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pre boarding rules

gunion
Explorer C

Southwest's rules about preboarding state ... "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. Those Customers who need extra time to board will receive a new boarding pass with an extra time designation. The designation serves as notification to our Operations (boarding) Agent that the Customer should be permitted to board before Family Boarding."

 

Why is preboarding in reality always the first to get on the plane, before the A group?

https://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/boarding_the_plane_faq.html

42 REPLIES 42

Re: pre boarding rules

chgoflyer
Aviator A
Solution

Pre-boarding is for disabled passengers who need a specific seat or assistance boarding the plane. Those needing extra time are asked to board between the A and B groups. The policy is very clear if you read it all.

 

 

Do passengers with disabilities get to preboard?

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. Customers who are traveling with assistance and emotional support animals qualify for preboarding. 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. Those Customers who need extra time to board will receive a new boarding pass with an extra time designation. The designation serves as notification to our Operations (boarding) Agent that the Customer should be permitted to board before Family Boarding.

We will allow one travel companion to act as an “attendant” and preboard with a Customer with a disability. In most cases, the Customer requires assistance from only one other person, and any additional family members or friends are asked to board with their assigned group.

Customers should request preboarding from our Customer Service Agent at the ticket counter or departure gate. Our Agents are trained to ask factfinding questions to determine if the Customer meets the qualifications described above. Those Customers who qualify for preboarding will receive a new boarding pass with a preboarding designation. The designation serves as notification to our Operations (Boarding) Agent that the Customer should be permitted to preboard.

It's important to keep in mind that Customers who preboard may not occupy an exit seat.

Note: Customers who are preboarding because of a need for a specific seat onboard the aircraft should speak with the Operations (Boarding) Agent prior to the start of preboarding to alert the Agent to the seating need.

 

Re: pre boarding rules

ampickup
Explorer A

Thanks for posting this. This rule is very clear but is not being followed by gate agents.  On my past several flights the passengers needing "extra time" have been allowed to board before A List and A Boarding group passengers. They should board with families which is between Group A & B. If SW followed their guideline, there would be far fewer passengers upset that they are paying extra for tickets but not gaining any benefit.  To be clear, I understand not all disabilities are obvious to the public but the vastly increasing number of people needing extra time to board has become progressively larger every time I fly.

Re: pre boarding rules

August299
Explorer C

There is little to no enforcement of preboard qualification rules and criteria by SWA at the time of checkin or by the gate agents boarding the flights.  As an Alist Preferred status passenger for years and consistent business select paying passenger I routinely position myself in the preboard area to observe and listen to the gate agents boarding the pre-boards and it is a complete joke that ANY kind of enforcement takes place.   The problem begins at checkin for these fraudsters and again little to no questioning or screening of the criteria and qualifying factors is undertaken by SWA. 

Re: pre boarding rules

krafty81
Adventurer C

The dog scam is alive and well, that's for sure. 

Re: pre boarding rules

megcooksey
Explorer C

I agree, I have flown with Southwest consistently over the past 22 years.  I have seen the number of preboards triple in that time.  It’s not just the number of people, but their entourage as well. 

Re: pre boarding rules

SNMSP
Explorer C

 Tough situation. I am in complete agreement with the pre-board notes as voiced above. Only two solutions come to mind. One. You enforce the rules and let people who need “extra time”to board, board between the A and B groups as per Southwest rules. Two. Allow the “able” preboarders to sit only in rows 10 and beyond. The A-list preferred clients biggest perk is to board first and grab a seat in the first few rows. It’s our “first class”. By modifying the pre-board process I think you’d make a lot of A-list preferred passengers extremely happy. Thanks for listening.

Re: pre boarding rules

chgoflyer
Aviator A

As has been mentioned before, federal law prohibits Southwest from dictating which specific rows or seats pre-borders must or must not occupy (with the exception of the exit row, per FAA rules).

Re: pre boarding rules

Traveler32
Explorer C

I agree tough situation and my experience today challenged me to read and learn and then share. Here was my dilemma today. Flying from Las Vegas to Phoenix. I had a 1:25 flight and it got canceled and rebooked onto another flight 5 hours later. No problem, things happen. My 1:25 flight I paid to upgrade and had position A7. After the rebook, I got C21. I always pay to upgrade because I am 6’7” and try to get an exit row seat for that reason. When I got C7, I spoke with a ticket agent and she told me my rebooked flight did not have A1-A15 available and…my $50 is non-refundable and I basically lost money there. She recommended pre-boarding, I wasn’t sure of the criteria and she said I could do so. When boarding, someone who later on the plane said he had A1 also made a comment as to, I wonder what qualifies as pre-boarding anymore. While onboard and he also ended up in the front row anyway, complained to a flight attendant. In addition, he boarded earlier than he should have directly behind me. I thought maybe in an official capacity but after he ordered a Bloody Mary, tells me he was an ordinary passenger and basically broke rules when I was doing what I was told. When asked because they radioed someone got on early, he said, it was me I got distracted. Sometimes, folks need to stay in their own lanes and if they don’t have the full story from others and their situations to always stay classy. If someone is cheating the system, fair enough, there are also good travelers out there and no way rule breakers who don’t have the decency to mind their business ruins it for others who were placed in precarious situations. Thank you. 

Re: pre boarding rules

1065171612
Explorer C

I absolutely agree!!!   Today I think there were over 35 pre-boards. UNBELIEVABLE.  Naturally, the first eight rows of the aircraft were filled up by pre-borders.  Now they each takes an aisle seat of a Row, instead of sitting together on one side.  Another growing trend is one of a couple will take the window seat and the other one takes the aisle seat rather than sitting side by side.   I've been stuck in between a husband and wife team pulling this garbage more than once.

 

   I've been flying with this Airlines since 1983 -- that's 40 years. I wrote to the company stating a very similar concept ---that pre-borders will NOT be allowed to sit before row 10 unless the passenger has a Group A seat assignment.  However, their attendant accompanying them may not sit in front of row 10 unless they also have a Group A seat assignment.   If you preboard with Delta or United or any other Airline, you still go ALL the way back to your original seat assignment, e.g.,  26E or 30A or whatever it is.  You don't just suddenly get to sit in first class or business class because you preboard.  Southwest needs to get that concept under their belt so that they can fairly enforce pre-boarding their passengers.  It is becoming increasingly unfair to those of us who pay and /or have earned A 1-30 spots.

 

 Additionally,  ALL Preboarders MUST DEPLANE LAST!!!  It's interesting how many morbidly obese, and other fraudulently 'disabled' passengers, ride down the ramp in a wheelchair - with their Entourage taking premium seating -yet when the plane lands, their legs and bodies work perfectly as they bolt off the aircraft like track sprinters. Perhaps, if they had to deplane last, that might put a stop to the nonsense.

 

This is another problem that Southwest has with the ever growing size of the pre-boarding group. They all get up and just stand there, blocking the aircraft exit, blocking the area and ramp just outside the aircraft exit, etc. SO NOBODY CAN GET PAST THEM OR MOVE.  Those of us trying to get to a meeting, or get to business, end up --once again--  unfairly  waiting for this same group of passengers at the end of the flight. It's THEIR DISABILITY, NOT OURS. My mother is 87 and requires assistance.  She would never ever think of imposing her extra requirements or disability on any other passenger. One day that will be us all.   But, it will be our problem, not every other passenger's problem.  It requires one to plan accordingly.  Every single able bodied passenger should not be forced to wait on the disability of others.