Southwest adds charge to board sooner

[waltskids]

There is a bit of a caveat to that.

From the SWA website, children 2-11 must be aged verified before they travel. They can pre age verify by sending in documentation to SWA so they can check in online, but at some point they have to show SWA a BC or they aren't flying SWA. This is for the Children or youth fares. I'm not sure if they would have to for an adult ticket, but given the security restrictions, it wouldn't suprise me.

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/children.html

Just an FYI (and I know, off topic too)...We just flew SW in August and DS (age 2.5) did not need his birth certificate to travel since he was flying on an adult fare. DD (who was 9 weeks at travel) did need her birth certificate since she was flying as a lap child.

Also, the PP may already know this, but she mentioned 2 lap babies. Only one lap child is allowed per row due to the oxygen masks (I would assume with three adults that they could sit in different rows). If the 2 year old suddenly became a '23 month old lap child' then he/she too would need to be in his/her own row separate from the two other lap children.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Just an FYI (and I know, off topic too)...We just flew SW in August and DS (age 2.5) did not need his birth certificate to travel since he was flying on an adult fare. DD (who was 9 weeks at travel) did need her birth certificate since she was flying as a lap child.

Also, the PP may already know this, but she mentioned 2 lap babies. Only one lap child is allowed per row due to the oxygen masks (I would assume with three adults that they could sit in different rows). If the 2 year old suddenly became a '23 month old lap child' then he/she too would need to be in his/her own row separate from the two other lap children.

Interesting... I wonder how often they verify... I was looking at an infant fair for our child until they told me it was the same price as our adult ticket. Not much of a discount.

 

[tjmw2727]

Interesting... I wonder how often they verify... I was looking at an infant fair for our child until they told me it was the same price as our adult ticket. Not much of a discount.

The discounted child/infant fares are based on a % of the most expensive, fully refundable ticket offered. Its very rare to find one that compares to the online fares we see now.

If your infant is ticketed there is no need for the BC, if you do purchase an infant fare or choose to lap sit proof of age is required for the discount fare. Otherwise only passengers over 18 need ID.

 

[palpluto]

I was told on our last Southwest flight that we would not be separated because any child under 12 had to be seated with an accompanying adult for safety reasons, in the event of an emergency the accompanying adult would be responsible for caring for them (oxygen etc).[/QUOTE]


On AirTran, I was separated form my 9 yr old, so that was not the case. We asked for volunteers, no one offered and my son was fine so not a big deal. Just wanted to say, I have not experience that policy.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Not true.

I was told on our last Southwest flight that we would not be separated because any child under 12 had to be seated with an accompanying adult for safety reasons, in the event of an emergency the accompanying adult would be responsible for caring for them (oxygen etc).

Another irony...

if some of these parents were offered a $10 or $20 discount with the catch being they wouldn't be able to sit next to their kids... I guarantee you they'd take it!

 

[my2minnies]

Wow! This thread is heated! I have 4 kids and would want every single one of them to sit with me. I do not pack carry ons for each of them and I do not want to be walking back and forth with all their stuff. I think the next time I fly SW I will book our tickets under different reservation numbers and then pay the fee for one of us. My dh can board early and hold the seats we need.

I agree, not the nicest thing to do and something I would never think to do in any other circumstance. I just would not want to pay an extra $120 to sit with my kids. My older kids are 7 and 8 and wonderful travellers, but I do not feel comfortable with them sitting where I cant see them and with strangers. They dont have to be beside me, but I need to see them and make sure they are ok.

Also I have to say that airplane tickets are not cheap right now at all. We have been flying to MCO for 8 years now and each year the price has increased. We are paying way more for the same seat we had 8 years ago and even more than what we paid last year when fuel prices were through the roof.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think the next time I fly SW I will book our tickets under different reservation numbers and then pay the fee for one of us. My dh can board early and hold the seats we need.

Please don't count on that. Especially since Southwest does not permit 'seat saving' anyway, it would be particularly difficult for one passenger to hold six seats.

But it doesn't matter - with two three-year-olds, you will be able to board between the "A" and "B" boarding passes. Move to the back of the plane and you should easily be able to find, if not six seats together, at least three and three (and if any of your kids is a seat-kicker, please try to place a family member in the seat directly in front of that child).

 

[crashbb]

Please don't count on that. Especially since Southwest does not permit 'seat saving' anyway, it would be particularly difficult for one passenger to hold six seats.

I'd say trying to save 6 seats would be all but impossible - he'd be trying to save his entire row and the entire row across the aisle (or behind him). Unless he was saving the very last row of the plane, there would definitely be people who would take those seats and there'd be no way to physically try to stop anyone sitting in the row he wasn't sitting in. Actually, I'd wager that there would be people who would purposefully take seats that he was trying to save, since people can get very annoyed when others try to cheat by saving seats.

Edited fix the quoting thingy.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Please don't count on that. Especially since Southwest does not permit 'seat saving' anyway, it would be particularly difficult for one passenger to hold six seats.

I'd say trying to save 6 seats would be all but impossible - he'd be trying to save his entire row and the entire row across the aisle (or behind him). Unless he was saving the very last row of the plane, there would definitely be people who would take those seats and there'd be no way to physically try to stop anyone sitting in the row he wasn't sitting in. Actually, I'd wager that there would be people who would purposefully take seats that he was trying to save, since people can get very annoyed when others try to cheat by saving seats.

I guess we will see how many opt for EB but I still feel it won't be enough that if you checked in 24 hours in advanced you couldn't still get A seating. Never had an issue getting A seating before when doing that. Of course EB may change that, but honestly with the amount of DISers calling the second the ADR offices open for their 90 day (now 180 day) ADR window, you'd think people would have an easy time getting an A.

 

[tjmw2727]

Wow! This thread is heated! I have 4 kids and would want every single one of them to sit with me. I do not pack carry ons for each of them and I do not want to be walking back and forth with all their stuff. I think the next time I fly SW I will book our tickets under different reservation numbers and then pay the fee for one of us. My dh can board early and hold the seats we need.

I agree, not the nicest thing to do and something I would never think to do in any other circumstance. I just would not want to pay an extra $120 to sit with my kids. My older kids are 7 and 8 and wonderful travellers, but I do not feel comfortable with them sitting where I cant see them and with strangers. They dont have to be beside me, but I need to see them and make sure they are ok.

Also I have to say that airplane tickets are not cheap right now at all. We have been flying to MCO for 8 years now and each year the price has increased. We are paying way more for the same seat we had 8 years ago and even more than what we paid last year when fuel prices were through the roof.

First of all if you really did read the thread - heated or not, you would know that since you have children 4 and under you can use family boarding. This occurs between the A and B groups - so you can choose from roughly 70 open seats. This has not changed with the implimentatin of Early Bird Check in.

Second - if you do choose to use EBCI for just one member of your family there is no need to book separately. You can choose EBCI for one, some or all in the party and pay accordingly. However, IME its very difficult and frowned upon to save seats on SWA. If you use items the FA's will make a fuss about the items abandoned on the seat and bring them to "lost & found". Other passengers can and sometimes do sit in the "saved seats".

Third and finally, I highly recommend packing a backpack for older kids just in case. No airline guarantees seats and IMHO its best to prepare your children and yourself for the possiblity of sitting apart. If the seatbelt sign stays on and there is turbulance preventing you from leaving your seat you would want your son or daughter who is a row in front of you to have her book, gameboy or favorite snack. We all want to sit with our kids, friends, traveling companions but sometimes it just doesn't happen that way.

I agree - it costs more to fly this year which is true for pretty much everything isn't it?

 

[Lewisc]

I was told on our last Southwest flight that we would not be separated because any child under 12 had to be seated with an accompanying adult for safety reasons, in the event of an emergency the accompanying adult would be responsible for caring for them (oxygen etc

On AirTran, I was separated form my 9 yr old, so that was not the case. We asked for volunteers, no one offered and my son was fine so not a big deal. Just wanted to say, I have not experience that policy.

You (or the poster you quoted?) misunderstood the FA. Southwest lets children 5 and over fly unaccompanied by an adult. There isn't a requirement for an accompanying adult be on the plane let alone sit next to the child.

I don't know if it's official policy but many FAs won't let a parent with a child under 12 sit in the emergency exit row (even if the child sits in a different row). The assumption is in an emergency the adult would not be giving attention to assisting in the evacuation of the plane. Once I had an empty middle seat next to me in emergency exit aisle. The FA kept asking passengers if they had a child on board.

 

[my2minnies]

First of all if you really did read the thread - heated or not, you would know that since you have children 4 and under you can use family boarding. This occurs between the A and B groups - so you can choose from roughly 70 open seats. This has not changed with the implimentatin of Early Bird Check in.

Second - if you do choose to use EBCI for just one member of your family there is no need to book separately. You can choose EBCI for one, some or all in the party and pay accordingly. However, IME its very difficult and frowned upon to save seats on SWA. If you use items the FA's will make a fuss about the items abandoned on the seat and bring them to "lost & found". Other passengers can and sometimes do sit in the "saved seats".

Third and finally, I highly recommend packing a backpack for older kids just in case. No airline guarantees seats and IMHO its best to prepare your children and yourself for the possiblity of sitting apart. If the seatbelt sign stays on and there is turbulance preventing you from leaving your seat you would want your son or daughter who is a row in front of you to have her book, gameboy or favorite snack. We all want to sit with our kids, friends, traveling companions but sometimes it just doesn't happen that way.

I agree - it costs more to fly this year which is true for pretty much everything isn't it?

I actually have to change my profile--my twins are four and will probably be 5the next time I fly so I may not be able to board between the A and B groups. I will always get my tickets at the 24 hour mark so that I can do anything to insure my kids will be close by. I just think that as a precaution I will pay the fee so that I can board one member of my family.

As for saving seats, nothing would be brought to lost and found because my dh would be right there. The rest of the family would be right behind him anyhow because I would make sure to get the passes right at the 24 hour mark.

To be honest the FA do not care about saving seats. We fly SW ALL the time and go with another family, plus grandparents and aunts. Many times there are 14 of us boarding the plane at different times. There is always such chaos that they have no idea what is going on. We always make sure to get an A boarding pass so there are always plenty of seats to choose from.

 

[DisNae]

I actually have to change my profile--my twins are four and will probably be 5the next time I fly so I may not be able to board between the A and B groups. I will always get my tickets at the 24 hour mark so that I can do anything to insure my kids will be close by. I just think that as a precaution I will pay the fee so that I can board one member of my family.

As for saving seats, nothing would be brought to lost and found because my dh would be right there. The rest of the family would be right behind him anyhow because I would make sure to get the passes right at the 24 hour mark.

To be honest the FA do not care about saving seats. We fly SW ALL the time and go with another family, plus grandparents and aunts. Many times there are 14 of us boarding the plane at different times. There is always such chaos that they have no idea what is going on. We always make sure to get an A boarding pass so there are always plenty of seats to choose from.

Well, a someone who did end up paying the EB fee so my older DD could sit next to her dad (younger DD and I get to board at family boarding), I *would* care that you are saving seats. It's pretty rude, and it smacks of self-entitlement. Why are you better than others, that you should get to save seats? What if everyone saved seats?

It doesn't matter at all that the rest of you would be "right behind him" with your 24-hour passes. My DH purchased EB; what if *he* was right behind him, before you, and he was saving the very seats my DH needed/wanted?

 

[crashbb]

It doesn't matter at all that the rest of you would be "right behind him" with your 24-hour passes. My DH purchased EB; what if *he* was right behind him, before you, and he was saving the very seats my DH needed/wanted?

Then your DH should feel free to take them.

 

[my2minnies]

Well, a someone who did end up paying the EB fee so my older DD could sit next to her dad (younger DD and I get to board at family boarding), I *would* care that you are saving seats. It's pretty rude, and it smacks of self-entitlement. Why are you better than others, that you should get to save seats? What if everyone saved seats?

It doesn't matter at all that the rest of you would be "right behind him" with your 24-hour passes. My DH purchased EB; what if *he* was right behind him, before you, and he was saving the very seats my DH needed/wanted?

Why would you pay if you have a child that can do family boarding??? Your husband and daughter would be able to board with you guys anyways. It makes no sense to pay the fee.

Why would someone want those exact seats anyways--makes no sense when there will be other empty ones right behind or in front of the ones he "wants". As I said if I could not do family boarding I would probably have an A group anyways or early B because I would do online check-in at 24 hours. I would never not check in and board the plane last because my dh had seats "saved". That would be crazy.

When I go on vacation with my family I want to sit with my family.

Now can you really tell me that if you were to board before your dh you would not put yourself on the end and your younger child at the window in order to not so obviously "save" a seat for your other child?

 

[LWatson]

Why would you pay if you have a child that can do family boarding??? Your husband and daughter would be able to board with you guys anyways. It makes no sense to pay the fee.

Why would someone want those exact seats anyways--makes no sense when there will be other empty ones right behind or in front of the ones he "wants". As I said if I could not do family boarding I would probably have an A group anyways or early B because I would do online check-in at 24 hours. I would never not check in and board the plane last because my dh had seats "saved". That would be crazy.

When I go on vacation with my family I want to sit with my family.

Now can you really tell me that if you were to board before your dh you would not put yourself on the end and your younger child at the window in order to not so obviously "save" a seat for your other child?

While I dont condone saving seats at all there is a HUGE different between saving 1 seat for a husband as opposed to 5 other seats for 4 kids and a parent. You would have 2 full sections saved instead of 1 seat. I wouldnt be surprised if someone sat down there just to spite you because you were working the system. And I'm willing to bet that w/ this new system emplimented SW will be more apt NOT to allow seat saving since that is how they are earning their money (despite how little it is) with early boarding.

 

[maxiesmom]

Why would you pay if you have a child that can do family boarding??? Your husband and daughter would be able to board with you guys anyways. It makes no sense to pay the fee.

Why would someone want those exact seats anyways--makes no sense when there will be other empty ones right behind or in front of the ones he "wants". As I said if I could not do family boarding I would probably have an A group anyways or early B because I would do online check-in at 24 hours. I would never not check in and board the plane last because my dh had seats "saved". That would be crazy.

When I go on vacation with my family I want to sit with my family.

Your husband can try to save seats, but if someone else wants those seat, they can have them. If you want to sit with your family the only way to be sure of that is to pay the extra fee. I'm betting with the new charge the FAs will be paying a bit more attention to seat savers.

I just don't get the whole attitude of "My family has to sit together, but I refuse to pay the extra fee". If someone wants a seat you (in general) is trying to save, what do you plan on doing to stop them from taking it? Fighting them for it?

I truly don't get people sometimes.

 

[DisNae]

Why would you pay if you have a child that can do family boarding??? Your husband and daughter would be able to board with you guys anyways. It makes no sense to pay the fee.

Why would someone want those exact seats anyways--makes no sense when there will be other empty ones right behind or in front of the ones he "wants". As I said if I could not do family boarding I would probably have an A group anyways or early B because I would do online check-in at 24 hours. I would never not check in and board the plane last because my dh had seats "saved". That would be crazy.

When I go on vacation with my family I want to sit with my family.

Now can you really tell me that if you were to board before your dh you would not put yourself on the end and your younger child at the window in order to not so obviously "save" a seat for your other child?

Because per SW policy, only ONE adult can board at family boarding per child under 4--not the entire family. I have a 3-year-old and a 7-year-old. So, the 7-year-old is not eligible for family boarding, thus my DH will have to board with her according to their regular boarding pass category. I will be the one adult allowed to board with my 3-year-old.

No, I would not put myself on the end and my child on the window seat and "save" the seat in the middle. It's not right. Besides, what if that plan backfired and someone actually came and sat in that seat? Then I'd have a stranger between my DD and myself. Thus defeating the entire purpose of family boarding in order to be next to my child.

Like I said, I avoided the problem by purchasing EB for my DH and DD so I can ensure that my DH and my 7-year-old will get to sit together, as my 3-year-old and I will get to sit together due to family boarding, and that I am still *following the rules.* It stinks that SW implemented the new policy after I had already purchased my tickets, but I'm not going to impose my problems on other people--it's not their fault that SW changed the rules either and it's not fair for me to break/stretch/bend those rules at their expense.

I'm big on following the rules.

 

[my2minnies]

Because per SW policy, only ONE adult can board at family boarding per child under 4--not the entire family. I have a 3-year-old and a 7-year-old. So, the 7-year-old is not eligible for family boarding, thus my DH will have to board with her according to their regular boarding pass category. I will be the one adult allowed to board with my 3-year-old.

No, I would not put myself on the end and my child on the window seat and "save" the seat in the middle. It's not right. Besides, what if that plan backfired and someone actually came and sat in that seat? Then I'd have a stranger between my DD and myself. Thus defeating the entire purpose of family boarding in order to be next to my child.

Like I said, I avoided the problem by purchasing EB for my DH and DD so I can ensure that my DH and my 7-year-old will get to sit together, as my 3-year-old and I will get to sit together due to family boarding, and that I am still *following the rules.* It stinks that SW implemented the new policy after I had already purchased my tickets, but I'm not going to impose my problems on other people--it's not their fault that SW changed the rules either and it's not fair for me to break/stretch/bend those rules at their expense.

I'm big on following the rules.

I have flown Southwest about 6 times now and some of those flights have had connections. I have NEVER seen anyone with one child under the age of 4 board with just one parent. There are ALWAYS siblings, both parents and many times grandparents with them (we usually fly to Orlando) . I never knew that was the policy because it certainly was not enforced at all. It is always announced that families with children ages 4 and under can board between the A and B groups.

Just for the sake of arguement--what happens if your dh is not with you? Would you make your 7 year old board alone because he or she is over 4?

 

[Lewisc]

While I dont condone saving seats at all there is a HUGE different between saving 1 seat for a husband as opposed to 5 other seats for 4 kids and a parent. You would have 2 full sections saved instead of 1 seat. I wouldnt be surprised if someone sat down there just to spite you because you were working the system. And I'm willing to bet that w/ this new system emplimented SW will be more apt NOT to allow seat saving since that is how they are earning their money (despite how little it is) with early boarding.

The couple is paying $10 instead of $20 and will probably get away with it.

The family you describe is paying $10 instead $60 but they're going to have real problems saving the second row of 3 seats. Realistically she'll wind up paying $10 to save $30 worth of seats.

A couple boarding the plane isn't going take the one (probably middle) seat left available by the wife. Not really a HUGE DIFFERENCE between two seats being saved and an aisle seat being occupied and the window seat being saved.

JMO but SW should re-consider assigned seats. That would solve this situation. Don't let a passenger select the actual seat. Two people would have the choice of window/middle or middle/aisle. A single passenger could select a window or aisle seat but SW would assign the other pair of seats to another passenger. You wouldn't be able pay for seats for part of your group and get the rest of your group next to you for no extra charge.