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Re: Pre-Boarding Abuse bad for All

MrsKaupp
Explorer C

Just a special note to people who believe disabilities only pertain to mobility....

 

My daughter is 17, she flies to Atlanta and back to California at least once per month, and she preboards due to very low vision. She was born with a rare genetic eye disorder. She wears colored contacts to filter the light going into her eye as she has no irises. It takes her time to find a seat, and to make sure that she isn’t in an emergency exit seat, not to mention the brightness of the lights makes it even harder to see. Although she doesn’t wear glasses, that doesn’t make her disability non-existent. She’s not abusing anything. 

 

Disabilities come in in all types and sizes, just because you can’t see it, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist!!!

 

The people at southwest make her life a little easier and to a mother who has struggled with a special needs child, that is appreciated. 

 

Open your heart and accept that you may be wrong about some situations that are not visible. Be positive. There are a few out there who do abuse the situation, but don’t judge everyone on an even platform.

Re: Pre-Boarding Abuse bad for All

Flyingforfun
Explorer A

"You really should have preboarders board at the back of the plane . It would end abuse immediately . SW just continues this ridiculous policy endlessly and. It is now a huge abuse and has created regular frustration for the rest of us - particularly the frequent traveler who sees the growing abuse and has no way to sit up front ever anymore even with a high A boarding number . It’s just completely unfair . "

 

Preboarders at the back of the plane? Really?  What about people like me in wheelchairs who cannot walk to the back of the plane. The cabin crew and gate crew would have to transfer me from a regular wheelchair at the base of the jetway, in front of the aircraft door, to a aisle wheelchair and wheel me down to the back of the plane. Then every time I have to use the bathroom, the aisle chair comes out to transport me to the lav.  How much time would that consume and how long would it take to board the entire aircraft?  You should be grateful you are ambulatory enough to still walk.  I would love to not have had an accident that ripped my foot off my leg literally and made me reliant upon a wheelchair for distances greater than a few yards, and a walker for everything else. A walker that cannot fit down the aisle of an aircraft.  Yes, there are people who abuse. Yes there are people who are not even preboarders who get an A seat and then save seats for all their friends in the C boarding group.  For you to assert however that all preboarders should be rounded up and placed in the back of the aircraft is absurd.  "It isn't fair." Well life was not fair when I was injured through no fault of my own, but I don't ever whine about it.


 

Re: Pre-Boarding Abuse bad for All

Middleseat
Explorer C

Only flew Southwest twice, but I think I got some of you veterans beat:  Flight 1872, March 13, LGA to ATL, there were 15 people in wheelchairs!

 

The queen of the contest was a relatively slim, 20ish girl, wearing a Kappa Delta pullover.  She had a "therapy" yorkshire terrier, a full sized carry on and a cute little thing which went over her knee to show how crippled she was.   During the flight, she was always going up into overhead storage for something.  As the plane began to disembark, she sprang from her seat, hoisted her dog in her left hand and smoothly pulled her carry on out of overhead with her right hand, effortlessly balancing it on her shoulder as she then pulled out her jacket from overhead.  It impressed me so much that I even called out to her, saying how pleased I was that she made such a wonderful recovery during the flight:  She didn't answer.  Gooooooo Kappa Delta!

Re: Pre-Boarding Abuse bad for All

Bbkingml
Explorer C

Hi.

I am 25, look 100% physically capable, and maybe appear  even more able bodied than you do. However, I am extremely ill. I’ve had people like you approach me to accuse me of cheating the system, and although I don’t owe you any explanation, all I have to do is hold up my heart rate monitor showing my resting heart rate of 230 while I’m standing, and people leave me alone. And my heart rate is the least of my issues. Please consider the fact that many people have very serious, yet invisible, disabilities. 

Re: Pre-Boarding Abuse bad for All

dfwskier
Aviator A
Solution

@Bbkingml wrote:

Hi.

I am 25, look 100% physically capable, and maybe appear  even more able bodied than you do. However, I am extremely ill. I’ve had people like you approach me to accuse me of cheating the system, and although I don’t owe you any explanation, all I have to do is hold up my heart rate monitor showing my resting heart rate of 230 while I’m standing, and people leave me alone. And my heart rate is the least of my issues. Please consider the fact that many people have very serious, yet invisible, disabilities. 


Hello. Sorry to hear of your problem. Yes, you are right on several points. (1) People can have real issues that are not evident. (2) It is nobody's business what your issue is. (3) You should NOT have to defend yourself.

 

Just accept that there are malcontents out there, and calmly go about your business. You don't need aggravation driving your heart rate even higher. 

Re: Pre-Boarding Abuse bad for All

Bond007
Adventurer C

Hi I am just updating Southwest Airlines about the continuing joy of watching perfectly healthy  people with C numbered boarding passes taking the first 5 rows of the plane . I just boarded as A-2 on a flight from Las Vegas to Seattle .  I am the 21st person to board .  It s pretty unbelievable right? And even better, my last flight had 12 preboards and 2 women that saved an entire row each ... for their family members who were C tickets .  It continues to be an awesome system where you pay a lot more money to board early to sit in the front but you can’t because people no longer care at all about grabbing the consideration created for a truly disabled person for themselves .   Who are these terrible people?? 

Re: Pre-Boarding Abuse bad for All

spacecoastbill
Frequent Flyer B

Who cares what they want to save?  Just sit there.