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Re: Companion Boarding

kerrigjl
Explorer A
Gjlilley, it's not persecution, it's enforcement of the boarding order. My companion is my 4 year old daughter, and I'm A-list. When I fly with her, I board with family boarding, unless she gets an A boarding pass, and then I board with her (i.e. at A47 instead of A22). Those are the rules, and you really can't be upset when they are enforced (and I KickTail the GAs that do enforce the rules!)

Re: Companion Boarding

Gjlilley
Explorer A

Family boarding is for 6yrs and under. Let me know in 3 years if your opinion changes when you have to follow the rules and board in the C group because your companion got a C Number. It is a whole In the system that most everyone but you agrees with

Re: Companion Boarding

kerrigjl
Explorer A
When she's old enough, I'll board at my spot and save her a seat next to me. Until then, we comply with the rules.

Re: Companion Boarding

Gjlilley
Explorer A

so you are going to leave your 7 yr old daughter in the terminal in line while you get on a plane that you will not be allowed off of if she needs help? You are a brave parent then I.

Re: Companion Boarding

PDFelter
Frequent Flyer B

Have you tried checking your child in for the flight before you do your own? Not sure why you would think the rules don't apply, but I agree with other posters that you should board with your child's boarding number, even if it is a C.  And yes, I have done this when my children were younger.

 

While I think it is great that you fly enough to have A list status and a companion pass, that doesn't mean rules don't apply.  I think for 1 trip, a sacrifice can be made to board later in line.  At least there is still a seat for the 2 of you on the plane and I haven't come across anyone that wouldn't move to a different location should there not be 2 seats together to allow the 2 of you to sit together.  Look at the life lesson you are teaching your child in patience and how to follow the rules. 

 

Enjoy the journey.

Re: Companion Boarding

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@PDFelter wrote:

Have you tried checking your child in for the flight before you do your own? Not sure why you would think the rules don't apply, but I agree with other posters that you should board with your child's boarding number, even if it is a C.  And yes, I have done this when my children were younger.

 


Definitely check them in first - you don't need to check-in at any particular time as A-list anyway.

 

If that's not working, or not reliably so then the companion is a great use of EBCI to get the better possible position, their ticket was "free" so in terms of value it may be worth it to spend the early bird fee for more reliable position.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Companion Boarding

chgoflyer
Aviator A

I think the point (seemingly missed by many here) is that A-Listers (and/or Companion Pass holders) must give up their A-List boarding benefit when traveling with a minor child.

 

The rules may "apply," but that doesn't mean they make sense. 😉

 

An A-Lister traveling with an adult companion can simply "save" a seat for them. Southwest allows this. 

 

Obviously a minor child cannot board by themselves.

 

The minor child companion would almost definitely be seated in a center seat, or at minimum one adjacent to the CP holder (meaning a center seat would be utilized in any scenario). So disruption to the boarding system, and negative effect upon other passengers is minimal.

 

Yet "the rules apply."

 

Sadly, this is yet another one of those examples of situations on Southwest where, when policy prevails, common sense is the loser. 

 

 

Re: Companion Boarding

Gjlilley
Explorer A

Thank you chgoflyer, hits the nail on the head.  

Re: Companion Boarding

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@chgoflyer wrote:

I think the point (seemingly missed by many here) is that A-Listers (and/or Companion Pass holders) must give up their A-List boarding benefit when traveling with a minor child.

 

The rules may "apply," but that doesn't mean they make sense. 😉

 

 

...

 

Sadly, this is yet another one of those examples of situations on Southwest where, when policy prevails, common sense is the loser. 

 

 


Having gone as far as running a pilot on the companion pass boarding together, I'm hopeful for some changes in this area.

 

There are two issues to me - first that most companion pass holders would save a middle seat for their companion anyway - there's almost no practical difference in boarding the companion with the passholder, other than expanding capacity of the lineup corrals to allow extra "hidden" positions.

 

Secondly, whether companion or general ticketing there is a threshold for family boarding that is pretty stringent in my book - mine is just 2 years old now so not a logistical problem for me yet - but I can see that pre-teen kids that aren't eligible for family boarding could result in stress and confusion and perhaps safety in the case of leaving them out in the concourse to board on their own, more likely it results in someone forgoing their otherwise entitled position. If those are the rules they are the rules, but the unintended consequence is some bad feelings that as @chgoflyer says don't make common sense.

 

If it is desirable to seat families together then allow a wider age group at family boarding, maybe 12 years old at least?

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Companion Boarding

Gjlilley
Explorer A

Companion pass is a reward for spending a lot of time and money on the airline. I did not create the system nor am I looking to cheat the system. I am pointing out a hole in the system. As the person on Saturday tried to say, when their daughter is old enough they will board by her self. According to Southwest Airline that age is 12 and it will cost extra money as an unaccompanied minor until 12. So what will that person do for the 6 years in between family boarding and 12 years old? That is the position i am in. Someone gives you a reward for using their company but you have to pay for using that reward? I am a single dad trying to take his Son on vacation. I do not have anyone else for him to board with, that is why i feel penalized. 

 

And to your early bird comment, it has been tried and most of the time it has not gotten much better position along with checking him in first. 

 

I am not looking to cheat anyone, I just want to make sure my son gets on the plane with me at the same time so we can sit together, why am I different from the people with kids 6 and under that want to sit together and get boarding in the family boarding?