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Re: Solution for South Wests Preboard nightmare

Bond007
Adventurer C

What is should say instead of that the SW staff asks no questions is that the questions SW asks are not effective at fact finding.  Anyone who says they need to sit up front can preboard.  I have watched it at least 5 times.

Re: Solution for South Wests Preboard nightmare

Flyingforfun
Explorer A

@tommyo wrote:

Here is a solution Southwest:

 

Preboards can get on first as usual- all 20 to 40 of them. Other than children, vets and mentally handicapped people should sit in the back of the plane, why?

 

1. board before anyone else, no one is in your way

2. 2 bathrooms in the back

3. 2 flight attendants in the back

4. unload last- no one is in your way.

 

what does this solve?

 

People paying for premium seats A listers- A list preferred and Business select are happy cause they got there moneys worth and they can catch there connecting flights faster.

 

pre boards should be happy cause now they have more assistance and more bathroom facilities at there disposal.

 

its a winning solution for everyone....

 

Happy New Year


People like me, in a wheelchair, can't walk to the back of the plane. We would have to transfer out of the wheelchair from the curb to the gate at the aircraft door into an aisle wheelchair.  How long do you think that would take the crew to accomplish?  I once flew first class on Delta in a wheelchair where they had to transfer me to an aisle chair. Once we boarded the flight, where the aircraft door was in between First and Economy, the flight attendants realized the aisle chair was not going to fit into First on that aircraft. I had to deplane, in pain and all, and wait two hours for a different flight. After paying for First. And change from a direct flight to a connecting flight. Even under circumstances with premium fares, things don't always go as hoped for in a situation.

Re: Solution for South Wests Preboard nightmare

MCOAnne
Explorer A

Having flown F on  every domestic mainline and regional that offers it, this story simply can’t be true. You get on and either turn left or right. If left, there is an unimpeded wider aisleway. If right, there is an unimpeded wider aisleway. Either way, if you can fit through a J aisle you can fit through an F aisle. Period.  

 

The only exception might be trying trying to load F upper deck on a 74- where you need to take the stairs. If that was the case, it seems you would have mentioned it, unless you were trying to make a point which is moot to this conversation. 

Re: Solution for South Wests Preboard nightmare

Jdmartyn
Explorer C

Wrong, many disabled need the extra leg room more than some “privledged” flyer 

Re: Solution for South Wests Preboard nightmare

MaricarmenRV
Explorer C

Yes, Southwest, I agree, I have been traveling to Puerto Rico (puertorrican living in Florida), and the situation of people in wheelchair  is a nightmare. There are many passengers that request wheelchair to board first, however they stand up and get off the plane also first.  

I usually pay early bird so I am paying $15.00 extra one way and need to wait for all wheelchairs to board first and no payments. 

Boarding first and seating in the last rows provided accessibility to  persons with disability  and at the same time maintaining fast and comfortable boarding to all passengers 

Re: Solution for South Wests Preboard nightmare

Jimflyer
Explorer C

Sounds good to me. Legal issues aside, the pre-boarding process has been abused by many for a long time. I have one more suggestion to add. Pre-boarding should be classified as a premium service like early bird and be charged an extra fee, perhaps more than EB to account for the assistance. But, I agree with the OP, that perhaps seating to the rear will make it a win-win solution. And it will cut down on the number of abusers.

Re: Solution for South Wests Preboard nightmare

Jimflyer
Explorer C

Perhaps the fakers could fly another carrier that caters to fakers. Or, they can purchase an EB boarding pass like the rest of us. Not fair?

Re: Solution for South Wests Preboard nightmare

Traveloften
Explorer C

I travel frequently and Southwest is my only airline. Unfortunately I do have an artificial hip but I do not take advantage of the Preboard option, this should be used for patrons who actually truly need it. I am actually on flight #339 making my way back to Saint Louis, MO from Oakland, and as I see way too often people preboadring who are obviously taking advantage of this feature designed for those who need it. I witnessed 8 people who were a group and who had no problem walking, get the privilege to board early, Shame on you Southwest, you need to monitor and police this for those who truly need and deserve it, not just so a group can sit together. There needs to be something done about this, you will start loosing customers. This is a great airline, the only one I fly, but you are really starting to upset Alist Preffered / Companion customers who spent thousands of $’s with you.

Southwest, revise this policy!

Traveloften

Re: Solution for South Wests Preboard nightmare

dw0427
Explorer C

Southwest claims they cannot discriminate when it comes to customer asking for pre-boarding but there has to be a way to police this.  It is getting completely ridiculous the number of able bodied folks in the B & C Boarding Groups abusing the system.  

 

I only fly SW and spend $1000's to get to A-List Preferred and now it really means nothing because of the blatant abuse of the pre-boarding situation.  No other airline allows this amount of pre-boarding.

 

SW please come up with something to fix this or reduce the requirements for A-List / Preferred as you have diminished the value of achieving.  There is now little to no benefit due to the obvious abuse of the pre-boarding policy.  I would love a direct response from SW on this issue.......

 

Regards,

 

A Loyal SW Customer

Re: Solution for South Wests Preboard nightmare

Traveloften
Explorer C

Spot on my friend...Spot on