There is one major airline in the United States that does not have an assigned seat: Southwest Airlines. Instead, you queue at the gate in ascending order of boarding duties, then step on board and claim your preferred seat availability in a first-come, first-served arrangement. There is a maximum of 60 people in each boarding group.
The Southwest flight boarding process Overall not as bad as it seems. At the very least, though, it’s an unusual approach that can be unsettling for families and others who can’t pre-confirm seats together.
For years, Southwest has allowed family boarding time (for those with children 6 and under) between boarding groups A and B to ensure parents and young children can sit together. . This helps prevent a situation where the middle seat is the only option left for children at the end of the boarding process.
Now, Southwest is testing a drastic change in the family boarding process.
Based on multiple reports — including my own boarding experience at Dallas Love Field (DAL) in late 2022 — some Southwest flight boarding notifications are using the boarding age for extended family includes children 13 years and under.
That’s not the only boarding change I’ve observed on a Southwest Airlines flight in late 2022. The youngest passengers (up to age 6) are invited to board for part of the flight. the pre-boarding process, which takes place before the boarding task is numbered.
Southwest Airlines did not confirm this potential trial or any changes to the family boarding process to TPG. Instead, the company states that the boarding policy remains unchanged for children 6 years and younger who are in boarding groups A and B, according to a company spokesperson.
The current announced policy puts parents with 7-year-olds in a stressful situation. With older children staying at family boarding, these families must hope they can apply quickly enough to secure a good boarding place. Alternatives: They can buy airline tickets Early check-instarting at $15 per person or they can pay for guaranteed early boarding slots A1-A15 which sell for $30-$60 each, when available.
Related: Best Credit Cards for Southwest Flyers
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While it has not confirmed tests on any extended eligible family boarding ages, the airline has previously shared that it is conducting a test. targeted early inpatient trial for children 6 years of age and younger.
Putting that youngest age first before boarding a shared plane makes sense since that group may have car seats and strollers; so they boarded the train slower. In the Atlanta test, families participating in that early boarding had to choose a seat behind the emergency exit row. This could alleviate some concerns about young families getting early access with some of the first lines often being prioritized when there are other passengers paying extra for a higher boarding order. .
Only time will tell whether more Southwest Airlines flights will extend the family boarding age. It’s worth noting, however, that this would be an easy way for the airline to keep families with children 13 and under together at no additional cost — something Department of Transport announced sent in June 2022 to guide airlines to implement.
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