Originally Posted by
BeatCal
DF
"first come, first served" by US air is first person who reserves is first served. This meets the air carrier act.
The law also does not state "closet". It states space other than overhead.
You would prefer a wheel chair race to the gate?
I would suggest you reread it
I have read it multiple times now and just checked again. Here is a quote with some of it bolded:
§ 382.41 Stowage of personal equipment.
(2) In an aircraft in which a closet or other approved stowage area is provided in the cabin for passengers’ carry-on items, of a size that will accommodate a folding, collapsible, or break-down wheelchair, the carrier shall designate priority stowage space, as described below, for at least one folding, collapsible, or break-down wheelchair in that area. A individual with a disability who takes advantage of a carrier offer of the opportunity to pre-board the aircraft may stow his or her wheelchair in this area, with priority over the carry-on items brought onto the aircraft by other passengers enplaning at the same airport. A individual with a disability who does not take advantage of a carrier offer of the opportunity to preboard may use the area to stow his or her wheelchair on a first-come, first-served basis along with all other passengers seeking to stow carry-on items in the area.
This paragraph talks about pre-boarding, not about reserving stowage space in advance. It pretty clearly states that to use this stowage area, whether it is a closet or not, can not be reserved since it specifies only during pre-boarding. I see nothing about allowing the airlines to reserve the space in advance. If you have a quote from the law that says otherwise then please post it. The US Airways paragraph you posted earlier says nothing about reserving the space in advance of pre boarding. I've also bolded the phrase "first come, first served" for you.
there won't be any wheelchair races as it will be whichever person gets pre-boarded first. I have been the last to arrive at a gate, where there were many old folks using chairs and waiting to be pre boarded. I was pre-boarded first, since out of all of us, I was the only one who could not get up and walk to my seat. I did not request to be first. The wheelchair assistance crew, along with the airline gate agents decided who goes first.