Pre Boarding
May 22, 23, 2:39 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,553
It's that long walk thing. I know plenty of folks who don't use wheelchairs at home but to get from the curb to the counter to a distant gate is a much longer distance than they walk on a regular basis. And the return with waiting at baggage claim and if it's international add all that walking/standing, I am not surprised at all by that figure.
You'll get old one day and maybe not be amazed at what older folks can and cannot do.
You'll get old one day and maybe not be amazed at what older folks can and cannot do.
May 22, 23, 3:42 am
#17
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,803
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.
May 24, 23, 12:13 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,803
May 24, 23, 12:20 pm
#21
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: DL MM Gold
Posts: 1,672
May 25, 23, 6:40 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Long Island
Programs: Southwest Airlines, Marriot
Posts: 226
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.
May 25, 23, 10:31 am
#24
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,803
Appreciate your good health, and remember: There but for the grace . . .
May 25, 23, 10:56 am
#25
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Central US
Programs: WN CP, HHonors, Hyatt Platinum, IHG Premier,LaQuinta Elite, Amtrak
Posts: 437
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.
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.
May 27, 23, 8:14 pm
#26
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,230
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:
That would be illegal.
This is the single dumbest thing SW does. Make them sit in the back and no one will preboard unless they absolutely need to. No other airline has 10 people in wheelchairs, 15 families, and and 5 random people with "medical issues" that get to board before everyone on every flight. A30 might as well be C at this point.
Board these people first if you must but put them in the last 10 rows.
Board these people first if you must but put them in the last 10 rows.
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:
- don't worry about everyone else and continue to fly WN
- Fly a different airline
- Get WN to change it's model and have assigned seating
- Get the laws changed
May 28, 23, 9:39 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,428
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.
May 28, 23, 2:52 pm
#28
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,553
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.
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.
May 28, 23, 3:00 pm
#29
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,760
May 28, 23, 5:43 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,230
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.
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
must provide a bulkhead seat or other seat that provides greater legroom than other seats, on the side of an aisle that better accommodates the individual's disability.
Pre-boarding is greatly appreciated by those that truly need it, on every airline, not just WN. At least in my experience.
