PRE BOARD NONSENSE

[Tazman136]

I recently flew SW and upgraded my flight to business select for my wife and me. I received A2 and A3. Keep in mind that the flight cost me extra money to upgrade. Well to my surprise, the boarding process began, and my wife and I looked at each other and could not believe how many people boarded before us. We were able to find empty seats in row 9. The system is broken, and they need to address the problem with the preboarding scam that is going on. After contacting SW customer service their answer was, "We are sorry for any inconvenience". However, they still gladly took my money. Now I see that their prices went up, so this means that everyone that flies SW now will have some condition to be able to get better seats and not pay the extra fees.

It doesn't take a college degree to correct the problem on hand. Just start charging for preboards or seat them between A and B group. This issue has been going on way to long and it is getting worse. Passengers found the flaw in SW boarding process.

[PDFelter]

so because my husband has a life long disability (Cerebral Palsy), you expect him to have to pay more to preboard?  You also got seats in row 9 which I think is a great selection as you are still in the front of the plane.  I've flown enough to know that there wouldn't have been 48 pre boarders ahead of you, or even that many on the plane already that would have moved to fill the front 8 rows.  

I'm also sure that you still made it to your destination and didn't take long to deplane.  I agree there are some preboarders that take advantage, but ultimately, you still had a seat on the plane to take you to your destination. The ones that take advantage of the system will have to live with their decisions and someday I pray they wake up and realize that isn't the right thing to do.  

[Tazman136]

Thank you for your reply,

and you have a legit reason for your husband, however  in the Ft lauder airport  passengers have been abusing the system. And the issue that I paid and extra $300.00 for both to seat in the first row is not reason to question that 48 passengers were allowed before us .

[Dfwguy]

I hope the rumors are true. Rumors that SW will be doing away with open seating and go to an assigned seating, boarding by row environment.  Open seating worked 30, 20, 10 years ago but not now. Not with all flights at 100% occupancy.   

[SoCalFlyer97]

I echo @PDFelter 

Also, some of Southwest's flights are through-flights making a stop but not terminating there. That means there may be additional passengers already on the plane continuing on when one boards. 

Keep in mind Southwest's pre-boarding policy follows federal law and needs to be available for passengers in need of the service at no additional charge. Southwest already boards those simply needing extra time to board in between the A and B groups.

Business Select also yields several other benefits on top of priority boarding. 

[kierants]

This is a fairly new issue that has crept into society. Our systems are built on the honor system. Today so many people have no honor and game any and all systems. They abuse return policy in commerce. Abuse car handicapped placards. A few years ago the cops did an enforcement at PAC Bell Park in SF and found much abuse of so called handicapped people. I have zero issue with legit pre board people but as a 30 year A list preferred/companion pass flyer it has gotten totally out of control the past few years. 
we saw this with emotional support dogs as well. These people are parasites.

[PriusOwner]

The world is full of takers, and unfortunately they will always be with us.  Somehow they find justification for their actions and are able to live with themselves.  

[StAugustine]

OK, but have you had problems with preboarders?

[Carolann]

I was recently on a flight that had 18 pre-boards in wheelchairs. They actually let up to five people board with the person in each wheelchair. I’ve never seen that many or as many people allowed to board with them, but as you may have guessed, it took quite a bit of time. It was also sort of miraculous that only about two of them ended up needing wheelchairs when we landed. I’m not being facetious, these were facts. I am not saying that people do not need pre-board. Some people do need to pre-board. At one time I used to pre-board when I had a blind husband and we flew with a guide dog. We needed the bulkhead so we could pre-board , however, we ended up having to pre-board after all the wheelchairs and occasionally A flight attendant would have to ask someone who had preboarded to move out of the bulkhead so that we could fit the dog in. So I do understand a legitimate need to pre-board however, I think we can all agree that there is rampant abuse in the generous pre-board policy that southwest is extending. Do I know what the answer is? No, I do not. But I would be really irritated if I paid an extra $300 and a third of the plane boarded before I did. The original poster is justified. If Southwest is going to charge exorbitant fees. They need to figure out how to get you on the plane In some kind of actual priority capacity. Or else, they shouldn’t be allowed to charge that. Also, of note, they just severely increased the early bird fee and the price to secure an A1 through 15 boarding spot a couple of days ago. So now they’re going to charge you even more yet they’ve mentioned no change in enforcement of sny policy to actually provide you with priority boarding. 

[dfwskier]

I think I might actually have a LEGAL solution to this situation.

Southwest starts charging extra for say the first 10 rows of the plane.

Then boarding order is:

 Preboarders who have paid to sit in the first 10 rows.

Followed by pre boarders who have not and are not allowed to sit in the first 10 rows.

Followed by A1-15 ,,  etc, etc, etc.