SWA rumor of new Accessibility boarding

[Deb1993]

Yikes, row 9?! I fly to MCO about once a month - DH has work there so I tag along, and we’ve always been Business Select. Even with preboarders to and from MCO, I’ve never been farther back than row three or four. Nine sounds crazy to me (and I wouldn’t be very happy that I’d paid extra for the A1-A-15)!

The pre-boarders took one seat in (aisle) in all of the rows. I like to sit in front of the wing and as near to front of the plane as possible so I know we were in row 9 because at that point my anxiety was really high.

 

[eticketplease]

Oh the poor kid. DD just turned 4 so I still put an overnight pull up on her when flying just in case. She does not like being wet though.

We probably should have done that as well.

I'm still shocked they would not let a kid use the restroom. When DS says he has to go we GO as it is already past the holding point!!

 

[eticketplease]

Thank you for the encouragement. The airport/getting on the plane is always my biggest anxiety. We love SW, so I am really hoping when they go to assigned seating, we can still select the last few rows. We are flying with my dad (who had a stroke and is very unstable) and DD in 3 weeks, so this should be super fun

Keep us posted on any new rumors! Good luck with your flights!

Two for the price of one! Good luck!

 

[leebee]

The wording on SW's preboard policy is that it is for anyone who needs extra time boarding, assistance, or needs to sit in a specific seat on the plane. I know this, as I am one of the ones who needs a specific seat, although you'd not know it to look at me, or watch me when deplaning. I need an aisle seat on the port side of the plane. My right knee only bends about 60degrees (poor outcome for knee replacement surgery), so I really, really try to get that aisle seat so I don't have to force my knee into a painful, bent position for much of the flight. There's not a lot I can do during beverage service, and I try to shift when people are walking in the aisle. The best solution for me is to get bulkhead seating, but this is not always possible.

I don't have a good solution for SW. I kinda like keeping the open seating policy, but change pre-boarding to assisted boarding and do it right after the A group, before family boarding? I also like the idea of keeping family boarding in the back of the plane, just because it would be the easiest way to hold entire rows of seats open, as well as overhead bins, so families could be guaranteed of a better chance of sitting together. I don't know. Don't think there is a good way of doing any of this. It's either keep the current system, or get everyone to pay for all front row/aisle/window seats, I think.

 

[eticketplease]

The wording on SW's preboard policy is that it is for anyone who needs extra time boarding, assistance, or needs to sit in a specific seat on the plane. I know this, as I am one of the ones who needs a specific seat, although you'd not know it to look at me, or watch me when deplaning. I need an aisle seat on the port side of the plane. My right knee only bends about 60degrees (poor outcome for knee replacement surgery), so I really, really try to get that aisle seat so I don't have to force my knee into a painful, bent position for much of the flight. There's not a lot I can do during beverage service, and I try to shift when people are walking in the aisle. The best solution for me is to get bulkhead seating, but this is not always possible.

I don't have a good solution for SW. I kinda like keeping the open seating policy, but change pre-boarding to assisted boarding and do it right after the A group, before family boarding? I also like the idea of keeping family boarding in the back of the plane, just because it would be the easiest way to hold entire rows of seats open, as well as overhead bins, so families could be guaranteed of a better chance of sitting together. I don't know. Don't think there is a good way of doing any of this. It's either keep the current system, or get everyone to pay for all front row/aisle/window seats, I think.

Even with assigned seats I believe those with assistance will continue to board first.

It is a lot easier not to run over toes in the aisle with a wheelchair if they are not there in the first place

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

If there is less incentive to board early (assigned seats) then you will likely get fewer extra time pre-boarders. The difference between the number of people “needing assistance” on SW and a more traditional airline (eg. United) is pretty dramatic.

 

[MICKIMINI]

• Carriers must offer preboarding to passengers with disabilities who self-identify at the gate as needing additional time to board. In a March 2013 notice to airlines, carriers were advised by the DOT that preboarding means “before all other passengers, including first class passengers, elite-level passengers, members of the military, passengers with small children, etc.” § 382.93

 

[ShaneDJ]

• Carriers must offer preboarding to passengers with disabilities who self-identify at the gate as needing additional time to board. In a March 2013 notice to airlines, carriers were advised by the DOT that preboarding means “before all other passengers, including first class passengers, elite-level passengers, members of the military, passengers with small children, etc.” § 382.93

When seats are NOT preassigned (Southwest), this rule is abused.

When seats are preassigned (Delta), this rule works great.

 

[NightGuardianAngel]

.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Anybody who can walk off the plane unassisted do not need pre-boarding. Pre-boarding should only be for those who due to a legitimate disability require assistance with boarding and deplaning and should not be for those who are able-bodied that can board and deplane without assistance. If you are able bodied who is not legally blind and can walk independently without any mobility aids, or a white cane, or have no prosthetic limbs, or who does not need a service dog, then you can board along with your group during general boarding.

Wow, you must be a disability attorney to know so much about what it is like to be a disabled person. So, you can "see" that someone is blind in one eye but not the other or has a joint replaced or some other "invisible" disability? It sounds like you scrutinize each person boarding. Respectfully, you are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to judge the extent to which a disabled person is disabled. Be kind.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Preboarding is permitted for a number of medical reasons, not just mobility.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Twenty-two people preboarded our flight from Midway to MCO last week. Only six people pre-boarded our flight from MCO to MDW when we flew home.

 

[eticketplease]

Twenty-two people preboarded our flight from Midway to MCO last week. Only six people pre-boarded our flight from MCO to MDW when we flew home.

I’m not sure where you are going here.

Did the 22 people who flew down also board the same return flight? If so then yes that is sort of concerning but there are multiple days in a week and multiple flights in a day so you really can’t compare the two unless you saw those 22 people on both legs.

 

[eticketplease]

Wow, you must be a disability attorney to know so much about what it is like to be a disabled person. So, you can "see" that someone is blind in one eye but not the other or has a joint replaced or some other "invisible" disability? It sounds like you scrutinize each person boarding. Respectfully, you are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to judge the extent to which a disabled person is disabled. Be kind.

Very well put especially those last two words!!

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I’m not sure where you are going here.

Did the 22 people who flew down also board the same return flight? If so then yes that is sort of concerning but there are multiple days in a week and multiple flights in a day so you really can’t compare the two unless you saw those 22 people on both legs.

I think the point is that 22 people on a plane that fits 143/175 people (depending on the configuration) seems excessive when compared to the number of people that typically pre-board (using “extra time” boarding, not family boarding) on legacy carriers with assigned seats.

 

[eticketplease]

I think the point is that 22 people on a plane that fits 143/175 people (depending on the configuration) seems excessive when compared to the number of people that typically pre-board (using “extra time” boarding, not family boarding) on legacy carriers with assigned seats.

That might be the case but I’m under the assumption the PP was flying SW in both directions since they are flying to midway and noticed the difference in pre boarding from one city to another.

If they were flying SW (again my assumption) I just didn’t know what they were trying to point out as there are so many variables on each flight and the likelihood of the 22 that pre boarded on the one down and being on the exact same flight back would be rare. Perhaps if it was between 2 smaller locations it could happen but not seeing that happening between Chicago and Orlando.

 

[2010dvcfan]

If there is less incentive to board early (assigned seats) then you will likely get fewer extra time pre-boarders. The difference between the number of people “needing assistance” on SW and a more traditional airline (eg. United) is pretty dramatic.

I agree, I noticed dramatic fewer "needing assistance" on flights that have assigned seats then on SW that are trying to board early. Makes you wonder.....

 

[Mennamachine]

I agree, I noticed dramatic fewer "needing assistance" on flights that have assigned seats then on SW that are trying to board early. Makes you wonder.....

That could be because people are abusing the SW policy... or it could be that when people can select their seat, they don't need to board early to get a needed seat. My BFF has claustrophobia and planes can be bad for her. She needs to sit as far to the front as possible or she can end up having a severe anxiety attack (I spent the entire boarding time on our return from a work trip talking her 'off the ledge' because her seat was kind of far back and I couldn't just leave her in Hawaii when we lived in Louisiana). With SW, she used to buy the early bird checkin, which used to be enough. But lately you can be pretty far back in the A boarding group even with early bird, so she's started to buy business select. But why should she have to pay extra when it is a medical need, not a preference? She can afford just paying extra, but I wouldn't blame her for just using preboard.

All this to say, you will be happier if you just assume everyone using preboard has a valid reason to do so. (Honestly, this applies to any accomodation or benefit). It isn't any of our job to police these policies, and all we are doing is adding to our own stress and unhappiness by dwelling on it. Be glad if you don't need to preboard and remember that the whole plane will end up in the same place, no matter where your seat is.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

That could be because people are abusing the SW policy... or it could be that when people can select their seat, they don't need to board early to get a needed seat. My BFF has claustrophobia and planes can be bad for her. She needs to sit as far to the front as possible or she can end up having a severe anxiety attack (I spent the entire boarding time on our return from a work trip talking her 'off the ledge' because her seat was kind of far back and I couldn't just leave her in Hawaii when we lived in Louisiana). With SW, she used to buy the early bird checkin, which used to be enough. But lately you can be pretty far back in the A boarding group even with early bird, so she's started to buy business select. But why should she have to pay extra when it is a medical need, not a preference? She can afford just paying extra, but I wouldn't blame her for just using preboard.

All this to say, you will be happier if you just assume everyone using preboard has a valid reason to do so. (Honestly, this applies to any accomodation or benefit). It isn't any of our job to police these policies, and all we are doing is adding to our own stress and unhappiness by dwelling on it. Be glad if you don't need to preboard and remember that the whole plane will end up in the same place, no matter where your seat is.

When people self-certify it is between them and their conscience about what “qualifies” for extra time boarding. I’ll just say that my husband also gets panic attacks on planes and there is no way that I would ever book him on a SW flight because he needs extra legroom (at a minimum) AND has to be on the aisle. I guess I could claim that he needs one of the 2 bulkhead seats for him to be able to fly, but I wouldn’t take that chance with him. It’s not worth trying to save a few bucks to ultimately make his travel more stressful.

 

[eticketplease]

When people self-certify it is between them and their conscience about what “qualifies” for extra time boarding. I’ll just say that my husband also gets panic attacks on planes and there is no way that I would ever book him on a SW flight because he needs extra legroom (at a minimum) AND has to be on the aisle. I guess I could claim that he needs one of the 2 bulkhead seats for him to be able to fly, but I wouldn’t take that chance with him. It’s not worth trying to save a few bucks to ultimately make his travel more stressful.

I think part of the issue is "self-certify". I'm not saying those that haven't been certified by a doctor don't need it but there is certainly a share that take advantage of it for sure which in turns slows those of us who are medically certified down in the boarding process and that in turn slows down everyone.

I can't say one or another about self certifying your husband but if he "needs" extra leg room and to be on an aisle then I would agree SW is not for you.
My B and BIL are both 6'4" and board in the normal process and haven't complained too much about legroom but each individual is certainly different in their needs.

Just remember you could always fly station wagon ...