Southwest Airlines Community

@DancingDavidE wrote: Here's the regulation: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC%20120-87B.pdf   Number 19 seems to indicate that you could put one in a middle seat if only one child was using the car seat.    It's still not explicit that you could or couldn't have two side-by-side as long as the adult was in the aisle. My take on it would be allowed as long as the adult can reach the window seat to undo the belts in an emergency.     All of that said - maybe this would be an option going forward instead of using two car seats: https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Family-Travel/CARES-harnesses/m-p/75683     ... View more

You mentioned dry ice which is mentioned in the link provided up above, it is allowed with some guidelines for use.   But I agree that you may not need a lot of additional ice, since the cider will also be frozen.     ... View more

@vetriselvan,  If you are staying at a hotel, I suggest calling and asking if you can ship 2 or 3 boxes to them before you leave so that they arrive while you are there.  Less hassle for you and probably less cost.  Most hotels will accept shipments because they are used to hosting meetings.   Good luck and safe travels.   ... View more

Credit card points close within a day or two of statement closing date. Another good way to earn points, if you don’t already, is to use rapid rewards shopping. These points don’t post right away but it is a great way to earn points. Also rapid rewards dining.  ... View more

Hmm this is not working for me. We just checked into a flight and my RR number is definitely associated and I am on the app. It is a domestic only flight. I can see the flight in the app with my group and position, but I cannot access my mobile boarding pass. It says to "visit a kiosk or ticket counter for your boarding passes, or print them by visiting Southwest.com on a desktop." Am I doing something wrong?     ... View more

I also had a travel fund once that wasn't working to make a valid reservation but when I called to sort it out it worked fine.   I'm not sure what the restriction was and didn't ever find out since it worked when I called.     ... View more

@Passenger1C wrote:    One thing I am taking away from your story is the amazing flexibility SW had with the flight voucher extensions. I have never heard of a carrier extending that many times.   Just to be clear, as the terminology can be confusing: Southwest doesn't extend travel funds, or vouchers.   Southwest will reissue expired travel funds as a voucher, good for 6 months.   Vouchers generally cannot be reissued.     ... View more

@Messmertc wrote: My wife too is my companion pass and I never save the seat for her.  99% of the time it is still vacant when she boards and if we need to be apart for 4 hours, so be it.   This “saving of stats” example was the remainder of the entire row by spreading stuff all over those seats to sent a message.   The flight attendant is an employee of SW.  it’s like people bringing on three bags.  It’s either a rule or a suggestion.  An unenforced policy is just a suggestion  You are exactly right - and nowhere on the site will you find a reference to seat saving, it is a suggestion and not a policy.   Personally I have no problem saving a middle seat for my wife. It's more complicated now that our daughter is no longer a lap child, so we usually take family boarding and whatever we can get at that time but sometimes I'm pressured to board with my A-number and hold spots for the ladies.     ... View more

If Southwest wishes to remain open, honest, ethical, and customer friendly - THEN -    ...the simplest thing to do is to PUBLISH THE VARIABLE EARLY BIRD PRICE FOR EVERY FLIGHT RIGHT NEXT TO THE BASE PRICE FOR THAT EXACT FLIGHT AND TIME   Now it appears one must buy the ticket before finding out what the REAL price of the flight is.   That's one reason this otherwise rational policy seems so devious and unfair.   I have been flying SW for at least 30 years and have never seen a policy like this - that I can recall.   SW did very well to keep from using assigned seats, etc, after TSA and others demanded more specific data, so they are good at simplifying things and keeping costs low   But this policy and the way it has been enacted seem hidden, devious, tricky and very much NOT Southwest's typical ethical approach.   Of course this will raise data processing costs, but that's the problem management must face if they want to remain ethical   POST THE EXACT EARLY BIRD PRICE FOR EVERY FLIGHT RIGHT NEXT TO THE PRICE   THAT'S THE ONLY FAIR THING TO DO   ... View more

Hi Mary. There's been lots of speculation about Hawaii. We know it is going to happen. We just don't know exactly when. That is due to the fact that the government needs to certify both the planes and the airline for long over water flights, and the government moves at it's own speed..   Anyway, here's the most recent speculation from Hawaii:     https://beatofhawaii.com/southwest-hawaii-airline-update/ ... View more

@TheMiddleSeat wrote: @DancingDavidE wrote: That said, if your early-bird tickets get you A positions just go with that and ignore the family boarding advice.   Thus my advice to check with an employee at the gate to see what boarding position would work best 😛   --TheMiddleSeat Agreed, just wanted to plant the wording "Family Boarding" in her head ` ... View more

Fun! Do you still have the original container that it came in? That might be one way to pack it if you chose to do so with less risk of damage.         ... View more

@MusicCityTiger wrote: I have seen that enforced, oh like.... NEVER.  We check in seperate, on-line, never show up together or go through bag check or security together. Very true, there's no appearance that the two reservations are linked together so no issue doing all these things separately. There only problem would be when they finalize boarding and see the companion boarded while the companion pass holder did not. I've seen people asked to get off the plane in that situation. As it's a lasted minute thing it was unclear if they were offered the opportunity to purchase their own ticket or just took another flight.   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

Nice! Looks like a lot of fun ... View more

@rta1953 wrote: Thanks for the info. Perhaps I didn't click on "Apply vouchers". However, as I stated, my voucher doesn't have a "Security code". It has a "Confirmation" which is a four digit code beneath the voucher number. I believe that is the information that will go into the field to verify the voucher.    Anyway - make sure you cancel your ticket with plenty of time during the "no questions asked" 24-hour period, then get re-booked using the LUV.     ... View more

If you plan on utilizing family boarding you don't need to worry about checking 24 hours prior to departure as your boarding position doesn't matter. Now if you have multiple adults in your group it would be a good idea to check-in as you'll be limited as to who can use family boarding. If you purchased a ticket for your child, and it's not a child ticket, you actually don't need any identification or proof of age for the child. If you purchased a child ticket (which is just a discounted Anytime ticket) then you'll need documentation proving the child's age. Lap children (under 2 years old) also require age verification, but that doesn't seem to apply in your case.    When boarding begins with the A group stand near the gate agent, but out of the way of the boarding passengers, then after the A group completes boarding the agent will call for family boarding.    Enjoy your trip ! --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

@thedon411 wrote: So I've had a KTN for a while now and have added it to my RR account. However, I've never been able to get TSA Pre-Check on any of my flights with Southwest. I have an apostrophe in my last name, and on my Global Entry/Pre-Check card, but Southwest doesn't allow for those characters in you name. Will I never get TSA Pre-Check because of this? The consensus I've seen on other non-Southwest forums is omitting the apostrophe in the reservation shouldn't cause a problem. If your name is O'Neil, booking the ticket as ONeil should work. If that's what you are doing then there's a chance the problem is something else such as a middle name or middle initial. How are you entering your name without the apostrophe now?   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

Also, don't forget that you are entitled to two carry on bags. One no bigger than 24x16x10 that would fit in the overhead bin,  and a second one to fit under the seat in front of you. ... View more

If I understand your question correctly your asking why going to Punta Cana from BWI is cheaper and returning is more expensive if so that has to do with the international taxes. I notice this with several international destinations like Nassau where it's cheap going but more expensive on the return because of taxes. you will also notice that on the points tickets as it won't be the $5.60 like domestic flights    Hope this helps Blake  ... View more

Sorry you weren't informed, but it's been standard practice to reduce the value of a travel fund by $100 when reinstating it after expiration, and yes, that's the only way to extend the expiration. This is done on case by case basis and I've not heard of the fee ever being waved. If you had booked a flight with the funds you would have needed to complete the travel before the expiration date so now you've got a little more time to complete your travel, but with $100 less value.   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

Back when the gay couple was denied Family Boarding, they had the children's grandparents with them, and there was much discussion afterwards regarding the denial being because of the grandparents, and not because they were a non-traditional family.   In general, Family Boarding is for the children and their parents(s) or guardian(s), only, not the extended family.  ... View more

I unfortunately had a similar encounter.  This past Friday I flew with my ESA at ATL airport, which is a 4lbs yorkie that doesn't make a peep as well. I checked in my two bags at the ticket counter, and was never spoken to or asked anything about a letter for my pet.  I also went through TSA with no issues. Now here is where the story gets good.  When I arrived at the gate, my animal was on her leash.  before boarding I put her back inside, and even proceeded to ask the gate agent Ms. Thomas, if passengers with service/ESA where allowed to board early...she then replied "I aint never said that"...Ok so I proceed to sit in the seat closest to the ticket counter with my pet in her carrying bag on my lap. Right in front if Ms. Akesha Thomas.  I boarded the plane sat down, and about 4 min before take off. Two flight attendants approached me, and ask me if I has a dog, I proceeded to say yes, and they then asked me to come to the front to speak to Ms. Akesha Thomas.  When I got to the front of the plane I was basically verbally attacked by Ms. Thomas right in the jet bride in front of the door of the plane where everyone could hear.  She proceeded to ask me in a very loud harsh attitude tone of voice "did you pay for that dog"  I proceeded to tell her that she was and ESA.  She then asked where was my letter,  I let her know that I was unaware of the policy change.  She then told me that I was going to have ot get off of the plane, miss my flight, and come pay for the animal.  Thats when I began to have a panic attack because she pretty much did not explain what was going on, and gave me no time to process what was going on. She humiliated me in front of everyone.  In the middle of having trying to calm myself down, and get my thoughts in order I proceeded to tell her that I would be willing to pay the fee, but I cant miss my flight. (I mean technically it is a miss on SW behalf not mine.) She then got on the jetbridge phone and started talking to someone saying that someone needs to come ans escort me off of the plane, because she has no time for this.  At this point I am pretty much begging her to please let me just pay the fee and get back on the plane.  She then says okay with still talking on the phone with an altitude about everything that was going on.  She gave my card number over the phone but the card didnt work, she then made an announcement to everyone that the card was declined....but i knew I had money, so I asked her to let me just sign into my banking to see whats going on. Even the two flight attendants that were standing by me witnessed my bank account and seen that I had no issues.  She then told me no I gotta go and i was just going to have to miss my flight....Im still in tears at this point. It was so bad, that the captain of the plane came out to see what was going on.  To end my story. One of the flight attendance knew I was having a panic attack, and she also recognized that the gate agent was being rude, so she paid the fee for me, and allowed me to stay on the flight....I am not sure how to end this story, but I just wanted to put it out there because it was alot.  ... View more

Every airline offers this type of buy miles get some miles free offer. In some rare occasions they make sense. Here's one of them,   I'm lifetime United 1K ( yeah that is possible - it's a long story), and United just sent me an offer to buy miles and get up to 70%  free (also 35% and 50% for lower levels), so I could purchase 30k miles and get 21K miles as a bonus for $1050.   Because United does not base rewards based flights on acutal fare, that purchase might make sense on United.  Economy RT's (to anywhere in the lower 48) cost 25k miles.   So, a RT Dallas/Chicago departing tomorrow points cost is 25k points - $ cost is about $800. So one could buy 51,000 points and get $1600 in flight value for $1050. Becasue I'm 1k, my only cost for a RT beginning tomorrow would be something like $11,50 for the TSA fee. Someone with no FF status would pay $160 in fees.   It might not make sense  for most advance purchase fares, but it sure would for unexpected no notice departures ... View more

@jmadamik wrote: It is really a pain to have to check in twice for a round trip. I bet that only a very small percentage of people cancel the 2nd part of a round trip, so they should let people check in Once for a RT. I missed this post before, sorry for the late response - this won't work (among other reasons) because you'd be checking in earlier than others who on the same flight might be the first leg of their RT flight checking in at T-24.         ... View more

@rogo0408 wrote: Is there an update to the boarding of a couple with one having a-list?  Can both board together? There's been no official adoption of the previously tested Companion boarding policy as of yet.   To be clear, this applied only when the 2nd passenger was the named Companion of the primary passenger, who was the Companion Pass holder.         ... View more

@CareforNOLA wrote: @AvKrayez, ...Unlike many people on this post, I never called a separate phone number.  Though I probably should have on occasion.     Only because I saved it into my phone as the primary number, I don't usually have my card handy either!     ... View more

In addition to what the other poster said   1) Try to activate the phone's find me feature. 2) Call the number to see if someone answers. 3)Be aware the Southwest does try to reunite lost items with their owners. Sometimes it takes a while for that to happen. There's a post somewhere on the forums from a person who lost some photographs. They were finally found three weeks later. ... View more