Pre-boarding

[chgoflyer]

As has been repeated many, many times -- Southwest cannot dictate which seats preboarders must use, as that would be a violation of the Air Carrier Access Act.

The only solution to the "problem" is assigned seating.

[hockeydiva]

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@chgoflyer wrote:

As has been repeated many, many times -- Southwest cannot dictate which seats preboarders must use, as that would be a violation of the Air Carrier Access Act.

The only solution to the "problem" is assigned seating.

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This is incorrect.

The ACAA states that disabled people cannot be forced "to sit in a particular seat on the basis of disability." The ACAA does NOT mention preboarding.

The solution is to allow disabled passengers who wish to avail themselves of the opportunity to pre-board to select from seats toward the back of the plane. Disabled passengers who do not wish to use pre-boarding may select any available seat when they board at their assigned boarding position. {Exit row can be restricted to those who can perform the required functions.]

Such a policy would comply with the ACAA and eliminate the incentive to pre-board by those who do not truly need it.

As far as those people who have commented that they (or their children) need a seat near the front to be near the lavatory, they would actually be better served by being near the back of the plane where there are two lavatories, and passengers can line up to wait when those are both full. If the front lavatory is in use, a passenger cannot stand in the aisle to wait for it. 

[Kedojo]

Interestingly if these same people buy a ticket on another airline with assigned seating, they are not allowed to pre-board. It’s not a legal issue. It’s a poor practice by Southwest. 

[tommyo]

love this , preboard first- no one is in your way, sit in back- same seat as in front, unload last- again no one in your way. 2 restrooms in back- 2 attendants in back- more than enough for all of you, actually its much better than being in the front.

perfect solution

[Kedojo]

Yes, then the people that have paid to board first can do so instead of after a preboard fraternity group of 12 at Panama City Beach airport at the end of spring break that just happened to all have same allergy. Then bragged our loud how they got the best seats. 

 Ridiculous!

[Saunderslaura13]

Just to add to the thread. We too have seeabuse often. Most recent was a pre-board passenger who boarded and exited on a wheel chair. Once off she discovered she had left something and literally got up out of the wheelchair and RAN back to the plane. I like the recommendations to be seated towards the back unless for a true disability where it's a need to have the extra leg room of the front. 

Another time for a family trip we noticed a family board in C. They may not have been aware of the SW policy or EB. They were on the return flight as well. This time the eldest was in a wheelchair with someone accompanying her. They literally saved at least 9 seats in the front rows and we even saw people try to sit there and they got violent about it when they said no to them. Many issues going on here. If you could stop the seat saving that would help as well. 

[Madeye5064]

I see it all the time. Same with fake service animals. The other issue is saving entire exit rows.

I'm A List preferred. I obtained through flights, not points. I typically shouldn't have a tuff time getting an exit row seat. The new move by travelers of 2 to 3, is to have 1 of them pay 40 dollars at the gate, get A 1 and save an entire exit row for their friends with B or C. I board at A 20 and can't get an exit row. I don't  have an issue with saving seats, just not exit row. I frequent traveler, who has earned status shouldn't be prevented from an exit row seat, from a group that might travel once or twice a year.

[x7neil]

I'm a professional videographer and only use the media preboard occassionaly only when I forget to check in ending up with a C group on flights that were booked for a last minute job and couldn't get business select and have profesisonal video equipment that I need to ensure is stowed properly (i.e. it's a $15k camera body with $20k in lenses that shouldn't be checked in) on a business trip. I'm sure to many people, since I'm just standing there with my backpacks it looks like I'm abusing the system.

[spacecoastbill]

So for your lack of responsibility to check in someone else shoudl be inconvenienced.... thats your solution?  Yes, you are abusing it.  

If you really cared abut the cost of the equipment you could either pay for early check in, priority boarding, or set an alarm on your phone to check in.

[DancingDavidE]

I disagree, if "media preboard" is something that's available why would it be abuse to use it according to the rules?

Abuse would be if the guy wasn't really a professional videographer.