Pre Board Questions

[CalSea12]

am hoping to get a little insight. We are flying SW bc they had the best prices this time around.

I am curious if anyone has ever qualified for pre boarding with my DD and my issues.

My DD7 is ASD1 (Autism spectrum level 1) and has sensory issues. She will have melt downs if she feels crowded or rushed. She is also specific on where she sits and needs her seat cleaned.

I have issues with blood clots in my legs and swelling. I am also highly claustrophobic and need to see the door so have to be semi up front.

Anyone have even a guess if we would possibly qualify? If they turn you down is it big deal

 

[mcall12]

am hoping to get a little insight. We are flying SW bc they had the best prices this time around.

I am curious if anyone has ever qualified for pre boarding with my DD and my issues.

My DD7 is ASD1 (Autism spectrum level 1) and has sensory issues. She will have melt downs if she feels crowded or rushed. She is also specific on where she sits and needs her seat cleaned.

I have issues with blood clots in my legs and swelling. I am also highly claustrophobic and need to see the door so have to be semi up front.

Anyone have even a guess if we would possibly qualify? If they turn you down is it big deal

I doubt you’d have a problem getting approved to pre board. At my airport (PHL) passengers need to approach the stands in the gate area (not necessarily the podium by the gate door but there are other manned southwest desks with gate agents in the area) and ask for the pre boarding document.

One thing to research for yourself though - if you need to be close to the front, make sure you’re on a flight that is originating from your departure airport if you can. If the plane is a connecting flight from a prior airport, the “through” passengers are allowed to move around before anyone new boards the plane. So you could be the 1st pre board and not find a seat far enough forward to suit your needs. YMMV as to whether their FAs would assist you in asking someone to move but they’re generally very hands off about that.

If another airline is similar in price, or close enough, it might be worth looking into one where you can pick your seat. Not that airlines don’t change out equipment from time to time, but I think my anxiety about not knowing until I was boarded that I can’t sit where I need to would be a concern for me if I were in your shoes. Good luck!

 

[DisneyOma]

Do you have to fly? It sounds stressful to all involved - meltdowns, blood clots, and severe claustrophobia are not things I'd want to deal with up in a plane, KWIM? You can't just pull over and take a break. When asking for preboarding, perhaps it would be best not to mention the medical issues that might cause them to have to divert and land someplace else?

 

[Silver saucer]

If you need a specific seat to make flying a bearable experience, absolutely choose an airline where you can pick your seat. Do NOT depend on being able to board early to make that happen if it's going to make a huge difference to you.
You never know who else on that flight will have the same seating requirements as you and will get to that seat or seating location you need before you.
Have an awesome trip!!!
I'm so envious you get to go!

 

[ajsamett]

You should be fine to get preboarding! I think you'll be fine getting what you need, just talk to the gate people

 

[SteveMouse]

Don’t expect to see the exit from your seat. depending on the particular plane, only row one, seats D, E, and maybe F can see the exit. If the plane has a low bulkhead in front of A,B, and C, you should also be able to see the exit.

 

[AprilsZoo]

When you “identify” to the gate agent that you need preboarding, you don’t need to go into detail about why… just very general terms of stating you require pre-boarding due to disability. They might ask whether you need assistance in boarding, such as an aisle chair, but usually go on the assumption that you’ll ask for any add’l assistance if you need any.

I admit, I haven’t flown on Southwest often, and only a couple times since I’ve been disabled and it was quite a long while ago— so ymmv. Every other airline I’ve been on, it hasn’t been anything to stress over.

Have a good trip.

 

[Simba's Mom]

am hoping to get a little insight. We are flying SW bc they had the best prices this time around.

I am curious if anyone has ever qualified for pre boarding with my DD and my issues.

My DD7 is ASD1 (Autism spectrum level 1) and has sensory issues. She will have melt downs if she feels crowded or rushed. She is also specific on where she sits and needs her seat cleaned.

I have issues with blood clots in my legs and swelling. I am also highly claustrophobic and need to see the door so have to be semi up front.

Anyone have even a guess if we would possibly qualify? If they turn you down is it big deal

I've flown SW a lot, and always preboard. I've had some great conversations in the preboard area. Although my disability is obvious since I use a wheelchair, carry a cane, and have orthotics (braces) on my leg, I've met several people preboarding for reasons similar to what you describe. I haven't heard of SW ever telling someone they couldn't preboard, and I'd be shocked if they did. The only thing I've heard from people boarding for emotional concerns is that sometimes they wish they could get a wheelchair or at least a cane-then maybe they wouldn't get so many dirty looks from other passengers! But SW is usually great!

 

[MinnieMSue]

No issue with you being able to preboard but they board wheelchairs and a family member first and they usually take the first rows. They board walking preboards after the wheelchairs. We just flew and on the first flight no wheelchairs boarded. On the return flight many did. They took up the first several rows and saved some seats to boot. You will definitely not be guaranteed a front seat but you may be able to get one. I would have a plan on the off chance you can’t sit where you want.

 

[dawnball]

Anyone have even a guess if we would possibly qualify? If they turn you down is it big deal

There are two questions southwest agents are supposed to ask 1) do you need assistance boarding the aircraft? and/or 2) do you have a specific seating need to accommodate your disability?

They might ask other, clarifying questions, but those are the qualifications for preboarding. Typically each preboarder is allowed one companion to assist them, but reasonable exceptions are made for small children traveling without other adults.

Pre-covid southwest is very reasonable, even generous with their preboard policy. Heck, I've seen a guy preboard by chatting up someone who had a preboard sleeve and no plus 1. He offered to push her wheelchair down the ramp, help her manage her bag and get settled and just strolled right into a prime seat.

If you particularly need to sit in a very specific seat or set of seats ( row 1-4 on the aisle in the left side of the plane, for example) I'd encourage you to chat with the agent at the gate after you speak with a gate agent at the podium. Get your preboard pass at the podium. When someone comes to the actual gate, just say "I'm preboarding in this flight, I know folks in wheelchairs need to go first and there might be through passengers, but if it's possible, I'll do better in seats like..." They have some flexibility in seating preboarders or asking through passengers to move.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

am hoping to get a little insight. We are flying SW bc they had the best prices this time around.

I am curious if anyone has ever qualified for pre boarding with my DD and my issues.

My DD7 is ASD1 (Autism spectrum level 1) and has sensory issues. She will have melt downs if she feels crowded or rushed. She is also specific on where she sits and needs her seat cleaned.

I have issues with blood clots in my legs and swelling. I am also highly claustrophobic and need to see the door so have to be semi up front.

Anyone have even a guess if we would possibly qualify? If they turn you down is it big deal

granted it has been years but with SW none of my preboard flight could you see door from second or 3rd row as wheelchairs will be boarded before you as you are able to walk. I am not sure you could even see door from first row. if you could see door from your seats people boarding after you could cut very close to you as nothing to stop them. also remember your daughter could feel crowded as everyone rushes past you in the front of plane. also if you sit in aisle and middle seats someone could push past you to sit in window seat. or someone will most likely take the aisle if you sit in middle or window. could sit in middle if you leave that open

 

[anonymousegirl]

I disagree with those that recommend changing to an airline that allows assigned seating. I used to be in the travel industry and saw first hand how many times people lost their pre-assigned (and sometimes paid for) seating because of an equipment change. I have to fly to Ecuador next month and just discovered their was a plane swap and they re-assigned everyone, and now my husband is a row ahead of me and we are both sitting next to strangers.

I pre-board on Southwest often. I have a medical need but not a mobility issue. I usually leave the first three rows open and take a seat in row four. I can usually see the door from my window seat if I stretch a little.

I don't think you will have a problem.

A word of warning--remember that the first row is not allowed to have anything out during take off and landing. No purse, laptop, etc. Nothing like that in your lap or on the floor. All your carry on items have to go in the overhead bin and that bin is smaller than the others. So, if you chose the first row, get all your bags and purses in the overhead right away, or the FA may take your item and stick it in an overhead bin behind you (which is a pain to get during deplaning).

 

[DisneyOma]

Does front row even have a tray table?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Does front row even have a tray table?

It's usually folded into the arm rest

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Know OP that the front row cannot have under the seat bags, sometimes people don't realize that. Your personal item IF you get front row will need to be stored overhead. If that make a difference in wanting that row just know that, some people need immediate access to their personal bag so that can make a difference.

SWA tends to be forgiving on their pre-board policy but those with pre-board are supposed to wait until everyone gets off the plane first before leaving although that does not always happen. If your daughter feels crowded or rushed she may experience issues with that because often people do want to get off the plane quickly. You'll want to talk with the gate agent about ensuring you are on the window and middle seat so as not to block someone who needs to get out. It will get crowded/rushed if say someone is on the window seat needing to get out. On the downside this would also potentially make it harder to get out to walk about if you need to with your blood clot issues.

I think a challenge will be seeing the door, that's going to be pretty hard.

Most of what SWA flies is also older planes that are smaller. The MAX 8 planes have more over your head space and the overhead bin space doesn't extend all the way to the aisle seat. The older planes will feel smaller more closed in. I'm 5 ft 3 and on the older planes I can basically stand almost straight but not quite under the overhead bin space with my head just touching. The MAX 8 are roomier in that respect.

You won't be able to get an exit row with your daughter although from the sounds of it not sure that would be what you'd want anyways.

 

[DisneyOma]

SWA tends to be forgiving on their pre-board policy but those with pre-board are supposed to wait until everyone gets off the plane first before leaving although that does not always happen. If your daughter feels crowded or rushed she may experience issues with that because often people do want to get off the plane quickly. You'll want to talk with the gate agent about ensuring you are on the window and middle seat so as not to block someone who needs to get out.

Why wouldn't the people in the front row get off before the people behind them? I know everyone tends to get up and stand in the aisle as soon as the plane gets to the gate, but people up front have always gotten off before anyone else, unless they need assistance. Then they wait until the plane has emptied. No need for the OP to wait for assistance, it seems, so of course they can get right off as soon as they get their carry-ons.

That might be the hardest part - getting to carry-ons when everyone is crowding to get off the plane. I hate that part, and wish they would make people stay in their seats and "dismiss" the plane row by row, just like they do for boarding.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Why wouldn't the people in the front row get off before the people behind them? I know everyone tends to get up and stand in the aisle as soon as the plane gets to the gate, but people up front have always gotten off before anyone else, unless they need assistance. Then they wait until the plane has emptied. No need for the OP to wait for assistance, it seems, so of course they can get right off as soon as they get their carry-ons.

That might be the hardest part - getting to carry-ons when everyone is crowding to get off the plane. I hate that part, and wish they would make people stay in their seats and "dismiss" the plane row by row, just like they do for boarding.

If you're pre-board, which is specifically what I said, you board before and are intended to stay in your seat and get off after others have de-boarded. In practice this greatly varies. Unfortunately sometimes you have people with mobility issues getting off the plane first which only clogs the jetway especially if there's wheelchairs lining it (which that is on SWA for doing that). It's irrelevant to the OP's situation because I do not in any way think they are fudging details but having pre-boards wait to get off the plane also helps reduce the so-called "miracle" passengers.

As for your last comment that is precisely why you would want to wait until everyone had deboarded. As for SWA they do not Board row by row, SWA operates a Boarding position policy but is open seating once on the plane. In practice most everyone follows the row by row when deboarding. If people wait too long to get to overhead bin stuff it slows down the deboarding and let me tell you at 2am when everyone is tired the entire plane has a collective annoyance as those who do not get into the overhead bin space quickly enough, no one is intending to crowd people but there is a point to ensuring you can get your overhead bin bags reasonably quickly.

 

[Lilsia]

I always fly SWA and am pretty familiar with their planes. I totally get the claustrophobia since I have that issue as well. But on most of their planes, you won't see the door no matter where your seat is. I don't think that you will have issues pre boarding with your child's issues. Just explain to them that she needs to stay away from crowds and needs to settle in and clean her seat. You might get the very first row, depending on how many wheelchair passengers their are, since they get that priority. Plus in the front row, all of your bags need to be put up in the bin during take off and landing. There is no under the seat space.

 

[Lilsia]

Unfortunately sometimes you have people with mobility issues getting off the plane first which only clogs the jetway especially if there's wheelchairs lining it (which that is on SWA for doing that).

I saw this very thing last month. They usually make the announcement for those in wheelchairs to wait until everyone gets off of the plane, but this couple slowly made their way off but the wheelchairs where not there yet and they had a miserable wait. Not only was it bad for them, but they stopped right as they got off of the plane and essentially blocked everyone else from getting off until the flight attendant had to ask them to try to move to the side. It was obvious that the elderly lady really struggled to walk and I felt bad for her, but they most definitely should have listened to the flight attendant and waited.

 

[DisneyOma]

If you're pre-board, which is specifically what I said, you board before and are intended to stay in your seat and get off after others have de-boarded. In practice this greatly varies. Unfortunately sometimes you have people with mobility issues getting off the plane first which only clogs the jetway especially if there's wheelchairs lining it (which that is on SWA for doing that). It's irrelevant to the OP's situation because I do not in any way think they are fudging details but having pre-boards wait to get off the plane also helps reduce the so-called "miracle" passengers.

As for your last comment that is precisely why you would want to wait until everyone had deboarded. As for SWA they do not Board row by row, SWA operates a Boarding position policy but is open seating once on the plane. In practice most everyone follows the row by row when deboarding. If people wait too long to get to overhead bin stuff it slows down the deboarding and let me tell you at 2am when everyone is tired the entire plane has a collective annoyance as those who do not get into the overhead bin space quickly enough, no one is intending to crowd people but there is a point to ensuring you can get your overhead bin bags reasonably quickly.

I thought the OP didn't have mobility issues - they needed preboard for another reason. I get having the people who need the aisle wheelchair and/or a wheelchair for the airport waiting for the way to be clear, but not someone who needs it for a child with autism, for example. Expecting that person, sitting in one of the first rows, to wait (while getting bumped by people coming by) is ludicrous, IMO. Is that really a SWA policy?