Does Southwest check kids age for family boarding?
Q: What is the Southwest Family boarding age limit? A: In order to take advantage of Southwest family boarding, you'll need to be traveling with a child who is 6 years old or younger.
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We consider children ages 12 through 17 traveling alone to be Young Travelers (YTs). Our Unaccompanied Minor (UMs) procedures do not apply to unaccompanied Passengers ages 12 through 17.
If you are traveling with a child age six years old or younger: Up to two adults traveling with a child six years old or younger may board during Family Boarding, which occurs after the “A” group has boarded and before the “B” group begins boarding.
Preboarding is available for Customers with disabilities who need a specific seat to accommodate a disability, need assistance boarding the aircraft, or need to stow an assistive device.
If you have a B group boarding position, the chances are good that you'll still be able to get a window or aisle seat or find 2 seats together if you're traveling with a companion. Hot Tip: If you are in the B group (or even one of the first numbers in the C group), head to the back of the plane.
Although children who have not reached their second birthday are permitted to travel as lap children, the FAA strongly discourages this practice and recommends that you secure your child in an approved CRS in their own seat for the entire flight.
If you have paid for upgrades in the past for this reason, request refunds from Southwest and explain that you were attempting to preboard. You do not have to disclose the disability nor discuss it in any way. Simply self identify and you will be permitted to preboard.
Southwest allows preboarding only for customers who 1) need a specific seat on the plane, or 2) need assistance boarding the plane. If you find that having a specific seat helps with your anxiety, that would be a way for you to preboard.
Other family members such as grandparents can board with family boarding but they have to be the only adults. So for example you could not have both parents and a set of grandparents boarding in the family boarding group. Instead, Southwest would likely limit you to only two parents (along with the kids).
Depending on their ages and which airline you have chosen, some airlines invite families to board in front of everybody else, while others allow those with kids to slide in somewhere between elite passengers and regular coach-flying folk.