Foo - Flying SouthWest for the first time Tues - Any Tips?

I thought I read somewhere about requesting a boarding pass 24hrs early. I'll have my bike, any other tips on flying with them? They seem to do a few things differently.

Thanks

uh, it's a freeforall so just pick a spot not next to a fat person.

service is friendly and they do a decent job of getting your mind off of being herded into a small pen for a few hours...

good luck with the bike i have no idea what to do with something like that.

Take something to calm your nerves, so the baby squalling nearby doesn't ruin your demeanor.

Seconded on the fat guy thing... nothing sucks worse than having some fat guy's scratchy rolls of sweaty, hairy blubber scraping against your skin for a whole trip.

I thought I read somewhere about requesting a boarding pass 24hrs early. I'll have my bike, any other tips on flying with them? They seem to do a few things differently.

Thanks

Things have changed! If you mentioned that to a lot of Southwest people they'd ask "What's a boarding pass?" I've never known anything but open seating.

Southwest runs a good airline. I used to fly between Los Angeles and Dallas on what I called the flying bus. After leaving Los Angeles, it stopped in Arizona (forget which field) and El Paso before putting down in Dallas. For all I know the plane went on to Houston or Corpus after that. I liked having the window seat and watching them do luggage off/luggage on, while in the cabin they were doing passengers out/passengers in with no more than twenty minutes gate time, usually half an hour on the ground. It's impressive to see an operation run so efficiently. I'm always glad to see them go into a new market because the fares on all the lines go down just to remain competitive.

If you're on one of the "flying bus" flights, consider the advantage of a window seat. No popping up and down for departing/arriving passengers.

Hmm.. I'm picking someone up from the airport in an hour. My problem is I have no idea how to check to see if the flight's ontime. Anyone know of some master site for flights coming into SFO?

Take a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a banana along, and a Snapple too!

Don't terrorists conceal explosives in peanut butter?
The banana should be rather ripe so it cannot be used as a weapon. A woman told me she had her zucchini confiscated because of its potential as a weapon.

R900....log on to the Southwest website no sooner than 24 hours before your flight and do the on-line check in. You can print your boarding pass which will also assign you a boarding 'zone'. (A,B,C). they board by zones now and A goes in first. once you get to your gate, you will have to get in line with the other cattle in your assigned zone and wait for boarding. Thus, the earlier that you can get online and print your pass, the better chance you have of getting assigned to A.

Hope you are traveling someplace fun!

Don't eat the brown acid.

Tip: Don't Crash

Southwest is the only domestic airline I fly when I get a chance. Their employees are happy and they smile which tells me that their leadership is doing things right (employees are a reflection of their leaders). Some of them even get humorous on the safety orientation. On my last SW leg, the guy said about the life vest--pull the red cord, if that doesn't work, pull the other one, if that doesn't work--see that red tube--blow in it--if that doesn't work, well, you'll figure it out. I would get the boarding pass early and check in all that you can and carry on as little as you can (that is my general rule of thumb for flying anyway--over 20 planes/year). I get annoyed when people decide to bring their entire closet with them on a week long trip. Sit back and enjoy. I actually prefer to get a B or C on my boarding pass (3 groups depending on time of checkin) since I can board later and decide who I sit next to.

Thanks

Bring rain gear. It's raining in SoCal. Should stop tonight, but there's the possibility of rain this coming weekend, too.

>>> Flying SouthWest for the first time Tues - Any Tips?

Well, honestly it's all an ordeal anymore. Tip? Just remember the sign over the security line in Dante's Inferno; "Abandon All hope, Ye Who Enter Here".

Don't terrorists conceal explosives in peanut butter?
The banana should be rather ripe so it cannot be used as a weapon. A woman told me she had her zucchini confiscated because of its potential as a weapon.

Same thing happened to me, and I figured I had it stashed where security wouldn't find it.

I've flown Delta, Southwest, and Continental I believe. on all of them I just bring something for entertainment - laptop or a book and that's about it. I can't do the thing where you bring everything carry on. I have to check a bag.

Oh, and how much is it costing you to bring the bike? bike box?

Bring rain gear. It's raining in SoCal. Should stop tonight, but there's the possibility of rain this coming weekend, too.

Just my luck! It finally got above freezing today, and should warm up this week. Oh well.

Thanks

P.S. Any favorite shops in SD, I wouldn't mind checking out some Assos bibs...

It's warm. Just wet. But this storm has passed, and it's now gorgeous outside if you ignore the residual puddles of water here and there. And forecasts a week out aren't all that reliable, so this coming weekend may well be beautiful, too.

In the Encinitas area, Nytro is great if you're a disciplined shopper. Be careful if you bring your credit card... the one time I stepped in there, I left with a Cervelo R3. (I certainly don't regret it, though.) If you do drop by, say hi to George (Vireo on BF) if he happens to be there. B&L in Solana Beach is well liked, but I've never been there. UC Cyclery in the La Jolla area is my home LBS.

Is that that airline on tv? I think its called airline. Man that looks like about the worst flying conditions possible in a first world country.

Is that that airline on tv? .
yep, thats the one.

There is only so far South West one can fly before heading North East...Right???

No, silly. They share their planes with Northeast since they can only fly in one direction. R900 will take the other airline when headed back to Indiana. :p

Has anyone tried flying a Southwest plane way beyond its territory? Or a Northeast plane for that matter? I'd hate to think of the consequences.

I've seen Airline a couple times, SouthWest looks better then the other IMO.

jschen, thanks for the heads up. If you see a bunch of guys riding with Cyclo-core kits, look for me, I'll be in the back sucking wind...

Has anyone tried flying a Southwest plane way beyond its territory? Or a Northeast plane for that matter? I'd hate to think of the consequences.
You run the risk of falling off the edge of the earth. Best not to go there.

Not to get too P&R here but I've heard there are subversives in our public school teaching kids that the earth is round. Not round like a pizza but spherical like a medicine ball when you're not sitting on it. Of course it's ridiculous or you wouldn't need different airlines to travel in opposite directions. Case closed.

24 hours, no more, no less, get on the internet and get your boarding pass (they have 3 groups, a b c). If you are not in a hurry get a seat about 2/3 of the way back (aisle or window, your choice). Most people that go that far looking for a non middle seat will keep looking.

scratch that, go sit between 2 lardasses (just saw your sig...)

Go BLUE!!

root

yep, thats the one.

Thank god I don't live in the southwest then. Or at least have to fly with them.