First Time Flying With COS.
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Niceville, Florida
Posts: 4
First Time Flying With COS.
I purchased two tickets for flying to Las Vegas in September, along with extra ticket for my husband who stands over six foot and weighing around
250. He needs the extra space for turning slightly in his seat to ease pain in back from sitting for long periods of time due to surgery on his spine.
Also he carry's his extra weight in his upper body.
I understand from reading the rules for SW, is that he will get a document to put in the extra seat to keep someone from trying to sit there, but that
I won't be able to board early with him.
If he waits to board with me, will we have any problems getting three seats together? We don't care if we have to sit in the last
row of the plane, I rather prefer it to be closer to the restroom. Have no problem waiting until the plane is empty before getting off.
Or should he board early and save me a seat in the back of the plane. Won't have any carry on, only personal things that fit under the seat.
250. He needs the extra space for turning slightly in his seat to ease pain in back from sitting for long periods of time due to surgery on his spine.
Also he carry's his extra weight in his upper body.
I understand from reading the rules for SW, is that he will get a document to put in the extra seat to keep someone from trying to sit there, but that
I won't be able to board early with him.
If he waits to board with me, will we have any problems getting three seats together? We don't care if we have to sit in the last
row of the plane, I rather prefer it to be closer to the restroom. Have no problem waiting until the plane is empty before getting off.
Or should he board early and save me a seat in the back of the plane. Won't have any carry on, only personal things that fit under the seat.
#3
Ambassador, New England
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Maineiac, USA
Programs: Amtrak, WN RR, Choice
Posts: 2,655
Welcome to FlyerTalk, Lisa108.
The chances of you and he getting to sit next to each other goes down (sometimes exponentially) the longer into the boarding process you go. If I were you, I would pay the extra fee for the Early Bird Check-In for yourself and have your husband board at the normal COS time. That would seem to give you the best chance of sitting together.
Another option, albeit more risky, would be to have your husband board at the normal COS time and have him sit in a middle seat, putting his document on the aisle seat until you board (at your normal boarding time). This is definitely not 100% guaranteed, but I think there's a good chance people will avoid wanting to get to the window seat in that aisle if they see him in the middle.
The chances of you and he getting to sit next to each other goes down (sometimes exponentially) the longer into the boarding process you go. If I were you, I would pay the extra fee for the Early Bird Check-In for yourself and have your husband board at the normal COS time. That would seem to give you the best chance of sitting together.
Another option, albeit more risky, would be to have your husband board at the normal COS time and have him sit in a middle seat, putting his document on the aisle seat until you board (at your normal boarding time). This is definitely not 100% guaranteed, but I think there's a good chance people will avoid wanting to get to the window seat in that aisle if they see him in the middle.
#5
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 612
I’m 6’ and 300 Lbs. Traditionally my wife and I board together. She takes the window, I take the aisle and spread my legs out. That’s a great deterrent and nobody has asked for the middle. We never buy the EBCI and range from high A’s to as bad as a B40 even at T24 checkin and always are fine in having a whole row to ourselves.
Once we needed to be able to have a quick quick exit off the plane so I took the middle open seat in between two guys in the bulkhead. Needless to say they weren’t the happiest. Haha.
In the south they would say, dats a big boy righ dare.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Niceville, Florida
Posts: 4
Well now I'm nervous that I've bought the extra seat for my husband and Southwest saying he doesn't qualify because he might not be considered "Big enough". Sometimes needing the extra seat is not about being large, but for trying to keep pain management to a miminal. I'm sure that I will get ALOT of comments for this, but I PAID for the seat. If SW would give me a waiver to sign saying that I won't be requesting a refund, why can't I buy an extra seat.
#8
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
From what you describe, the extra seat is necessary to accommodate a medical condition, rather than meet WN's Customer of Size policy. That could be a reasonable accommodation that airlines are required to meet under the Air Carrier Access Act.
#9
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
You can board with your husband. My wife always boards with me and it is not a problem.
When you check in for your flight, you will not get boarding passes. You will get a security document. At the airport check in, enter the confirmation at the kiosk and you will get boarding pass and the seat reserved card.
When you check in for your flight, you will not get boarding passes. You will get a security document. At the airport check in, enter the confirmation at the kiosk and you will get boarding pass and the seat reserved card.
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Niceville, Florida
Posts: 4
Thanks, do I need something from my husband's doctor stating he needs the extra seat?
#11
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 4,332
I purchased two tickets for flying to Las Vegas in September, along with extra ticket for my husband who stands over six foot and weighing around
250. He needs the extra space for turning slightly in his seat to ease pain in back from sitting for long periods of time due to surgery on his spine.
Also he carry's his extra weight in his upper body.
I understand from reading the rules for SW, is that he will get a document to put in the extra seat to keep someone from trying to sit there, but that
I won't be able to board early with him.
If he waits to board with me, will we have any problems getting three seats together? We don't care if we have to sit in the last
row of the plane, I rather prefer it to be closer to the restroom. Have no problem waiting until the plane is empty before getting off.
Or should he board early and save me a seat in the back of the plane. Won't have any carry on, only personal things that fit under the seat.
250. He needs the extra space for turning slightly in his seat to ease pain in back from sitting for long periods of time due to surgery on his spine.
Also he carry's his extra weight in his upper body.
I understand from reading the rules for SW, is that he will get a document to put in the extra seat to keep someone from trying to sit there, but that
I won't be able to board early with him.
If he waits to board with me, will we have any problems getting three seats together? We don't care if we have to sit in the last
row of the plane, I rather prefer it to be closer to the restroom. Have no problem waiting until the plane is empty before getting off.
Or should he board early and save me a seat in the back of the plane. Won't have any carry on, only personal things that fit under the seat.
When I board, I sit right on the hump between the two seats I've chosen (I always take a window and middle), and most people just pass me by. No one has ever sat down in that aisle seat with first asking if it's taken, which implies that if I said "Yes, it is", they'd move on. The third seat usually fills somewhere in the middle of the B boarding group, but I typically take a row toward the front of the plane around 5 or 6. I used to take a row farther back in the cabin, and the third seat would remain empty until well into the C boarding group.
I travel alone so I don't know what the policy is regarding additional pax preboarding with a COS. WN's web page on the subject doesn't mention companions to COS pax. I recommend that you pay for EBCI to get the best boarding position you can, and when your husband checks in at the gate (COS pax must check in at the gate to get their Seat Reserved document), you can ask if it's permissible to board with him.
Side note - check in at the gate as soon as possible. My BP always get messed up in the system, and it take 10-15 minutes to sort out and print the docs, so get to the airport EARLY and go directly to your gate. As soon as the customer service counter at the gate opens up, approach and get your husband's Seat Reserved document printed. I always just smile, hold out the BP I printed when I checked in at curbside, and say, "Good morning, I have two seats booked under the Customer of Size policy and need to check in and print my reservation document." the person at the counter knows immediately what I need. Once the docs are printed, you can relax, grab a bite, use the restroom, etc. until boarding begins.
COS's preboard after the handicapped folks, so when the lines start to form, your husband can just mosey over and queue up in the preboard area, behind the wheelchairs.
I’m 6’ and 300 Lbs. Traditionally my wife and I board together. She takes the window, I take the aisle and spread my legs out. That’s a great deterrent and nobody has asked for the middle. We never buy the EBCI and range from high A’s to as bad as a B40 even at T24 checkin and always are fine in having a whole row to ourselves.
Once we needed to be able to have a quick quick exit off the plane so I took the middle open seat in between two guys in the bulkhead. Needless to say they weren’t the happiest. Haha.
In the south they would say, dats a big boy righ dare.
Once we needed to be able to have a quick quick exit off the plane so I took the middle open seat in between two guys in the bulkhead. Needless to say they weren’t the happiest. Haha.
In the south they would say, dats a big boy righ dare.
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,073
I am thinking asking for COS because your husbands back might hurt is not going to go far. If you did a survey of flyers, you are going to find a high percent of people that say their back hurts when the fly. Keep in mind, I am NOT downplaying your husbands issue... but they hear people complaining all day long about small seats, stiff seats, no leg room, crowded planes, etc.
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
To answer the question, anytime you are relying on a disability such as a medical condition, e.g. "bad back" it is a good idea to have a letter on his doc's stationery which expressly recommends that he have the extra seat.
Don't offer up the letter. But, if there is an issue, it is a lot easier for him to pull it out than to argue about the underlying issue.
Your husband is a pre-board due to a medical condition and that means you may board with him to assist. A lot of people here hate that, but it's the way it is and you will have your row.
Don't offer up the letter. But, if there is an issue, it is a lot easier for him to pull it out than to argue about the underlying issue.
Your husband is a pre-board due to a medical condition and that means you may board with him to assist. A lot of people here hate that, but it's the way it is and you will have your row.
#14
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 27
Hi,
This is a tough call. all the seat are the same so honestly, he's going to be uncomfortable in any of them. You might try to see if he can get on and get the row that only has two seats - the row just in front of the exit. At least those seats are like two "aisle seats" and he might find it bearable. This is one reason we invented the Seat Amigo app, so people with particular issues can know ahead of time who they will sit next to - in this instance you could use the app to find a smaller person on one side, with you on the other. Then in flight, if he wanted to switch to your seat he could do that - whatever works.
This is a tough call. all the seat are the same so honestly, he's going to be uncomfortable in any of them. You might try to see if he can get on and get the row that only has two seats - the row just in front of the exit. At least those seats are like two "aisle seats" and he might find it bearable. This is one reason we invented the Seat Amigo app, so people with particular issues can know ahead of time who they will sit next to - in this instance you could use the app to find a smaller person on one side, with you on the other. Then in flight, if he wanted to switch to your seat he could do that - whatever works.
#15
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,512
Hi,
This is a tough call. all the seat are the same so honestly, he's going to be uncomfortable in any of them. You might try to see if he can get on and get the row that only has two seats - the row just in front of the exit. At least those seats are like two "aisle seats" and he might find it bearable. This is one reason we invented the Seat Amigo app, so people with particular issues can know ahead of time who they will sit next to - in this instance you could use the app to find a smaller person on one side, with you on the other. Then in flight, if he wanted to switch to your seat he could do that - whatever works.
This is a tough call. all the seat are the same so honestly, he's going to be uncomfortable in any of them. You might try to see if he can get on and get the row that only has two seats - the row just in front of the exit. At least those seats are like two "aisle seats" and he might find it bearable. This is one reason we invented the Seat Amigo app, so people with particular issues can know ahead of time who they will sit next to - in this instance you could use the app to find a smaller person on one side, with you on the other. Then in flight, if he wanted to switch to your seat he could do that - whatever works.
Who pays if someone lies in their "desired seat mate profile?"