[Laneysdad]

So how bad is it boarding a Southwest flight to Orlando.

I hear you can check-in early via the internet though I don;t know how early.

I hear passengers with Children can board early which would in my guesstimation be 90% of the flight boarding at once.

What can anyone tell me. I need better seats than my traveling DC cohort Asp8tis . I'm talking exit row window. I'm 6'4" I need the leg room for sanity.

Can anyone shed some light on the Southwest procedures from experience?

Anyone out of Chicago-Midway even better!

[queensmama]

Families with children 4 and under can board early. Now from Omaha, we dont have any problems with that. DH is 6'5 he also likes some leg room.
You can also check in early via the internet and print your boarding passes. Go to the SW website and enter your conformation number to check your family in.

[rosebud]

You can check in online anywhere from 24 hours before your flight to one hour before departure.

There might be one problem though the Southwest website says that "Customers holding reservations for group, infant, youth, or military fares, and those requiring an additional seat must proceed to the airport for checkin" http://www.southwest.com/travel_cent...heckinDoc.html

I would get there as early as you can stand to. Southwest does not assign seats, but you board in sections. If you get there earlier you have a better chance of boarding in an earlier section. You might know this already though.

[Laneysdad]

There are 5 of us. Fortunately DD is not deemed an infant. We had to buy her a boarding pass. I suspect we can check-in online without a problem.

The unassigned seating is new to me. I can only imagine chaos.

[queensmama]

Originally Posted by Laneysdad

There are 5 of us. Fortunately DD is not deemed an infant. We had to buy her a boarding pass. I suspect we can check-in online without a problem.

The unassigned seating is new to me. I can only imagine chaos.

It is orderly Chaos

[dhoughton]

Originally Posted by queensmama

It is orderly Chaos

I concur, very orderly. Always smooth (at least it has been for us)!

[Boss Mouse]

Get the boarding passes as early as you can. 'A' passes are the first on after the 'preboarding'.

[Cincy]

If your kids are older than 4, you want to be an A. That did not come out right. Even as an A, you will find about 20 - 30 other people with an A boarding pass. They will stand in line for 30 minutes or more to get on the plane. It is very much like organized chaos.

[Boss Mouse]

Some of us have had their hips replaced and so get a note from the doctor allowing them to pre board. Passes mean nothing to me; I don't need no stinking passes

mwa-hahahahahaha.

[leslieh]

You MUST get an "A" to guarantee you will sit with eachother. My DH and I had a "B" and were not able to get 2 seats together! I don't know where they put the people with "c"s As soon as you are 24 hours away, print your boarding passes! In fact, make a note to print out your return passes at your resort the day before you fly home.

Also on Southwest- bring your own food for the flight! I do like Southwest, despite the annoying boarding procedure.

[tiptonsara]

So if I check in online, does that give me my section number or do I get that when I check my bags at the airport. I have a 2 year old who will be in car seat so I assume I will get to board early.

Boarding by sections? Does that mean that the A people get their choice of where to sit?

I have never flown Southwest either. I have a group of 35 (plus 2 children under 2) going, but we all booked on the internet to get the best fare. $115 a person from Nashville to Orlando round trip!!
Thanks

[SaraAriel]

Originally Posted by tiptonsara

So if I check in online, does that give me my section number or do I get that when I check my bags at the airport. I have a 2 year old who will be in car seat so I assume I will get to board early.

Boarding by sections? Does that mean that the A people get their choice of where to sit?

I have never flown Southwest either. I have a group of 35 (plus 2 children under 2) going, but we all booked on the internet to get the best fare. $115 a person from Nashville to Orlando round trip!!
Thanks

Yes, you get your choice of seats. After pre-boarding is complete, then they allow the "A" people on the plane to choose their seats, then "B", and so on. But if you have a 2 year old, you will be able to pre-board.

[leslieh]

If you plan on installing your car seat on the plane, be sure to check for the sticker on there that states that the seat is approved for airline use... I recently had one flight attendant who gave my car seat a thorough inspection for that sticker! It has only happened once, though.

[karliebug]

We have always sat together, even when we had C tickets. You can print out your boarding passes 24 hours ahead of time online, that should guarantee you first choice. I have really never had any problems, and we fly SW often.

[tiptonsara]

Originally Posted by leslieh

If you plan on installing your car seat on the plane, be sure to check for the sticker on there that states that the seat is approved for airline use... I recently had one flight attendant who gave my car seat a thorough inspection for that sticker! It has only happened once, though.

Thanks I will double check again just to make sure. I am pretty sure we made sure it did when we bought her new one.

Since I booked everyone's flight, can I go ahead and check everyone in online? I have 4 groups of reservations. (We are taking 22 high school students and 13 chaperones.) I know the students would not remember to check in online.