SW boarding?

[Tink-RN]

We are a family of 4 traveling with another family of 3 one of which uses a wheelchair. She stated that we ALL can board early due to her disability. I find this hard to believe. We have separate reservations and have no small kids. Can we really board early with them. She says she has done this before with her job and all 6 of their group boarded early!

 

[cmwade77]

I read their FAQ and unless she needs the help of one or more people, its just her, otherwise her and the number of people she needs to assist and the only way she gets to preboard is if she needs a particular seat, is stowing a mobility device or needs assistance to get down the aisle. I have to say that Southwest's boarding policy is not our thing, we would much rather have assigned seats ahead of time as it eliminates the issue of not being able to get the seat you want or need, but to each their own.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

From http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/faqs.html?topic=boarding_school

We realize that some Customers with disabilities require the assistance of the individuals they are traveling with, and we will allow a travel companion to act as an “attendant” and preboard with a Customer with a disability. In most cases, the Customer requires assistance from only one other person, and any additional family members or friends are asked to board with their assigned group. However, if a Customer needs assistance from more than one family member, then the Customer should be allowed the additional help
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(I bolded the key sentence above.)

Unless she genuinely needs assistance from both other members of her family AND from your family of 4, I would expect that Southwest will have you board at your assigned place in line.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Six people need to help one person board? No. Wouldn't you be embarassed to do this? If she did this before, it's an abuse of the medical pre-board system and shame on WN for allowing this.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We flew with extended family, including DMIL who was in a wheelchair. DH was allowed to wheel her onto the plane, while the rest of us joined them when it was our turn. Even tho my grand dtr and I planned to sit on the same row with DMIL. We did eventually join her and sat with her.

So no, I wouldn't plan on boarding with friends unless your boarding numbers were consecutive.

Slightly off-topic: DMIL was a large woman and she wore a billowing caftan on that flight, so the gate attendants were concerned about her needing to buy a second seat. grrr. Which is why we sat a skinny great-grand-kid next to her on the plane. And I sat with them to keep them both out of trubble. DMIL also had short-term memory loss and was known to get lost on her way back from the airplane bathroom. As we took off from Los Angeles out over the ocean on our return flight after a cruise, DMIL asked where we were going. That was our last family vacation together.

And that's probably more than you needed to know about our family flight.

 

[HayGan]

No you and your party can't board with the other group. The FAs might allow the 3rd member of their party to board with them but they typically only allow one member of the party to board with the individual in a wheelchair.

 

[codimouse]

It would depend I guess. We travel often with a wheelchair and via SW.
Most of the time only 1 parent (myself or hubby) and the child can preboard.

HOWEVER on 2 occasions (this past march and then a year ago) we've been asked how many were in our party and all of us (4-5 depending on trip) were allowed to preboard at the same time. We didnt ask for this but i am sure they saw us all together during our wait and probably thought we should all be together?

I do not know what factors were involved and I didnt ask as I am usually flustered during boarding making sure we all get on, remember bags, etc.