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Southwest Airlines Community

Is SW's pre-boarding system a safety issue?

hockeydiva
Adventurer B

After another frustrating boarding process on SW yesterday, it occured to me that their process of pre-boarding passengers who need extra time first, and having those passengers claim a large number of the seats near the front could potentially be a safety issue.

 

If the plane needed to be evacuated quickly, the front exit door on any aircraft would hopefully be an evacuation option. On other airlines, where passengers with mobility needs are dispersed throughout the plane, there are more people around them who could help them and they would use all evacuation options roughly equally. 

 

However, by congregating more of the mobility impared passengers near the front of one exit, it would seem to me that it would be harder both for mobility impared passengers to get help to exit and for other passengers to evacuate from that same exit.

Am I missing something here? Maybe the fact that flight attendants are usually near the front exit would mitigate the issue?

3 REPLIES 3

Re: Is SW's pre-boarding system a safety issue?

robinkneer
Explorer B

agreed!  This is an abused system!

 

Re: Is SW's pre-boarding system a safety issue?

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Give it up.

 

This horse is dead.

 

 

Re: Is SW's pre-boarding system a safety issue?

Hiddendisabilit
Explorer A

If you read all the posts accusing people of faking their disabilities....you can see how little compassion and understanding these travelers have for disabled people. Most people will not help disabled people...trust me I know as I am disabled.  I look young for my age and my disability is hidden people leer at me and resent the fact that I am “ faking it” to get on before them I am simply a useless eater taking their precious place in line...their special desired seat. I would trade my disability for a spot in that long line ANYDAY because I am dealing with my disability every day all day and every night all night not just 20 minutes waiting for a flight now and then. Just remember we are all going in the same direction we are All moving toward diminished capacity and then in the end death. Your turn is coming.