Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[scrappinginontario]

Yikes! Our next trip (if we can make it happen) would be from about August 5-August 15, 2019. Based on your chart, we might be able to book our outgoing flight in early November, but would then have to wait 3 months (!!!) to book our return flight?! Ouch.

it’s pretty common for people to experience this. It’s hapoened to me in the past and just meant I had 2 confirmation numbers rather than one and I needed to be ready gurvreleasses twice.

Really wasn’t a problem at all.

 

[Iowamomof4]

it’s pretty common for people to experience this. It’s hapoened to me in the past and just meant I had 2 confirmation numbers rather than one and I needed to be ready gurvreleasses twice.

Really wasn’t a problem at all.

I'm just complaining about the possibility of only being able to see one leg of my trip for a few months before the whole thing comes available. Booking when the flights open has not been a good strategy for my route, my flights tend to go way down in price when we get to the 2-3 month point, so I have to wait anyway. But I always feel better when I'm close enough that I can see both flights as I monitor prices.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I'm just complaining about the possibility of only being able to see one leg of my trip for a few months before the whole thing comes available. Booking when the flights open has not been a good strategy for my route, my flights tend to go way down in price when we get to the 2-3 month point, so I have to wait anyway. But I always feel better when I'm close enough that I can see both flights as I monitor prices.

You're right that it can be frustrating...and I think for those that are somewhat flexible with their dates it can be extremely frustrating. We used to go in on a Tues, Wed, or Thurs and stay for 6 or 7 nights and a split release in that scenario was my nightmare. I wanted to plan around the least expensive flights and only seeing half of it was maddening haha! Now that we are in a "set date" mode (we do Sat - Sat now) I find a split release much less worrisome.

 

[DrFacilier]

We will be headed to WDW in March 17th-23rd and plan to purchase our tickets with RR points over the next few months. DW has a CP so we only need to buy 3 tickets for our family of 4. My plan is to earn a CP myself by February. If we buy 3 tickets with points and I earn a CP (so we would only need 2 purchased tickets) can we just get our points back for that ticket or do we have to rebook the trip with only 2 purchased tickets and the 2 CPs?

 

[shoreward]

We will be headed to WDW in March 17th-23rd and plan to purchase our tickets with RR points over the next few months. DW has a CP so we only need to buy 3 tickets for our family of 4. My plan is to earn a CP myself by February. If we buy 3 tickets with points and I earn a CP (so we would only need 2 purchased tickets) can we just get our points back for that ticket or do we have to rebook the trip with only 2 purchased tickets and the 2 CPs?

If you purchase the tickets with separate reservations for you and the person flying on your CP, it will be easy to just cancel out that person and get a complete points refund; then immediately go in and add that person back, using your CP.

 

[shan981]

We are traveling with two 1yos who will have their own seats. We paid for early bird check-in, but the SW rep said that we could do that only for the adult and older child travelers, and not for the 1yos since they have to board with us anyway. Is this accurate? I'm nervous that we will not be allowed to board with the A group if our entire party, including the ticketed 1yos, doesn't have an A boarding pass. (Side note, I realize that early bird doesn't guarantee "A" boarding, but I'm operating under the assumption that it will.)

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

yes the baby can board with you!

 

[shan981]

yes the baby can board with you!

And they won't make us wait until the regular family boarding if we have "A" passes but babies have "B" or "C"? Also, do I need to online check-in for babies at 24 hours? Ours will be done automatically.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

If you all have EBCI you do not have to check in at the 24 hour mark. SWA will check you in 36 hrs before your flight. You will however have to print your boarding passes anytime after the 24hr mark. If the babies do not have EBCI the rule with SWA is that you can board as a group with the person who has the highest boarding position. or in your case between the A & B boarding if someone has a B or C position. And yes if the babies do not have EBCI you will have to check in at the 24 hr mark

 

[shan981]

If you all have EBCI you do not have to check in at the 24 hour mark. SWA will check you in 36 hrs before your flight. You will however have to print your boarding passes anytime after the 24hr mark.

Only DH, me, and my 10yo have EBCI. My two toddlers do not, but they do have their own seats/tickets.

 

[scrappinginontario]

If you all have EBCI you do not have to check in at the 24 hour mark. SWA will check you in 36 hrs before your flight. You will however have to print your boarding passes anytime after the 24hr mark. If the babies do not have EBCI the rule with SWA is that you can board as a group with the person who has the highest boarding position. or in your case between the A & B boarding if someone has a B or C position. And yes if the babies do not have EBCI you will have to check in at the 24 hr mark

Has this been your personal experience? It doesn’t quite make sense since OP says they are not allowed to purchase EBCI fir the babies.

 

[shan981]

Has this been your personal experience? It doesn’t quite make sense since OP says they are not allowed to purchase EBCI fir the babies.

They didn't say we weren't allowed to purchase EBCI for the babies, they just said we didn't need to since the babies will board with us regardless. I'm leaning toward spending the extra $$ and buying it for them anyway because I don't trust that's true. But my DH seems to think that since an agent said it, it will be fine. I don't want to stress about it from now until November though.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

They didn't say we weren't allowed to purchase EBCI for the babies, they just said we didn't need to since the babies will board with us regardless. I'm leaning toward spending the extra $$ and buying it for them anyway because I don't trust that's true. But my DH seems to think that since an agent said it, it will be fine. I don't want to stress about it from now until November though.

You've brought up a very interesting question...If those were lap children, they would absolutely board with you. Since they are ticketed passengers that will occupy a seat...I'd say you technically need EBCI for them to board with you. The "reason" they need to board with you is because you can't leave a 1 year old at the gate to board by themselves later. However, I also can't leave my 4 year old at the gate to be board by herself later...and they aren't letting her get on with me in the A group if she has a B group pass. There doesn't seem to be any difference in those two situations... I'd say you might get away with it because of their age (not saying you're trying to "get away" with anything...just describing it as such)...but that agent is not correct IMO.

 

[scrappinginontario]

They didn't say we weren't allowed to purchase EBCI for the babies, they just said we didn't need to since the babies will board with us regardless. I'm leaning toward spending the extra $$ and buying it for them anyway because I don't trust that's true. But my DH seems to think that since an agent said it, it will be fine. I don't want to stress about it from now until November though.

Thanks for clarifying. I misunderstood the first time.

Did you speak with more than one agent? I'd be tempted to call again....and maybe even again and find out what kind of answer(s) I'm receiving. If you get 3 the same then I don't think you would need EBCI for your 1 yo's but as @SouthFayetteFan said, a slightly older child would require EBCI. If they have a seat assigned to them I'm surprised that they wouldn't need EBCI if you wish to load before the Family Boarding.

 

[Chip_Dale]

Will not have data on my phone. If I check in while I have WIFI and do a screen print of my boarding pass to my phone. Will that working going through security and boarding the plane. Or will I need somewhere to print the pass.

 

[Lvsdisney]

Will not have data on my phone. If I check in while I have WIFI and do a screen print of my boarding pass to my phone. Will that working going through security and boarding the plane. Or will I need somewhere to print the pass.

You have a few options... If you are staying on site and are using RAC, they'll print out the boarding pass, if you check-in your luggage at the airport, they'll probably print one for you (I've printed out BPs before and still had them hand me ones at the counter...). I also think there are kiosks to print out BPs.

I have never done digital BPs so I can't answer that question.

 

[DMOMof3]

Just saw this on the SW site. Looks like they changed the next release date!

We are currently accepting air reservations through March 6, 2019. On August 30,2018 we will open our schedule for sale through April 5, 2019. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently.

 

[cmarsh31]

Just saw this on the SW site. Looks like they changed the next release date!

We are currently accepting air reservations through March 6, 2019. On August 30,2018 we will open our schedule for sale through April 5, 2019. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently.

Thanks! I'm waiting for March training dates that aren't out yet, and the 8/16 was giving me panic attacks! Hopefully we'll have dates by the 30th!

 

[eeyoreland]

Does anyone have any experience with the Nashville airport? Wondering if a 45 minute layover is enough time.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Does anyone have any experience with the Nashville airport? Wondering if a 45 minute layover is enough time.

I haven’t been to Nashville but to many other airports that service SW flights. My experience has been that because their gate layout is specialized with the numbered pillars and tv monitors the gates are all close together. I was once worried as we had a 25 min layover to change gates and did so with no trouble.