Disabled man forced to pre-board WN, wife not allowed to accompany
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
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Disabled man forced to pre-board WN, wife not allowed to accompany
Something sounds off to me here..
Disabled man forced to pre-board Reagan Southwest flight alone, separated from wife battling cancer - Story | WTTG
Disabled man forced to pre-board Reagan Southwest flight alone, separated from wife battling cancer - Story | WTTG
#2
Join Date: May 2016
Location: ATL
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Obviously something happened here, and my heart goes out to the couple who experienced this.
Complete speculation on my part, but do folks know what the procedure is if someone tries to pre-board without having the pre-board authorization on their boarding pass? I wonder if the couple didn't know that they had to ask for it, and when trying to pre-board, the man with the more easily seeable disability was allowed to pre-board, but they didn't allow someone to accompany him? (That still doesn't make much sense to me though).
Complete speculation on my part, but do folks know what the procedure is if someone tries to pre-board without having the pre-board authorization on their boarding pass? I wonder if the couple didn't know that they had to ask for it, and when trying to pre-board, the man with the more easily seeable disability was allowed to pre-board, but they didn't allow someone to accompany him? (That still doesn't make much sense to me though).
#4
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Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
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i would agree. There is more to this story.
And, in the end, they both left on the same flight and got to meet their granddaughter.
I find it a bit shameful that the media opted to make this a story as if someone was denied boarding, or a flight, or unable to meet family. Then they used TSA scanning while talking about boarding pass scanning.
Yes, I feel for the folks getting dealt a bad hand here - if that is what truly happened.
Damned media.
And, in the end, they both left on the same flight and got to meet their granddaughter.
I find it a bit shameful that the media opted to make this a story as if someone was denied boarding, or a flight, or unable to meet family. Then they used TSA scanning while talking about boarding pass scanning.
Yes, I feel for the folks getting dealt a bad hand here - if that is what truly happened.
Damned media.
#6
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,512
Not unusual for a station to have no B-roll of WN gate scanners. Permission to enter the concourse is mazy and using another airline's gate as a generic would be malicious.
#7
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sydney Australia
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Obviously something happened here, and my heart goes out to the couple who experienced this.
Complete speculation on my part, but do folks know what the procedure is if someone tries to pre-board without having the pre-board authorization on their boarding pass? I wonder if the couple didn't know that they had to ask for it, and when trying to pre-board, the man with the more easily seeable disability was allowed to pre-board, but they didn't allow someone to accompany him? (That still doesn't make much sense to me though).
Complete speculation on my part, but do folks know what the procedure is if someone tries to pre-board without having the pre-board authorization on their boarding pass? I wonder if the couple didn't know that they had to ask for it, and when trying to pre-board, the man with the more easily seeable disability was allowed to pre-board, but they didn't allow someone to accompany him? (That still doesn't make much sense to me though).
#9
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#10
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#11
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Similar to pets that are not medically necessary - mentioned with fear that will start another long debate - LOL!
Of course, none of those people can sit in exit rows. SW makes them sit up front. They can not just go picking seats.
The family thing is a bit crazy as well meaning all those folks basically get B1 boarding, without paying extra for it.
Still - no reason for us to avoid SW. I still like flying with them.
#12
Join Date: Dec 2010
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I think Southwest Airlines should be canonized by the Pope....they perform thousands of miracles everyday on their flights. I see entire plane loads of pre-board wheelchair pax suddenly jump up and walk off the aircraft upon arrival. Its amazing how well WN FAs can make people walk perfectly fine after each flight! They should be called St. Southwest!
#13
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I think Southwest Airlines should be canonized by the Pope....they perform thousands of miracles everyday on their flights. I see entire plane loads of pre-board wheelchair pax suddenly jump up and walk off the aircraft upon arrival. Its amazing how well WN FAs can make people walk perfectly fine after each flight! They should be called St. Southwest!
It is very, very true.
#14
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 94
I always wonder how these things get to the news. It sounds like there was a misunderstanding somewhere, maybe human error but my goodness, there was no trauma or suffering until the parties involved overreact and make it bigger than it was. Do they call the news and say “southwest wouldn’t let us board together!’l and the news actually runs with it?? Mind boggling.
#15
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,512
It's not "mind boggling" that a station would do a feature on a medically-challenged couple running up against an autocrat.
USAToday
"Our people are well versed in our published preboarding policies, and they work hard to enforce the integrity of those procedures specifically designed to ensure care and attention to unique travel needs of customers with disabilities. We’ve reached back to this customer to learn more about his concerns and experience. If there were any missed opportunities, we’d have those conversations internally."