If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Longtime Southwester with question about USAir
Hi,
We are doing a big family trip to Orlando in April. 10 of us leaving from ALB. I have been a big Southwest fan for a long time, however I realized quick, that travel with a bunch of kids without reserved seats will be a nightmare. Unable to check everyone in online gives us a slim chance of being able to sit together and then having to switch planes and trying to sit together again would be impossible. So I used USAir's group sales and came real close to Southwest's price. But its been so long since I used an airline other than Southwest I'm not sure how they assign seats. When I booked the flight they told me that when I paid the deposit they will block the ten seats. When I did pay the deposit they told me they didn't reserve the seats until final payment. My question is when they blocked my seats did they gives us ten together all ready? Is there still a chance we won't be sitting together? Thanks, Jeff |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Longtime Southwester with question about USAir
On Jan 22, 8:18*am, "Jdguay" wrote:
Hi, We are doing a big family trip to Orlando in April. *10 of us leaving from ALB. *I have been a big Southwest fan for a long time, however I realized quick, that travel with a bunch of kids without reserved seats will be a nightmare. *Unable to check everyone in online gives us a slim chance of being able to sit together and then having to switch planes and trying to sit together again would be impossible. So I used USAir's group sales and came real close to Southwest's price. *But its been so long since I used an airline other than Southwest I'm not sure how they assign seats. *When I booked the flight they told me that when I paid the deposit they will block the ten seats. *When I did pay the deposit they told me they didn't reserve the seats until final payment. *My question is when they blocked my seats did they gives us ten together all ready? *Is there still a chance we won't be sitting together? I can virtually guarantee you won't be sitting "together". I don't know what you consider "together" for 10 people on a plane that probably has a 3 x 3 seating. I can think of no arrangement that would have you "isolated" to rows without "strangers" in them. You can be relatively sure that they will attempt to place you in "clusters" of 3 to 5. But really, as long as you're all within "hollerin'" distance of each other and no really youngin's are far from an adult, you'll be fine. I watched a father (well, male adult anyway) attempt to configure (and reconfigure) such a brood one time. It took a bit of silliness before he realized that no, there was no way to divide 10 by 9 "evenly" and that he wasn't going to get to "occupy" 12 seats with 10 people. In the end he accepted that he would sit with two of the youngest, the female adult would sit with 2 more, and the oldest 4 would be "paired" in rows either ahead or behind them, seated with the random business traveler of the day. They weren't all "contiguous" nor "adjacent", but they were within a row or so of each other. No one was lost. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Longtime Southwester with question about USAir
Yeah, I don't assume we will all be in a group, I just want to make sure the
young ones have a familiar adult sitting next to them. The closer we are to each other the better but I want parents with their kids. "me" wrote in message ... On Jan 22, 8:18 am, "Jdguay" wrote: Hi, We are doing a big family trip to Orlando in April. 10 of us leaving from ALB. I have been a big Southwest fan for a long time, however I realized quick, that travel with a bunch of kids without reserved seats will be a nightmare. Unable to check everyone in online gives us a slim chance of being able to sit together and then having to switch planes and trying to sit together again would be impossible. So I used USAir's group sales and came real close to Southwest's price. But its been so long since I used an airline other than Southwest I'm not sure how they assign seats. When I booked the flight they told me that when I paid the deposit they will block the ten seats. When I did pay the deposit they told me they didn't reserve the seats until final payment. My question is when they blocked my seats did they gives us ten together all ready? Is there still a chance we won't be sitting together? I can virtually guarantee you won't be sitting "together". I don't know what you consider "together" for 10 people on a plane that probably has a 3 x 3 seating. I can think of no arrangement that would have you "isolated" to rows without "strangers" in them. You can be relatively sure that they will attempt to place you in "clusters" of 3 to 5. But really, as long as you're all within "hollerin'" distance of each other and no really youngin's are far from an adult, you'll be fine. I watched a father (well, male adult anyway) attempt to configure (and reconfigure) such a brood one time. It took a bit of silliness before he realized that no, there was no way to divide 10 by 9 "evenly" and that he wasn't going to get to "occupy" 12 seats with 10 people. In the end he accepted that he would sit with two of the youngest, the female adult would sit with 2 more, and the oldest 4 would be "paired" in rows either ahead or behind them, seated with the random business traveler of the day. They weren't all "contiguous" nor "adjacent", but they were within a row or so of each other. No one was lost. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Longtime Southwester with question about USAir
"Jdguay" wrote:
We are doing a big family trip to Orlando in April. 10 of us leaving from ALB. I have been a big Southwest fan for a long time, however I realized quick, that travel with a bunch of kids without reserved seats will be a nightmare. Unable to check everyone in online gives us a slim chance of being able to sit together and then having to switch planes and trying to sit together again would be impossible. Umm, I think you may not understand how the new SWA boarding system works. All you need to check in is the PNR number and name of each traveller. Surely the leader of the group will have that info and can check the entire party in? Once checked in, each person is assigned a sequential boarding number. At the gate the group lines up together by their boarding position, so the group can essentially board together if they all checked in together. Assuming you checked in close to the start of checkin time, there should be pletty of seats near each other to choose from. Connections are handled the same way. You no longer need to approach the deck at the connection city and get a boarding card. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Longtime Southwester with question about USAir
"Jdguay" wrote in message news:s2mlj.27736$8A4.22998@trnddc02... Hi, We are doing a big family trip to Orlando in April. 10 of us leaving from ALB. I have been a big Southwest fan for a long time, however I realized quick, that travel with a bunch of kids without reserved seats will be a nightmare. Unable to check everyone in online gives us a slim chance of being able to sit together and then having to switch planes and trying to sit together again would be impossible. So I used USAir's group sales and came real close to Southwest's price. But its been so long since I used an airline other than Southwest I'm not sure how they assign seats. When I booked the flight they told me that when I paid the deposit they will block the ten seats. When I did pay the deposit they told me they didn't reserve the seats until final payment. My question is when they blocked my seats did they gives us ten together all ready? Is there still a chance we won't be sitting together? Thanks, Jeff All they will have done is block out 10(?) seats from the inventory. They will not have allocated seats 10ABC etc. I believe that only happens when you pay the whole fare. However, I stongly suggest you ask the airline not people like me who don't actually have any control over the airline. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Longtime Southwester with question about USAir
You just need to go in and webcheckin and get an A Boarding pass and
then board the plane and save some seats with strategically placed items on the seats,(Bags coats sweaters etc.) yeah the fellow passengers may look at you funny, but they will understand once the kids come in and sit down. What you can do as a "warning" of sorts is tell the people that a GROUP of Kids will be sitting there and give them the option of moving further away from your rows. I know I would appreciate that!. Just dont try that with the exit rows. They are for people 15 and over . I would stick with SouthWest...... |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Longtime Southwester with question about USAir
"Jdguay" wrote in message news:s2mlj.27736$8A4.22998@trnddc02... Hi, We are doing a big family trip to Orlando in April. 10 of us leaving from ALB. I have been a big Southwest fan for a long time, however I realized quick, that travel with a bunch of kids without reserved seats will be a nightmare. Unable to check everyone in online gives us a slim chance of being able to sit together and then having to switch planes and trying to sit together again would be impossible. So I used USAir's group sales and came real close to Southwest's price. But its been so long since I used an airline other than Southwest I'm not sure how they assign seats. When I booked the flight they told me that when I paid the deposit they will block the ten seats. When I did pay the deposit they told me they didn't reserve the seats until final payment. My question is when they blocked my seats did they gives us ten together all ready? Is there still a chance we won't be sitting together? Thanks, Jeff When you confirm the reservations, they'll block seats. Today, however, that may mean paying for the tickets. And remember, it is probably cheaper to book online than over the phone. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Longtime Southwester with question about USAir
Jdguay wrote:
Hi, We are doing a big family trip to Orlando in April. 10 of us leaving from ALB. I have been a big Southwest fan for a long time, however I realized quick, that travel with a bunch of kids without reserved seats will be a nightmare. Unable to check everyone in online gives us a slim chance of being able to sit together and then having to switch planes and trying to sit together again would be impossible. You can't find someone to check you in the day before? You don't need to print the BPs, just check in. So I used USAir's group sales and came real close to Southwest's price. Group sales for 10 people? It can't have been much of a discount. It's not that difficult, in a lot of cases, to get similar fares, without a group, compared to WN, when booked in advance. WN's biggest discounts generally come when there isn't long between booking and your departure time. But its been so long since I used an airline other than Southwest I'm not sure how they assign seats. When I booked the flight they told me that when I paid the deposit they will block the ten seats. When I did pay the deposit they told me they didn't reserve the seats until final payment. My question is when they blocked my seats did they gives us ten together all ready? Is there still a chance we won't be sitting together? Yes, there is a chance, with 10 people that you won't all be together. After all, there are many people who already have seat assignments. I think WN would have been the best choice for seats together, unless you saw seats together when you looked at a seat map on US Air. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
any hope for USAir? | Liz | Air travel | 63 | January 29th, 2005 07:27 PM |
USAir gone? | Jimbo Minn | Air travel | 0 | November 15th, 2004 07:30 PM |
BA or USAir ? | Greta | Air travel | 26 | August 26th, 2004 09:33 AM |
Need USAIR Freq Fly 800# | [email protected] | Air travel | 2 | June 29th, 2004 09:14 PM |
Tips for flying America West for longtime Southwest customer? | This Old Man | Air travel | 8 | September 18th, 2003 12:12 AM |