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Re: Disabled people cheating to board early. – PROBLEM SOLVED!

carph
Explorer C

    I actually just came back from a business trip yesterday and I too fly out of SMF.  My flights in and out of Columbus, OH had 5 wheelchair passengers each board first.  I understand this allows patients who need extra time to get on the airplane.  My issue occcured once we landed and getting off of the plane. As you mentioned with Buiness select my expectaion is I can get off the plane quickly as I eneded up have a tight connection in Pheonix. I had to sit 5 rows back that was not tragic but why would these same people not told to wait and deplane last so that the entire plane did not have to wait for them to get off as we have already established their need for extra tiem and assistance. 

  The real solution would be to not allow these early boarder who do not have boarding statis A 1-15 to sit in the first 4 or 5 rows.  What is the point of buying this ticket and spending the extra money if it does not come with more advantages. Early boarding and a quick exit off the plane.  I  will re-think my travel arrangements in the future.

Re: Disabled people cheating to board early. – PROBLEM SOLVED!

spacecoastbill
Frequent Flyer B

They cannot do that legally.

Re: Disabled people cheating to board early. – PROBLEM SOLVED!

rlm1951
Explorer C

I was just on a flight where a lady sat in the aisle seat on row 2. She claimed she could not stand to let anyone in, so she had the row to herself. 

She got up and walked off the plane when we landed. There was no ‘invisible disability’ - she just wanted a row to herself. 

Re: Disabled people cheating to board early. – PROBLEM SOLVED!

BullsFan
Adventurer A

this is a definite problem but the bigger problem is people saving seats, sometimes entire exit rows

 

SWA does have specifiice rules on this- customers are allowed to chose any unoccupied seat, but SWA refuses to require their FA's to enfore that rule

Re: Disabled people cheating to board early. – PROBLEM SOLVED!

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@BullsFan wrote:

this is a definite problem but the bigger problem is people saving seats, sometimes entire exit rows

 

SWA does have specifiice rules on this- customers are allowed to chose any unoccupied seat, but SWA refuses to require their FA's to enfore that rule


 

This is incorrect.

 

Southwest "has no official policy for or against seat saving." There's no "rule" to enforce.

 

Customers are "free to take any available seat."

 

Southwest allows seat saving, hopes that customers "don't save too many seats," and in the case of conflicts, expects passengers to "work it out among themselves."

 

FAs don't get involved, and in fact are directed to not get involved unless seat saving "interferes with the boarding process."

 

Re: Disabled people cheating to board early. – PROBLEM SOLVED!

james121199
Explorer C

It is true and has already been stated, just because you cannot visibly see a disability does not mean someone is faking it.    I myself have a paralyzed diaphram and as you, I am 6'5".   Sittin scrunched up for any extended flight makes breathing very challenging for me.   So yes, I do get a preboard when I fly southwest because they do not have seats that I can select when booking my flights.    

Re: Disabled people cheating to board early. – PROBLEM SOLVED!

carnold
Explorer C

I know this is an old post that I am responding to but until now, hadn't had a reason to look for a forum to see if anyone had a similar experience.  I know that that some will say that there are "hidden" disabilities and health issues aren't always "seen" but when you witness folks lined up in a wheel chair that get up and walk down the hallway, go get food, sit where everyone else is sitting rather than their wheel chair and then go sit in the wheelchair just before boarding, get a front row seat, and upon landing leave the plane with no wheel chair waiting to pick them up and walk out and down the corridor it is frustrating to watch especially when you pay the Business Select fee.  In addition, besides pre-boarding for folks with disabilities they also boarded kids with family and military (not in uniform) before group A.  We were Boarding A 06 and 07 but ended up about 20.  The return flight was boarded differently and A did board before kids and family and there were no military.  

Re: Disabled people cheating to board early. – PROBLEM SOLVED!

floridaguy
Aviator C

I would file a complaint online with Southwest.  Have your flight number, airport code as well as travel date.  

 

Your complaint is that the family boarding occurred before A.  That is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE and I agree with you.  

 

I would ask for the difference between business select and wanna get away refunded as a credit.  

 

Preboard does board first and as far as military, I have no issue with them boarding early.  If they didn't serve, who knows what country we'd live in?

 

 

Re: Disabled people cheating to board early. – PROBLEM SOLVED!

dfwskier
Aviator A

@floridaguy wrote:

 

 

I would ask for the difference between business select and wanna get away refunded as a credit.  

 

 Maybe you should also tell the OP that is mandatory that it be delivered by pink elephant, too.

 LOL!


 

Re: Disabled people cheating to board early. – PROBLEM SOLVED!

floridaguy
Aviator C

The individual makes a valid point.  Family boarding goes after A and before B.  That's the rule.

 

If the gate agent is so uniformed about the policy that they Family board too early, then they need to get a refund.

 

This is why Southwest has so many complaints - they don't follow their own rules.  Why would anyone buy business select?