Southwest Airlines Community

@LPANDABEAR wrote: 11/13/18:  RECENTLY ON FLIGHT #1516 BOARDING WAS DELAYED FOR OVER 30 MINUTES DUE TO WHEELCHAIR PASSENGERS.  THEN, ALTHOUGH THESE PASSENGERS WERE ASKED TO WAIT, IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE WHEELCHAIRS HAD ARRIVED, AND THEY PROCEEDED TO IMPEDE DISEMBARKATION FOR EVERYONE.  I WAS IN ROW #10 AND IT STILL TOOK 30 MINUTES TO GET OFF THE PLANE AND TO A RESTROOM.  WHY CAN'T THEY BE SEATED IN THE BACK OF THE PLANE?  SURELY SOME OF THESE PASSENGERS ARE NOT HANDICAPPED AND ARE ABUSING THE PRIVILEDGE.  THIS MAY BE MY LAST FLIGHT ON SWA AS IT IS EXHAUSTING. Yes, there are several people who figured out that all they have to do is fake a need to preboard.  That way they can save money not paying for the priority boarding.   As for those genuinely disabled, there is no way, legally, SWA can stop them from sitting in the front row or getting off the plane slowly.   Until another way is found to screen the preboard that can be done legally, there really is not anything SWA can do. ... View more

@dfwskier wrote: David ,senior fares are priced lower than anytime fares (maybe 20-25%) . If bought far enough in advance they are significantly more expensive than wanna get away fares. Bought closer to flight day, less so. They are completely refundable. I've never seen a senior fare cheaper than a wanna get away frw.   There is no enhanced boarding tied to the fare.   As you mentioned, Debra's brother saving a seat is the way to go -- in case checking in at t-24 hours does not provide a good enough boarding position. You might try to head towards the rear half of the plane.  That way you might be sucessful trying to save a seat.  If you are closer to the front or in an exit row, someone may just sit there even though you are trying to save it for someone not onboard. ... View more

@RobertB wrote: Is it me, or are the number of "handicapped" boarders increasing exponentially  every time I fly on southwest.  There are many unfortunate and legitimately disabled people who travel.  But I see more and more people who are not disabled until they get to the gate, and who are no longer disabled as they exit the plane.  They board before A-listers, before business select passengers who pay extra to get on the plan first.  It seems to me there should be more diligent scrutiny to ensure that those allowed to board first are actually entitiled to special treatment.  Last time I flew there were 35 "preboarders" including a young woman with 2 "service" dogs which she needed due to her extreme fear of flying.  It is getting absurd. As the fees increase for a shot at bording early boarding, the numbers of people faking a need to preboard will only increase.   Its a topic heavily discussed on this forum and others.   Unfortunately there is little SWA can do to stop it.  They cannot ask about the reasons for the need to preboard and the fakers know it.  These people have no conscience and will even try to save seats, or rows of seats.   The ESA animals are also getting out of control.  All you need is a letter that you can get online stating you have a need and the airline is stuck allowing it.     ... View more

@Missing_Aria wrote:  Last time I flew SW I actually let self important  ****heads like you scare me into taking seats further back so as not to ruffle feathers.   Just who was this aimed at? ... View more

@collegepartyboy wrote: At a minimum, they could announce it when landing. Remind the passenger when they stop to get their Pre-Board document. Sure there would be a few who will de-plane. But I think mostly they will stay seated. Especially if the wheelchairs are not at the bottom of the ramp.  When I had a knee problem and preboarded, I never got any document.  I just got on the line to preboard. ... View more

@collegepartyboy wrote: if we can agree that  passengers with legitimate disabilities need additional time to get on the plane, then logic would suggest they need additonal time to de-plane. Then, allow all passengers who did not pre-board to de-plane first. That will allow them plenty of time to de-plane. You can't have it both ways.  Actually, they can (and do) have it both ways.   We all know the miracle flights where people get healed in mid flight so they can jump up and grab their overhead bags and sprint through the airport.   But, as a matter of trying to keep the preboards onboard until others have left.... is just impossible.     Other than not being able to identify who the ones are that preboarded..... just how are they going to keep them from getting up and leaving? ... View more

@Tinydancer wrote:  I certainly don’t want to judge whether or not someone “truly“  needs a wheelchair or a pre-board.  What an solutely enrages me, however, is when a gate agent allows more than one companion to board with a wheelchair or pre-board customer.  I was waiting for a flight where the gate agent let *12* members of a church group board with the single member who was in a wheelchair.  This is just a slap in the face to those of us frequent fliers who buy early bird boarding.  Ive seen it as well.  I also have seen them preboard employees.  Now I know that sometimes that is a necessity, but I watched a bunch of employees pull another airlines employee out of the line waiting with passengers so she could preboard with them. ... View more

@Passenger1C wrote: @lolamax letting passengers with disabilities preboard is the right thing to do. The passengers often need more time without the horrible feeling of being rushed by other passengers.    I know that in the moment this can be very frustrating, but take a deep breath and be thankful you are not the one in a wheelchair.     I dont think he is talking about those who legitimately use wheelchairs.  I think he is talking about the many who abuse the wheelchair to preboard and save on fees. ... View more

@lolamax wrote: regarding wheel chair users who do not need! why don’t they board last. Also deplane last.  That will weed out the people who are taking advantage of the situation . Simply, because the ACAA (Federal Law) requires them to have the option to preboard.     No logistical way to force them to stay onboard until others have left. ... View more

@DfDrPepper_23 wrote: @spacecoastbill   When I said read the said comments above. I mean the comments you said on ‎12-04-2018 08:54 PM.   Yea, thats what I was referring to.  Yet again, one more time, it was not specifically aimed at you.  It was a general statement. ... View more

I think your comprehension for the English language is causing you to think things incorrectly. ... View more

@DfDrPepper_23 wrote: @spacecoastbill, I don't always abuse the front row or preboarding seat. This is not my priority. Unless if I have a medical condition aside from disability. I respect that. I once flew on first row seating due to my blood clot. I have obtained a medical approval from the doctor to be allow to fly and got me a front row seating . and I had to show the agent and they granted me a from row seat. This is the first time I ever sat in front row during my years of aviation. My legs require enough room, since I am 6'2".  So, you like to accuse me of something? I am not suprised. Trust me. Paranoid much?   My comment had nothing to do with you.   Turning a general statement about the widespread abuse by those who fake need to preboard into something talking about you is a strange thing. ... View more

@DfDrPepper_23 wrote: I would never put my infant back in the "C" section whilist we sits on the front "A" section. I firmly believe that you mentioned that you have the infant traveling with you. I really think that lost something in the translation..... ... View more

@dw0427 wrote: That's a crap response from Southwest.  They can absolutely ask different questions to minimize the many that are now taking advantage of pre-board.  Southwest is using the Federal regulations as a guise for they do not have the stones to change the policy for fear of bad publicity.   As an A-List preferred Member and knowing that my status means nothing because of the ever increasing healthy folks taking advantage of the lax pre-board policy.  Why bother frequently flying SW anymore?   Seems to me other airlines are more stringent in pre-board than SW...... As a suggestion to SW, why do they allow the whole families of pre-board passengers to board at the same time?  I don't mind those that are wheelchair bound but the countless folks that walk on the planes vs. disabled is evergrowing.   airline personnel may not ask what specific disability the person has, but they can ask questions about a person’s ability to perform specific air travel-related functions, such as boarding, deplaning, or walking through the airport. ... View more

@dw0427 wrote: A few suggestions:   Change the questions the GA asks before giving out pre-board.  Current policy is way to broad. Only allow family boarding if the person is disabled / wheelchair bound, etc. Allow family boarding like everyone else at the end of A boarding instead of with able bodied pre-boarders. Anyone can make up an excuse but SW can do a better job of weeding out the obvious offenders.   No, they cant.  Its a large reason that there are so many preboard fakers.... but there really isnt much SWA can do about it. ... View more

Im sure you can.  You just need to get in line with all those who preboard for a better seat.  The preboard process is abused quite a bit and there are times when you see 10 or 20 preboarders.   Its more abused on SWA due to the open seating. ... View more

@doferty wrote:   What baffles me is the simplicity and access to the pre-boarding status. I don't want to promote how easy it is (as if it isn't already known), but I do think it should be something you apply for, in advance, requiring some reasonable form of verification. There needs to be a way to sort the idiots from the people who actually need the service.   Without a change in Federal law, the advance notice and verification requirement is not going to happen.   Until then, anyone who wants to preboard simply needs to tell the GA that they need to preboard.  (or just get in the long preboard line) ... View more

So you want pre-boards to board after general boarding?  Kindof makes no sense.   Aside from that, SWA is required by the ACAA to preboard those who identify as needed to.   Are people abusing this?   Absolutely.   Are people then saving seats/ rows of seats for their party in the C group?  Absolutely.   Is is wrong?  Absolutely.   Is SWA going to change to assigned seating or have an official no seat saving policy?  Not likely. ... View more

Mcoverda     Ignore them and just sit there. ... View more

Next time that happens, just sit where you want.  People like to say the middle seat is saved so that they can have extra room.    Ignore them.  If they continue to object, call the FA over. ... View more

DYKWIA ?   That may have made it all better. ... View more

Well, thats not going to happen.   The word is out that all you have to do is fake a reason to preboard, you can bypass paying for the upgraded boarding.  Either that or pay for one and save a row or two for friends in the first couple of rows. ... View more

Watch how many nut allergies will appear from the new AA preboarding to those with nut allergies. ... View more

Watch how many nut allergies will appear from the new AA preboarding to those with nut allergies. ... View more

My response ro you is the same as it was to the other poster:   Perhaps you can tell us what can be done.. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++   The only thing you can do is stop the things that preboard scammers do:   Restrict the number of people accompanying a preboard.  Ive seen entire families allowed to board with them.  Even as A1 you wind up 20-25 people back.     Enforce a no seat saving policy.  There is no reason that a preboarder needs to save several seats (or rows of seats).   This might not be a big deal in the back of the plane, but those scamming preboard are grabbing the bulkhead rows that people pay extra for the priority boarding to be able to get.   Do not allow pre boarders to save exit row seats.   The only other thing that would put a stop to it is the one tihng SWA does that others do not.  Assigned seating.  While it would put a quick stop to the prebpard scammers, there is no way this will happen anytime soon.  If ever. ... View more

Something can be done...I dont' accept that SW hands are tied.  That's the easy way out.  The problem is getting worse and SW is the only airline that I know of that allows anyone who requests pre-board to do so.     All in all it is not as beneficial to achieve A-List Preferred status anymore or for that matter buy a Business Select ticket.           What airline stops pre boarders?   Its just more prevelant on SWA because people want to abuse preboarding to avoid the costs for the upgraded boarding. ... View more