Southwest Airlines Community

Safety It is the policy of Southwest Airlines to ensure the safety of all passengers, including those with a need to pre-board that after boarding upon arrival all those who have been pre-boarded will deplane after the plane has been emptied of all other passengers to avoid any accidents with wheelchairs and other impediments by other person, leaving the plane   In order to comply with safety regulations all those who enter the plane via wheelchair must also exit via  Wheelchair and can exit the plane more easily after it has been emptied of other passengers and all of their bags ... View more

It is respectful to make air travel easier those with physical impairments that require wheelchairs or, like my brave proud mother, who refused a wheelchair and walked holding my hand and leaning from time to time. I would not take that away from her. My almost 90 mother refused that wheelchair because she felt disrespected by the obviously not impaired persons lined up to get on first who then leaped off and deplaned with no wheelchair sometimes running and laughing the whole way.  Recently we observed three men traveling together, the man around 50 with two thirtyish aged younger guys. After exiting TSA they stopped in front of us. One said, hey we forgot to call for a wheelchair. Arriving at the gate, there were the three in the disabled line, with the 50ish gentleman in a wheelchair, front of the line, with his companions. They all three ran off the plane upon landing.  To allow this is to disrespect the disabled, and humiliate them into associating with this crass, exhibition of low morality.    The law is the law.  Solution:    safety first for our passengers needing a wheelchair or extra time—board first. SW yo ensure safety of these special passengers and avoid the accidents between deplaning passengers and waiting wheelchairs upon arrival should deplane all other passengers so disabled can deplane safely from a nearly empty plane upon landing. Too risky for someone boarding in a wheelchair to be allowed to deplane without one.    Safety is a good public policy and solves the abuse problem at the sane time!  ... View more