Southwest has done a great job of balancing fairness (for those who plan ahead) and family needs. Families still pre-board ahead of 2/3rds of the passengers, and they can do even better with modest planning. My wife and I traveled with our children when they were young, and it's not easy. But the inconvenience of traveling with kids was not a function of when we boarded, it was a function of all the other stuff involved when traveling with small children. The boarding and disembarking are only a fraction of the trip. And this plan still assures that families will sit together. Walking back an extra few rows of seats is nothing compared to the journey from home, to the airport, through security, out to the gate, and onto the plane.
Having said that, here is a possible solution to the concerns voiced by traveling parents--go back to allowing families to pre-board, but have them fill the seats from the back. That has several advantages: (a) families can continue to settle in without blocking other boarding passengers; (b) families will be conveniently seated nearest the restrooms; and (c) kids will be seated together away from most business travelers.
... View more
