Originally Posted by
marksalk
I noticed that this e-mail thread is from 3 years ago. However, Southwest has done nothing to make it easy to add a wheelchair to an existing reservation. Southwest.com is one of the worst designed websites for an airline of their size; this should be especially embarrassing for a company that only sells directly and thus really depends on its website.
I think I have figured this out--FINALLY--after repeated prior efforts and after many experiences calling them (with long waits). It still took a half hour plus to do so since this feature appears to be a closely guarded secret.
Here is how you can add a wheelchair to an existing reservation:
1. On the homepage ... click on FLIGHT/HOTEL/CAR (on top right).
2. In box that appears, under column saying FLIGHT ... click on "Manage Reservations"
3. On "View/Share Itinerary" page input confirmation #, name ... and click the CONTINUE button.
4. Will land you on page that allows you to "Add/Edit" ... under Disability Options
This should work ... UNTIL Southwest decides this process is too easy and buries it again on the next site update--which happens frequently.
First, welcome to FT. I hope you'll find lots of valuable info here.
Not to point out the obvious but where else would you expect to add wheelchair info to a current reservation except under that reservation. So pulling up the existing reservation would seem to be the most logical thing to do.
Anyway, that said, make sure you sit as close to the front of the plane as possible. We've had situations where we ended up in row 3 and someone in row 1 or 2 sees the wheelchair waiting when they get off and they take it. How do I know they took ours? Because I heard the FA tell the GA when opening the door "1 wheelchair".
It does seem now that some airports have signs with the last name on them so the right person gets a wheelchair when getting off the plane.