Originally Posted by Mike Jacoubowsky

You might have hit on an interesting way to deal with United on this issue. Don't attack the concept of trying to help out those with small children (which comes across similar to men taking over the lifeboats on the titanic). Instead make it clear that the expectation is that United will be allowing more time to board; that pre-boarding will actually be during a time when presently the gate is closed, because otherwise, things will get clogged up and the HVF folk will potentially face the most-chaotic part of the boarding sequence.

So just to be clear, if a flight would normal start boarding at 7:50, you'd start boarding those who need assistance at 7:45 or so. If United is willing to put up the $$$ to support an extended boarding process, great, flyers of all kinds win! But if United is trying to squeeze everything into the same boarding window, that's where I think we've got trouble.