Pre-boarding Suggestion

[collegepartyboy]

if we can agree that  passengers with legitimate disabilities need additional time to get on the plane, then logic would suggest they need additonal time to de-plane. Then, allow all passengers who did not pre-board to de-plane first. That will allow them plenty of time to de-plane. You can't have it both ways. 

[DancingDavidE]

---

@collegepartyboy wrote:

if we can agree that  passengers with legitimate disabilities need additional time to get on the plane, then logic would suggest they need additonal time to de-plane. Then, allow all passengers who did not pre-board to de-plane first. That will allow them plenty of time to de-plane. You can't have it both ways. 

---

That would be tricky, some pre-boarding is due to needing a specific seat, for some the issue is time spent standing (no issue deplaning, everyone is out of there as if they are jet propelled), and some others need more time.

[dfwskier]

Since Southwest does not assign seats, I'm not sure it is possible to identify, at landing, who the pre boarders were. 

[collegepartyboy]

At a minimum, they could announce it when landing. Remind the passenger when they stop to get their Pre-Board document. Sure there would be a few who will de-plane. But I think mostly they will stay seated. Especially if the wheelchairs are not at the bottom of the ramp. 

[dfwskier]

---

@collegepartyboy wrote:

At a minimum, they could announce it when landing. Remind the passenger when they stop to get their Pre-Board document. Sure there would be a few who will de-plane. But I think mostly they will stay seated. Especially if the wheelchairs are not at the bottom of the ramp. 

---

You ever been on a late running flight with connecting passengers who were likey to miss connections unless they got off the plane first? The FA announces that there are connecting passengers that need to get off and asks everyone else to stay seated so that can happen.

Then what happens?

Why would this be any different?

[DancingDavidE]

---

@dfwskier wrote:

---

@collegepartyboy wrote:

At a minimum, they could announce it when landing. Remind the passenger when they stop to get their Pre-Board document. Sure there would be a few who will de-plane. But I think mostly they will stay seated. Especially if the wheelchairs are not at the bottom of the ramp. 

---

You ever been on a late running flight with connecting passengers who were likey to miss connections unless they got off the plane first? The FA announces that there are connecting passengers that need to get off and asks everyone else to stay seated so that can happen.

Then what happens?

Why would this be any different?

---

Closer to 0% than 100%! Although side note, when this works the connecting passenger needs to have started out not too far back, be traveling light, and anticipate the "ding!" by about half a second to race up the aisle.

It's like basketball, if you can establish position in the lane then everyone will have to adjust.

But if the connecting passenger is still sitting down when the bell chimes (as required), forget it.

[spacecoastbill]

---

@collegepartyboy wrote:

At a minimum, they could announce it when landing. Remind the passenger when they stop to get their Pre-Board document. Sure there would be a few who will de-plane. But I think mostly they will stay seated. Especially if the wheelchairs are not at the bottom of the ramp. 

---

When I had a knee problem and preboarded, I never got any document.  I just got on the line to preboard.

[TheMiddleSeat]

Because as @DancingDavidE mentioned, preboarding is not based on the person just needing more time, that's done between the A and B groups.

Here's the policy from southwest.com:

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.

--TheMiddleSeat

[spacecoastbill]

---

@collegepartyboy wrote:

if we can agree that  passengers with legitimate disabilities need additional time to get on the plane, then logic would suggest they need additonal time to de-plane. Then, allow all passengers who did not pre-board to de-plane first. That will allow them plenty of time to de-plane. You can't have it both ways. 

---

Actually, they can (and do) have it both ways.

We all know the miracle flights where people get healed in mid flight so they can jump up and grab their overhead bags and sprint through the airport.

But, as a matter of trying to keep the preboards onboard until others have left.... is just impossible.  

Other than not being able to identify who the ones are that preboarded..... just how are they going to keep them from getting up and leaving?

[Missing_Aria]

Okay, the young, disabled vet chick will bite:

As others have already mentioned, preboarding is for those who need specific seats.  For example, I might seem fine but trust me I need my girlfriend with me to help me get up after a long flight.  Extra legroom can really be a godsend too.  Not just for me but for the person who might have been in front of me who would have been kicked/shoves repeatedly by me trying desperately to stretch out my legs/arms w/e happens to be stiffening up.  Last time I flew SW I actually let self important  ****heads like you scare me into taking seats further back so as not to ruffle feathers.  I was in so much pain... I’ve never wished I could pop pills more in my life.  But noooo, I have to react badly to most medications on top of everything else.  But who cares?  That group A person with a chip on her shoulder (yes of course there was a specific “her”) got to sit in the front row.  Spoiler alert, she still didn’t shut the F up about “paying to sit first”.  

Now, in the specific needs I mentioned, neither of those things requires me to wait for you to get off first.  Sometimes I will, because each day is different, but normally the longer I’m sitting the worse it is.  I need to constantly rotate between sitting and walking usually and me waiting for y’all to figure your messes out doesn’t do me and my single purse carry on any good.  Now on other airlines I typically don’t bother preboarding, but then I’m usually paying for a zone that boards earlier anyway.  For me, the absolute most important thing is that I snag a seat with one of my travel companions (ie: my girlfriend) and if I can get the front row so I’m not in pain you can bet I’ll do that too.  Cause, unlike those of you who “paid more” and think it makes y’all judge and jury of everyone who boards before you, I can’t sit in an exit row to get that extra leg room.