Pre - Board
Oct 30, 2018, 1:58 am
#46
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Two questions:
(1) Is it WN that sets policy on HOW the law is applied?
(2) Is WN tasked with reporting their pre-board policy implementation with any one outside of WN?
Asking because of an experience last week.
Was once A+, but now I seldom fly. Was on a WN flight from MDW to LAS (home) There were 14 wheelchairs and 5 or 6 walk on pre-boarders (including me). At MDW, many gates clustered in one area, so limited seating space. Spouse asked OPS Agent where we should stand to wait, I am a walk on pre-board. He directed us to stand right there in front of his desk, as boarding was beginning in a few minutes.
This prompted yelling at us from several pre-boarders who shouted that they were there "first" and we were "cutting the line."
At that point, OPS Agent took our board passes and directed us to board.
When the others boarded, they continued to yell at us. We ignored them and looked at our shoes. Then, wheelchairs boarded next, and they were clearly irate, demanding to know WHY wheelchair pax weren't boarded FIRST.
Supervisor at gate called on plane and stayed on plane till everyone seated, and told Flight Attendant they were "documenting" this.
Then, during the flight, we continued to overhear the disgruntled pre-board folks, who insisted WN should have "made us get off the plane."
So, I'm wondering what, if anything the OPS agent did wrong. Do wheelchairs board first? And, was he required to let folks board 'first come, first served"?
IMO, the preboarders truly believed their "disability" (pins in their knee) trumped everyone else's disability, though none of us took a survey on our health.
(1) Is it WN that sets policy on HOW the law is applied?
(2) Is WN tasked with reporting their pre-board policy implementation with any one outside of WN?
Asking because of an experience last week.
Was once A+, but now I seldom fly. Was on a WN flight from MDW to LAS (home) There were 14 wheelchairs and 5 or 6 walk on pre-boarders (including me). At MDW, many gates clustered in one area, so limited seating space. Spouse asked OPS Agent where we should stand to wait, I am a walk on pre-board. He directed us to stand right there in front of his desk, as boarding was beginning in a few minutes.
This prompted yelling at us from several pre-boarders who shouted that they were there "first" and we were "cutting the line."
At that point, OPS Agent took our board passes and directed us to board.
When the others boarded, they continued to yell at us. We ignored them and looked at our shoes. Then, wheelchairs boarded next, and they were clearly irate, demanding to know WHY wheelchair pax weren't boarded FIRST.
Supervisor at gate called on plane and stayed on plane till everyone seated, and told Flight Attendant they were "documenting" this.
Then, during the flight, we continued to overhear the disgruntled pre-board folks, who insisted WN should have "made us get off the plane."
So, I'm wondering what, if anything the OPS agent did wrong. Do wheelchairs board first? And, was he required to let folks board 'first come, first served"?
IMO, the preboarders truly believed their "disability" (pins in their knee) trumped everyone else's disability, though none of us took a survey on our health.
I don't believe anything legally or in Southwest's policy requires any sort of order among the preboarding passengers.
I've frequently seen walk-on preboards boarded ahead of the wheel chairs, often when there are lots of un-assisted wheelchairs and no one available to help the OPS agent get them all down the jetway. As far as I know, this is left up to the discretion of the agent, and presumably is done to speed up boarding.
Sounds like, in your case, the agent should have done a better job of explaining this to the wheelchairs, and/or the wheelchairs didn't realize you were also preboards.
Or maybe they were just jerks.
You might want to let Southwest know about your experience, so that they can consider educating the OPS agent about better communication in these situations. For what it's worth.
Oct 30, 2018, 6:25 am
#49
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,246
Come back and let us know if you still feel the same way when you require a wheelchair. Aside from being illegal (or at the very least, against the regulations), your thought process is very ignorant and demeaning. That's not even including how long it would take to board if this was done. You'd have to use aisle chairs in some cases where they aren't needed if sitting at the front of the plane.
Oct 30, 2018, 11:40 am
#52
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAS
Posts: 1,323
Oct 30, 2018, 12:06 pm
#53
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,967
I'll attribute this to "differences in personal taste", but to me nothing would have indicated "no <fornications> given" to their over-reaction than to look straight at 'em as they're "yelling" at you.
Oct 30, 2018, 4:03 pm
#55
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,246
Who said it was a secret? "Southwest runs miracle flights" is flippant at best. Just because some people abuse the preboarding, doesn't mean those that need it should suffer. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is never the answer.
Oct 31, 2018, 5:59 am
#57
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Allen, TX (DAL)
Programs: Southwest Hilton Diamond
Posts: 97
Since ditching crappy AA and DFW last June and moving over to SW and DAL I have probably flown 40-50 SW flights to various locations, mostly BOS & DCA, I have seen various iterations of preboarding. I only care about one thing when boarding and that is to be able to get a aisle seat somewhere on the plane, don't care where, and on every flight that has been possible. Since every seat on the SW flight has virtually the same legroom as a Main Cabin Extra on AA I am happy with that. After 14 years of flying exclusively AA and getting screwed over far too many times there is virtually nothing SW has done in the last 15 months that can upset me. Never been late, never missed a connection, never an issue. I think the OP may be a bit spoiled by the quality service they get from SW........just sayin.......
Apr 30, 2019, 2:45 pm
#58
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Long Island
Programs: Southwest Airlines, Marriot
Posts: 235
Pre Board question
When over 50% of the plane is on the pre-board line, is it still called pre=boarding? You know the kids that just walked for hours
around Disney, but need extra time to get on the plane...and the women that ran from the restroom to make sure she does not miss the pre-board...
around Disney, but need extra time to get on the plane...and the women that ran from the restroom to make sure she does not miss the pre-board...