Southwest ??'s

This will be my first time on Southwest, and I am flying Seattle to Chicago and then on to Fort Lauderdale. If I check in 24 hours in advance for my A out of Seattle what happens when I go to reboard in Chicago? Does the A carry on through to that flight?

Also if you get the A, can you choose an exit row?

TIA

Bev

Usually when you do the check-in on line it checks you all the way through .. but don't be dismayed if you get a B .. I have never figured out how that works but sometimes I do get a B.

Once you are on the plane you choose any available seat .. so if the exit row is available you get it.

It still beats the heck out of standing in line at the SWA counter!!

You will, or should, get two separate boarding passes for each leg of your trip. So make sure you are watching which boxes you are checking off. It is also possible to get different boarding groups for each flight.

Two separate boarding passes. It depends on what # you are to check in for the SEA-MDW leg for that boarding pass... and what # you are when checking in for the MDW-FLL leg. You are basically checking in for both legs at the same time, but since there are different passengers on each flight you could end up with two different boarding groups.

Somewhat like booking a connecting flight on a different carrier - getting seat 12A doesn't guarantee you automatically get seat 12A on the connecting flight as well. :)

Exit Row:

Depends on two things:

1) if it is available

2) if you meet the FAA guidelines for sitting in the exit row

http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_safe/information/

Off-topic... I am always amazed at people who preboard for needing assistance getting on the plane, then end up sitting in the emergency exit row. Who's going to help assist them getting out the removable overwing exit when they are holding the entire plane up in an emergency situation?? :eek:

The last two times I was on SW, I was the first one to board in the A line after the 'pre-boarders'. I was given a card to give to the flight attendant who was standing at the exit row. This card showed that I was the first of the 'A' passengers. The 'pre-boarders' were not permitted to sit in the exit row. I think this is a great policy. I also read that SW was trying out assigned seating in the San Diego area. Don't know how it's working out.

Thanks for the quick replies, all I have to do now is remember to check in the day before:rolleyes:

Bev

This will be my first time on Southwest, and I am flying Seattle to Chicago and then on to Fort Lauderdale. If I check in 24 hours in advance for my A out of Seattle what happens when I go to reboard in Chicago? Does the A carry on through to that flight?

 

Also if you get the A, can you choose an exit row?

TIA

 

Bev

I've checked in 24 hours in advance and gotten an A for the first flight segment and a B for the second segment. It depends on how many people have already checked in for the flight before you. If you are hoping for an A boarding try to do it as soon as they open the online advance checking. I've also gotten an A on the second part of our flight segment and stood in line for an hour because the flight we were taking already had passengers from another location on it when it stopped to pick us up. We were warned that we may not get to sit together because of this. We ended up sitting together but many other groups were dispersed through the plane and unhappy about it. That was my last Southwest flight. The stress and anxiety just isn't worth any amount of savings to me.

If you have a internet access on your cell phone, you can also check in with that now and then print your boarding pass at the kiosk at the airport. Worked pretty well for us when we did it coming home from a business trip! I think the web site was mobil.southwest.com.

I have never flown Southwest before. What is it that you are talking about pertaining to A and B?

SW does not assign seats. When you check in, you are assigned a boarding group... either A, B, or C. I guess you would say "first come, first seated" The A group boards first and they can sit in any open seat... then the B group boards and can choose from what is left..., then the C group gets all the middles seats :rolleyes: . No guarentees that your party will be seated together, or that you will have a window or aisle seat.

You CAN "check-in" on line 24 hours before your flight, and most likely get an A boarding group.

This is one of their ways of keeping down costs. It works for me and my family... but I can certainly understand why others would not like it and would pay more to avoid it.

A~

What is it that you are talking about pertaining to A and B?

The first 45 people to check in get an "A", although a customer of size counts as two. The next 45 get a "B". The rest get a "C". Each boarding pass shows your check-in sequence number, up to 137 (the number of seats on all but the oldest Southwest airplanes) in addition to the letter. If someone is removed from the flight (e.g., catches an earlier flight), their sequence number is put back in the pool. If you happen to check in immediately afterwards, you may draw an "A" or "B" even though the person ahead of you got a "C".

After pre-boarding, passengers are called by groups according to whether they have an A, B, or C. For more details click here.

The first 45 people to check in get an "A", although a customer of size counts as two. The next 45 get a "B". The rest get a "C". Each boarding pass shows your check-in sequence number, up to 137 (the number of seats on all but the oldest Southwest airplanes) in addition to the letter. If someone is removed from the flight (e.g., catches an earlier flight), their sequence number is put back in the pool. If you happen to check in immediately afterwards, you may draw an "A" or "B" even though the person ahead of you got a "C".

 

After pre-boarding, passengers are called by groups according to whether they have an A, B, or C. For more details click here.

While walking through airports that Southwest flies from it's usually very easy to identify a Southwest terminal. You will see lines in 3 various rows and very few people sitting in chairs just waiting. This was the part that I didn't care for. At one of our connections we stood in line for over an hour before boarding was called just to be able to sit together. There were at least 15 people in front of us already. If you book a Southwest flight early though you can often get incredible deals if they fly to your destination. Once the "deal flights" are gone though I've found them to be comporable to many of the other airlines.

Sprocket: If you do not have to change planes in Chicago, then you will only have one boarding pass and even if you don't get an exit row on the first leg, the flight attendants will ask all passengers who are staying onboard to remain seated until they complete a head count. After that, and before the next boarding starts, you can move to an exit row, as long as the occupants on that row did are not flying through. Have a good flight. Flying on SW can be fun and challenging all at the same time but it is my favorite airline!

So even if I have different flight #'s is there a chance I could still be on the same plane? And if so, do you know how I could check that out?

At least I don't have to worry about finding seats together, so that may open my seat options just a little bit.

Glad to hear its your favorite airline, it sounds much like West Jet here and its a favorite of mine.

Bev

If your flight numbers change, then you will have to change planes.

Flying on SW can be fun and challenging all at the same time but it is my favorite airline!

And among the safest according to the NTSB. :)

For those of you who want to get a "A" BP, but don't want to hassle the online process:

There is a company called BoardFirst that will get you an "A" BP for a $5 fee. You can find out more HERE. And if they don't get you an "A", there's no fee. DISCLAIMER: I have never used this service, have no interest in it, and make no recommendations. Just posting the information for the Southwest fliers onboard (which doesn't include me).

I don't know why anyone with an internet-connected computer (and a printer) would pay someone to check them in on their Southwest flight.

In fact, we check in on our return Southwest flights onboard, because Royal caribbean's Internet Cafe computers have a neat laser printer...

The only disadvantage to B and C seating is that you're more likely to have a center seat, and they may run out of overhead storage.

LL

I don't know why anyone with an internet-connected computer (and a printer)

Actually, only a computer connected to the Internet is necessary. After checking in online, one can print out their boarding pass(es) at the airport.

Apparently it takes very little to confuse me:confused: Just trying to figure out what is the largest size of suitcase I can check in.

(ie, the sum of the greatest outside length plus the greatest outside width plus the greatest outside height) not exceeding 62 inches.

Are length and height not the same thing?????????? If I measure the height and the width and the depth is that right? Why on earth don't they just say 26 or 29"'s and make it easy for us (me).

Bev

Apparently it takes very little to confuse me:confused: Just trying to figure out what is the largest size of suitcase I can check in.

 

(ie, the sum of the greatest outside length plus the greatest outside width plus the greatest outside height) not exceeding 62 inches.

 

Are length and height not the same thing?????????? If I measure the height and the width and the depth is that right? Why on earth don't they just say 26 or 29"'s and make it easy for us (me).

 

Bev

Because people bring other items to check in besides suitcases such as golf clubs. They set a size limit so they can charge extra for oversize items.

I don't know why anyone with an internet-connected computer (and a printer) would pay someone to check them in on their Southwest flight.

In fact, we check in on our return Southwest flights onboard, because Royal caribbean's Internet Cafe computers have a neat laser printer...

The only disadvantage to B and C seating is that you're more likely to have a center seat, and they may run out of overhead storage.

 

LL

The overhead storage isn't full anymore since liquids are banned from carry-ons. I flew on a plane 2 weekends ago and very few people had carry-on luggage, the plane was packed. The good news is boarding is much faster now since people aren't fighting for overhead bin space. :)

I have not flown Southwest either, but will be doing so this weekend. What is the policy for standby flights on Southwest?

I have not flown Southwest either, but will be doing so this weekend. What is the policy for standby flights on Southwest?

If you purchased your ticket at an 'unrestricted' fare, (full fare) you can go standby on any other flight to the same destination w/o any difference in fare and there is no additional charge. If you purchased w/an advance or 'discounted non-refundable fare', then you would pay whatever the difference in the fare between the two is. There is no change fee, just the difference in fare.