pre boarding rules

[Dr_Rock-It]

Today I was A01, yet I was the 28th passenger on the plane. Yep 27 preboards and only 5 of them needed it. The rest appeared to be families that should have been in the family boarding section or regular people who should have been in their boarding group.

pretty disappointing to shout out an extra ~$100 or more to be a business select and then get the shaft because southwest can’t follow their own policies and guidelines!

[NicoleAshley]

We apologize for any frustration, @Dr_Rock-It. We follow federal regulations in offering preboarding to Customers with disabilities in order to comply with the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986, implemented by United States Department of Transportation regulations as 14 CFR Part 382, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel. It's important to note that many of our Customers have disabilities that are not necessarily visible or restricted to a specific age group (e.g., diseases that cause blood clots, epilepsy, autism, etc.).

While Business Select does come with additional perks aside from a low boarding position, I understand your disappointment if you expected to be first onboard with A1. Please know your concerns in this regard have been taken to heart. 

[buzzchris]

responding to Dr_Rock-it:   I agree. But along with pre-boarding abuse which is so prevalent, I  have an issue with "group number"  abuse.  I was recently on a flight to Hawaii. I was A7. A passenger behind me was A8. The group A1-A5 had 11 people in it!! What? Turns out a passenger ahead in A1-A5 had his entire adult family with him. We saw their passes and they were "C group". The A8 passenger behind me spoke up, complained, but was met with some profanities.   We thought that group would be stopped by the gate agent.  NOT.    Of course, that "C" group took up all the emerg row seating.    I saw a similar situation last month on a trip to southern CA.         At 6'3", I like the extra leg room in the emerg row seats. I don't have carry-on luggage so that is not an issue. 

[dfwskier]

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@buzzchris wrote:

responding to Dr_Rock-it:   I agree. But along with pre-boarding abuse which is so prevalent, I  have an issue with "group number"  abuse.  I was recently on a flight to Hawaii. I was A7. A passenger behind me was A8. The group A1-A5 had 11 people in it!! What? Turns out a passenger ahead in A1-A5 had his entire adult family with him. We saw their passes and they were "C group". The A8 passenger behind me spoke up, complained, but was met with some profanities.   We thought that group would be stopped by the gate agent.  NOT.    Of course, that "C" group took up all the emerg row seating.    I saw a similar situation last month on a trip to southern CA.         At 6'3", I like the extra leg room in the emerg row seats. I don't have carry-on luggage so that is not an issue. 

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Theoretically that should not have happened.

While a16 and higher allow A-Listers traveling with family members to have the family members receive sequential boarding position immediately following the A-Lister's.

The same rule does not apply to A1-A1. 5o, they should not have been allowed to board when they did..

[Russ70]

Pre-boarding is being abused. They should be allowed to pre board after A1 to A30. This rewards your frequent fliers and still allows for Pre-boarders to have extra time. I have been on numerous flights where a whole family of pre-boarders go ahead.

[floridaguy]

I like to preboard.

[floridaguy]

Preboard...preboard...over the ocean blue....

[buzzchris]

Two good friends of mine, both women, were gate agents at a SW gate. I won't mention the city. Both lasted about a year or so. They knew the rules about pre-boarding but both got tired of "arguing" with passengers pre-boarding (with three or four adults with them) or passengers in "C" group getting in line with "A" group friends.  Some passengers would literally yell in their faces.  Both would come home with headaches and stress dealing with those passengers who abused the rules or who thought of themselves as "special". According to my friends, the most important thing was to load passengers as quickly as possible for that ever so important take off time.

[floridaguy]

Your two friends are wrong.  They had no business questioning people about preboarding.

Under Federal law, you present and request preboard due to a medical condition.  You can either get assistance boarding, or not.  Your choice.

For the gate agent to ask any more questions begins to violate the individual's rights.  If your two friends believe that people are gaming the system, then resign as they did.

Honor the preboard requests and keep it moving.

[TheMiddleSeat]

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@floridaguy wrote:

Your two friends are wrong.  They had no business questioning people about preboarding.

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The behavior being mentioned, boarding with more adults accompanying a preboarder than allowed and boarding out of assigned position (not preboarding) is not allowed and should be questioned by gate staff. Yes, people can request to preboard and cannot be questioned, that is not the behavior that was described. The poster's point was so many people attempt to not follow the rules it makes staff miserable and I believe that.

--TheMiddleSeat