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Southwest Airlines Community

wheelchair overuse

lolamax
Explorer C

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 .

8 REPLIES 8

Re: wheelchair overuse

elijahbrantley
Aviator A

This has been discussed extensively on this site, and resptfully, your proposal would do more to hurt those who need wheelchairs and extra time to board than it would to help those who may (or may not) be faking it. Not all special needs (physical or otherwise) are visible to the eye.

-A List, Companion Pass holder

Re: wheelchair overuse

D-Ray
Explorer C

That may well be, but SW employees can be complicit in the abuse.  Yesterday, while waiting to board, I heard three women from another flight decide to go to the desk and ask for pre-board. They were deciding what their physical complaints were to be.  None of the women appeared to be in any distress or to require special needs.  They walked over and chatted with the customer service representative and got exactly what they wanted.  I understand the problem and risk of refuting a customer's claim of disability, but this was obvious abuse.   Perhaps karma will grant them permanent wheelchair use. 

Re: wheelchair overuse

spacecoastbill
Frequent Flyer B

@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.

Re: wheelchair overuse

Passenger1C
Aviator C

@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.  

 


SWA Passenger, Community Champion

Re: wheelchair overuse

spacecoastbill
Frequent Flyer B

@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.

Re: wheelchair overuse

Tinydancer
Explorer C

 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. 

Re: wheelchair overuse

spacecoastbill
Frequent Flyer B

@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.

Re: wheelchair overuse

basslaw2010
Frequent Flyer B

It's federal law.  Call your Congressman(woman) to have it changed.