Babu

What's the rule on preboarding for parents travelling with with infants? Someone told me yes, but only if you have checked in at the gate 1 hour prior to flight time?

Sheryl

There is a general pre-boarding call. I have never heard of the necessity of checking in 1 hour prior to departure. I'm wondering if that's on specific routes, like to Orlando where the planes are filled with small children.

WNer

I flew with my daughter many times before she turned 6 years old (the limit for preboarding with a child) and I never heard anything about a 1 hour check in time. I have noticed that they are now requiring you to get a blue colored holder for your plastic boarding pass in order to preboard. In other words, you have to tell them when you check in at the gate that you want to preboard instead of just showing up at the preboard area.

JerryFF

WNer and others are correct. No need to check in an hour in advance but you do need the special pre-boarding card given out when you do check in. Also, pre-boards are now asked to sit in rows 14 or beyond.

MarshB

You don't need to be there an hour ahead but you DO need to be there before they begin the boarding process -- usually 10-15 minutes ahead.

I've flown with my son on several occasions and never needed a special card. (My impression is those are more for handicapped or elderly boarders.) We just line up in the preboard area and jump on.

The only seating instruction I'm aware of is that you can't sit in an exit row (FAA reg's.)

MRLIMO

Southwest Airlines requires all ticketed and Rapid Rewards Award Ticket passengers, among others perhaps, to be in possession of a plastic Boarding Pass prior to boarding their flight. Boarding Passes are not issued at the Ticket Counters, such as when checking luggage or purchasing tickets, for instance.

The only location Boarding Passes are dispensed, is at the gate area for that respective flight, after completing the usual ID check and security questions. Gate Area Check-In opens no more than one hour in advance of the flight. Boarding Passes are handed out in numerical sequence, first-come, first-served. For persons entitled to pre-board, the Boarding Pass number is generally of no importance, although still required.

An infant or person up to age two may travel at no charge on the lap of a passenger (minimum age 12). Birth Certificates may be required to verify ages. Although non-rev, the Lap Child's name needs to be entered into the reservation's record.

Southwest offers and is notorious for open seating and boards in groups of thirty, according to Boarding Pass numbers. After pre-boards, then it's (in any order) numbers 1-30, then 31-60, then 61-90, etc. For this reason, it is usually to your advantage to check in early at the gate! Persons traveling with youngsters (ages five and under) may board when the pre-board announcement is made.

I hope this helps, Babu. Enjoy your trip.

If I am mistaken about any of this infomation, please correct me. By the way, I am not now, nor have I ever been, nor do I ever plan to be an employee of WN. I just LUV Southwest, and this is from a current HP Platinum, CO Platinum and UA Premier Executive!!!! I have heard, though, that WN is a great company to work for.

Happy travels!

[This message has been edited by MRLIMO (edited 07-26-2000).]

Babu

Just finished our trip on WN from PVD-BWI. Here's what I learned. As a CO Gold Elite, let me say I loved my experience on WN!

You need to appear at the gate (which opened up exactly 1 hour before departure) for a boarding card. Checking in luggage at the main ticket counter does not relieve you of the responsibility to re-check in at the gate.

Pre-boarding is allowed for families travelling with kids 5 and under. You do NOT need to check in 1 hour before to pre-board as I was told on the phone (heck, they don't even open up the gate check-in until 1 hour before). There is no requirement of a "blue" boarding pass to pre board (that is reserved for handicapped pax, who are invited to preboard even before families with children).

I think part of the reason I loved my trip was: (1) we pre boarded and got the good seats, (2)my expectations were so low based on the $140 unrestricted fare from PVD to BWI, (3)I purchased a seat for my infant (even though I could have lapped her), thereby giving us more room, and lastly (4) the staff and crew really appear to enjoy their chosen career paths; everyone treated us as valued customers, not just cattle.

TIP: There are TWO ticket counters at BWI. Make sure you are in the right one (it depends on your destination).

MRLIMO

Babu, glad to hear your trip and especially your flights were such a success and that Southwest didn't disappoint you. I have flown WN for nearly a decade and have earned several Companion Passes during that time. Welcome back!

JerryFF

I am a big fan of Southwest, but sometimes the pre-boarding procedure really gets a bit overwhelming. I just completed a roundtrip SJC-SNA-SJC. With SNA the airport of choice for Disneyland, half the plane (or more) was families allowed to pre-board. Sorry, Southwest, but this is just ridiculous. But I am still willing to put up with this one issue given all the other positive features about this airline.