 rows of seats) at the back of the plane.

[modisney]

You've gotten some great tips and advice here. I thought of another and that is at airport you can upgrade your boarding positions. I does cost and I think it's about $15/person if any upgrades are available but as a last resort that may be an option. Good luck. I think it'll all work out. Just have your Plan A and Plan B because flying to MCO means full flights and plenty of kiddos on board. Another thought and not to be rude but can your DH cut back on the meds or find an alternative med so he's more of a helper? Again, good luck. SW will help as much as they can.