Southwest Airlines "Blue Sleeve"

[keishashadow]

Don't want the heat i'm afraid i'd get on Transportation board, so I asking here.

Last time we flew SW we had DSs doctor note, HC placard, TC. Desk agent just gave me a look & said to go the line when they start boarding A's.

He's not expected to be in a cast for upcoming trip & we probably won't be taking TC; yet he still has mobility issues, etc.

Not sure what a "blue sleeve" is, other than it's used for preboarding.

Q #1 - What do you need to obtain a blue sleeve? (should I get another note from his dr or just show "someone" the HC placard?)

Q #2 - Do i call SW after I checkin 24 hours prior & let them know? we did this once on AT & it resulted in not being able to select seats until we reached the airport and big fuss with WC even when we told them we had our own TC.

 

[tacomaranch]

I am sure SW will help you. I think they try do assist when they can.

 

[dawnball]

Not sure what a "blue sleeve" is, other than it's used for preboarding.

Q #1 - What do you need to obtain a blue sleeve? (should I get another note from his dr or just show "someone" the HC placard?)

Q #2 - Do i call SW after I checkin 24 hours prior & let them know? we did this once on AT & it resulted in not being able to select seats until we reached the airport and big fuss with WC even when we told them we had our own TC.

I'm not sure what a TC is, but I don't really need to know to answer your question either. Go to a gate agent (not the check-in desk) and say "I need a pre-boarding sleeve due to a disability/medical issue". They'll give you a blue sleeve that fits around your boarding passes and indicates to the agent loading the plane that you have been authorized to pre-board. You don't need a doctor's note or a placard. You may be asked some general questions, but in general blue sleeves are handed out fairly liberally.

If you need a wheelchair you can call anytime and have your ticket flagged as needing a wheelchair - I don't know how much more general their system flags are though. Anyone in a wheelchair or with another mobility assistance device doesn't technically need a preboard pass - you can just go to the gate when they call for medical preboards.

You can get a blue pre-board sleeve from any SWA gate agent at the airport. If they give you any trouble, you can find another gate agent or ask for a supervisor.

 

[ducklite]

With the new boarding rules I doubt that the entire party will be able to preboard, just the HC person and one other person to accompany them. I'd plan a contingency for that if it happens.

Anne

 

[Schmeck]

.

Q #2 - Do i call SW after I checkin 24 hours prior & let them know? we did this once on AT & it resulted in not being able to select seats until we reached the airport and big fuss with WC even when we told them we had our own TC.

Isn't SouthWest the airline that never has assigned seats? So you could never select them pre-boarding. If you need to have pre-selected seats, you might have to try another airline.

 

[dawnball]

With the new boarding rules I doubt that the entire party will be able to preboard, just the HC person and one other person to accompany them. I'd plan a contingency for that if it happens.

Even before the new boarding rule they usually just pre-boarded the HC persion. If you had a child/children young enough they would count as an unaccompanied minor those children could pre-board with you. If the HC person was a child/was not independant then they could have an adult board with them to help out. They don't want to leave anyone in an unsafe situation, but it's never really been whole-party HC preboard.

 

[Earstou]

A blue sleeve is a small pouch that you can slip your ticket into. It's shorter than your ticket, so your ticket sticks out one end of it (at least that's what it was last time I flew SW). I've been in some airports where they didn't have blue sleeves (and acted like they didn't know what they were). One time they just wrote on my ticket, another time they just told me to go to the pre-boarding area. I don't ask for a blue sleeve because of this, I just ask to pre-board due to a disability.
You request pre-boarding at the desk at your gate. You don't need to show them anything. They sometimes ask why you want to preboard, but that is all I've ever had happen. I don't use a wheelchair yet, so no experience flying with one, but I don't think you need to call ahead.

 

[KPeveler]

technically i dont think they can make you have a drs note. I just ask to preboard when i get to the gate. since i am so young and have my cane with me, they dont give me a hard time.

just to let you know, with the new preboarding rules, you will most likely only be able to board the person with the disability and one person to help.

 

[keishashadow]

Thanks for all the replies

TC = transport chair, lightweight & easily manuvered.

stupid final question, jik they do prohibit both parents from boarding (which i can certainly understand); can i elect to sit more toward the middle/back of the plane & "save" DH a seat...or would those seats be designated for B placeholders?

honestly, with the new system wherein line positions are designated - it should work out fine even without pre-boarding as long as we do call in early enough...my only problem is DH's confirmation # is on sep. res. from DS & mine (had to do with applying past credit value) assume it would keep us from getting consecutive numbers to wait in-line.

 

[dawnball]

Ah, ok - with a Transport chair you don't technically need a pre-board sleeve. You just go up when they call for medical pre-boards. There's usually a separate "hallway" labeled for pre-boards and they usually place parties with wheelchairs there.

The numbers that they assign within boarding groups are based on when you check in for your flight (starting 24 hrs before your flight leaves) not based on when you buy your ticket. So if you check in one itinerary and then the other your numbers should be very close to sequential even if they aren't sequential.

The only restrictions on where you can sit as a medical preboard is you can't sit in designated exit rows. The flight attendants usually stand by the exit rows to remind people.

On some aircraft the row in front of or behind the row with the emergency exits is also considered an emergency exit row. That's because if it became necessary to open the emergency exit and unfurl the slide - the seats in the emergency exit row would either be flipped back over the row behind or the seats immediately in front of the exit row would be folded forward. That provides a wider path so that people can get to the slide quickly.

If it's just the three of your traveling, I don't think it matters where you sit though (in terms of front or rear). It's very easy to save the third seat in a row. A fourth seat or getting 6 seats together is more difficult. I essentially always sit in the bulkhead with my DD and we usually manage to pick who we invite to sit with us.

 

[keishashadow]

thanks again!

 

[DIS-NH]

I recently received an e-mail from Southwest that details upcoming changes in thier boarding procedures. As of November 07, they will assign a number along with your "ABC" designation. You will no longer be required to stand in the ABC lines. They will call boarding by section. ie A1 - A15, A16 - A30, etc.

They did not detail any changes in the use of the blue sleeve, or pre-boarding.

 

[KPeveler]

there are changes in the pre boarding. medical preboards will go before everyone. family preboards will do AFTER the A group. Also they will begin limiting the family preboards to the child under the age of 4, and ONE parent/guardian, not a huge family of 12. Now, exceptions will always be made, but this is how i understand the changes to be made.