Back in January we were on an AS flight out of SEA headed for PHX. It was a 737-800 and about a third of the sold out travelers needed pre-boarding assistance. The wheelchairs just kept coming and coming!
It did speed things up in PHX though as most of those who got on early stayed on board so the rest of us could get off.
But I always wonder what would happen if there was an in-flight emergency.... so many elderly who could scarcely move. How would they ever slide down a chute in an emergency?