yessams

+1

I would like to see efforts toward eliminating the gate lice. For the most part, my flights rarely have pre-boards.

rwoman

Too true...you just never know.

Orion

Some gate agents ask pax who need more time in boarding to visit the podium. Then their names are called for early boarding. I think this cuts down on early boarding abuse.
I witnessed a disgusting spectacle at ORD on Sunday at a UA gate. A one legged pax using a walker was nearly mowed down when she attempted to approach the gate and take advantage of the early boarding feature. About forty pax thundered past her. I feared she would fall.
Where is the electric cattle prod when it is needed?

RobertS975

Not being insensitive to your situation (or your son's), but there really is quite a bit of abuse, mostly with the parents of children older than age 2. I completely agree that many issues are not readily apparent... no argument from me on that count!

gj83

It's not going to get better with the boarding they are piloting either with the big pillars for zones 1, 2, and 3. I was on the sky priority carpet and people with zone 3 kept coming up and asking if they were in the right spot and "conveniently" couldn't see the HUGE zone 3 sign I pointed them to. "No, I don't see a huge 3."

As long as I can stow my carryon I don't really care though. Boarding is for the DL agents to enforce, not me.

Often1

It's always possible that there's some minimal abuse out there. But, it's petty and not worth turning the boarding process into more of a nightmare than it already is just to catch out the one potential faker out of a thousand (or whatever it is).

The risk of frightening off a person who does need the extra time vs. the minimal benefit of a faker is so slight that this just ought to be chalked up to a solution looking for a problem.

Bicostal

Give me a break - how many miracle flights does it take to figure this one out?

If you require a wheelchair to get on then you should need one to get off. I have seen first hand multiple wheelchairs to board and then upon arrival hear the FA telling the GA no specials.

Add to that the family of 27 who need to all usher granny on board and the 17 year old "small child" its time to be a bit more proactive about this. Its the same for the oversized carryon, the zone jumping, the FO DYKWIA at security, and on and on. When you have processes but dont manage them you may as well not bother.

JBJ2435

I get tired of the "miracle flight" comments. I have MS and travel frequently enough to have MM and Platinum for the last few years. I can't walk long distances or stand for a long period of time, so I have had to resort to getting wheelchair assistance at the airport to/from gates, etc. BTW, I will trade my MS with you anyday of the year to be able to walk and stand again.

I get as tired as anyone sitting on an airplane and often forgo the wheelchair when I get to the next airport, or if I know I can make it to the next gate if not too far. I try to walk as much as I can and just returned from a trip with my husband where we took my transport wheelchair with us...I don't appreciate the snide comments from strangers when I'm pushing the chair (instead of sitting in it) through the airport.

I'm not saying some people don't abuse the situation, but please don't put all of us in the "miracle" category because you don't understand the disability. Thanks.

rybolt

Waiting to board the ATL-DUB flight a week or so ago I saw a middle age couple come into the gate area. The guy was wearing a 25 gallon cowboy hat and moving quite spryly. After sitting for a few minutes he limped up to the desk and spoke to the GA. When boarding was started the couple's name was called for pre-boarding and he limped back to the gate and onto the plane. It turns out he is a urologist from Southern Alabama and there must have been something in the water on the plane because he was fine when he cut the immigration line at DUB so he could be with his other urologist buddies who were on the same flight.

Bicostal

Then don't read them.

Be careful what you wish for.

Then wait in your seat until the others have deplaned. Obviously your disability card played at the beginning allowing you early access to board should have a concomitant reciprocity by allowing those absent an impairment the opportunity to get out of your way by deplaning first.

Thank you very much.

Like I said - be careful making broad generalizations.

My point is VERY SIMPLE. If you require additional time to board, it follows that you will need additional time to deplane. Whether it requires a wheelchair, walker, cane, or simply a slower pace, I graciously accept and support your needs for extra time - I expect you to behave the same way at the other end. When miracles happen, its the lowest form of DYKWIA. FOFO is not becoming of the "disabled."

As for your MS - bad things happen to good people - I have spent my entire professional career trying to change that - including specifically for people suffering the challenges of MS.

andymo99

You should realize that people who make such comments are really trying to defend YOUR rights. That is, it is YOU who loses when others abuse the system.

My father always comments to people who park in handicap spots and walk briskly away from their car. I warn him that someday he is going to be caught "chastising" someone with a legitimate use (emphysema, etc.). But in reality, such people should appreciate that there is an able-bodied person who is looking to defend their rights. [And so far, he has never been wrong when calling out an abuser.]

JBJ2435

Sorry andy, but I don't believe bicostal was trying to defend my rights, nor do I think I should have any special rights because I have a disability. Especially based on the snarky response...

If I need extra time to get down the jetway and cannot stand in a long line on the jetway, I will continue to use the pre-board as allowed by the airline and hope there are more courteous pax on my flight not posting here about the "miracle" pax not using a wheelchair to get off a plane.

rusrocket

If you require extra time to board (for whatever reason), it is not unreasonable to assume that you require extra time to deplane. So if you pre-board then you should post-deplane. Enforcing the later would be a challenge though.

JBJ2435

I'm OK with that if I have time between flights and often times do. If I do deplane when my cabin/seat is allowed, than I stand to the right on the jetway to allow those who walk faster to pass me. Enforcing would be a nightmare, as most people won't even allow pax with tight connections to get off the plane ahead of them....oh well.

kchoya

Were you the gate agent at BOI yesterday? The person who skipped pre-boarding altogether?

She skipped straight to first-class. My wife and I pushed our three-month-old up to the counter in his stroller and I asked if we had missed the call for pre-boarding. She actually said that she needed to get first class on board before everyone else to make sure they get their drinks before departure. Thankfully I didn't block too many people at the end of jetway as I was breaking the stroller and child seat down for gate checking.