Preboarding scam

[gtws2469]

Thought from tuscon to Denver....I understand disabilities needing more time and boarding first. Elderly? Maybe. Wheelchairs - absolutely. 

I paid for business select and had A1 boarding.. paid extra.  There was 3 wheelchairs and 3 elderly.  Then at least 4 overweight people with C boarding passes cut in front.  There was no disability.. they walked normal, no canes or other equipment. There were several others that also cut in front of A boarding.  I ended up in row 6 because of the so called needing more time, and reality proved they were fine other than overweight. 

I paid a lot extra so I could board early so I wouldn't miss my bus home, and no southwest personnel did anything. I could have just paid regular price if I knew this was the case. I should be compensated. Took pics too prove where I sat. Why offer business class if everyone is going to claim they need pre-board?. This scam is totally out of control....A group should be the first to board if this is going to be the new normal. Typically I can get the first 2 or 3 row seat.  Row 6?  I know southwest used to send these C boarders back to the end of the line. Sorry, but overweight is not a disability when they can walk normal. Precipitates should be restricted to the back of the plane in the last 10 rows. 

[floridaguy]

This topic has been discussed so many times that it needs its own category or, even better, web page.

Under Federal law, those who self-declare with a disability are allowed to board first.  This applies to every airline where they board a plane in the US or territories.  No airline has the right to question you other than to ask some basic questions.

The issue here is that Southwest has open seating and, thus, those who preboard do get the first choice of seats.  Whether you see it as a scam is irrelevant.  Southwest must follow the law.

There is a little song that I hear in several of the airports that Southwest serves.  

[bec102896]

If a COS (customer of size) gets a 2nd seat they get to preboard it’s a real policy and it’s actually one reason those who do have extra weight like Southwest since they can get a 2nd seat for free and get to preboard to get the seating they need 

[floridaguy]

I've heard people say that if they want a second seat they have to buy it.

Anyway, all of this preboarding and complaining has been going on for a long time.  Here's a recent article that echoes the complaints.

https://bestlifeonline.com/southwest-wheelchair-policy-news/

[bec102896]

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@floridaguy wrote:

I've heard people say that if they want a second seat they have to buy it.

Anyway, all of this preboarding and complaining has been going on for a long time.  Here's a recent article that echoes the complaints.

https://bestlifeonline.com/southwest-wheelchair-policy-news/

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Not if your a COS you can buy ahead of time and get a refund after your flight or just wait till you get to the airport and ask the CSA for the COS extra seat and if you qualify they will give it to you and in most cases even if the flight is sold out they will oversell for a COS happened on my flight a few weeks a go since I thought they didn’t oversell but they will for that as well as aircraft swaps 

[gtws2469]

There's a difference between being a COS and just being large. What these "large" women did was to cut in line after the A group was called and snuck in as needing extra time. Then played it off like they were in line the whole time. 

As stated, if this is the game that has to be played - I'm going to start using a cane at the airport. If you can't beat them, join them. Apparently cheating is part of the rules, so that's what will happen. Pretty soon, A group will be last to board anyway, so might as well get something other than extra reward points - we didn't get a free drink either because the pilot said there would be turbulence - there was none - one of the smoothest flights I've been on. I didn't want a drink anyway, so that's basically irrevelant.

[DancingDavidE]

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@floridaguy wrote:

I've heard people say that if they want a second seat they have to buy it.

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Not on Southwest, you'd have to scan both boarding passes, since you can't do that then one ticket would be a no-show. It is limited to customers of size which have a specific ticketing methodology (the second ticket is never scanned) or musical instruments:

https://www.southwest.com/help/baggage/special-baggage-sports-equipment

[gtws2469]

Understood about the people with disabilities, and I wouldn't want to force them to disclose. 

I think the only solution is to allow the A boarding group to board first since those seats are paid at a premium. That's really what the complaint is. Airlines can't force people with disabilities to sit in specific seats or at the rear nof the plane either - the exception being emergency rows. I guess I start buying the cheap seats and carrying a cane.

What irritated me is that in this situation, the people weren't really preboarding - the A group was called, and the people in question had C boarding passes and cut in front of all the A group.  This just felt of entitlement and cheating the system for those that paid for premium seats. This is why this was frustrating - especially after the Southwest announcement stated that if you miss your boarding call, then you miss the opportunity to board with the group called. 

I fully support those with disabilites and think they should be allowed the opportunity to have extra time to get themselves settled.

[floridaguy]

ATTENTION - ATTENTION

No, you can't have A list board first as that violates Federal law.  It doesn't matter if you pay an extra $100k to have position A1, the preboard people board the airplane first.

[jksobonya]

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@gtws2469 wrote:

I paid a lot extra so I could board early so I wouldn't miss my bus home, and no southwest personnel did anything. 

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What does this have to do with Southwest? It doesn't matter if you're A1 or C60, as long as you get on the plane, you'll get home and won't miss your bus ... I've been in the late Cs before and still managed to be in the first 10 rows of the plane. One time I was second row center seat. Even if you're in the very back, you should be off the plane in time to catch other public transportation. 

And you ended up in row 6. There's barely a few minutes difference deplaning at this point. 

--Jessica