Southwest Boarding Question

My son has a vision disability. We pre-board just because it's less confusing for him (let's face it, people can be a little crazy & pushy when it's boarding time). Pre-boarding with Southwest has gone very smoothly for us. We have never had to wait to exit the aircraft when preboarding.

I think waiting for everyone else to disembark is for passengers who require wheelchair assistance or cannot walk up the gateway on their own accord and require assistance from airport staff. If you require your stroller back sometimes it can take a while for them to unload it from gate-check so someone would need to wait at the end of the gateway until that is unloaded regardless of how quickly you deplane.
 
Bapster said:
My son has a vision disability. We pre-board just because it's less confusing for him (let's face it, people can be a little crazy & pushy when it's boarding time). Pre-boarding with Southwest has gone very smoothly for us. We have never had to wait to exit the aircraft when preboarding.

I think waiting for everyone else to disembark is for passengers who require wheelchair assistance or cannot walk up the gateway on their own accord and require assistance from airport staff. If you require your stroller back sometimes it can take a while for them to unload it from gate-check so someone would need to wait at the end of the gateway until that is unloaded regardless of how quickly you deplane.
Click to expand...
but aren't people just as pushy and crazy to get off the plane? At least in my experience they are. We tend to wait until the initial rush of people passes and then go. Its easier for our girls who may not walk as fast as people like.
 
Gracie09 said:
but aren't people just as pushy and crazy to get off the plane? At least in my experience they are. We tend to wait until the initial rush of people passes and then go. Its easier for our girls who may not walk as fast as people like.
Click to expand...

Agreed, they are. I guess we've never really been in a rush to deplane. We let the kids watch out the windows and generally take our time. And even with dilly-dallying, then stopping at the restroom, getting a drink, and taking our time we still end up waiting for baggage.

I probably should have said we aren't required to wait to deplane. It's not that we are in a rush, we just aren't required to wait until everyone else exits even though we pre-boarded.
 
Gracie09 said:
but aren't people just as pushy and crazy to get off the plane? At least in my experience they are. We tend to wait until the initial rush of people passes and then go. Its easier for our girls who may not walk as fast as people like.
Click to expand...
We haven't experienced pushiness and craziness during deplaning. Yes, People are ready to get off but people will allow others out in front of them and offer to grab bags out of the overhead bin if it is out of another's reach. We have not found it to be unruly or the like at all.
 


stitchlovestink said:
We haven't experienced pushiness and craziness during deplaning. Yes, People are ready to get off but people will allow others out in front of them and offer to grab bags out of the overhead bin if it is out of another's reach. We have not found it to be unruly or the like at all.
Click to expand...
My experience is the pushyness factor is about the same as boarding and deboarding a plane. The pp said she boarded early to avoid the pushyness of people boarding but then went on to say they never experienced a similar problem getting off the plane. It just didn't add up to me. You have the same number of people getting on and off the plane. Except that while boarding people are divided into boarding groups and every tries to get off the plane at the same time.
 
Gracie09 said:
My experience is the pushyness factor is about the same as boarding and deboarding a plane. The pp said she boarded early to avoid the pushyness of people boarding but then went on to say they never experienced a similar problem getting off the plane. It just didn't add up to me. You have the same number of people getting on and off the plane. Except that while boarding people are divided into boarding groups and every tries to get off the plane at the same time.
Click to expand...
But getting ON the plane, people are vying for seats together (and maybe a bunch of seats), they may want an isle seat. Or maybe they desperately want a window seat. People are competing for overhead bin space...
Yes, most people are happy and excited to get off, but short of making a connection, they aren't really competing for something the way they are when getting on... just my .02.
 
Gracie09 said:
My experience is the pushyness factor is about the same as boarding and deboarding a plane. The pp said she boarded early to avoid the pushyness of people boarding but then went on to say they never experienced a similar problem getting off the plane. It just didn't add up to me. You have the same number of people getting on and off the plane. Except that while boarding people are divided into boarding groups and every tries to get off the plane at the same time.
Click to expand...
As mentioned, especially on SW, people boarding are moving all over the plane. Some are trying to get by, some are trying to put their carryons in the overhead bin, etc. Every time we've gotten off a plane, it's been very organized. Row 1 exits, then row 2, then row 3, etc.
 


We've have flown Southwest almost exclusively for over a decade. We have never had an issue with boarding. It's very orderly. It's not like people are others people to the side or shoving past them in the aisle. There really isn't much room to move up and back or past other people.
 
mom2rtk said:
We've have flown Southwest almost exclusively for over a decade. We have never had an issue with boarding. It's very orderly. It's not like people are others people to the side or shoving past them in the aisle. There really isn't much room to move up and back or past other people.
Click to expand...

Actually I think SW is more orderly. You don't have all those people gathering in front of the podium waiting for their zone to be called and then pushing when it's called. When I used to fly a lot for work and had zone 1 and there would be a large family standing in front and when you looked over their shoulder they were zone 5! Get out of the way until your zone is called!
 
Personally the only time I have seen any real antsy-ness from people getting off the plane is when there are connections needed. I can understand that too if for whatever reason we left late and now that connection window is smaller. Even then though people are still not animals about it.

As for getting on the plane usually people are in a hurry so the plane can get off and running. They aren't usually animals either. Only time I've gotten annoyed is when someone is saving 4+ seats. It can make it difficult to find a spot since the planes are 3 by 3 rows so going over into another row can create a problem for other people trying to find a seat.

That being said SWA is my preferred airline.
 
Jylington said:
Flying SW to Disney. Whenever I've flown SW I printed boarding pass 24 hours in advance. Will I be able to print out a boarding pass at the resort for my return flight, or does Disney do that for you?
Click to expand...

Flying SWA, you can use RAC to check your luggage for your return flight they'll hand you a printed boarding pass. But it would be more convenient to use the SWA app, in which case you'd simply have a mobile boarding pass on your phone.
 
mom2rtk said:
We've have flown Southwest almost exclusively for over a decade. We have never had an issue with boarding. It's very orderly. It's not like people are others people to the side or shoving past them in the aisle. There really isn't much room to move up and back or past other people.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. If anything, people are vying for seats at the front of the plane. If you're in A or B group, all you need to do is walk to the back of the plane where no one wants to be. Until the C group boards, it's always spacious and empty back there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page


GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!


New DISboards Threads

jf256
Solo Trip - March (Easter 2024) - Allergies
Replies
0
Views
15
jf256
jf256
rideswithchrist
Any bloggers here?
Replies
0
Views
16
rideswithchrist
rideswithchrist
T
Dominica rsu08 questions
Replies
0
Views
19
TN_mom5
T
T
Rainbow at Aulani this morning
Replies
1
Views
22
Wesley815
W
katallo
Alamo Error Code
Replies
0
Views
24
katallo
katallo
FLCA026
Grad nite
Replies
0
Views
29
FLCA026
FLCA026
NEWS & UPDATES
CAR SERVICE
CAR RENTALS



Latest posts







facebook twitter
Top