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Please enforce the policy!

Bloescher
Explorer C

Flying from Dallas to DC. I’m A17 and the person who is A34 just walks to the gate in front of me, scans her ticket and walks on. I said to the gate agent “hey, she’s A34”. He said “OK”. Ok?  What the heck?  So I get on the plane and two preboarders (with absolutely nothing wrong with them other than being rude) are saving the entire front row. And miss A34 goes straight to the exit row and takes the seat with the leg room.  I’m 6’4”, I fly SW all the time (which is why I’m A17). I get no leg room because SW chooses not to enforce their policies. What is the point of my loyalty?  

4 REPLIES 4

Re: Please enforce the policy!

fharris770
Explorer C

Could not agree more. Also, what about the huge and growing number of people who board as "disabled" but apparently don't need the same level of "support" when it's time to get off at their destination????  

Southwest needs to enforce their policies. Too often the gate agents are disinterested and seem to be lazy. (Could take a hard look at dress code as well).

Re: Please enforce the policy!

Bloescher
Explorer C

While I share your frustration with fake ailment pre-boarders I understand that trying to enforce that would put SW in a rather precarious position.  They are not doctors and, unfortunately, need to trust that people will honestly use the pre-board feature for only legitimate reasons. However the order of boarding is strictly a black and white issue. 17 is before 34. Clear and plain.  

Re: Please enforce the policy!

fharris770
Explorer C

I'm not expecting them to be medically capable to judge.  Main issue (it appears to me) is the people who are not sitting in a wheel chair that board along with their person needing assistance.  I fly other carriers frequently, and it looks as if the other carriers allow ONE person to board with the person needing assistance.

I fly out of Atlanta a lot which means Delta has many flights. I don't see large crowds of people board when "those needing assistance" is announced.  Southwest appears to have a bit of a unique problem and it seems to be getting larger by the day. 

Re: Please enforce the policy!

CareforNOLA
Frequent Flyer A

Hi @Bloescher,

I agree that the gate agent should have been a little more respectful.  I have seen them kick back people boarding out of position most times, but I know that the company gives the gate agents (and all employees) the opportunity to make some on the spot decisions.  Maybe they were running late, so he was decided hustling everyone on was fastest than stopping and redirecting.

 

One time in my 30+ years flying, I saved the seat with the leg-room for a friend who is 6'2" who boarded about 30 slots behind me.  I got a few requests for it, but the passengers seemed ok when I explained how tall the person was for whom I was saving the seat.  No one who asked was over 5'11".

 

I wish you had asked A34 if you could have that seat (it does not say whether you tried), and I wish that she would have said yes or had an explanation (such as 8 hours on that plane of DAL-BWI-MDW-PHX or something).  Maybe? I am trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.

 

My loyalty lies in the fact that no airline has policies that fit everyone.  The "no-change" fee keeps me in those seats, and I like the free-range boarding.  I might be A16-30 most days, but I choose never to go for the front or the exit rows because I know folks like you need them more. 

 

So I hope one bad day and one mistep from a gate agent won't ruin your relationship with the airline.  Yes, you should have gotten that seat, and I hope your future travels go better.  SWA is not perfect, but neither are the others.  And hopefully, most of the passengers are kind and respectful the majority of the time.