m907

Anecdotally, the people who request this are typically overweight. It seems to me less about being elderly and more about being out of shape. People who are elderly but in shape typically prefer to stay on their own two feet as long as possible.

Out of my Element

Not what I've noticed. Just older folks. Of all weights. But yeah, I can see someone who is overweight and perhaps has medical conditions have difficulty with the amount of walking required to transit many airports.

Blitzjb

They seem to magically get healed on the Pickleball Courts also.

Blitzjb

Maybe if the "overweight" people would walk, they can help their problem...

Out of my Element

Maybe. Or maybe it's a medical condition

I'm not sure of the goal of the last two posts . . .

TheRoadie

Just a classic judgy attitude, assuming the worst cause instead of giving fellow travelers the benefit of the doubt.

Blitzjb

You should be angry at the 99% of pre boarders that can run a marathon but need to pre board a plane? Have you never been on SWA "miracle flight"? The entire pre board process is the laughing stock of the airline industry and all of mankind.

smmrfld

Drama much?

Out of my Element

We get it, dude.

Appreciate your good health, and remember: There but for the grace . . .

screeton

I am very sympathetic to the needs of truly disabled or mobility impaired passengers, regardless of the cause. Their travel experience is often very challenging beyond what the rest of us regularly endure, and getting them on the plane first and in seats near the front (for convenience of all) is as it should be. The problem comes with those who seem to be gaming the system. Don't request a wheelchair at the flight origin, and then totally disregard the FA request to stay seated and wait for wheelchairs at the destination. I cannot count the times that the jetway been blocked for other passengers trying to make a tight connection, when a formerly wheelchair bound patient is determined with their multiple caregivers to walk off the plane rather than wait 5 minutes for a wheelchair. As they SLOWLY walk off, blocking the exit for all passengers behind them, the legitimacy of their "need" for preboarding gets called into question.

Family boarding is another issue... I very much understand the need of parents to sit with kids, especially smaller kids. However, in order to be assured of that arrangement, asking them to seat from the rear of the plane seems a reasonable accommodation. They frequently have a lot of carry-on luggage (within limits on the "person" count, but requiring the adult to juggle more bags plus kids) and not having to wait on that process during deplaning would be a benefit for other passengers.

justhere

Oh good, another preboard thread. Haven't seen one in a while.
That would be illegal.
Ever heard the saying "better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and leave no doubt"?
Oh the irony. Speaking of marginalized, you thinking that preboarding is a "benefit" for someone who is disabled.

You don't see this on other airlines because those airlines don't have open seating. You wouldn't see it on WN if they had assigned seats. WN has to comply with the applicable laws based on their model. So you have 4 choices:

1. don't worry about everyone else and continue to fly WN
2. Fly a different airline
3. Get WN to change it's model and have assigned seating
4. Get the laws changed

I understand people abuse the current procedure. Shame on them. But the fix isn't to make it harder for those that need it.

LegalTender

First-row seats with movable aisle armrests: 700s yes, 800s no. The mobility-impaired must love that.

AFAIK, Southwest is not compelled to reassign a seat taken by another passenger. Travelers with a fused or immobilized leg needing a seat which has more legroom can - pardon the snark - punt.

Pre-boarding is a gesture and a shrug.

m907

On a flight this week, the pre-boarders, most of whom were not very old but overweight and accompanied by able-bodied and younger family members, occupied the entirety of the first four rows.

There are always people with disabilities you can't see. But that doesn't constitute 100% of these situations. In an evacuation scenario, truly disabled people would be a risk to themselves and others being positioned nearest the front door.

smmrfld

I kinda think this has been studied and approved based on facts and experience rather than random online musings.

justhere

As far as fixed or moveable armrest, for many it makes no difference. But if it does, then they can choose the row behind.
As far as reassigning seats, I suppose that would really only be an issue with someone boarding a through flight. And if that someone has a fused or immobilized leg, 382.21(d) says the airline So presumably if someone without a disability is in that seat on a through flight, WN would move them, no?

Pre-boarding is greatly appreciated by those that truly need it, on every airline, not just WN. At least in my experience.