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Preboard joke

Plaird
Explorer C

I wish Southwest would stop glossing over this issue with a big smile. I don’t know why I paid up for an A4 when 20 people pre boarded my flight yesterday to Palm Springs. Two of those people were elderly and needed it. The remainder were families and twenty-something’s. It gets obviously worse with each flight every week. It’s a joke and the agents ask nothing to screen these people. I either need to start cheating or go elsewhere. Please do something to fix this or your highest paying and loyal customers are just going to find other options. This is a real problem. Do something.

8 REPLIES 8

Re: Preboard joke

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Agents can't legally "screen" anyone. You're welcome to submit your comments directly to Southwest, use the contact us link at the bottom of this page and send a message. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Preboard joke

Plaird
Explorer C

You need to read the policy on line. Apparently their “agents are trained to ask fact finding questions to determine if a passenger qualifies”. Really? Let’s be honest. It’s pretty obvious. If you aren’t going to follow your own policy then don’t have one.

Re: Preboard joke

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

The only fact finding a Southwest employee can do is ask if the person needs extra time or a specific seat. Which do you think people will say? Asking the questions about medical conditions as I'm guessing you want them to do is not legal. Again, you're welcome to submit your comments directly to Southwest. Use the contact us link at the bottom of this page and send a message. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Preboard joke

ZevSupport
Frequent Flyer A

You can also DM via Twitter for a (usually) quicker reply as well.


Community Champion | PHL based | ex-Companion Pass Holder | Southwest Passenger

Re: Preboard joke

floridaguy
Aviator C

This has been discussed so many times that a little song has caught on.  I hear it in different airports (MCO, PIT, HOU, etc.).  

 

The Air Carrier Access Act makes it a legal requirement of airlines to allow preboarding for those that self-declare with a disability.  Frankly, you can to backflips and acrobatics all the way to the gate and then self-declare.

 

On other airlines you have assigned seating.  On Southwest, it is open seating.  So, the preboarding shows up as a controversy on Southwest.

 

The little song is quite popular.

Re: Preboard joke

PDFelter
Frequent Flyer B

@Plaird So you are saying you boarded in the 24th spot, and this is a problem? You still could be at the front of the plane. Is it because you feel entitled because you purchased A4 and feel important? Everyone on that plane is entitled to a seat.

 

While I agree, some people take advantage of the system, you still had a seat on the plane.  Be thankful you had the opportunity to fly. Some people don't have that luxury.

 

Time to stop the complaining and be thankful. 

Re: Preboard joke

parpitt1
Frequent Flyer A

For better or worse, Southwest is trying to turn planes as quickly and efficiently as possible. Having a Q&A session with every person requesting to preboard slows this process down. That being said:

It is legal to require a preboarder to provide 1 of the listed reasons per the DOT preboarding rule and guidance memos to preboard:

"The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) pre-boarding rule, which is found under 14 CFR 382.93. It instructs airlines: “As a carrier, you must offer preboarding to passengers with a disability who self-identify at the gate as needing time or assistance to board, stow accessibility equip or be seated.” The US DOT also goes on to state in an additional guidance memo dated May 29, 2013 & issued June 29 2013, "For a passenger to be entitled to preboarding, that passenger must self-identify at the gate as being a person with a disability that needs to preboard for one of the above-listed reasons.”

 

It's right there in the guidance memo, Southwest gate agents could ask for the "reason" a preboarder requires to preboard, but the ensuing converation would only delay overall boarding and ultimately turning the plane.

Safe travels

 

 

Re: Preboard joke

PettyIntrigues
Adventurer A

I’m A16 99% of the time and this doesn’t bother me at all because preboards can’t sit in the exit row, my preference. Of course, those exit row seats are also occasionally gone by the time I get on-board by the Biz Select folks, but oh well, I still always get an aisle or window (whatever I feel like that day) up front, which would’ve been pretty unlikely with a last-minute-ish booking on other airlines. 

 

I mean, it is what it is. There is always zero guarantee you will get your absolute singular preferred seat or row anywhere, even when booking with airlines with assigned seating. I’m at peace with it as a Wanna Get Away frequent flier.

 

THAT ALL SAID, you’ve definitely a right to get cheesed as a Biz Select payer. It is indeed a total farce sometimes.