WN to change pre boarding policy for families.

[Alex T]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... a408c.html

Southwest Airlines to end family-first boarding 2:30 PM CT

02:35 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Bloomberg News

Southwest Airlines Co., working to speed passenger boarding, will stop allowing people traveling with small children to get seats first.

Some highlites of the story.

-Oct 2nd will be when new change takes place.

-Families will board after the A group, and before the B group.

-This gives the A folks full and complete options on board as to where they want to sit, including exit rows, and bulkheads if any are left, usually the most desired seats for the A groups.

-Families don't care much as to where they sit on board, so long as they get to sit together.

Now from what I understand, if a family who does NOT have an infant under the age of 2, may elect to check in online and get their A, but they will NOT be accomodated if they choose to board in the A group, and not in the family group, so this means they are not guaranteed a seat together. However if they want to get seats together, they must board in the family group boarding after the A group. Families who have infants, cannot check in online anyway as they have to go to the ticket counter to prove their infant is under the age of 2 and then get their boarding passes, to go through security and wait around to board in the Family Group.

As noted by the news, expect more changes coming soon.

Alex

[PhilDernerJr]

Thank GOD!

I boarded a flight recently and waited a long time to have the first A spot....just to lose the good seats to at least 4 groups of 4 or 5 each who got on first....just because they had one young child.

Excellent and fair change for WN.

[T-Bird76]

So does that mean that families are really the A- Group? LOL Thank god, boarding in Orlando is freaking hell.

[cancidas]

you've never flown with child. i haven't attepted it on WN, but it's nice to be able to get the kid situated in the seat (or crib on the bulkhead) before they let the masses on the plane.