Pre-boarders should be forced to sit in the back of the plane
Oct 3, 2016, 2:18 pm
#16
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I broke my femur a few years ago and didn't travel while I was in a wheelchair or using crutches but if I would have had to of, I would have been wanting to sit in the front of the plane.
But I wish if people preboarded they would deplane last. If they require additional time to preboard it also means they need additional time to deplane.
But I wish if people preboarded they would deplane last. If they require additional time to preboard it also means they need additional time to deplane.
Oct 3, 2016, 2:29 pm
#17
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He said that every time he does a flight from DTW to one of those places that there's always people that needed to preboard that have no problems getting right out of their seat and grabbing their bags and pushing through first class to be the first off the plane, especially in Vegas. He said they joke that more people get healed on a flight to Phoenix, Vegas or Florida than do at a faith healer meeting.
Oct 3, 2016, 2:44 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,512
A frail hip needs no jostling.
Oct 3, 2016, 2:48 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2001
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I was on a LI-Orlando flight where there has to be 15 wheelchairs at boarding. I stayed on the plane in the exit row when a wheelchair pusher walked by to ask a FA if everyone had gotten off (must have been a glut of wheel chairs in the Jetway. She simply exclaimed, "another miracle fight!"
Oct 3, 2016, 6:27 pm
#21
Join Date: May 2005
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And I say this as someone who did pre-board for the last 4 flights I've taken on Southwest. A few weeks ago I fell and broke a bone. I had to have surgery, and as a result had to reschedule two trips. I still use a sling to keep my arm in place and needed help from my traveling companion to carry my carry-on for me, and get a starboard window seat so no one smashes into my healing right side.
All the other pre-boarders were in wheelchairs, they boarded before me, and they took up every single seat in the front of the plane. What is their freaking hurry? They're like 85 years old! I went past the exit row because I personally feel that if it's that important you sit in the front, you should pay more, and the chances of getting an empty middle seat are greater back there (but didn't happen, oh well).
If you are disabled and need to preboard because the able-bodied crowd is going to mow you over, wouldn't you want to be in the safety of the back of the plane?
As an added bonus, pre-boarders sent to the back first should get rid of the fakers. I have no idea how many are fakers but I do think it's strange that the number of wheelchairs needed to get ON the plane is always more than the number of wheelchairs needed to get OFF the plane. This occurs with any airline but on Southwest with no seat assignments, I think it's unfair.
I've never bought a Business Select fare, but if I did and found the first five rows full of drooling old people I would be miffed
All the other pre-boarders were in wheelchairs, they boarded before me, and they took up every single seat in the front of the plane. What is their freaking hurry? They're like 85 years old! I went past the exit row because I personally feel that if it's that important you sit in the front, you should pay more, and the chances of getting an empty middle seat are greater back there (but didn't happen, oh well).
If you are disabled and need to preboard because the able-bodied crowd is going to mow you over, wouldn't you want to be in the safety of the back of the plane?
As an added bonus, pre-boarders sent to the back first should get rid of the fakers. I have no idea how many are fakers but I do think it's strange that the number of wheelchairs needed to get ON the plane is always more than the number of wheelchairs needed to get OFF the plane. This occurs with any airline but on Southwest with no seat assignments, I think it's unfair.
I've never bought a Business Select fare, but if I did and found the first five rows full of drooling old people I would be miffed
Listen, I mean no disrespect but your post has to be one of the most ignorant posts I've read. I'll chalk it up to being ill-informed and the fact that you know you will most assuredly get better and won't need preboarding in the future.
For people who have more than just a broken bone and are less able bodied than you are with your arm in a sling, getting to the back of the plane could be very slow and/or very painful.
One person I sometimes travel with cannot easily walk, let alone very far. They will use a wheelchair to get from the curb to the door of the plane. They don't need the additional assistance of an aisle chair as they can walk the last 6 - 10 to one of the first few rows. More than that and an aisle chair would be needed which would slow everyone down.
As for getting off the plane last, I'm sure the two people in the middle and window seat would be happy to sit there with a stranger and wait to be the last off of the plane. Let me know how that works for you when you are one of those two people.
Oct 3, 2016, 8:50 pm
#22
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: DEN
Posts: 260
§ 382.38 Seating accommodations. (d) A carrier that does not provide advance seat assignments shall provide seating accommodations for persons described in paragraphs (a) and (c) of this section by allowing them to board the aircraft before other passengers, including other “preboarded” passengers, so that the individuals needing seating accommodations can select seats that best meet their needs if they have taken advantage of the opportunity to preboard.
Oct 3, 2016, 9:38 pm
#23
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: St. Louis, MO
Programs: Southwest Companion Pass
Posts: 790
I don't have a problem with preboarders that have a real need. I also don't have a problem with one other boarding with them to assist them. What I do have a problem with is people who take advantage if the situation and try to have a whole family board at the same time.
Oct 4, 2016, 11:32 am
#24
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 24
Also, I'm sure someone would sue them for discrimination if they told certain pre-boarders they have to sit in the back
Oct 4, 2016, 1:13 pm
#26
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A long time ago I received a VDB voucher for taking a later flight and I had an A boarding pass. The first segment of the new flight was to PHX and I didn't want to risk sitting in the middle and told the GA I was willing to take the voucher and go on the later flight if she could give me an A boarding pass. I was told they couldn't do that but she would give me a blue sleeve which would give me a shot at a great seat, I just couldn't sit in an exit row. So the GA's apparently don't care that some people are preboarding that shouldn't.
Oct 4, 2016, 1:37 pm
#27
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Preboards should definitely go on first - because they need extra time compared to other passengers.
I think it's counterproductive to make them all move to the back of the plane. It makes sense to limit the amount of aisle jockeying for someone on crutches.
But Preboards should definitely deplane last - because they need extra time compared to other passengers.
Exceptions for close connections of course.
This would have the secondary benefit of discouraging abuse of preboarding.
We've all seen how many more wheelchairs there are at boarding than at deplaning. I guess air travel is therapeutic, even curative.
I think it's counterproductive to make them all move to the back of the plane. It makes sense to limit the amount of aisle jockeying for someone on crutches.
But Preboards should definitely deplane last - because they need extra time compared to other passengers.
Exceptions for close connections of course.
This would have the secondary benefit of discouraging abuse of preboarding.
We've all seen how many more wheelchairs there are at boarding than at deplaning. I guess air travel is therapeutic, even curative.
Oct 4, 2016, 3:59 pm
#30
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 206
Therein lies the problem. If only Southwest would offer seat assignments as an option, for a fee. I pay for EBCI, but still check-in myself as the system fails too often. If only we had seat assignments, we could wait and board last, no problem. Count me among those thoroughly annoyed by the miracle flights.
This has to do with assigned versus open seating. Carriers with assigned seating are able to provide seats to these passengers whereas SW is required to allow them to pre-board to select a seat meeting their needs.
Source: 14 CFR Part 382 Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel
Source: 14 CFR Part 382 Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel