Wanna get away guarenteed seats together with a child

[MizzT74]

I am flying with my 6 year old and this will be her 1st flight.  I would like to purchase the cheapest ticket (wanna get away).  I am aware that policies change often and I would like to know if purchasing the lowest fare will still guarentee that we are able to board during family boarding and remain together.  Does southwest still have family boarding?

[dfwskier · Accepted solution]

Family boarding is for families with kids that are 6 or less. Families board after A group boards   While nothing in life, ecept death and taxes is guaranteed, you are 99.9% sure you'll be able to find seats together.

Family boarding is for all passengers - regardless of how cheap or expensive their tickets are.

[DancingDavidE]

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@dfwskier wrote:

regardless of how cheap or expensive

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I prefer the term "thrifty" 😁

[MizzT74]

Thank you for your feedback.  I really appreciate it.

[floridaguy]

We just had this "sit together" issue become a major legal issue for Southwest.  I was on a flight and a flight attendant said that they were holding the plane until two people agreed to change seats so a family  of a father and two young children could "sit together".  

Holding the plan and making those threats is NOT Southwest policy.  The flight attendant will ask and if there are no takers, then you choose the first available seat.  Failing to do so is failing to follow flight crew instructions.

It is my understanding that there are several complaints on this very issue.  

If you want to choose your seat, other airlines offer that very choice.  Southwest is open seating.  

While it is likely you can sit together, you cannot jeopardize the entire flight and passengers to compel others to give up seats.

[dfwskier]

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@floridaguy wrote:

  just had this "sit together" issue become a major legal issue for Southwest.   

Sorry, but I have to call that what it is: BS

[parpitt1]

Boarding with 6 year old? yes, you are eligible for Family Boarding after group A and before group B.

Are you Guaranteed to sit together? well actually NO, but it highly likely there will be seats together, and I can't imagine you will have an issue.

I wish you safe travels 

That being said, prefacing your post with the intention to buy the Cheapest ticket and expecting a guarantee of sitting together seems like a bit of an oxymoron.

Seriously, it's like buying ground beef and expecting filet mignon.

If you purchased the "cheapest ticket" on ANY other airline you would be SOL.

[DancingDavidE]

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@parpitt1 wrote:

Boarding with 6 year old? yes, you are eligible for Family Boarding after group A and before group B.

Are you Guaranteed to sit together? well actually NO, but it highly likely there will be seats together, and I can't imagine you will have an issue.

I wish you safe travels 

That being said, prefacing your post with the intention to buy the Cheapest ticket and expecting a guarantee of sitting together seems like a bit of an oxymoron.

Seriously, it's like buying ground beef and expecting filet mignon.

If you purchased the "cheapest ticket" on ANY other airline you would be SOL.

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I've never flown them but even the green planes and yellow planes are compelled to offer young children to sit together by some arrangement without charging extra although also not guaranteed, and a level below offering free seat selection. In their case they will be the ones making the assignment as opposed to Southwest's method where it is by boarding position.

So I'd compare it more to buying the standard grade beef but expecting organic. Still have to pay for that steak.

[floridaguy]

Compelled how?  I'm not moving my seat so that they can "sit together".  Southwest has open seating and if you want to drag me off the plane in handcuffs for not moving, then do so.

From my perspective, the group in my case should have been removed from the plane for failing to follow flight crew instructions.  They were told to take the first available seat, not banter and hold up the flight crying about wanting to sit together.

[DancingDavidE]

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@floridaguy wrote:

Compelled how?  I'm not moving my seat so that they can "sit together".  Southwest has open seating and if you want to drag me off the plane in handcuffs for not moving, then do so.

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That part of the post was referring to Spirit and Frontier: