In what appears to be a new and unique approach to public relations, Southwest Airlines may be amending its family boarding process. The approach is unique because the information is based on random reports from individuals rather than announcements from the Company.

As first reported by The Points Guy, Southwest seems to be experimenting with raising the age limit for children to participate in the family boarding process from the current six to under 13 years of age. In addition, families with children six and under may be invited to board during the pre-boarding process, which occurs before the numbered boarding assignments are called.

Current boarding process

Southwest is the only major carrier in the United States to offer only open seating, mainly on a first-come, first-served basis. Preassigned seating is not available on any flight. The Southwest system of boarding starts with pre-boarding, which is available for passengers with disabilities and active-duty members of the US Military, followed by general boarding. General boarding is divided into three groups, A, B, and C.

Each boarding group accommodates up to 60 numbered positions. An individual’s group and position number are based on when you check in for your flight. Southwest flights are available for check-in 24 hours before departure.

There are, of course, exceptions. If you are a Rapid Rewards, A-List Preferred of A-List Member, or if you purchase Early Bird Check-In, Business Select, or Anytime Southwest will automatically reserve a boarding position for you 36 hours before departure. The Southwest family boarding process starts after the “A” group has been boarded but before the “B” group begins boarding. The family boarding policy allows up to two adults traveling with a child six or younger to board earlier and, hopefully, secure seating together.

New process…maybe?

Southwest has yet to confirm that it has changed its family boarding process. The company maintains that the family boarding process remains unchanged, and the boarding takes place between the A and B boarding groups and includes children 6 of age and younger.

But traveler reports suggest something different is going on, at least at some airports. Applying different rules, depending on location, can only add confusion to the anxiety most passengers traveling with children would already feel in an open seating aircraft environment.

Boarding as part of overall performance

Although aircraft boarding is considered an everyday experience, it plays a significant role in airlines' overall performance. Delays in boarding can affect on-time performance, a key metric for airlines. For passengers, delays can mean missed connections, rebooking, and additional expenses. For airlines, delays can mean additional costs, such as aircraft waiting for gates burning extra fuel, and using valuable crew duty time.

On-time performance is critical for Southwest, which operates multiple short routes with quick aircraft turn times. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Southwest’s on-time performance stood at 74 %, well below its major competitors.

If Southwest hopes to remain competitive in the low-cost airline world, it needs to retain the loyalty of its customers. In 2022 the United States Department of Transportation issued a notice to US airlines on seating young children adjacent to an accompanying adult. Southwest might want to follow their advice on a system-wide basis.