SWA rumor of new Accessibility boarding

[MonocularVision]

So, you can "see" that someone is blind in one eye but not the other …

As a one-eyed American, I would love to understand why a person who can only see out of one eye would need preboarding?

 

[eticketplease]

As a one-eyed American, I would love to understand why a person who can only see out of one eye would need preboarding?

PP was not talking about being blind in one eye requiring preboarding but simply giving an example of something that is not noticeable to the average person since the person before was stating you had to be blind or couldn’t walk without a mobility aid to be considered disabled.

Wow, you must be a disability attorney to know so much about what it is like to be a disabled person. So, you can "see" that someone is blind in one eye but not the other or has a joint replaced or some other "invisible" disability? It sounds like you scrutinize each person boarding. Respectfully, you are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to judge the extent to which a disabled person is disabled. Be kind.

 

[2010dvcfan]

That could be because people are abusing the SW policy... or it could be that when people can select their seat, they don't need to board early to get a needed seat. My BFF has claustrophobia and planes can be bad for her. She needs to sit as far to the front as possible or she can end up having a severe anxiety attack (I spent the entire boarding time on our return from a work trip talking her 'off the ledge' because her seat was kind of far back and I couldn't just leave her in Hawaii when we lived in Louisiana). With SW, she used to buy the early bird checkin, which used to be enough. But lately you can be pretty far back in the A boarding group even with early bird, so she's started to buy business select. But why should she have to pay extra when it is a medical need, not a preference? She can afford just paying extra, but I wouldn't blame her for just using preboard.

All this to say, you will be happier if you just assume everyone using preboard has a valid reason to do so. (Honestly, this applies to any accomodation or benefit). It isn't any of our job to police these policies, and all we are doing is adding to our own stress and unhappiness by dwelling on it. Be glad if you don't need to preboard and remember that the whole plane will end up in the same place, no matter where your seat is.

No one was policing anything we are having a mature conversation about whether we believe there are people out there that abuse the pre boarding opportunities.

Regardless of disability or not, SW is offering for passengers to pay to board the plane early, once that fee is collected the passenger paying the fee has every right to be upset if fellow passengers are "gaming' the system to board without paying that fee. That is what we were discussing, not whether or not we could tell if someone met the qualifications of the Americans with Disability Act by looking at them.

In my experience the truly disabled rarely insist or demand preferential treatment they like to be treated as a normal guest or client when at all possible.

I believe this will be solved with assigned seats. Pre boarding won't be a problem then if everyone already knows what seat is theirs.

 

[MICKIMINI]

As a one-eyed American, I would love to understand why a person who can only see out of one eye would need preboarding?

Okay, I shall explain. Perhaps that person (being me) also has a joint replacement issue, and many other issues besides seven eye surgeries. Disability does not come in one size only folks.

 

[MonocularVision]

Okay, I shall explain. Perhaps that person (being me) also has a joint replacement issue, and many other issues besides seven eye surgeries. Disability does not come in one size only folks.

Oh, fair enough. I just didn’t understand how seeing out of one eye would have any bearing on pre-boarding and would need to be listed as a “disability”

 

[keishashadow]

As an update, no hints dropped by FAs as to upcoming changes during our recent flights. They had their hands full.

Flights home on Friday were both substantially delayed. Told it wasn’t weather or equipment issues. One FA offered it was just plain busy and everything seemed to be taking longer that day, especially ATL hub

Plane took off so late out of SNA, we missed connection, did get seats on the next one out of Denver.

We were handed snacks by a pilot standing in jetway on the way into the plane, that was a first for us. The FA indicated they were getting close to the max flight time allowable, needed to take off quickly or they were calling the flight.

Was so glad to finally get home.

 

[eticketplease]

Glad you were able to make it home safely

 

[Evita_W]

Unless someone has to be transferred to a wheelchair to get on/off the plane itself (not just the jetbridge) it never made sense to me why they would be in the front. Seems ripe for abuse. Also presumably SW will have a record of who requested wheelchair accommodations onto the plane, and could keep track of how many of those people make “miraculous recoveries” mid-air.

If you need extra time to get ON the plane why should you slow down people getting OFF the plane as well?

Welcome move, IMO.

Because some of us can’t walk to the back of the plane, also there are seats at the front of most of their planes that have extra leg room that are not exit rows, so someone who say has a leg cast could sit there and not elsewhere.

As for getting off, wheelchairs are actually supposed to be the first unloaded, as it takes them extra time to get to their destination. DH and I didn’t even realize this was a rule until the other day when reading the FAA’s website. Of course this never happens in practice, but technically what is supposed to happen.

 

[SueM in MN]

Because some of us can’t walk to the back of the plane, also there are seats at the front of most of their planes that have extra leg room that are not exit rows, so someone who say has a leg cast could sit there and not elsewhere.

As for getting off, wheelchairs are actually supposed to be the first unloaded, as it takes them extra time to get to their destination. DH and I didn’t even realize this was a rule until the other day when reading the FAA’s website. Of course this never happens in practice, but technically what is supposed to happen.

Where did you see this as I have never seen it anywhere that they are supposed to be the first unloaded.
The Air Carrier Access Act regulates disability assistance/policies for people with disabilities traveling by air
This is the text about timely return of wheelchairs (my bold)

(d) In order to achieve the timely return of wheelchairs, you must ensure that passengers' wheelchairs, other mobility aids, and other assistive devices are among the first items retrieved from the baggage compartment.
​

In our experience with gate checking a wheelchair, the gate checked items usually come kind of all at once and usually take a few minutes after passengers start getting off the plane. Whether all the wheelchairs come up before every stroller is deplaned seems to depend on how things were packed in the baggage compartment.
We always receive our daughter's wheelchair at the gate, but when we go to pick up our bags, we see wheelchairs that were not delivered to the gate come out on the carousel before bags (passengers can choose to have their wheelchair delivered at the gate or sent to baggage claim)

 

[ShaneDJ]

Because some of us can’t walk to the back of the plane, also there are seats at the front of most of their planes that have extra leg room that are not exit rows, so someone who say has a leg cast could sit there and not elsewhere.

Delta and other non-SWA airlines have "extra pay" First Class seats in the front of their planes. If you need the very front of the plane, you pay for First Class.

How do you handle your accommodations on non-SWA flights?

 

[Marrila]

Delta and other non-SWA airlines have "extra pay" First Class seats in the front of their planes. If you need the very front of the plane, you pay for First Class.

How do you handle your accommodations on non-SWA flights?

Easy. I book the seats in the front of the class that works for us. (Assuming they are available .) My husband is disabled. Sometimes I book first class, because it's easier on him.

 

[tinkerbelllacey]

We need to preboard with my youngest daughter for several reasons:

• she needs to either be carried on (if we can bring her wheelchair right to the door, not just to the gate) or she needs to use the aisle chair
• I need to remove the seat and back off her wheelchair and fold it. We ask to board first and have a minute or 2 to do this so I'm not in people's way
• I need to bring the wheelchair seat, back and pieces we remove at the gate onto the plane along with a bag that contains medical supplies we need on board.
• Guests with disabilities who preboard are guaranteed to be able to bring their medical devices/supplies onboard. If they don't preboard, there is no guarantee of space or space near their seat

We are the same Sue! We have to bring my daughter’s wheelchair to the plane and I ask for a few extra minutes as it takes us awhile too. We have to take her chair apart, take the cushions off , fold it, and carry on so many medical supplies and she is also hooked up to her feeding pump. We usually need the first row. I also have my son who has an adaptive stroller and I have to fold that. He has brain injuries, CP and autism and feeding tube and also challenging behaviors.We are always the last to leave the plane as we have to wait for the chairs.

 

[Clarigirl10]

Delta and other non-SWA airlines have "extra pay" First Class seats in the front of their planes. If you need the very front of the plane, you pay for First Class.

How do you handle your accommodations on non-SWA flights?

This may also be why they book on Southwest - because it has presently been working the best for them. Other people can also utilize other carriers. When I am not using Southwest, I do book first class if those seats accommodate my specific needs.

 

[Evita_W]

Where did you see this as I have never seen it anywhere that they are supposed to be the first unloaded.
The Air Carrier Access Act regulates disability assistance/policies for people with disabilities traveling by air
This is the text about timely return of wheelchairs (my bold)

(d) In order to achieve the timely return of wheelchairs, you must ensure that passengers' wheelchairs, other mobility aids, and other assistive devices are among the first items retrieved from the baggage compartment.
​

In our experience with gate checking a wheelchair, the gate checked items usually come kind of all at once and usually take a few minutes after passengers start getting off the plane. Whether all the wheelchairs come up before every stroller is deplaned seems to depend on how things were packed in the baggage compartment.
We always receive our daughter's wheelchair at the gate, but when we go to pick up our bags, we see wheelchairs that were not delivered to the gate come out on the carousel before bags (passengers can choose to have their wheelchair delivered at the gate or sent to baggage claim)

You highlighted exactly what I was referring to, they must be among the FIRST items retreived, many airlines make them the last items retrieved. This does not mean those using them are the first to deplane, but that the devices are the first to be unloaded and brought to the gate. Strollers should not come up before wheelchairs.

 

[OurBigTrip]

You highlighted exactly what I was referring to, they must be among the FIRST items retreived, many airlines make them the last items retrieved. This does not mean those using them are the first to deplane, but that the devices are the first to be unloaded and brought to the gate. Strollers should not come up before wheelchairs.

“Among the first” is not the same as first. Nothing that’s says a stroller can’t come up first.

 

[happycamper47]

You highlighted exactly what I was referring to, they must be among the FIRST items retreived, many airlines make them the last items retrieved.

It depends on how they are loaded in the luggage hold. If the strollers are the last to be loaded they would be the first to come off.

 

[Chickenlady]

Because some of us can’t walk to the back of the plane, also there are seats at the front of most of their planes that have extra leg room that are not exit rows, so someone who say has a leg cast could sit there and not elsewhere.

As for getting off, wheelchairs are actually supposed to be the first unloaded, as it takes them extra time to get to their destination. DH and I didn’t even realize this was a rule until the other day when reading the FAA’s website. Of course this never happens in practice, but technically what is supposed to happen.

We take SW often. I use an electric wheelchair (WHILL) and it is NEVER unloaded before everyone else's random carry on over flow and strollers. I usually try to sit in a window seat on the side that they load and unload so that I can see when its safe to try to get to the door. We are usually the last people of the flight still sitting there.

 

[SueM in MN]

You highlighted exactly what I was referring to, they must be among the FIRST items retreived, many airlines make them the last items retrieved. This does not mean those using them are the first to deplane, but that the devices are the first to be unloaded and brought to the gate. Strollers should not come up before wheelchairs.

Among the first does not mean nothing can be unloaded before. So, there is nothing that says strollers can't come up before wheelchairs. Our experience is the strollers, walkers and wheelchairs usually come up in a couple of groups right after each other.

Exactly what comes out first is going to depend on how things were loaded, which will vary depending on exactly what is gate checked for that flight and how baggage needs to balanced in the baggage areas for weight and size.
Power devices may take longer because their weight and size has a bearing on where they are loaded. Time also depends on where the elevator from the ground to the gate is located and how long it takes to get from the ground to the elevator and up to your gate.

 

[Tiggerish]

Power devices may take longer because their weight and size has a bearing on where they are loaded. Time also depends on where the elevator from the ground to the gate is located and how long it takes to get from the ground to the elevator and up to your gate.

This is very true. With my first power chair which weighed 185 lbs. it came up with strollers. With my current chair which weighs almost 400 lbs. they usually have a wheelchair pusher bring me up the gateway and I wait in boarding area until they bring my chair.

 

[Weedy]

Here’s an update. No changes until 2026
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmon...ines-major-change-open-seating-free-bags.html