Originally Posted by
rsteinmetz70112
Most people are simply frustrated by the large number of people who pre-board, just to get a better seat. If you fly Southwest much you will often see entire family groups pre-board. Certainly many people take advantage of the opportunity to scam the system,. All you need to do is watch any airline who has assigned seating and count the number of pre-boarders, it is dramatically fewer than Southwest.
Unfortunately the rules don't allow the airline much leeway in inquiring into the nature of the disability nor requiring advance notice from passengers. If Southwest questioned anyone desiring pre-board you would likely see the aggrieved passenger on the internet complaining about Southwest's heartlessness. From past experience in those stories most of the people involved are simply shameless.
I understand that people get frustrated when it appears people are abusing the system. I have no problem with that. If WN just followed their own, existing policy, it would probably help. It's supposed to be one assist person per preboarder but gate agents routinely let the entire family on. Although I wonder if they do that as a tacit acknowledgement that the assistant and preboarder are probably just going to save seats anyway. It's also not supposed to be people who just need extra time but again, they allow those people to preboard.
On the other hand, I do have a problem with people who believe disabled people should not be afforded the same rights as able bodied passengers. Such as "make them sit in the back" or "make them sit in a middle seat" or "make them get off last". That last one though punishes not just the preboarder but anyone else stuck in their row so I don't think they are thinking that one through. Not sure why I would expect them to but there you go.