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Customers of size planning on travel with a child- will we get to pre-board?

gabelogan99
Explorer B

When my wife and I travel together, I purchase one extra seat and we both get to preboard and we just leave the middle seat open. But this time we are traveling with her niece who was ten years old and autistic. The girl is tiny and neither of us are so large that we are actually going to squish her in the middle. I’m hoping they will let us preboard since we have a specific seating need. Does anyone think this is going to be a problem?

3 REPLIES 3

Re: Customers of size planning on travel with a child- will we get to pre-board?

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

I think you're asking because you are not buying the extra seat, can you still preboard?  I suspect yes.  Just let the gate agent know you would like to preboard due to the girl being autistic and you being larger passengers.  I'd bet with that combination there will be no problem.  Have a good flight and report back how it went.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Customers of size planning on travel with a child- will we get to pre-board?

ZevSupport
Frequent Flyer A

Passengers travelling with children ususally can, so I too suspect you should not have an issue. Best of luck!


Community Champion | PHL based | ex-Companion Pass Holder | Southwest Passenger

Re: Customers of size planning on travel with a child- will we get to pre-board?

bwallet
Frequent Flyer A

If you are pre-boarding, you are allowed to have one person pre-board with you. I saw this enforced a couple of weeks ago. Someone was pre-boarding in a wheelchair, and they had like 6 people who tried to pre-board with them. They got really upset when they were told no. "Never heard of such a thing", they said. However, last week, I saw an elderly lady pre-board with a child of maybe 3 or so on her lap with what I presume to be the child's mother, and the gate agent simply asked if was her grandson and smiled. It is a matter of just what is reasonable.

 

If your concern is just getting three seats together, and you want to pre-board because the child is autistic, and you want to get settled in with her, just ask. That won't be a problem, and, again, gate agents will be reasonable if you are.

 

Remember that the child will have to wear a mask on the plane. If they ask, make sure you say they can. Do not be ambiguous or say anything other than a firm yes.