Southwest boarding position conundrum

[kaytieeldr]

Especially if the seat you are saving is a middle seat, you’ll be fine. I wouldn’t worry. Keep your A position.

Unless the First person in your row also has a travel companion...

Seat saving isn’t really “generally frowned upon.”

There isn't a policy, unless one considers no policy to be a policy. Southwest doesn't stop you from saving seats. Southwest doesn't support you for saving seats. You can even put something on the seat; if an interim passenger wants that seat, they can take that seat.

Or you could go up to the counter and explain you have anxiety and need to be seated with your sister

So, potentially, lie?

 

[maxiesmom]

Save her a seat. I've never seen anyone care that a seat was saved. Now when you try to save several rows with just one person its a bit much.
Or you could go up to the counter and explain you have anxiety and need to be seated with your sister and they may give you a pre board boarding pass so that both of you get on the plane prior to general boarding.

I have. Heck, my last flight on Southwest they announced the flight wasn't full, and to spread out. And still people complained about those who had a bag on a middle seat.

Southwest has no policy on seat saving. Meaning more than likely you will be fine. Just don't pick an exit row or be right up front. Their policy also means that if someone decides they want the seat your bag is on, they won't stop them from taking it. Head to the back of the plane.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Unless the First person in your row also has a travel companion...

There isn't a policy, unless one considers no policy to be a policy. Southwest doesn't stop you from saving seats. Southwest doesn't support you for saving seats. You can even put something on the seat; if an interim passenger wants that seat, they can take that seat.

So, potentially, lie?

Wait how is it lying? OP said she has anxiety and NEEDS to sit next to her sister or she will not be able to handle the flight.
I don't think they want someone freaking out hyperventilating, crying, scaring other passengers.... They would rather them be able to sit next to each other.
Preboarding is not specifically just for those with a wheel chair or need longer to walk to the plane.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Wait how is it lying? OP said she has anxiety and NEEDS to sit next to her sister or she will not be able to handle the flight.

Oops, I didn't see that!

 

[disneyag]

We fly Southwest ALL. THE. TIME. I promise you, if you go towards the back of the plane and save your sister the middle seat next to you NO ONE will say anything. It's only annoying when one member in a party of 6 tries to save 2 entire rows near the front---people tend to find this obnoxious.

In face, my husband and I just flew yesterday. I had A46 and he had B21. I went to row 20 and sat in the aisle and saved the middle. When he arrived, I moved to the middle seat to give him the aisle. No issues.

 

[writerguyfl]

She is in pretty good health. Our big concern is her waiting in line for security. Normally, she doesn't need a wheelchair to get from place to place. However, we may request one at the airport to take her from the ticket counter to the gate. She does not need assistance getting on or off the plane.

BTW, we are flying from Cincinnati (CVG) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and back. Both times, we have layovers at Baltimore/Washington (BWI).

Fort Lauderdale (FLL) is my home airport. If you've never visited, it's a very different set up than places like Cincinnati or Orlando. Instead of one huge terminal, we have four separate terminals.

At FLL, Southwest is in Terminal 1. They use Concourses A and B. Concourse A consists of 7 total gates and Concourse B has 8 gates.

Link to full image at the FLL website: FLL-terminal1-concourses-A-B.jpg

This is the A and B Concourses. I enlarged the "WN" icon, which is where Southwest check-in is located. After you pass through TSA Security, you're just a few yards from some of the gates.

Despite having the first letter of the alphabet, Concourse A is brand new. (It's so new that neither Bing Maps nor Google Maps show it on their aerial photos.) It opened in June of 2017. Unlike the other Concourses in Terminal 1, the new gates can accommodate international flights requiring Customs and Border Control.

Since you're flights are not international, chances are good that you'll be arriving/leaving from Concourse B. Although past performance doesn't guarantee future results, I checked and all flights to/from BWI for the past two days have used gates in Concourse B. So, getting a wheelchair might not be necessary.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Fort Lauderdale (FLL) is my home airport. If you've never visited, it's a very different set up than places like Cincinnati or Orlando. Instead of one huge terminal, we have four separate terminals.

<snip>

Since you're flights are not international, chances are good that you'll be arriving/leaving from Concourse B. Although past performance doesn't guarantee future results, I checked and all flights to/from BWI for the past two days have used gates in Concourse B. So, getting a wheelchair might not be necessary.

Thanks for the detailed response. Our fear isn't that my MiL can't walk through the terminal. It's standing in line for TSA that may be the issue. We may need the wheelchair for that.

 

[writerguyfl]

Thanks for the detailed response. Our fear isn't that my MiL can't walk through the terminal. It's standing in line for TSA that may be the issue. We may need the wheelchair for that.

Gotcha. You did write that and I completely missed it. Opps.