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Air Travel on Southwest
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Dec 5, 2018 14:12:57   #
wrk1234 Loc: Russellville, Arkansas
 
I have never traveled on Southwest Airlines. I am going to the southwest in early spring and am considering travelling on Southwest Air. Of course, their "Wanna Get Away" fare is the cheapest route BUT since I have never traveled with them I have no idea about overhead space for my camera gear. I am certainly not going to check my gear. Has anyone traveled on Southwest on "Wanna Get Away" fare and had any good or bad incidents. If I need to go up to their next fare level, i might as well go United or American. Thanks for anyone's insight.

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Dec 5, 2018 14:19:50   #
Pilot
 
How much camera gear?

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Dec 5, 2018 14:23:11   #
wdcarrier Loc: Eureka, California
 
I travel regularly on Southwest. Never had an issue with my camera gear but I carry on the bodies and lenses and relegate my tripod and other stuff to the check-in. I use a medium-sized camera bag that will fit under the seat and a larger carry-on for the overhead. 2 check-ins are free but I would suggest you opt for the $15 priority check-in to ensure you are on early enough to have space in the overhead.

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Dec 5, 2018 14:23:43   #
WIZARDofJOZ Loc: Midwest
 
Have flown them many times and have had nothing but positive experiences.
Their baggage accommodations are as good or better than any other airline I've flown.
Most of the flights I've been on have been the "wanna get away" ones and there has been no issue with luggage - just as much space under the seats or overhead as the other carriers - or other classes.
Happy flying...

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Dec 5, 2018 14:23:51   #
wrk1234 Loc: Russellville, Arkansas
 
Camera bag with FF Canon, 4 lenses, filters, extra batteries. It goes into a lowepro bag. I have taken it to Charleston and Cancun on Delta and United and put it in their overhead bins, but there I made sure I had tickets that guaranteed me a space in the overhead.

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Dec 5, 2018 14:27:10   #
Pilot
 
You shouldn't have any trouble on Southwest. Good advise from wdcarrier about the $15.00
priority check-in.

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Dec 5, 2018 14:30:09   #
wrk1234 Loc: Russellville, Arkansas
 
Thanks to everyone! This makes me feel a lot better.

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Dec 5, 2018 14:32:09   #
DaveO Loc: Northeast CT
 
wrk1234 wrote:
I have never traveled on Southwest Airlines. I am going to the southwest in early spring and am considering travelling on Southwest Air. Of course, their "Wanna Get Away" fare is the cheapest route BUT since I have never traveled with them I have no idea about overhead space for my camera gear. I am certainly not going to check my gear. Has anyone traveled on Southwest on "Wanna Get Away" fare and had any good or bad incidents. If I need to go up to their next fare level, i might as well go United or American. Thanks for anyone's insight.
I have never traveled on Southwest Airlines. I am... (show quote)


I have flown with them numerous times for many years. United and American cabin rules are essentially the same and they charge for checked baggage which SW does not.

To answer your question, you can have one carry on bag for the overhead and one additional that must completely fit under the seat in front of you. The aisle seats are narrower, so a normal size back-pack won't fit. Paying extra makes no difference. Baggage dimensions are on their website and pretty much standard.

SW is sloppier and often allows excess or oversize baggage, so later boarders may have problems.

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Dec 5, 2018 14:35:17   #
pmorin Loc: Huntington Beach, Palm Springs
 
If you do decide to go with Southwest, make sure you do the online check-in 24 hours in advance. Start 30 seconds before the 24 hrs. Last time we flew that airline we missed the check in time by 5 minutes and ended up in the last boarding group. Our seats were all the way in the back of the plane next to the toilets. Not a good place to be. Plus there was no overhead storage left and we had to gate check our bags.

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Dec 5, 2018 14:39:25   #
PaulR01 Loc: West Texas
 
Fly Southwest regularly with a Hard Pelican case with 2 bodies a 300mm f 2.8 70-200 and 24-70. Monopod fits in case. It fits in the overhear fine. Just a suggestion, you need to be on the A group so you wont be one of the last on the plane. If you are one of the last on expect to have to check your case. I all ways pay extra to be one of the first boarding so this doesn't happen.

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Dec 5, 2018 14:40:20   #
DaveO Loc: Northeast CT
 
Pilot wrote:
You shouldn't have any trouble on Southwest. Good advise from wdcarrier about the $15.00
priority check-in.


The $15 dollar A Pass increased to $25 a while ago. LOL!

It is not uncommon for a person to pay the fee and then save multiple seats for people in their party who did not pay. SW had no issue with this practice last time I checked. Point being that you pay for priority boarding into supposedly open seating on first come first serve basis. There are 60 spaces in A group and you can end up in B which is after families/kids.

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Dec 5, 2018 14:44:03   #
lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA
 
wdcarrier wrote:
I travel regularly on Southwest. Never had an issue with my camera gear but I carry on the bodies and lenses and relegate my tripod and other stuff to the check-in. I use a medium-sized camera bag that will fit under the seat and a larger carry-on for the overhead. 2 check-ins are free but I would suggest you opt for the $15 priority check-in to ensure you are on early enough to have space in the overhead.


Paradise, CA! You survived the wildfire OK?

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Dec 5, 2018 15:02:53   #
Pilot
 
$25.00 well spent.

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Dec 5, 2018 15:03:40   #
deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN
 
I always fly southwest when I can and usually get the $15 priority seating when I carry my camera gear, like others have said - I can’t recommend them enough!

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Dec 5, 2018 15:04:11   #
DaveO Loc: Northeast CT
 
Pilot wrote:
$25.00 well spent.


Not as well as $15.....

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