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Judging Preboarders

SB
Explorer C

I’ve been reading some of the posts on ore-boarding. I’m 59 and have had 7 surgeries, one a three level cervical fusion, one lower back laminectomy, assorted others. I also have SEVERE asthma, have injections for pain every 3 months and infusion therapy for asthma monthly, for life.  Surprise! I don’t look like there’s a thing “wrong,” I’m not elderly, and I can walk short distances. What is up with people who think they can see and judge all people with pre-board needs? Especially the writer who says all should be elderly, or have visible cancer. Since when is cancer visible - is she referring to loss of hair? Let me introduce her to some gang members who regularly shave their heads to pass hair drug tests.

What an idiot. May she never have need for any special pre-board advantages. Truly an idiot. 

9 REPLIES 9

Re: Judging Preboarders

Passenger1C
Aviator C

I know it’s a tough and difficult situation when one feels like they being judged. Not to mention the added stress of being in a crowded gate area looking to board. Luckily SWA has policies in place for special accommodations/needs like yours. Since you provided all the necessary and required documentation to SWA to gain pre-boarding privileges, keep in mind that you are doing the best thing for you. After you board, the attention of the passengers waiting to board will be redirected. 

 

Happy Traveling! 


SWA Passenger, Community Champion

Re: Judging Preboarders

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@Passenger1C wrote:

I know it’s a tough and difficult situation when one feels like they being judged. Not to mention the added stress of being in a crowded gate area looking to board. Luckily SWA has policies in place for special accommodations/needs like yours. Since you provided all the necessary and required documentation to SWA to gain pre-boarding privileges, keep in mind that you are doing the best thing for you. After you board, the attention of the passengers waiting to board will be redirected. 

 

Happy Traveling! 


 

There's no such thing as "the necessary and required documentation."

 

Do passengers with disabilities get to preboard?

Preboarding is available for Customers who have a specific seating need to accommodate their disability and/or need assistance in boarding the aircraft or stowing an assistive device. If a Customer with a disability simply needs a little extra time to board, we will permit the Customer to board before Family Boarding, between the “A” and “B” groups. Those Customers who need extra time to board will receive a new boarding pass with an extra time designation. The designation serves as notification to our Operations (boarding) Agent that the Customer should be permitted to board before Family Boarding.

 

We will allow one 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.

 

Customers should request preboarding from our Customer Service Agent at the ticket counter or departure gate. Our Agents are trained to ask factfinding questions to determine if the Customer meets the qualifications described above. Those Customers who qualify for preboarding will receive a new boarding pass with a preboarding designation. The designation serves as notification to our Operations (Boarding) Agent that the Customer should be permitted to preboard.

 

It's important to keep in mind that Customers who preboard may not occupy an exit seat.

 

Note: Customers who are preboarding because of a need for a specific seat onboard the aircraft should speak with the Operations (Boarding) Agent prior to the start of preboarding to alert the Agent to the seating need.

 

Re: Judging Preboarders

Passenger1C
Aviator C

@chgoflyer You are absolutely right. Thank you for correcting the thread. 


SWA Passenger, Community Champion

Re: Judging Preboarders

Missing_Aria
Adventurer C

Unfortunately it's not just on SWA, people with disabilities are judged 24/7, especially if you "look healthy."  As a 32 year old with back and joint pain who needs a cane and unable to take pain meds on a daily basis I get it all the time.  People think if I freeze and gasp right in front of them on the stairs that I'm somehow doing it to spite them.  The "tsks" and exasperated grunts are almost a daily thing.  People muttering "why don't you just use the elevator" as they cut around me on the stairs at subway stations that don't even have an elevator.  I get stared at one second, then treated like I'm invisible the next.  I've been pointed and laughed at when I nearly fall and run into and shoved around on a weekly basis.  If I raise a complaint they're all too quick to grumble about my expecting 'special treatment'.  Yeah, because not wanting to be shoved as I exit a subway is 'special treatment.'

I'm going to be flying SWA for the first time in December BECAUSE their policy is so kind to those with disabilities.  It's a level of kindness I don't get in my day to day life.  Seeing people respond like preboarders are a personal attack against them is just more of what I see daily.  These are the people who, if left to their own devices, would act like I was invisible if they had a seat on a subway and I was standing with my cane in front of them.  People who try so hard to judge people's disabilities as "fake" are just looking for a reason to mentally justify being angry so they don't have to admit that they're being jerks.  

Re: Judging Preboarders

mattjoyce714
Explorer C

You absolutely deserve to pre board!

But more and more people are cheating. I am on a plane at the moment that had over 35 pre boarders. Statistically on flight of this size it is extremely improbable that percentage of passengers have true disabilities.

Flight isn't near full.

 

I think SW needs to ask for more proof of disability and a doctor's confirmation. Or require passengers with disabilities to sign a sworn statement.

 

It's out of control and I will be flying a diifernt airline from now on even though I enjoyed everything else about SW Airlines.

 

Is SW keeping stats on the crazy increase in preboarders and how it destroys the value of being a loyal customer?

 

Is SW corporate leadership addressing what has become a major issue?

 

Re: Judging Preboarders

chgoflyer
Aviator A

35 preboarders?! I fly frequently and have never seen anything like that. What cities? What's the flight number?

Re: Judging Preboarders

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@chgoflyer wrote:

35 preboarders?! I fly frequently and have never seen anything like that. What cities? What's the flight number?


Whoa! @mattjoyce714 did you mean 12 preboarders, and each had two companions with them? Or literally 35 wheelchairs or equivalent...

 

I don't want to point any particular routes out, but Orlando for instance might be a destination where people of all different mobility levels are heading for vacation, family, snowbirding. 

 

I still don't know if I've ever seen more than about ten preboarders, although I'm not usually paying that much attention and seem to be less concerned about the issue than many others on the community. But they might have one or two (or more) people traveling with each of them that also board at the same time.

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Judging Preboarders

mattjoyce714
Explorer C

RSW to MDW.  June 27th, 2018.

Line of preboarders went on and on.

Re: Judging Preboarders

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@mattjoyce714 wrote:

RSW to MDW.  June 27th, 2018.

Line of preboarders went on and on.


Florida routes definitely have potential for a few extra preboarding flyers, although I haven't ever been to RSW myself, I've always used TPA to reach a destination that is about halfway between the two airports.

 

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.