Allegiant boarding questions

[vallamen]

I am taking the plunge and heading from ABE to Orlando with my two little boys (5 & 3) by myself since my husband can't come due to mandatory training for his new position at work. I paid the $ for seat assignments to make sure we get to sit together, but what are their boarding procedures really like -


Do most people really pay the extra $ for priority boarding?

Do they preboard for little kids?

Is it as chaotic as some of the reviews I read make it sound?

Thanks,
Val.

 

[steelebug]

I usually fly alone with my 4 children ages 9 and younger. I have never paid for priority or a seat and we have always been sat together. My oldest daughter either sits in front or behind us on the aisle. I have never found boarding any different than any other airline. Take money ( a couple dollars) as they do do a raffle on board and you can win several hundred dollars depending on how much the people participate on board. The kids always enjoy our allegiant trips to the world.

 

[TinaElmerRh]

I usually fly alone with my 4 children ages 9 and younger. I have never paid for priority or a seat and we have always been sat together. My oldest daughter either sits in front or behind us on the aisle. I have never found boarding any different than any other airline. Take money ( a couple dollars) as they do do a raffle on board and you can win several hundred dollars depending on how much the people participate on board. The kids always enjoy our allegiant trips to the world.

Thank you for the info. I am flying with Allegiant in August. I did pay for a seat assignment, but not priority boarding. I was also curious if I made a mistake or not. Great information about the raffle.

 

[BrettS]

My wife and I live in Orlando and have flown allegiant a number of times over the past couple of years to go north to visit our inlaws. We never pay for seat assignments or priority boarding and have never had a problem with not being able to sit together. From our experience, any ticket purchased together will get seats assigned together. However, if you purchase tickets seperately for any reason then you will almost certainly not be able to sit together.

They do board families with children after the priority boarders, but before everyone else, so I wouldn't worry too much about getting priority boarding. Even if you don't have children you still shouldn't have a problem.

Also, I don't think they're doing the raffle thing anymore. We experienced that once or twice on the first allegiant flights we did about two years ago, but we've flown them 8 or 10 times since then and haven't seen it again.

 

[TaraPA]

I flew Allegiant in from ABE to MCO in Feb with just my 2 kids. We had seat assignments but not Priority Boarding. Boarding was chaotic - everyone ran to board at the same time & they didn't enforce zones at all. It was a free-for-all. We were seated near the back, and were almost the last to board. We each had a roll-behind carry-on plus a personal item which were next-to-impossible to stow, and the FA's would not help us. There was someone already in one of our seats when we boarded & they wouldn't move even when I showed him my ticket that confirmed it was our seat. I asked the FA for assistance & all she said was "whoever has 22B needs to be sitting there" and walked away. I found the crew to be rude & indifferent. I blame this totally on the crew & not Allegiant as a whole. Everyone was tired & stressed out, the flight was delayed a few hours for a medical emergency on the incoming flight, and then for ice. I think the crew was just "done" and wanted to get out of there.

I'm glad to read the positive posts here about Allegiant. Their prices are great, they're 1 of only 2 airlines that fly non-stop to MCO from ABE, and I'd like to try them again.

ETA: there was no raffle or interaction of any kind on our flight. Except when we landed in MCO after midnight & they blasted very loud music on the loudpseaker & said "let's go we want to get out of here too."

 

[dudspizza]

From our experience, any ticket purchased together will get seats assigned together. However, if you purchase tickets seperately for any reason then you will almost certainly not be able to sit together.

I would be very careful expecting to sit together simply because tickets are purchased together on the same itinerary. There are a lot of things that can affect where someone is seated. The time you check in, the number of people purchasing advanced seat assignments, and the size of an airplane can come in to play. People who don't pay for advance seat assignments get those assignments at check in.

Best bet is to pay for the seat assignments if you have to sit together. If you hope to sit together, but can live if it doesn't happen, then don't worry about getting the advance seat assignments.

As far as the priority boarding, they really tout that as a way to guarantee bin space for your carry on. A total money maker, IMO. I would never pay that fee. Their baggage fees are also pretty high, if I remember right.

Duds

 

[vallamen]

Thanks for all of the info . After reviewing the responses, I'm glad I didn't pay for the priority boarding. Hopefully it will be a smooth experience for us!

 

[hoffmann2828]

I'm thinking of flying Allegiant (sorry to hijack a thread) and just wanted to know how often or if you've ever had a flight cancel. The only fly on Friday and Monday from Rockford to MCO and if it gets canceled, it does put the kibosh on the whole trip in general.

Any thoughts?

Jenny

 

[rhiansmom]

I'm thinking of flying Allegiant (sorry to hijack a thread) and just wanted to know how often or if you've ever had a flight cancel. The only fly on Friday and Monday from Rockford to MCO and if it gets canceled, it does put the kibosh on the whole trip in general.

Any thoughts?

Jenny

I am an Allegiant-holic right now and since they fly out of 3 airports within driving distance I seem to always find a good deal! I have never had a flight cancel but it has been delayed by up to an entire day! Keep in mind that they have an entire plane of customers trying to get to one place and they cant just put others on another plane so they will try to get you home as quick as they can!

As far as boarding ... they have been doing something different in the past months... they board those that have purchased the priority boarding, those that need extra help then the first few rows (this is new) then from the back to the front.

I also havent experienced a raffle since July of last year... bummer cuz we really enjoed it!