Originally Posted by
envgeo
I am fine with letting folks preboard that need the extra time. However, i could see the reverse being true - needing extra time to deplane. Would be a nice jester for someone that needs a wheel chair, etc. to wait until the plane unloads before standing in the gateway waiting on a wheel chair upon arrival.
Surely you must be kidding?
Seriously though, if the wheelchair isn't already in the jetway, in my experience the FA will let us know and we will wait to get off for several reasons. However, if the wheelchair is there then we'll exit just like anyone else. If there's someone in the window seat we don't want to hold them up by not getting out of our seats and here's what people seem to forget in their haste to point out how inconvenient disabled people are, there seem to be far more able-bodied but ignorant travelers than there are disabled on any given flight. Just think how many times you've been held up from getting off the plane because somebody is waiting until they are in the aisle to get their crap together, get their bag out of the overhead, etc, and holding up everyone else to the point that there's literally no one in the aisle in front of them because those folks have long left the aircraft. Those passengers take longer to exit than someone near the front who then gets into a waiting wheelchair in the jetway.
Now, using an aisle chair is a different story. Generally you do seem to have to wait until everyone is off and that makes sense as the aisle is blocked for a considerable amount of time.