Re the discontinuation of the family preboard option. Why must it be all or nothing? Modify the policy, don't eliminate it. When my daughter travels alone - as she does frequently - with a 20-month old, she also has a car seat, a diaper bag, and a stroller. It takes lots of time, effort, and stress to get all of that stuff stored and still keep tabs on the toddler. Also, when I am on business travel, I love knowing that the kiddos are mostly in one place, so that I can choose another seat far away! However, when I'm an "A" and see large groups of able-bodied adults and big kids boarding because they have one baby or toddler in the group, it is most annoying. And by the way, I think boarding is now going to take much longer with babies/toddlers and their accessories sprinkled throughout the boarding lines.
So I'm proposing this: Keep the pre-board age limit to 4 and under especially if a car seat is involved. - if the youngest kid is 5 or older, he/she is quite capable of walking onto a plane. Then - and here's the important part - limit the number of pre-board accompanying adults to two only. If two parents can't manage their own brood, regardless of size, they shouldn't be flying with them! Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Fred and Aunt Betty, can board with the rest of us. But SWA then needs to enforce the policy!!
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