Saving seats on SWA

[Anonymous]

Thought some of you SW fans might be interested in this podcast about how SW is struggling. In part this is due to the fact that a lot of other airlines now don't have change fees (which used to be a big perk of Southwest)


https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/the-journal/southwest-changed-flying-can-it-change-itself/ae22441d-019a-4a6e-9e78-e068533c64fe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes. WTF is up with this. I was on a flight in the Fall where we had 18 wheel chair people. Only 2 of these people needed wheelchairs to get off the plane. I just can't with these older boomers and silent gen folks.

WTF is up with someone not knowing that many elderly people and people with health issues are able to walk short distances, but not long distances, and that standing in line, like at security, is particularly hard? You actually didn't know this was a thing? Do you not have elderly relatives?

DP.

FWIW, this is a long-standing insider joke among airline industry folks.

SWA is a laughingstock for its Jetway Jesus problem.

I've been told (but have not verified) that SWA has vastly disproportionate wheelchair requests compared to other airlines.

Yes bigoted jokes often have long lifespans. Saying they are the laughingstock because they handle disability issues well and so have more disabled customers is no different than calling a business a laughingstock because they have black customers or LGBTQ+ customers.

That's certainly one possibility.

The other possibility is that a lot people are willing to feign disability to gain an advantage.

Considering that disability fraud is a $7B+/yr problem, I'm going with door #2.

Nope, that’s like saying it’s ok to be racist towards actual black people because some white people commit fraud by checking the wrong box on their college apps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes. WTF is up with this. I was on a flight in the Fall where we had 18 wheel chair people. Only 2 of these people needed wheelchairs to get off the plane. I just can't with these older boomers and silent gen folks.

WTF is up with someone not knowing that many elderly people and people with health issues are able to walk short distances, but not long distances, and that standing in line, like at security, is particularly hard? You actually didn't know this was a thing? Do you not have elderly relatives?

DP.

FWIW, this is a long-standing insider joke among airline industry folks.

SWA is a laughingstock for its Jetway Jesus problem.

I've been told (but have not verified) that SWA has vastly disproportionate wheelchair requests compared to other airlines.

Yes bigoted jokes often have long lifespans. Saying they are the laughingstock because they handle disability issues well and so have more disabled customers is no different than calling a business a laughingstock because they have black customers or LGBTQ+ customers.

That's certainly one possibility.

The other possibility is that a lot people are willing to feign disability to gain an advantage.

Considering that disability fraud is a $7B+/yr problem, I'm going with door #2.

Nope, that’s like saying it’s ok to be racist towards actual black people because some white people commit fraud by checking the wrong box on their college apps.

No, it’s really not.

It’s making fun of people who are NOT disabled and who are fraudulently pretending to be disabled to gain an unfair advantage.

This is the equivalent of anti-racism, NOT racism.

You’re not smart enough to be the morality police. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thought some of you SW fans might be interested in this podcast about how SW is struggling. In part this is due to the fact that a lot of other airlines now don't have change fees (which used to be a big perk of Southwest)


https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/the-journal/southwest-changed-flying-can-it-change-itself/ae22441d-019a-4a6e-9e78-e068533c64fe

Or maybe it’s just that their fares are no longer cheaper than other airlines?

I used to fly them for cheaper fares and now I only fly them for schedule— if they happen to be the airlines flying where I am going.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes. WTF is up with this. I was on a flight in the Fall where we had 18 wheel chair people. Only 2 of these people needed wheelchairs to get off the plane. I just can't with these older boomers and silent gen folks.

WTF is up with someone not knowing that many elderly people and people with health issues are able to walk short distances, but not long distances, and that standing in line, like at security, is particularly hard? You actually didn't know this was a thing? Do you not have elderly relatives?

DP.

FWIW, this is a long-standing insider joke among airline industry folks.

SWA is a laughingstock for its Jetway Jesus problem.

I've been told (but have not verified) that SWA has vastly disproportionate wheelchair requests compared to other airlines.

Yes bigoted jokes often have long lifespans. Saying they are the laughingstock because they handle disability issues well and so have more disabled customers is no different than calling a business a laughingstock because they have black customers or LGBTQ+ customers.

That's certainly one possibility.

The other possibility is that a lot people are willing to feign disability to gain an advantage.

Considering that disability fraud is a $7B+/yr problem, I'm going with door #2.

Nope, that’s like saying it’s ok to be racist towards actual black people because some white people commit fraud by checking the wrong box on their college apps.

No, it’s really not.

It’s making fun of people who are NOT disabled and who are fraudulently pretending to be disabled to gain an unfair advantage.

This is the equivalent of anti-racism, NOT racism.

You’re not smart enough to be the morality police. Sorry.

So, you are assuming that every elderly person who claims to have a super common age related diagnosis like arthritis, or heart disease, or interstitial lung disease, or whatever that impacts stamina and means that they can walk short distances, but can't handle the trip all the way from the door of the airport to the gate, is fraudulently pretending? Because even if one of the people who come in a wheelchair honestly needs it, making fun of them isn't cool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes. WTF is up with this. I was on a flight in the Fall where we had 18 wheel chair people. Only 2 of these people needed wheelchairs to get off the plane. I just can't with these older boomers and silent gen folks.

WTF is up with someone not knowing that many elderly people and people with health issues are able to walk short distances, but not long distances, and that standing in line, like at security, is particularly hard? You actually didn't know this was a thing? Do you not have elderly relatives?

DP.

FWIW, this is a long-standing insider joke among airline industry folks.

SWA is a laughingstock for its Jetway Jesus problem.

I've been told (but have not verified) that SWA has vastly disproportionate wheelchair requests compared to other airlines.

Yes bigoted jokes often have long lifespans. Saying they are the laughingstock because they handle disability issues well and so have more disabled customers is no different than calling a business a laughingstock because they have black customers or LGBTQ+ customers.

That's certainly one possibility.

The other possibility is that a lot people are willing to feign disability to gain an advantage.

Considering that disability fraud is a $7B+/yr problem, I'm going with door #2.

Nope, that’s like saying it’s ok to be racist towards actual black people because some white people commit fraud by checking the wrong box on their college apps.

No, it’s really not.

It’s making fun of people who are NOT disabled and who are fraudulently pretending to be disabled to gain an unfair advantage.

This is the equivalent of anti-racism, NOT racism.

You’re not smart enough to be the morality police. Sorry.

So, you are assuming that every elderly person who claims to have a super common age related diagnosis like arthritis, or heart disease, or interstitial lung disease, or whatever that impacts stamina and means that they can walk short distances, but can't handle the trip all the way from the door of the airport to the gate, is fraudulently pretending? Because even if one of the people who come in a wheelchair honestly needs it, making fun of them isn't cool.

Not the poster you are arguing with but the only people made fun of just a little are the one who request wheelchair service to get on the plane but not to get off the plane.

We recently had to get wheelchair service through security and to the gate at Dulles because that is a lot of walking but once we got to gate we let the wheelchair go because our traveler could walk down the jetway unassisted.

Really curious what medical conditions make people need a wheelchair getting on the plane but not off?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes. WTF is up with this. I was on a flight in the Fall where we had 18 wheel chair people. Only 2 of these people needed wheelchairs to get off the plane. I just can't with these older boomers and silent gen folks.

WTF is up with someone not knowing that many elderly people and people with health issues are able to walk short distances, but not long distances, and that standing in line, like at security, is particularly hard? You actually didn't know this was a thing? Do you not have elderly relatives?

DP.

FWIW, this is a long-standing insider joke among airline industry folks.

SWA is a laughingstock for its Jetway Jesus problem.

I've been told (but have not verified) that SWA has vastly disproportionate wheelchair requests compared to other airlines.

Yes bigoted jokes often have long lifespans. Saying they are the laughingstock because they handle disability issues well and so have more disabled customers is no different than calling a business a laughingstock because they have black customers or LGBTQ+ customers.

That's certainly one possibility.

The other possibility is that a lot people are willing to feign disability to gain an advantage.

Considering that disability fraud is a $7B+/yr problem, I'm going with door #2.

Nope, that’s like saying it’s ok to be racist towards actual black people because some white people commit fraud by checking the wrong box on their college apps.

No, it’s really not.

It’s making fun of people who are NOT disabled and who are fraudulently pretending to be disabled to gain an unfair advantage.

This is the equivalent of anti-racism, NOT racism.

You’re not smart enough to be the morality police. Sorry.

So, you are assuming that every elderly person who claims to have a super common age related diagnosis like arthritis, or heart disease, or interstitial lung disease, or whatever that impacts stamina and means that they can walk short distances, but can't handle the trip all the way from the door of the airport to the gate, is fraudulently pretending? Because even if one of the people who come in a wheelchair honestly needs it, making fun of them isn't cool.

Not the poster you are arguing with but the only people made fun of just a little are the one who request wheelchair service to get on the plane but not to get off the plane.

We recently had to get wheelchair service through security and to the gate at Dulles because that is a lot of walking but once we got to gate we let the wheelchair go because our traveler could walk down the jetway unassisted.

Really curious what medical conditions make people need a wheelchair getting on the plane but not off?

So, you requested wheelchair service to get to the plane, and then didn't use it on the jetway because you preferred to slow everyone down, rather than preboarding to make things more efficient, because your pride is more important than efficiency? And therefore people who have more sense than you should be shamed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes, so many questionable pre early boarding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes, so many questionable pre early boarding.

They should tell the pre boarders they are not allowed to choose a bulkhead. They DO tell them that they cannot sit in the exit row.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes. WTF is up with this. I was on a flight in the Fall where we had 18 wheel chair people. Only 2 of these people needed wheelchairs to get off the plane. I just can't with these older boomers and silent gen folks.

WTF is up with someone not knowing that many elderly people and people with health issues are able to walk short distances, but not long distances, and that standing in line, like at security, is particularly hard? You actually didn't know this was a thing? Do you not have elderly relatives?

DP.

FWIW, this is a long-standing insider joke among airline industry folks.

SWA is a laughingstock for its Jetway Jesus problem.

I've been told (but have not verified) that SWA has vastly disproportionate wheelchair requests compared to other airlines.

Yes bigoted jokes often have long lifespans. Saying they are the laughingstock because they handle disability issues well and so have more disabled customers is no different than calling a business a laughingstock because they have black customers or LGBTQ+ customers.

That's certainly one possibility.

The other possibility is that a lot people are willing to feign disability to gain an advantage.

Considering that disability fraud is a $7B+/yr problem, I'm going with door #2.

Nope, that’s like saying it’s ok to be racist towards actual black people because some white people commit fraud by checking the wrong box on their college apps.

No, it’s really not.

It’s making fun of people who are NOT disabled and who are fraudulently pretending to be disabled to gain an unfair advantage.

This is the equivalent of anti-racism, NOT racism.

You’re not smart enough to be the morality police. Sorry.

So, you are assuming that every elderly person who claims to have a super common age related diagnosis like arthritis, or heart disease, or interstitial lung disease, or whatever that impacts stamina and means that they can walk short distances, but can't handle the trip all the way from the door of the airport to the gate, is fraudulently pretending? Because even if one of the people who come in a wheelchair honestly needs it, making fun of them isn't cool.

No. FFS.

I am making no assumption except that SOME people are gaming the system.

I am not assuming that anyone in particular is doing so, nor am I making fun of any individual.

I AM making fun of the (undeniable) fact that SOME people are feigning disabilities in order to get a marginally better airplane seat.

I am now also making fun of you in particular for being both holier-than-thou and a bit slow. Helluva way to go through life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes. WTF is up with this. I was on a flight in the Fall where we had 18 wheel chair people. Only 2 of these people needed wheelchairs to get off the plane. I just can't with these older boomers and silent gen folks.

WTF is up with someone not knowing that many elderly people and people with health issues are able to walk short distances, but not long distances, and that standing in line, like at security, is particularly hard? You actually didn't know this was a thing? Do you not have elderly relatives?

DP.

FWIW, this is a long-standing insider joke among airline industry folks.

SWA is a laughingstock for its Jetway Jesus problem.

I've been told (but have not verified) that SWA has vastly disproportionate wheelchair requests compared to other airlines.

Yes bigoted jokes often have long lifespans. Saying they are the laughingstock because they handle disability issues well and so have more disabled customers is no different than calling a business a laughingstock because they have black customers or LGBTQ+ customers.

That's certainly one possibility.

The other possibility is that a lot people are willing to feign disability to gain an advantage.

Considering that disability fraud is a $7B+/yr problem, I'm going with door #2.

Nope, that’s like saying it’s ok to be racist towards actual black people because some white people commit fraud by checking the wrong box on their college apps.

No, it’s really not.

It’s making fun of people who are NOT disabled and who are fraudulently pretending to be disabled to gain an unfair advantage.

This is the equivalent of anti-racism, NOT racism.

You’re not smart enough to be the morality police. Sorry.

So, you are assuming that every elderly person who claims to have a super common age related diagnosis like arthritis, or heart disease, or interstitial lung disease, or whatever that impacts stamina and means that they can walk short distances, but can't handle the trip all the way from the door of the airport to the gate, is fraudulently pretending? Because even if one of the people who come in a wheelchair honestly needs it, making fun of them isn't cool.

Not the poster you are arguing with but the only people made fun of just a little are the one who request wheelchair service to get on the plane but not to get off the plane.

We recently had to get wheelchair service through security and to the gate at Dulles because that is a lot of walking but once we got to gate we let the wheelchair go because our traveler could walk down the jetway unassisted.

Really curious what medical conditions make people need a wheelchair getting on the plane but not off?

So, you requested wheelchair service to get to the plane, and then didn't use it on the jetway because you preferred to slow everyone down, rather than preboarding to make things more efficient, because your pride is more important than efficiency? And therefore people who have more sense than you should be shamed?

Such a weird attack. I never said we turned down preboarding and the idea that walking down the jetway slowly is going to slow the loading of the plane is a pretty bizarre understanding on how things work.

My point was just that being able to walk short distances but not long distances doesn’t explain needing a wheelchair to board but not to disembark.

[Anonymous]

We flew Southwest earlier this year with three kids and our au pair. We did family boarding but you are only allowed two adults with family boarding so my husband, the au pair, and my three kids boarded and I was in the absolute last boarding group. I was prepared to sit not with my family and the guy ahead of me made it to the back where my family was sitting before me. Unsurprisingly, when my husband pointed me out and said he was hoping I could sit in the middle seat between him and my three year-old, the guy choose to make his way back to the front and sit in the only other open seat, a middle seat not near a three year-old. It was kind of a pain for us to switch places and made it clear it is ridiculous to have a two adult cap on family boarding. The flight attendant told me next time to just all board together at family boarding and they would not stop us. But, we are rule followers and didn’t want to seem like we were taking advantage. In the end, our rule following slowed everything down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes. WTF is up with this. I was on a flight in the Fall where we had 18 wheel chair people. Only 2 of these people needed wheelchairs to get off the plane. I just can't with these older boomers and silent gen folks.

Which airline/destination? SWA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We flew Southwest earlier this year with three kids and our au pair. We did family boarding but you are only allowed two adults with family boarding so my husband, the au pair, and my three kids boarded and I was in the absolute last boarding group. I was prepared to sit not with my family and the guy ahead of me made it to the back where my family was sitting before me. Unsurprisingly, when my husband pointed me out and said he was hoping I could sit in the middle seat between him and my three year-old, the guy choose to make his way back to the front and sit in the only other open seat, a middle seat not near a three year-old. It was kind of a pain for us to switch places and made it clear it is ridiculous to have a two adult cap on family boarding. The flight attendant told me next time to just all board together at family boarding and they would not stop us. But, we are rule followers and didn’t want to seem like we were taking advantage. In the end, our rule following slowed everything down.

I would have just interpreted that as a 2 adults per kid and had two family groups. Two adults per kid does not seem like a ridiculous rule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have small kids and don't fly with SWA. It would be way too stressful to ensure we get seats together. And the price to pay to get guaranteed #1-20 is way too expensive on a per ticket basis.

Flying UA or AA and just paying for Econ+ ends up being a significantly cheaper proposition.

If you have small kids you can board during family boarding (which I think is basically after the first 60 people have boarded) and I think you would have no problems finding seats together.

Yes...you are missing out! My last flight on U noted it was 50 each way more to reserve seats.