Southwest - Wanna Getaway...Please Help

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Southwest does offer wifi and sometimes movies.

Don't count on it. They seem to be way behind the other airlines on this

 

[Lvsdisney]

If you have Early Bird do you have to check in 36 hours ahead of the flight or is it just done automatically for you and you don't need to do anything?

You don't have to do anything. You are essentially paying SW to check you in at 36 hour mark vs doing it yourself at the 24hour mark

 

[maxiesmom]

https://www.southwest.com/html/air/products/wifi-access.html?clk=GFOOTER-PRODUCTS-WIFI

 

[FCDub]

If you have Early Bird do you have to check in 36 hours ahead of the flight or is it just done automatically for you and you don't need to do anything?

You don't have to do anything extra. At 36 hours out, Southwest will check you in. Then, any time after 24 hours out, you will still go through the check-in process to receive your boarding pass. This is a little confusing, as the terminology leads some to believe they weren't actually checked in with EBCI. But if you purchased EBCI, you will be checked in at 36 hours out and can view/print your pass at T-24.

 

[Rich M]

You don't have to do anything extra. At 36 hours out, Southwest will check you in. Then, any time after 24 hours out, you will still go through the check-in process to receive your boarding pass. This is a little confusing, as the terminology leads some to believe they weren't actually checked in with EBCI. But if you purchased EBCI, you will be checked in at 36 hours out and can view/print your pass at T-24.

Thank you for that clarification

 

[Ralph&Pam]

If you have Early Bird do you have to check in 36 hours ahead of the flight or is it just done automatically for you and you don't need to do anything?

You don't need to do anything to get checked in. Check in will be automatic. In fact, you cannot even go online to print boarding passes until the 24 hour mark, even though you have been checked in earlier. You can go online any time after the 24 hour mark and print a boarding pass or download it to a smart phone (which is generally very convenient). You can also wait until you get to the airport and then use a kiosk to print the boarding pass.

 

[supersnoop]

Don't count on it. They seem to be way behind the other airlines on this

Looking at my trips over the past two years, I'd say about 85% of my flights had wifi.

 

[anonymousegirl]

If you have Early Bird do you have to check in 36 hours ahead of the flight or is it just done automatically for you and you don't need to do anything?

Southwest checks you in at 36 hours and anytime after the 24 hour mark, you can download your boarding pass.

 

[FreeTime]

I may have missed it but you said he is a big guy. Not trying to be insensitive but if he is a big guy with width, not height, you do have the option of purchasing an additional seat. You will then get a card to place in the next seat. If it is not needed, a refund is issued.

 

[anonymousegirl]

I may have missed it but you said he is a big guy. Not trying to be insensitive but if he is a big guy with width, not height, you do have the option of purchasing an additional seat. You will then get a card to place in the next seat. If it is not needed, a refund is issued.

If someone is a "customer of size" then Southwest will provide an extra seat at no charge. The customer just needs to ask at the airport. However, with so many flights going almost completely full, I prefer to buy my extra seat in advance and then Southwest refunds after travel. Southwest charges the same price as the first ticket, and the customer may pre-board to make sure he can find two seats together. Pre-boards may not sit in the exit rows. The customer cheks in sa usual, and gets a boarding position. At the airport, he/she goes to the gate agent and gets the seat reserved card (same size as a boarding pass) and the pre-board document, if they choose to pre-board. If he/she has and A position, the preboarding is not really necessary. But depending on whether Southwest is doing family boaring, and how far down in the B's, pre-boarding may be a good idea. If he/she has a C boarding number, then definitely pre-board.

 

[Rich M]

If someone is a "customer of size" then Southwest will provide an extra seat at no charge. The customer just needs to ask at the airport. However, with so many flights going almost completely full, I prefer to buy my extra seat in advance and then Southwest refunds after travel. Southwest charges the same price as the first ticket, and the customer may pre-board to make sure he can find two seats together. Pre-boards may not sit in the exit rows. The customer cheks in sa usual, and gets a boarding position. At the airport, he/she goes to the gate agent and gets the seat reserved card (same size as a boarding pass) and the pre-board document, if they choose to pre-board. If he/she has and A position, the preboarding is not really necessary. But depending on whether Southwest is doing family boaring, and how far down in the B's, pre-boarding may be a good idea. If he/she has a C boarding number, then definitely pre-board.

Wow I didn't know that was an option at the airport without having to purchase the extra seat. We are hoping for an extra seat on our flight so we can put the GS in his own seat but they wanted $400 r/t if we wanted one guaranteed.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Wow I didn't know that was an option at the airport without having to purchase the extra seat. We are hoping for an extra seat on our flight so we can put the GS in his own seat but they wanted $400 r/t if we wanted one guaranteed.

It's an option for a customer of size. You may get lucky and have an empty seat next to you, but I don't think you can ask for a seat for a separate person at the airport. If you want to be guaranteed he has a seat, you'll need to pay for one.

Edited to add - I'm assuming the grandson is a lap child. If that's the case, you need to know prior to checking in whether or not he will have his own seat. If he's in his own seat, he needs to be in a car seat or at least have a CARES harness on. So you would need to have one of those items with you if he were to be sitting in his own seat.

 

[Rich M]

It's an option for a customer of size. You may get lucky and have an empty seat next to you, but I don't think you can ask for a seat for a separate person at the airport. If you want to be guaranteed he has a seat, you'll need to pay for one.

Yeah I understand. I am a big guy but not that big to need an extra seat. When he has flown on Southwest when he just turned 1 they gave him a seat to put him in with a car seat so we are hoping for the same this trip.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Yeah I understand. I am a big guy but not that big to need an extra seat. When he has flown on Southwest when he just turned 1 they gave him a seat to put him in with a car seat so we are hoping for the same this trip.

Oh, really? I didn't know they provided car seats. That's nice!

 

[FCDub]

I don't think Southwest provides car seats...

 

[Rich M]

Oh, really? I didn't know they provided car seats. That's nice!

Sorry for the confusion but they had his car seat with him at the time and was going to check it

 

[Shanti]

Don't count on it. They seem to be way behind the other airlines on this

SWA does offer wifi. I've never flown on a SWA plane that shows movies, though.

 

[FreeTime]

If someone is a "customer of size" then Southwest will provide an extra seat at no charge. The customer just needs to ask at the airport. However, with so many flights going almost completely full, I prefer to buy my extra seat in advance and then Southwest refunds after travel. Southwest charges the same price as the first ticket, and the customer may pre-board to make sure he can find two seats together. Pre-boards may not sit in the exit rows. The customer cheks in sa usual, and gets a boarding position. At the airport, he/she goes to the gate agent and gets the seat reserved card (same size as a boarding pass) and the pre-board document, if they choose to pre-board. If he/she has and A position, the preboarding is not really necessary. But depending on whether Southwest is doing family boaring, and how far down in the B's, pre-boarding may be a good idea. If he/she has a C boarding number, then definitely pre-board.

Correct. The purchasing point is key though. If you don't purchase it ahead of time then you may not have an extra seat available to use. If you do purchase it and it is not needed (because seats are available, sorry I wasn't clear on that), or you can fit in one seat, it is refundable.

 

[FreeTime]

SWA does offer wifi. I've never flown on a SWA plane that shows movies, though.

Not all flights have wifi. I have been on flights without it that are mostly older planes and shorter routes. From their website it isn't always available.

https://www.southwest.com/html/air/products/wifi-access.html?clk=GFOOTER-PRODUCTS-WIFI

 

[HarperLeigh]

Don't count on it. They seem to be way behind the other airlines on this

I've never been on a SWA flight that didn't have wifi and we've used them exclusively for the last 4-5 years.