If you need assistance contact your airline in advance and they’ll arrange for a wheelchair. There’s officially no cost for the service although in most U.S. airports the people pushing make much of their money on tips. It’s never clear the right amount to tip. Some feel $5 is appropriate, others tip $20. There’s no medical verification needed to request this. And some people ask for the service who don’t, strictly speak, ‘need it’.
When a flight has numerous passengers with wheelchair assistance on boarding, and then most of those passengers get off themselves and walk out of the terminal – walking right past the waiting wheelchairs on the jet bridge – it’s known as a “miracle flight.” Here’s one recent Southwest Airlines flight where 20 passengers used wheelchairs to board, and only 3 used them to get off. 17 passengers experienced an inflight miracle.
Pre-boarding scam at @SouthwestAir 20 passengers boarding using a wheelchair and probably only 3 need one to deplane. pic.twitter.com/3WyKuSWdtt
— Paul (@trendready) June 24, 2023
Let’s be clear: there are certainly cases where someone might need assistance on boarding and not deplaning. But that’s also highly unlikely to be the case for 17 passengers (85% of those needing wheelchair assistance) here.
In addition to the medicinal benefits of flying that cures these passengers, explanations may include a desire for:
- Better seating which is unique to Southwest. You’re going to get a better deal tipping a wheelchair attendant than buying Early Bird Check-in in order to get a better seat.
@SouthwestAir. The wheelchair scam continues this morning. How do a family of 'C' boarding Pre-board? Get grandma to sit in a wheelchair. Now the whole family (5) gets to accompany her. pic.twitter.com/JORUPaXdMr
— Paul (@trendready) June 25, 2023
- Access to overhead bin space. If you’ve got a late boarding group there may not be overhead bin space. But board with a wheelchair and you go on early, bin space is yours.
- Free carry on with a basic economy fare on United. If you need priority boarding assistance you aren’t in the last boarding group, and the full-sized carry on ban on the cheapest tickets is enforced by boarding group.
- Priority check-in and security. But if you’re savvy enough to ask for a wheelchair you are savvy enough to get PreCheck and check-in online and do bag drop.
Since the biggest benefit – seat selection, in addition to airport priority – comes when flying Southwest, it’s little surprise this is noted most in social media with Southwest flights.
A friend shares a not-uncommon sight from Puerto Rico:
55 "handicapped" during pre-boarding, including 25 wheel chairs
On his return flight, 15 used wheelchairs to board, only 1 to deboard pic.twitter.com/gHgIsnzsq7
— Bachman (@ElonBachman) February 19, 2023
Another flight on @SouthwestAir, and I’m happy to report being witness to more miracles. These poor souls came seeking a flight, and instead were healed. 🙌🏻🙌🏻
Always grateful for witnessing the miraculous healing power of flight. pic.twitter.com/7TCYn2T6BB
— Dave Ruminates (@dave_ruminates) April 5, 2023
The reason this concerns me is that people asking for wheelchair assistance who do not need it prevents or delays people who do need assistance from getting it. If everyone at the gate showed up needing early boarding it would defeat the purpose of early boarding (‘if everyone gets early boarding then no one does’).
Would it violate the ADA to charge a fee for use of the chair?
I didn’t need another reason to hate people more.. lazy parasites.
These are the type of people that do the bare minimum to get by then play the victim card when they can’t pay their bills.
Karma
I truly believe in good juju and bad juju.
tick tock
@Johhny,
It definitely would be a lawsuit. Actually if Southwest or any other airlines even tried to stop this with some reasonable method there still would be a pile of lawsuits.
the ADA should have never been allowed to pass.
Tom you have such deep insight on human personalities derived from such brief glimpses of human behavior. Or, more probably, you’re just a smug douche. Sure you don’t request unnecessary wheelchairs, but you’re insufferable in other ways. Lick my ass.
And the saddest thing is, in all likelihood these people think that they are “smart”.
Chad, you sound like the person who would say she had it coming because her skirt was too short or why have gun laws if criminals aren’t going to follow them anyway. Then again based on your name your comment has to be the most on brand thing someone’s ever said.
Yes, these people do think they are smart. I know one of them who boasted about this to me. It was all I could do to hold my tongue, but I’ve carefully avoided her since. They are deceitful and dishonest. Sadly, I don’t believe in juju otherwise the only justice for them would to be to discover that they really always will need a wheelchair in the future.
I remember having lots of flights like this every summer back in the 90s and early 2000s with tour groups going to Branson. We had this happen on almost every flight in and out all summer. It made on time departures virtually impossible. We only had 30 minutes for a BAe-146 turn, and there’s only so many wheelchairs and agents you can get down the jet bridge at one time to assist them.
Here in Florida we call them “miracle flights”.
My thought is those passing judgement knowing zero about these people, yes Gary you wear the crown, are typical right wing idiots.
I had a stroke just under a year ago. I can get by much of the time but occasionally I can use the support, such as long walks and clearing immigration/customs, the support can help. So is you see me using wheelchair assist but walking on the flight or on arrival, there is a reason. People like Gary and Chad are redneck half-wits that know very little about the world.
@Pete D.
Yeah we wouldn’t get along. You’re ok with lazy people and I am not.
A variant – in Seattle – (Delta, domestic) I saw a couple that looked trim and fit – probably early 60’s – extend their collapsible walking sticks, and hobble up to the gate for pre-boarding. As soon as they were past the jetway door, they flicked closed their walking sticks and robustly walked down the jetway.
And this was not a case of SWA’s ridiculous cattle-call, no-assigned-seat.boarding. There is a reason I am approaching 500 commercial flights and have never flown SWA.
This piss*s me off. They should be publicly shamed.
One solution might be to require that people who board early, accommodating their lack of mobility or whatever, be required to wait with deplaning until all of the able-bodied are off, so that they don’t gum up the process with all the wheelchairs and walkers and such. You would find out who was truly mobility-impaired because those folks would generally prefer to deplane when it is less chaotic.
Southwest needs to fix this abuse of their policy. It has become more problematic in the past few years. Requiring an uploaded physician document would be helpful.
A doctor’s signature is necessary to get a handicapped parking placard. A similar procedure could be helpful in filtering out scammers. Selfish dishonest scammers.
There is low-life pond scum, then there are these people.
It often depends on the airports; for example at large ones such as Atlanta more people need chairs to board than when deplaning at smaller facilities.
@Michael
yes it’s called being rational.
Simple fix: Designate the last rows for pre-boarders. First ones on, last ones off.
Another benefit: on international flight, wheelchairs go to the front of the immigration line. I saw this pulled off by a group of 5 ladies who walked onto the flight in Istanbul and got wheel-chaired to the front of immigration in Chicago. Istanbul airport is huge — the ticket agent had suggested due to my age that I might want a wheelchair, which I declined. So it is unlikely all 5 women in this group are in Ray’s situation.
They should all board last, problem solved
I have crippling arthritis. It doesn’t prevent me from flying, and I can walk in and out of the ramp and airplane.
Getting back into a seat or getting out of it is painful and takes time.
At the suggestion of a flight attendant on SWA she told me I should ask for priority boarding when she saw me wincing in pain.
Are people abusing the system. Sure! You don’t know what another person is dealing with.
I don’t think shaming people works anymore. They just don’t care. It’s all about them.
I see this every time I fly southwest. Total miracle. I think they should have a section for these people and then rope it off. When they land and those people have to get off last. That would solve some of this BS.
Or maybe they’re not allowed to sit in the first 15 rows. I was A1 one time and I had to get on Behind These two people that had an emotional support animal. Obviously one of them wasn’t doing the job for the other. Luckily they cracked down on the animal BS
Japan would never!
But the deranged left love to call them ‘racists’, because they value the HONOR and values of their country, hence naturally they make it really difficult for foreigners to live there. So much for the BS ‘diversity’ and ‘cultural enrichment’ speech of the left.
Is it just me, or this is disproportionately occurring in FL? IME, it’s always been flights to/from FL.
My husband is disabled and we pre-board together. A possible solution would be that those who pre-board need to show their handicapped placard to the gate agent. We would be happy to do so. We bring it with us on trips so if we rent a car or even get an uber, or get picked up by a friend, we can use it.
It’s not just southwest. I use to fly Etihad and Qatar and Emirates a ton from various us cities to their respective hubs. This happened on every flight all the time
I use a cane to walk with and am very unsteady due to chemotherapy
I did use wheelchair service on my last Southwest flight
There was at least one woman who she was using the wheelchair for her personal items, pushing it, but boarded the plane ahead of everyone else, because she pushed away to the front
Just ask them to show their handicapped placard. My husband is severly disabled and we bring it with us for use wherever we are. We also board early and I always wonder whether the fakers take a look at him in his chair and think, “maybe this is a bad idea” – karma-wise
How about if you use a wheelchair to board, you have to use one to deplane.
I use a wheelchair and handicap parking spaces every time I fly. I have ED and I’m the pilot.
Agree with those who avoid Southwest for precisely this type of reason. Would also remind folks that there are zero means available to cabin crew to enforce who will be last to deplane, so the only solution to pax using wheelchairs to game the system is probably the aforementioned “pre-board, sit in the rear” rule.
So as the daughter of a perfectly ambulatory older woman w multiple health issues I can say many of the posters here are a bunch of ableist morons who don’t understand how “need assistance” works. Many people cannot handle walking fast to make boarding times, especially under stress. My mother, like probably many of these passengers, can walk around the store and around her home, but when walking fast and under stress, suffers from severe angina. Not safe. We ask for assistance to get to the gate and on the plane. I help her walk off the plane and wait for a wheelchair before walking to baggage claim or a connecting flight. My mother is not wheelchair bound. She needs assistance nonetheless. So, if you want to be a jerk and pretend to need a wheelchair like you are accusing others of doing g, feel free. But don’t assume everyone who walks off a plane after having assistance is as evil as you want to be.
I’ve heard that Frontier now charges $20 for a wheelchair.
Southwest should start escorting all those in wheelchairs to the back of the plane.
One thing to enact immediately. Only ONE family member can board with them. Not the father, mother, 5 kids and 10 grandkids like I see on some international flights. Carrying everything they own except the family goat.
This is hardly new or news nor is the debate whether people are “faking” it.
Seems to run the same percentage, 15% is legit needs and 15% support the fakers not matter what they see.
I do hope this service will still be available when my family needs it in the future.
To those suggesting that Southwest should ask for a handicap placard, you realize these people most likely have one. These are the same people that park in a handicap spot, hang the tag on the mirror and walk/run into the store. They are easily attainable.
As a person who requires a wheelchair, your article does a great disservice to us. I can now expect to be repeatedly questioned by passengers whether I am disabled.
The fact that some people would pose as disabled is a sad commentary on todays world.
If I could stand in line, I would eagerly dispose of my wheelchair because it meant that my wife was no longer required to push me for 100s or 1000s of yards. I could now go hiking, camping, and play volleyball again
Shame on all you who seek to dilute our need for a basic necessity.
I understand that some people wish to require me to give up my right of privacy to prove I am disabled. Would all you like to be questioned on your medical history simply to go traveling?
All I want is to be able to travel so as to visit friends and relatives.
We are the people who will be punished by this article.
I am guess these are the same people that put their bare feet on your seat, talk loudly on their phone once boarded and feel entitlements everywhere they go.
The airlines need a $100 non-disability surcharge for these clowns.
Miracles performed by Jetbridge Jesus.
Ugh! As someone who actually needs assistance, there is so much to unpack here. If you really don’t need assistance, I hope karma bites you if you use it anyway. I request assistance because I am visually impaired, and very light sensitive as a result. I don’t usually request assistance in my “home” airport because I know it pretty well. However, when I am in a less familiar airport, I don’t know what I am walking into. There a multiple obstacles I could encounter that means requesting assistance is safer for me and the other people in the airport. I have often had a very difficult time getting across to the assistance providers that not only can I walk, I prefer to walk as I will be sitting plenty on the plain. I’ve ended up using the wheelchair more than once because the assisters could not be persuaded otherwise. I have a degree in human factors. I’m an expert in accessible and inclusive design and am very articulate and precise in explaining my needs. I still have a difficult time getting the assistance providers to meet my needs without grossly exceeding them. In my experience, the providers generally will only follow one, or a few, protocols rather than listening to the person receiving assistance.
I realize we have discussed this topic before here on View From a Wing and I believe the issue is primarily exclusive to Southwest.It isn’t happening at American as they have strict policies which I believe are discriminatory from my understanding.They require a very narrow definition of what qualifies which I believe is illegal.I called on behalf a family member once and they said bone fusions with the hip or something like that.It wasn’t that way in past years.Very odd.
They are aggressive enforcing this as they only wish to sell seats even if you are handicapped
At United given the choice they have and will throw a handicapped in the luggage dept maybe out the plane door lol if they can sell a seat first and have been sued for handicapped violations in the past to my understanding.
Early on when I first started flying Southwest I was taken back by how many more wheel chairs they had than almost any other airline I flew historically anywhere in the world.
At first I thought maybe its because they are a friendlier airline but eventually I realized there was something else @ play
The increase over the past 5 years is especially notable as some others seem to be abusing the system.Two factors compound the issue.
First no seat assignments @ Southwest makes this incredibly challenging with today’s rapidly deteriorating good behaviors in society.
Secondly the rapidly increasing costs to buy Early Bird check in which compounds those to consider gaming the system
This really compromises the integrity of helping those with real needs.
That said likely the laws need to change so airlines can accommodate those in true need productively.Perhaps with either a Dr letter sent in advance of the flight for verification,in person or a handicapped placard presented with the paperwork shown with documentation who was approved and to what date.
Showing a handicapped placard is meaningless as it has no name attached to it.
This would solve most of the entire issue freeing up for those most in need and who pay for it or earn it by flying.
When I came out of joint replacement surgery a year ago though I could walk slowly I remember all eyes on me as I pre-boarded. I am sure too some thought I was milking the system so I get all sides I really do.My biggest fear was falling or being pushed etc.
Thankfully to the credit of Southwest they gave me the opportunity to go slow and settle in which was greatly appreciated at the time.Dr gave me a card to show the new device but neither the TSA or the gate agents could care less to see it!
I now set off alarms almost everywhere I go when getting screened!
Amazing how they can’t tell the difference between a gun or joint in your body 🙁
A use case that you haven’t considered and assume all these folks are guilty. My husband needs help when the walk to that gate is very long. But if the walk is short or the gate is close between flights OR the layover is long enough that he can make it with a few rest stops, we may not need a wheelchair in between or at the end. How horrible of you to assume all people are faking. Do you stand at handicap parking spaces and pass judgements there too?
“The reason this concerns me is that people asking for wheelchair assistance who do not need it prevents or delays people who do need assistance from getting it.”
How so? Sure, if the airline doesn’t have enough wheelchairs to accommodate all who request them. Who else gets to board early? Passengers with young children; fine. Who else?
As long as airlines treat passengers as badly as they do — cramped seating being the main problem — passengers will exploit the rules.
It’s an exclusively Southwest problem. But yeah, let’s attack the passengers instead of Southwest’s insane concept for boarding a plane
I have found from traveling extensively it is people of diversity that seem to game the system. They don’t have status and know having a wheelchair gets special treatment and early boarding. Mostly Hispanics and Indians. Sister in law is Puerto Rican and she knows every way to game the system.
Traveled through LHR and there had to be 15-20 people from India in wheelchairs that magically got up when they got to baggage claim
Everyone with wheelchairs should enter last and exit last. The phonies will stop gaming the system
Wheelchairs should have NO PRIORITY at customs or immigration. Get off plane. Get on line
Allowing people to skip the line incentivizes behavior
People suck. This is another reason why I quit flying 10 years ago.
I understand your reason for writing this Gary but unfortunately I find that it just encourages more discrimination towards people with legit disabilities.
I have been in a wheelchair for over 18 years – Full time and only in the last six years have been able to walk … Literally a miracle!
I still have balance issues and I fall for quintly and I cannot stand for long.s of time because it causes extreme swelling and excruciating pan..
I need a wheelchair if i’m going to be shopping at a walmart even.
I rely on being able to use wheelchair assistance at the airport.
It’s no picnic. 99% of the time I am dropped off at the gate and left with 0 assistance to go to the bathroom or possibly get water or food!
Having my boyfriend or daughter with me helps tremendously. But that also means that they are a personal assistant flying with me.
It doesn’t matter what airline I fly – I always Request help and assistance through the disability compliance department before I fly.
One way to eliminate or reduce this problem is to require those of us that require a wheelchair to bring our own.
I see people’s Comments on here and it hurts my heart. because these are the same people that actually say it to my face while at the airport!
These people have no idea what it’s like to live with physical limitations that require the use of a wheelchair..
Yes … there are people that abuse this service But there are ways to reduce the abuse without discriminating against those of us that need it.
More than 80% of the time I have to wait until the whole flight has deboarded to be able to get off.
This means that I have to get flights with longer connection times causing me to have to sit longer and endure more pain.
I hardly find this an advantage!!
People are very rude though. And do not allow persons with disabilities to get off sooner… and very rarely are the wheelchairs out there when the plane arrives!
The hate in the comments definitely bothers me more than the original issue. Because it is blatant discrimination towards persons with disabilities.
I experienced this on a daily basis though whether it be having to wait long periods of time for a handicap accessible bathroom or rude comments while using am electric wheelchair or using a wheelchair at the airport.
I think people should have to live a day in my life before they get to comment and be rude and discriminatory!
There’s a difference between needing assistance for the long schlep through the airport, and needing early boarding. The issue is people who say they need early boarding for a disability, but then can walk off the plane just fine. Don’t mix these up.
@Mets Fan in NC
Of course, we just can’t say it.
When I am behind someone from an African country forget about it. There is always an issue. It’s weird I saw one that had patches from all these countries they have been too but when they got to the counter it was like they were traveling for the first time.
Wheelchair passengers should board first and deplane last. No exceptions. No quick connections. Must be a airline member. Walk off before wheelchair assistance and get flagged on your airline account. No more early boarding if flagged.
It used to be the only flights you would see this was in Hawaii and the Philippines. I guess now this “disease” has spread to other places.
This is disgusting. I’ve taken my mom, who requires wheelchair assistance, wait so long because I’ve seen people run to the wheelchair to get priority seating and assistance then walk away on the other side of tsa. NOW I load my mom in the wheelchair and go through wheelchair lane and tsa myself. Twice, due to this nasty ass behavior, she almost missed her flight. They are disgusting!!!!!!
And you’re assuming they need the wheelchair for boarding. My MIL boarded (with a bit of assistance) perfectly well. Navigate the check-in and security lines–too much time on her feet, nope. Walk through the metal detector **unassisted**, nope. Trust that she could get to the gate **in time**, nope.
We always waited until the end to get off because blocking the aisle was inevitable. Likewise, people like her board early because it’s easier when the plane isn’t full of bustle.
Those of us who legitimately need this assistance are being criticized along with the frauds. Not fair at all.
Just a few days ago I was flying with my ex-husband who has end stage colorectal cancer. I am physically disabled due to spine and leg damage but I would rather pretend there is nothing wrong with me and care for him. Unfortunately these kinds of people *give permission* to those who think anyone or anything that inconveniences them should be kicked to the back.
My ex and I had gotten through with security at Hartsfield and he had been doing good but when I got him in a seat to wait for us to be called he started shaking and sweating. He was getting weak. This was like my 3rd time flying since 99 so when he told me to go ask about preboarding I must have sounded like a bit of a moron. What I didn’t expect, is after the nice desk lady said “sure” I would turn around to a grown ass man whisper fussing, “liar, you don’t have cancer!” (He must have misheard me.)
I ignored him and went back to help the ex onto the plane and this rude guy looked at me with a lemon face and I got to say “go ahead and say something…” as a 6’1 pale, bald, sweating, painfully thin guy clung to me (5’7 and 130 lbs) for all he was worth.
Do I think fakers should face some sort of punishment for abusing the system? Yes. Do I think it is up to Airport Batman to dish out justice? Nope.
One time I got to witness the healing miracle of southwest airlines firsthand. It almost brought a tear to my eye, seeing seeing people who only a few hours before couldn’t even walk down a jetbridge be able to pull a roller bag from the overhead bin and speedwalk to their next connection.
My wife, who suffered a spinal injury, does require a wheelchair in the airport (yes, before and after the flight). We almost always use our own, which we check at the bottom of the ramp. So being able to board first makes it easier to get her out of the chair, fold the chair and have time to get the chair put down below and my wife to her seat. And we generally exit just about last to give them time to get it up and to not be in the way while getting her back into it.
My suggestion: For pre-boarding require that one bring their own wheelchair OR have a handicap certification (such as a handicapped parking pass) otherwise they can board in normal order.
Just like the ones using service dog as an excuse. Giving actual people in need a bad rap. If they don’t need the assistance getting off the planes, they should be charged for the service and early boarding.
I use a wheelchair at the airport, I get on early ( to front seat., I need the extra leg room) but I am the last to get off, using the wheelchair again . I can not walk a mile in the airports to get to the plane. I am also a senior citizen.
I’m struggling to understand why they need to put on a show to preboard. I’ve been using pre-board for years (balance issues) with and without a cane. I’ve never been challenged at the gate when I felt I needed to use preboard to have more time to get onboard.
I was injured on an island in a moped accident. The ‘hospital’ was dirty and had flies all over. I wanted out if that country A.A. wouldn’t let me fly for 72 hrs. w/o a Dr’s. note. The ‘hotels’ Doctor/bartender/pool guy,wrote it out. I got to the airport a guy saw me and told me in broken English for $100 he would put me on the plane in 10 min. 10 min later he helped me out the wheelchair, and boarded me. I bypassed check in,security, and at the gate agent from AA clearly knew this guy read my note snd waved me on. Everyone on that flight saw the whole process and were LIVID,as they took upto 2 hrs to navigate thru. Guy in back of me with a 5 year old in tow was encouraging his kid to continually kick the back of my seat,inheard him telling him,oh he’s ok. He was lying that he’s hurt to special treatment. This is why you shouldn’t lie he said to the boy. Road rash visible, cracked ribs, clavicle fracture ect. Ambo waiting on tarmac at BOS and then hole plane STILL claimed I didn’t need the wheelchair service. Some people suck
They need to post that behavior like this is unacceptable. And if it occurs they will be fined or banned.
Are you kidding? Of course — we call them the “Miracle Flights” because once they reach their destination, they have been cured and can now walk off.
As long as the wheelchair-bound folks and their partners get to board first in the front / best seats, this will continue.
Give up all hope ye who travel by air this Summer. It’s bad & will only get worse. SWA under Herb was a delight. Now, not so much. And it’s even worse on the Big 3.
If you think Mayor Pete will fix this, I have a bridge for sale. Real cheap.
And given the FAA & Flight Controllers debacle things are just going from bad to worst (Yes I know it’s worse)
6 hours or less used to be the driving choice.
Now it’s 14-15 hours. And an Asian or Mid-East Carrier for going across an Ocean.
Where are the class action Attorneys when we need them? There’s big money to be made here Barristers!
People who truly need a wheelchair will have their own. So only give priority to people who brought their own wheelchair or walker. Problem solved!
I find it truly interesting how these corporations can make ALL of us regress and behave childish and irrationally. From the people abusing wheelchairs systems, to the people who post on social media accusing those of getting ahead of them and complaining. At the end of the day we fly southwest because of three things: price, schedules, and limited competition to get to our destination. We are all just trying to get from point A to point B.
Southwest is such a no frills airline that allows free bags. Everyone’s has this anxiety that if they get on sooner or get off sooner they will get somewhere faster… we are all literally on this boat(plane) together. We are going to get there when we are going to get there.
And if Southwest really wants to “appease” some of these “platinum”
or entitled customers in group A 1-15 or people that pay to board first (since that is a paid upgrade) Southwest should honor and let those people board first before anyone else. Including anyone in wheelchair or preboard.
But, as I said… we are all going to the same destination. 🙂
I am disabled with a brain injury, basically a permanent concussion. The hardest part about flying for me is the announcements, security line and pedestrian traffic. Standing for long periods (over a minute) can make me dizzy and feel faint.
Almost all if these are inbound issues coming to get on a flight along with producing tickets and ID upon command, getting searched or scanned, sitting in high traffic areas. It’s very stressful and triggering. Arriving is MUCH easier with NONE, or few, of those triggers.
I still use a chair upon arrival as the flight itself is rough for me. The noise, confinement and stress induces headaches and anxiety but I could understand while many may not.
Granted this is one example and I agree there is an abuse of the system but not all flights are “miricles” just not all of us need help leaving an airport, the easiest part of the journey. Just sayin’
I’m in my late 60s. I’ve had a knee replacement and need another one. Walking long distances hurts. My balance sucks from menier’s disease. I’ve had several falls. Sometimes by the time I reach the gate, I’m dizzy and in pain so I ask to board early. I don’t need a wheelchair but boarding early ensures my safety. I’m grateful SW allows me to do so when I’m forced to fly with them, which I try to avoid.
If they would just assign seats this “problem” would disappear. What a stupid way to run an airline!
A $40 or $50 charge for special handling will end this quick.
I’m full time wheelchair confined. Here’s the “TEST”. Look at the “disabled” people, and 99% of them will be using AIRPORT WHEELCHAIRS, not their own. Meaning, they were able to get ready to fly, get to the airport, and suddenly became disabled.
I have to use an Isle Chair to be taken on the airplane to my seat . . . I’m the only one. All of the other “disabled” can walk to the back of the plane, walk to the restroom, and most importantly WALK off the plane, to baggage and to the garage.
Another example, Costco. Dear Costco has a lot of Handicap Spaces. Just watch . . . Not a single person uses a mobility device – wheelchair. HOWEVER, (and don’t use the excuse of “invisible disabilities on me here”) they can walk walk walk through a 100,000 sq ft Costco and back to their car without difficulty. Substitute a grocery store, shopping mall. Sports complex, ALL THE SAME.
Shame, shame, shame . . . Bad karma, disrespectful to the truly disabled and elderly informed. STOP making excuses, IT’S WRONG!
It’s Southwest. What do you expect?
@dan…I don’t fly SW, refuse to. But your comment about “entitlement” doesn’t fly. People like me spend tens of thousands of dollars each year, if not more, flying these airlines. And we’re rewarded with loyalty. It’s our butts in the seats, it’s us putting up with delays, cancellations, that affect our lives. I fly 80% of the year, on AA and I actually get treated with dignity because I do. I’m sorry if your one or two flights a year suck, but we’re not entitled, we earned it.
ATTENTION WHEELCHAIR SCAMMERS: Be careful what you wish for- it may come true!
I’ve flown with a person with mobility problems who often got wheelchair service. I helped her with her baggage. She could walk relatively short distances without a wheelchair but longer distances (Which almost all airports have) would wear her out. Further, getting seated was not always so easy. I hope that those who are jealous can experience such circumstances in life and can hopefully learn from them. As for those who cheat, karma will always bite sometime in the future.
I’m partially paralyzed in the right foot I fall often. Walking long distances in airports is dangerous for me. I used to never fly Southwest when I didn’t use the wheelchair because of their crazy boarding BS when I started using the wheelchair I started flying Southwest airlines again. If the airport is small where I land I can get up and walk off. And I do so , only if my distance is short. You sure Southwest will never stop their BS loading people are tired of it
Best way to fix this ? You want a wheelchair, show your Handicapped parking placard or id number.
@Mashley … All airlines have this issue. It’s an issue of able bodied persons without a conscience, abusing accommodations for persons with disabilities..
@mashley yeah it’s totally possible. I fly first and business class so I don’t encounter these issues. We have assigned carry on compartments. And The 1-2 times a year I fly… I usually wait til about 15 minutes before doors close to board while I wait at the airline lounge or the priority pass lounge (if there is one available). So maybe that’s why I haven’t experienced any of this. Lucky me.. 😉
These faker deplorables make it bad for those who are in genuine need of wheelchair assistance. Generally those disembarking are asked to remain seated until the throng has gotten off, so there is no advantage to be had at that point.
It is obvious that this practice is prevalent at SW due to their free-for-all scramble for the best seats. Get rid of that and problem largely solved.
Someone commented that a $40 to $50 handling fee would end this abuse. That would be against international law. It is a law that wheelchair assistance be provided for free. And thank God it is because for those of us that fall especially around people that don’t care about us and they knock into us and knock us to the ground and then hurry on by leaving us lay there. We praise God everyday for wheelchair assistance
The solution is simple. Require people to bring their handicapped placard/car mirror hanger to the airport and show it along with their ID in order to get the assistance they need. Requiring the ID would stop people from borrowing one from their friends or family. Also, only allow one person to accompany each disabled person instead of their entire family. Would keep service for those who, legitimately need it, and weed out the frauds quickly.
Stay out of other people’s business. I see it, whatever. It doesn’t affect me and anyone faking will eventually get what they deserve in other ways. Some of the stories here are brutal.
Stop snitching, Gary. No one wants you reminding the teacher we didn’t get assigned homework.
do what they used to do in ancient Greece! Throw them off a cliff
This is so easy to fix? Require a medical statement that you require assistance and you get it, otherwise wait like everybody else. And only 1 family member to accommodate the one who needs assistance? That way grandma can’t bring all the nieces, cousins, daughters and sons
I use a wheel chair to board. .Boarding passengers who need wheelchairs first makes sense, but I think they should last off.
I was witness to multiple miracles on Friday from my Southwest flight from Syracuse, NY to Oakland, CA. 7 wheelchairs boarding and only three rung their service light for a wheelchair to deplane in Baltimore. Saw it again from Baltimore to KC, and then for a final time from KC to Oakland. This is just a decline in our society where we turn the other way while others feel that they’re entitled to everything.
Southwest needs to start the seat assignment system like every other airline and stop this nonsense so people can stop their greedy ways
SW Needs to stop this buffoonery practice of boarding it’s always been degrading to que up at SWA
People on this site; No handicap spaces!
Normal people; Let’s kill the scum that pretends to be handicapped so they can get there first and pretend their meaningless lives have value to anyone but the guy they clock in for.
The airlines ought to be keeping track of this and ensuring that those folks get put in the do not fly list.
I’d be terrified to tempt fate by claiming a disability I didn’t actually have. We have funny memories of taking my dad to Asia for his 75th birthday. He really should use a cane but is far too proud/vain, and was quite insistent with the friendly SG staff that he didn’t need extra time. He did, indeed, manage to hobble to his seat just fine.
Have you ever flown to or in India? The wheelchair line is around the block. And all are miracle flights. An Indian guy wrote online about this and how ashamed he was — his take was that many Indians have this mindset that if something is free you just take it. So perfectly healthy older Indians just take it as a perk, no guilt no shame. I guess it’s the same for Southwest.
To all those saying, ‘just have them being a handicapped placard’ , well many have handicapped plates that would be awkward to remove and 95% of the people with handicapped plates and placards are faking it to get good parking too. People suck and its getting worse.
this all seems to be because ADA is taken to an extreme. Title III of the ADA says that private businesses, and commercial facilities need to extend access to the same services, facilities and programs as anyone for people with disabilities.
now, it should be argued that by letting them skip the lines that they are not being allowed access to the same facilities and programs that a person without a disability uses!
So, for those of us who truly need a wheelchair due to injury or disease, why not allow me to drive my wheelchair onto the plane and then tie down my wheelchair and I will do the flight in my wheelchair. That would eliminate all of these “miracle flights” and people getting priority boarding just because they are in a wheelchair, because if I use my chair I can board in the group that I’m assigned to based on my ticket.
How about having the FA make an announcement before disembarking to ask the people in seats x, y, z etc — those people who boarded early with wheelchair assistance — to remain on board until all the remaining passengers have disembarked? When wheelchair pax board the seat numbers could be noted down; since they are boarding early there would be enough time for recording their seat numbers. Those who legitimately need a wheelchair would find it easier to disembark after all the other passengers have disembarked. For the wheelchair “miracles” it might at least be a little bit embarrassing to be called out as people who had boarded early who are then unwilling to wait to disembark with the “legitimate” wheelchair users. Unfortunately, I doubt they would be embarrassed but it might be worth a try!
Living in the Dominican Republic, this is an incredibly common sight…. the wheelchair brigade on any flight to/from Santo Domingo. Personally, I think it’s silly… why are they in such a hurry to get to their seats in the back of the plane? It’s a rhetorical question… I know why. It’s because they’ve brought WAY too much stuff as carry-on, and they want to take up the overhead space. I guarantee you, if the airline truly limited carry-ons, the wheelchair brigade would disband.
Don’t blame the ADA. There is no “extreme” ADA. If you were disabled you would know that being disabled is expensive and makes daily living difficult and travel impossible for most. The problem is able-bodied people abusing a system that isn’t for them.
Yup I been on many SW flights with the old scammers and some younger doing this routine. I want to call it out. SW needs to do something about this. I pay good money to get A list of business class sometimes and these jerks pull the I can’t walk card. I garuntee you once you have to prove you have an issue its over. Get on it now SW and other airlines.
IMO it’s the airports that are at fault here : as the population is gotten older and fatter the distances to the gates have increased exponentially. I think for these people, as it is for me, it’s not a matter of boarding first or last but the difficulty of reaching distant gates.
I’m partially disabled, I can stand and walk a couple of hundred meters but a kilometer and often more is a long and painful ordeal and I can’t always reach the connection in time.
What’s needed are golf carts lifts and/or more moving sidewalks
Miraculous in-air-healing effect of air travel, right before the eyes of millions !
All hail the aircraft Gods of BOEING !!!
Hard snicker.
I agree that a handicapped placard with ID should be shown to receive wheelchair assistance and benefits at airports. If you are disabled to the point where the government recognizes it with a placard for your use in public, then you should be entitled to assistance at an airport. Otherwise, well, travel has become rather uncomfortable for us all these days. I am sorry you get winded; perhaps you should take a seat in the boarding area and rest until boarding is complete.
Just what I needed – another reason to despise people.
Perhaps people use wheelchairs because the distances from check-in to the gate have become bloody ridiculous and therebis not seating along the way on which to rest before continuing the slog on old knees and hips.
I’m 75 (wife 70) and paid to board early. Got A1and A2. 15 got on with wheelchairs then another 6 kids. Finally boarded number 30. Got to Houston and all but 3 got up and left unassisted. Don’t fly Southwest very often and now I know why. Complained to SW but heard nothing. Sticking with Delta where most passengers are civilized.
@Duncan:
> I was injured on an island in a moped accident. The ‘hospital’ was dirty and had flies all over. I wanted out if that country A.A. wouldn’t let me fly for 72 hrs. w/o a Dr’s. note. The ‘hotels’ Doctor/bartender/pool guy,wrote it out. I got to the airport a guy saw me and told me in broken English for $100 he would put me on the plane in 10 min. 10 min later he helped me out the wheelchair, and boarded me. I bypassed check in,security, and at the gate agent from AA clearly knew this guy read my note snd waved me on. Everyone on that flight saw the whole process and were LIVID,as they took upto 2 hrs to navigate thru. Guy in back of me with a 5 year old in tow was encouraging his kid to continually kick the back of my seat,inheard him telling him,oh he’s ok. He was lying that he’s hurt to special treatment. This is why you shouldn’t lie he said to the boy. Road rash visible, cracked ribs, clavicle fracture ect. Ambo waiting on tarmac at BOS and then hole plane STILL claimed I didn’t need the wheelchair service. Some people suck
And this is why the idea of using a handicap tag for pre-board doesn’t work. While it was nowhere near as bad my wife once used a chair because of an injury while traveling. She could walk but only with a lot of pain. Nothing visible, but anyone who saw me helping her move certainly should have realized there was an issue.
@JLChicago:
> People who truly need a wheelchair will have their own. So only give priority to people who brought their own wheelchair or walker. Problem solved!
People who are absolutely confined to a wheelchair will have their own. Anybody in an airport chair can walk–but you don’t know how far or with what limitations. Being able to walk or not able to walk isn’t a binary situation!
@John Wayne:
> This is so easy to fix? Require a medical statement that you require assistance and you get it, otherwise wait like everybody else. And only 1 family member to accommodate the one who needs assistance? That way grandma can’t bring all the nieces, cousins, daughters and sons
I’ll agree with the medical statement part–although I would also count a handicap placard. Any place large enough to have wheelchair service will have doctors so the issue of those who are injured while traveling is covered.
However, your one family member bit could be a problem. I was usually the one to push my MIL’s chair because I have the strength to navigate curbs and the like, none of her other family members did. However, we had no language in common.
While I do understand some of the comments it is simply sad that people would fake a disability to gain early access.
I am disabled and use a wheelchair, but on a recent flight I did not take my own chair (airlines are not careful) and transferred to an airline wheelchair at the gate. Several SW airlines personnel asked me repeatedly if I could walk, and another told me I was putting on a good act. So why should someone with a disability have to justify it or prove it, because others have abused it?
As for the handicap placard idea, many people with disabilities do not drive and would not be able to show this. So maybe not the best idea.
@ED
I think you don’t understand the effort involved to get a handicap plate or placard. 95% are not fake in America. The dr has to fill out a legal form that has to be submitted to the DMV. When approved, you get the placard. I broke my femur in an accident but I wasn’t going to be laid up long enough to justify the effort.
There is accountability on multiple levels.
My husband needs a wheelchair in the airport. He can walk so he does not have his own wheelchair. But on a flight he is on oxygen and can only fly with his POC (not tanks allowed). But with his POC he can only walk maybe 5-10 minutes before he desaturates and must sit. Not everyone who needs a wheelchair in the airport needs it constantly. His mother had congestive heart failure. Same thing. Could walk, looked, fine, but not very far. (My husband is on oxygen so looks visibly handicapped). So not everyone who needs a wheelchair at the airport has their own. But I agree something needs to be done.
Easy way to stop this is require advanced notice of being “handicap” and then seat them toward the very back of the plane, so that they would be last to get off when “assistance” could be provided.
That would nip a lot of the fakery in the bud, while being fair to those with legitimate needs, since their time on the aircraft evens out and there will be ample time to meet their needs getting them off the plane.
should have clarified– a bit more time on the plane, but they get first access to bins in place of getting off just a few minutes later. only a crooked ADA lawyer would find that burdensome.
To all those saying that a handicap placard must be shown, that sure as hell won’t work for those of us who, say, twisted an ankle the night before (happened to me) or any other reason that does not allow the traveler to get such placard. Jesus people, think for a few minutes before you post.
To those suggesting that people would disability should be stuck in the back of the plane…. Shame on you.
So we are to be treated as second class citizens because we have a disability?
Let’s think about the implications of being seated in the back for both those of us with disability and to the flight staff.. If I cannot walk that far then I would have to use an aisle seat which is difficult for the flight staff and more work. And it is also hard on my body. Because the aisles are very narrow, can you get bumped and bruised.
Able body people don’t have to go through this so they don’t care.
My placard for disability for my car is on my license plate.. So this is also not a reasonable option.. What would your suggestion for someone who doesn’t have a license then or a younger child if they don’t have a disability placard?
I am fine with having to use my own personal wheelchair. I prefer not to because I have had both my manual and my electric wheelchairs. Damaged on several locations by the airline.
And it is a pain in the butt to get them to fix the damage!!
Not everyone has personal wheelchairs because they don’t need it all the time. They might need it in a grocery store or Walmart or to walk long distances in an airport but those are not every day activities, and therefore they might only have a cane and only use the wheelchair occasionally which is why they have wheelchairs at the airport.
There are ways to take care of and eliminate people that abuse the system without hurting those of us with disabilities..
Those of you that have your panties in a bunch over having to wait don’t realize that these fakers hurt us too.
This is not just a Southwest issue.. This happens on all airlines whether there are assigned seats or not.
It is much more difficult to have a person with a disability board after everybody is on board then before which is why they have us pre board. We actually slow the process down when we get on after everyone.
I’m sorry that my disability is such an inconvenience for you as an able body person but I will gladly switch with you. And be the last person to get on and take whatever seat available if you want to take on living in a wheelchair and the pain that I deal with on a daily basis..
If you twisted an ankle the night before, why would you want to fly anyways. why not stay home and rest that ankle.
Instead of serious punishment for abusing the privilege to board, the airline will come up with a rule that punishes all passengers, instead or serious sanctions against the people who abused the privileged. I know a lady who does this on a regular basis, she belongs the Sun City West Ski Club. Goes to all the resorts skis with no problems, then boards the plane as a cripple. Sure would be nice to bar her from flying again. Take a car and park in a handicap spot have the police issue a citation and take her insurance. What is the matter with this country, is we don’t deal with the offenders we make rules that hinder the people who follow them.
The ACAA regulates airline travel, not the ADA.
In 2014, I broke my ankle about a month before I was scheduled to fly. Although I was off the crutches and on a cane by the time the flight came around, I used a wheelchair in the airport (and TSA’s wooden cane to get through security). While waiting in the boarding area, I got out of the wheelchair and, VISIBLY USING THE CANE, went to the bathroom and came back. People accused me of faking, even though I deliberately deplaned last so that I didn’t have to deal with the “throng.” (I was on a direct flight so it didn’t matter how late that made me.)
The reason? I had taken off my brace and checked it. Consider how legs swell on flights and you can understand why. It was a bit satisfying when I got to baggage claim (in the wheelchair), hobbled to get my bag and then immediately sat down and put the brace back on. But I didn’t get any apologies.
Ever since then I’ve left the issue alone. That said, I always pay for assigned seating.
You’re all missing the actual reason — which isn’t mentioned in the article or the comments:
“I just don’t want to wait to board”
It’s either too difficult to navigate the whole boarding group(s), fighting other passengers, or I just plain don’t feel like standing there waiting.
That’s the actual reason.
I was on a recent flight from Tokyo Narita to DFW on AA (business class). This fake wheelchair issue has become worse than the “support dog” craze that we went through !! There were (I counted them) 27 wheelchairs (for a 787-9 that probably holds about 270 passengers. And of course each wheelchair passenger came with one or two (or more) relatives to board with them. And then “those needing a little extra time boarding” – there were more than 40 of them. Most looked more able-bodied than me !! By the time I boarded in business class (I was first in that line), there were nearly 100 people who had pre-boarded, and the bins in business class were at least half full (hard to find a place to stow my one rollaboard). When we landed in DFW, as I stood in the short line at Immigration, I saw some of those “wheelchair passengers” hustling (sans wheelchair) to get in line.
This needs to stop. There really ARE people who need wheelchairs (10% of the population???), or a few minutes extra to board. But, c’mon folks. Enough is enough. The airlines need to crack down, just as they did on the “support animals” (shoot, I couldn’t even get my “Support Alligator” on for early boarding with me …). Stop this nonsense. Crack down on those abusing the system.
EdSparks58
Just want to board first. Southwest needs to rethink their boarding procedure.
As a recent able bodied Southwest passenger, I also notice that although the gate attendant announces that “family” boarding is for those with children “6 and under” with “maximum of 2 adults” – any families with pretty much any age children and several additional family members (adults) are allowed to board. Southwest just doesn’t want to rock the boat so to speak.
I was pleasantly surprised in Tulsa last weekend. The gate attendant made it clear that if children were pre boarding they could be accompanied by an adult but additional adults (grandparents, aunts, uncles and such would not be pre boarding with them. I thanked her for doing this. It was SWA
We were on a flight in Europe recently, Paris or Germany, can’t remember and they did ask us wheelchairuser (my husband was the only one) to deplane last. It was no problem so that is a good suggestion I think
The Aba provides for one assistant or person. (PCA) to accompany a person with disabilities.
I even have that with my bus pass and metro pass in the dmv area.
I had to have a doctor fill out a five page form and go through an actual interview to get it. It includes 1 person to accompany me free on the bus or metro..
On the airlines I am allowed one helper person but I still have to pay for their airfare. When I buy my tickets. I go into additional requests and let them know that. I have a wheelchair and what my level of need is And that I will be having a PCA accompanying me.
Airlines are within their rights. Should you die additional persons to accompany the person with disabilities? But they’ve gotten to the point where they’re scared of lawsuits because people threaten to sue them for discrimination. When in reality, they aren’t even disabled..
Allowing more than 1 person to company. The person in a wheelchair is on the airline and that they do need to crack down on..
@George Rattner:
> I’m partially disabled, I can stand and walk a couple of hundred meters but a kilometer and often more is a long and painful ordeal and I can’t always reach the connection in time.
> What’s needed are golf carts lifts and/or more moving sidewalks
Sidewalks–fine for the able bodied. Not so fine for many of the people for whom the distance is a problem. You have to quickly step onto them and off of them–if you can’t do that stay away! (Likewise, escalators.)
@Karen Cushnyr
> As for the handicap placard idea, many people with disabilities do not drive and would not be able to show this. So maybe not the best idea.
You don’t need to drive to have a placard. You need to drive to have a handicap license plate. Placards are for hanging in the vehicle you are in–thus are typically possessed by people who are not drivers.
@lawson:
> If you twisted an ankle the night before, why would you want to fly anyways. why not stay home and rest that ankle.
And what if you are flying home?
Lots of good suggestions on how fixable this problem can be but unfortunately the airlines or the government for that matter don’t care.
Any one of you who would like to trade places with me, please let me know. I would gladly give up the multiple surgeries, the cane, the wheelchair and I will even throw in my Handicap Placard if I can have the ability to walk without pain again. As for mjs who suggested “make them sit in the back of the plane”, if I could walk to the back of the plane I would not be in a wheelchair in the first place. And to all of the whiners on here, be careful of your words, they may come back to bite you some day. Possibly you think you are the only one who may have a connection, need to use the restroom or some other valid reason such as there are no wheelchairs available. Will I or can I walk to the Baggage Claim, not on your life but I will hobble up the jetway to wait for the wheelchair to finally arrive.
@American
Well said!
Maybe someone should start handicap airways. Then you can get the services you require/need/want/desire. I feel bad for people that aren’t 100% but why is your handicap everyone else’s problem.. Why can’t you drive? Take a ship whatever. People have lives and jobs etc. You’re not our problem.
@Peter—I assume your comment is sarcasm. If not, GFY you disgusting POS.
@robert Why should I have to suffer 6 hours of someone else’s kid kicking my seat? Waiting forever for fake and real gimps to board? Your handicap is not everyone’s problem. Your kid is not my problem. WE all pay for the service. Do like they did in ancient Greece. Can’t function? Get thrown off a cliff. Walk, drive or take a private plane if you can’t survive in the real world.
I’m a wheelchair user due to Multiple Sclerosis. I bring my own motorized wheelchair on flights. I’m always last to get off the plane, as I have to wait for my wheelchair to be brought up, which is fine. If there’s a connecting flight, I need at least an hour layover and that sometimes is cutting it short. The suggestion for a disability placard—with the supporting certificate that matches the name of the passenger—-is a good one. Many people also abuse these placards (there are many deceased people whose kids are using these for years).
I’ve seen these fakers on many SWA flights. They are harming people who actually live with real disabilities.
Peter your comments are extremely crude and uncaring for those who do have disabilities. So for that I wish you the debilitating injury or handicap upon you so that you may be the one thrown off the cliff someday.
Wow that’s a very selfish attitude. I hope you be er end up in a wheelchair. You should just keep your comments to your self. Do you think we enjoy being handicap. We don’t. Everywhere we go people look at us like we have snakes or something on us. I don’t fly because I prefer not to. But I also learned at an early age if you don’t have any thing nice to say then don’t say anything at all
Another reason I only use SW for short hops when I have no other choice. SW could figure out something to stop this kind of abuse. if they really wanted to. At least limit the pre-boarder to one companion r when possible.
Why should they board first at all? Theoretically they start them before general boarding but with the way airlines are operating you are lucky if you get anywhere near regular boarding time. So just let them get in line with everyone else in their group. They are already sitting either in a wheel chair or in the gate area or in the plane so sitting in the chair in line is just fine. Or, if you really want to see this disappear, let them board after general boarding is complete. That is actually a big benefit because they don’t have to sit in that airplane seat while everyone bumps into them and crosses over them. Problem solved.
As a traveler, with status, who earned it, the old fashion way, by sitting in plane seats, this really annoys me. People are geniuses when it comes to ways to cheat, and it’s a shame Southwest does not have a better way of policing this. Anybody claiming to be handicapped when they’re not is simply a lowlife and deserved bad karma.
Personally, I avoid this problem by only flying airlines that have assigned seats. I wouldn’t fly SW if you paid me.
What has Southwest said about this “miracle” fraud?
Recently in Oakland we had three obvious wheelchair passengers waiting to board. A man jumped up front of the line and presented his boarding pass and motioned his wife to join him. She refused saying these wheelchair should go first. The agent took his pass even as we all protested. she said she was diffusing the situation. The man hurried down the jetway to get the first seat. Several people commented as we boarded but the crew said let it go or they would remove us. Upon arrival the man jumped up and hurriedly exited.
@Dee More
Obviously you are not disabled … But Hey! Thanks for trying to tell us what is better for us!!
We sometimes need an isle wheelchair to get to our seat … I do for anything beyond row 4 …. Have you ever tried using one on a full plane? It sucks. We get bumped and bruised more. It’s harder on me and hard on the flight crew!
Many of us need special accommodations and have requested those accommodations which is also why we board first.
I don’t expect people to understand what it’s like to live with a disability or to have to use a wheelchair but I do expect a certain level of respect and courtesy.
Humanity in general makes sick these days … Just look at the comments here to see the level of discrimination there is against persons with disabilities!
This article was not meant for people to bash persons with disabilities but rather to point out that there are able-bodied people that fake to get what they think is special privileges. They don’t live with the pain or the inconvenience or the difficulties that we do.
The fakers negativiely affect us equally or actually more!
Quit telling me what is fair or in “my best interest” when you have no idea what it’s like to be wheelchair-bound!!
As one of those people who occasionally make use of a wheelchair, I will tell you much of it has to do with airport design and airline scheduling. When making connections at Houston Intercontinental, for instance, United sometimes gives me only 30 minutes to make my connection. I walk with a cane due to knee issues, but I am fully capable of walking between gates if I have a reasonable time. But unless the gates are next to each other, 30 minutes isn’t reasonable. I’d really prefer the golf cart option, but those cannot be pre-scheduled.
I think when Southwest gets a request for a wheelchair – they should charge the same “priority boarding fee” that they do for early-bird check-in. And they can charge 1 (yes ONE) person that is needed to help them get down the jet bridge and on-board. And then at the gate, the A1-15 that PAID a lot more for that business class distinction, get on BEFORE the wheelchair brigade. (On a side note, I thought families get to board between A and B groups, but while I find it unfair, I do understand that in many cases they need to sit together, and paying an extra $25 each way for a family of 4 is $200 is a lot for a struggling family.)
About placards – not all of us have one, especially if just finishing medical procedures that you are expected to recover fully from. When I found the week before our flight that my husband would not be able to walk all the way to the terminal, I immediately logged on and put in early bird check-in and called the airport about cart transportation so he would not need to wait in line too long before boarding where he could take his time to get situated. At the airport, I asked for a cart but one was not available, so they changed our pass to get a wheelchair access and I was allowed to push him to the terminal. So yes, we did “jump the line” but not by a significant amount. What was worse was when we got off the plane – we were told all wheel chair passengers need to wait until everyone cleared first. We did as instructed and when we got off — all the wheelchairs were gone! I had to go to another gate and wait until they boarded to get a chair for my husband. So if Southwest is listening – you should have the wheelchairs there for getting off the plane but LOCKED UP until the wheel chair folks are allowed off. Then those truly needing it will get it and those that can walk off the plane can keep on walking until they get to baggage claim.
Meanwhile, those of us who have actual Service Animals for valid reasons must submit multiple forms and get preapproval prior to flying. Definitely, a double standard against those who require the assistance of a service animal (dog).
I love people that “obviously” know everything. Based on your intuitive knowledge, you know my condition; so I will not elaborate. Seems you are “bashing” in your first line. Like you stated I was just pointing out how rude able-bodied passengers are. Your comment was echoing all of the previous comments about “miracle” passengers and how they dilute the preboarding needs of the few that do need assistance. It is people that do not understand the situation and make unfounded comments that also distract from the problem.
Traveling solo with my blind spouse (I am 73, he is 84) is a challenge on a good day. Yes, my husband can walk but I am unable to do “guided sight” with him through the airport and lug our carryons. I need to have a free arm for him to grasp. As is walking with his cane in a crowded airport while trying to lug a carry on….so, I ask for wheelchair transport for him to and from the gate. It is still a challenge getting on the plane, putting bags away and getting seated. It takes additional time. While I am struggling away, yes, I see many able-bodied people taking advantage of the services offered. I only wish they would take a moment to realize how lucky they are to be mobile and leave the designated assistance to the people who truly need to use it.
ITT people angry that someone taking advantage of a loophole.
Don’t like it? Start your own airline and you make the rules.
Nothing but a bunch of Blue Falcons aka Buddy F*@Ker$. These kind of folks have a special place in #ell!!!!
I have never seen more than 5 wheelchairs on a domestic flight. I am United Gold and A List. Stop whining and get on with your lives.
With 10-20 departure chairs, and the number of enroute “miracles”, airlines / airports seldom have enough chairs upon arrival for those of us that don’t experience divine intervention in flight. Thankfully we can fly F, so we often get the only chair at arrival. We’ve given up our chair before for someone with close connections, and often wait 20 minutes or much more, for additional chairs.
Assistance between gates that is a “long” walk should be those little golf carts they use. Wheel chai boarding should be for people checking a wheel chair only—ride to jet, gate check, ride away in your wheel chair. This would eliminate 99% of the miracle flight cures. As for animals, they do not belong on the flight with passengers I’m allergic to them it’s one thing to put up with a service animal that performs a specific service such as hey seeing-eye dog or a dog that alerts a patient to a seizure. Emotional support is just plain bullshit, take the train or drive or take a Xanax!
I need a wheelchair at my home airport, but not when I fly into smaller airports, so I’m probably one of those “miraculous” people. Even when I don’t use a wheelchair, I preboard because I move slowy.
On a recent flight from Montreal (YUL) to Brussels (BRU), my travel companion and I were amazed when we arrived at the gate to see 35 people in wheelchairs all of whom boarded with their companion traveler immediately following the business class passengers. My comment at the time was there would be a “miracle” half way across the Atlantic as many of these wheelchair assisted passengers would be up and down to use the facilities and without doubt not require any off loading once we landed in Brussels. We were not disappointed on either count.
Travel with a handicapped person once without a wheelchair! My husband has difficulty walking because he was afflicted with shingles which left him dizzy all the time! Flying is miserable but our son lives in another state! Too bad for you haters. I wouldn’t wish wheelchair assistance on anyone!
Travel with a handicapped person once without a wheelchair! My husband has difficulty walking because he was afflicted with shingles which left him dizzy all the time! Flying is miserable but our son lives in another state! Too bad for you haters. I wouldn’t wish wheelchair assistance on anyone!
The perceived breeze through formalities of wheelchairs at any airport is more for the pushers rather than the chair occupants. They need to get the job done quickly so they can move on to the next.
Also, due to limited mobility I always book Business of First, so by virtue of that I am entitled to the perceived perks anyway.
I’m guessing most of the ‘fakers’ are Economy and/or total non-status and are otherwise not eligible for any perks.
@Deby At least in most industries, it is not legal to charge for accommodating a disability. I know air travel operates under different rules for handling disabilities, but I would assume at least that part is the same. Also, I’m not sure why you think the A1-A15 pax “paid a lot more” for that. Quite a lot of those passengers get that just from having a Southwest card (I speak as one of those.) Even when it’s not covered by the card, it’s typically available at check-in for $30-$40 in my experience.
As for getting on the plane with a wheelchair and off without one, it’s not that uncommon for people who actually need a wheelchair to do this. It’s not like they’re only (or even mostly) used by people who are wholly unable to walk. Additionally, for some types of illnesses or injuries, walking downhill is significantly more painful and/or risky (fall risk) vs. walking uphill, so that grade in the jet bridge can be a problem, especially for 737s or especially regional jets where the slope down to the plane on the jet bridge is more steep. And the person who pushed the chair – along with the chair itself – is already there at the gate, so, especially for people who have issues with downward slopes, they might as well use the chair to get to the bottom of the jet bridge. Aside from issues with walking uphill, issues with standing also come into play here. On boarding, aside from during pre-board, there is usually a significant line of people standing there waiting to board (or standing in the aisle waiting for the people in front of them to get their bags in the overhead and take their seat.) The same is not true on deplaning, nor do you generally have a bunch of people and their bags all around you during deplaning that could bump into you or that you could trip over. The wait (and crowding) during deplaning is usually entirely while you’re still at your seat, during which time you can remain seated. Once you actually start walking off the plane, you normally have plenty of space around you and no reason to stop and stand around, so it’s not as hard to do for many types of injuries/disabilities.
As for “walking right past the wheelchairs by the gate,” at least in my experience, those are typically not available for anyone to just grab and use on their own. Just because there’s a chair there doesn’t mean there’s an attendant available to actually push it. Unfortunately, even when you request one, sometimes airlines (or airports, as the case may be) drop the ball and don’t actually have them there. It’s not like Disney where they’re available to grab (or, once in the parks, rent) and have someone in your party push or push yourself. I’ve thankfully only had maybe half a dozen or so times where someone in my party needed a chair (all due to temporary conditions) and I’ve already encountered this a time or two. Plus, there have been times where I just didn’t think (or in a case or two, didn’t know) to request this in advance, as it’s (again, thankfully) not something I normally need to do while traveling. And, for people whose injury/disability allows them to walk/stand for shorter periods, but makes them need a chair for longer ones, you generally have a lot more standing around in the airport before your flight than after, especially if you’re not one of the people who, like many/most of us here, is blessed with access to things like PreCheck, priority check-in queues, etc. that dramatically limit the time spent standing around in lines. My terminal-door-to-gate (or lounge) time is probably under 5 minutes about as often as not, but not everyone has that luxury.
So, yeah, I don’t doubt that there are people who abuse this just for the early boarding or marginally better seating (it’s not like you get extra legroom or anything,) but, at least from my own experiences, I’d guess more of the people who you see getting on with a chair and off without one actually need the assistance – and space around them during boarding – than the article and a number of the comments suggest. It’s not a particularly uncommon need, especially since many of the same issues that affect ability to walk also affect ability to maintain balance, so being bumped around by people and their luggage in closely-packed boarding queues creates a fall risk that can be mitigated by early boarding without a bunch of people crowded around you (whether in a chair or not, though a chair obviously mitigates fall risk even further.)
Getting rid of abuse where reasonably possible is good, but I’d rather airlines err on the side of giving assistance to people who don’t need it than on the side of not giving it to people who do.
Shame on the evil people on here!
As a person with invisible disabilities and pain and the ability to walk that comes and goes, NO ONE should every judge anyone else! Life is too unpredictable for anyone to know.
I prefer to walk off if able, yet still need to have early boarding because of the unpredictability of my disease. The service to de-plane is often a long wait, if they show up at all! So I will walk if I can, not miraculous just tired of waiting on others.
Fully abled people should STOP whining over this. Stop worrying about others. Just enjoy YOUR life.
Count your blessings you do NOT have an illness that puts you in this situation!
I will gladly swap my medical issues to give up pre-boarding. Would you like to have my medical conditions so you board early?
THINK instead of complaining.
I have to use a wheelchair. Recently became unable to walk steadily on my feet. Like..fall down kinda thing. I too saw a bunch of people on sw airlines do this. Unfortunately for me, they all got in line pushing in front of me. They had to use the airline chair to pull me through the taken preferred seats down the aisle strapped into it. Then I saw more than half of them get up and walk with no problems getting off the airplane. I always wait till everyone’s off. As I don’t want to make people wait for me. Shame on those using this to board first..shame if not needing it
I recently boarded a Qatar flight from DFW and there were more than 60 wheelchairs lined up at the gate. There was a noticeable ethnic similarity for those in wheelchairs as we watched most of them walk to the gate to get in the wheelchair. Upon arrival many of the wheelchair-bound raced us out the jet way to immigration and customs. Miracles indeed. I believe that if you require a wheelchair to get into the plane, then you should be required to wait for a wheelchair to disembark. As others previously noted, the required number of wheel chairs would be greatly reduced by this approach.
@Don:
> Assistance between gates that is a “long” walk should be those little golf carts they use. Wheel chai boarding should be for people checking a wheel chair only—ride to jet, gate check, ride away in your wheel chair.
And what about my MIL? Those golf carts do nothing about the lines. They do nothing about the fact she needed assistance while walking–and nobody can touch you while you’re going through the metal detector. (Why?? It beeps, you find the metal and rescreen both of them. A parent can carry a young child, an assistant should be able to help someone who needs it.) Even with assistance she couldn’t have assumed the position for the imaging scanners.
There are a lot of people that can walk but with limitations–and for some those limitations fall between getting off and getting on.
Horrifying that the original judgemental tweet has gotten press coverage and that there are so many comments agreeing with it! Disabilities aren’t an on/off switch between “normal” and “unable to function without a wheelchair.” I had a severe leg injury that affected my ability to walk long distances and stand in line. So yes, I could walk the length of a small jet unassisted (and I was working really hard at physical therapy to do that without a limp!) but I would have been in terrible pain walking/standing through baggage check, security, getting to my gate, gate waiting, and general boarding. My physical therapist encouraged me to walk as normally as possible where I could without severe pain and sign up for the wheelchair assist where I thought it would be too difficult. I was feeling really self-conscious about my injury in the first place because of comments like, “you’re not old enough to be disabled,” now I’m appalled that had I flown Southwest I would have been filmed and shamed for doing what my health care providers advised. Truly upsetting how terrible people can be.
I watched the wheelchair brigade line up at SWA gate in Austin (15 wheelchairs waiting in a line). One “disabled” woman in a wheelchair was wearing 4-inch heels.
I just have NO sympathy.
My husband needs a wheelchair. He has balance problems and on a good day, he could walk maybe 30 feet without falling. In the jostling and pushing attitudes in the airport, if he gets hit or pushed, even the slightest, he is unable to maintain his balance. Most of the time when we get to the airport, I end up pushing him the entire way. I have been told this is because of those who don’t need a chair getting them with not enough people to push them. I’m 72 and my husband is 76. I would be glad to submit a doctor’s order or whatever to prove we need wheelchair assistance. Believe me when I say that the medical bills have taken a toll. We cannot afford to have him falling down and getting injured. If he falls in the airport, they want to whisk him away to get medical attention. Then we are up a creek without a paddle. This next time we fly, we have bought a scooter to take because when we arrive at a place to stay, I need a way to get him around without me holding on to him every minute. Do not assume that just because someone needs a wheelchair, they are faking it.
@vbscript2 One cannot use handicapped parking without a placard. A simple “note from the doctor” or “pay for the early bird check-in” in order to get wheelchair assistance – which is what we did, would alleviate those truly not needing it for those that do. I am not complaining about those that truly need it, but it’s the same everywhere. People who don’t need it abuse it for those that do. Ever break your leg and have to wait 30-45 minutes for a scooter at the grocery store only to have a scooter maniac speed past you and run into your broken leg?
I have travelled business class for work in the past and paid sometimes $150 more to be one of those first 15 on the plane so I can get off and get to my connection quickly. This time, I paid just $25 each more so we could get EB check-in and be able to board early since we did need more time to get settled than usual. We boarded first, and got off last and there were no wheelchairs left! The flight attendant apologized and said so many people hop off first and just take one (if you need extra time getting on, it stands to reason you need extra time leaving and should be patient and wait. It’s rather rude to hold up an entire line of people because you are slower.) I wonder if Southwest has considered having the wheelchair folks board from the rear? Or having you show your ticket to get your wheelchair at the end of the flight? Most people with temporary disabilities would not mind the minor inconvenience to discourage abusers.
We recently went to an event where they did offer transportation to the various locations for those needing it, and for those with disabilities, they got to sit in the shade and WAIT until their able bodied party made it through the line arrived before entering any event. Totally reasonable.
I do agree with the person that mentioned a golf cart for those that just needed to NOT WALK the long way to the gate and then to baggage at the other end. That actually would have been my husband’s preference, since he is the kind of person that even with his cane will stand if an elderly, pregnant, or visibly disabled person needed his seat. It’s a shame that entitlement has replaced common sense and respect for each other.
I work for a major US airline and often will see our flight attendants park in handicap spaces in the employee parking lot with handicap hangtags displayed on their rearview mirrors.These flight attendants are showing up for 10 to 15 hour international flights where they will be walking up and down the aisles for hours… not all scammers are paying passengers
My spouse is a disabled Vietnam veteran. Has VA identification verifying 100% disabled. His disabilities are not always visible, but he is often in a great deal of pain. More often then not a wheel chair ride from one terminal to another is painful. He often decides to walk rather than use a wheel chair upon landing, because of all the bumps along the way. If the golf cart rides were more readily available it sure would help. Unfortunately I see more carts un-maned and parked, or giving rides to people that don’t really need them. Please don’t judge people by the way they look. As I said disabilities are not always visible. I realize people take advantage of pre-boarding, etc., but some of us do not. My spouse is a proud veteran who would rather deal with his issues then ask for help. Please don’t judge unless you know the facts.
Meanwhile passengers in true need of a wheelchair may miss their flights, as there are few if any left due to these tw*ta
One way to discourage this disgusting selfishness in the future, the fakers didn’t really need ta wheelchair on the way to thee plane, but a passenger’s well placed foot as they selfish jack holes swan their way off again will mean they’ll sure need to be wheeled away..
@LaurieRose:
Have you not noticed that some of us have pointed out there are cases where you can’t tell who actually needs it? My MIL could have walked it with enough time–but she couldn’t handle standing in the security line. You would probably have realized she legitimately needed it, but there are others that are not so obvious.
What LaurieRose said. My husband has a serious lung condition and is immunocompromised as well. We fly out of ATL which is too far for him to walk but he can often walk (with breaks) through a smaller airport (with no security line on landing) especially since wheelchairs have been long waits lately. He is on oxygen so no one thinks he’s cheating. That said, I do resent the people who take it unnecessarily because some of us really need it.
For those stating that only wheelchair bound persons should get wheelchair preboarding you are missing a couple of key points.
My 93 year-old mother for instance can walk with the use of a walker, but the jet bridge generally does not meet ADA standards of a 1:12 slope with more more than 30 feet of slope without a 5 foot long flat area. When the ADA law was passed, the airlines agreed that ADA stops at the terminal jet bridge entry door (I use to work for NW when ADA came out) and the airlines agreed to board anyone that would normally be fine under ADA rules, with wheelchairs.
The jet bridges also have very uneven joints between the telescoping sections making it a challenge for some people that normally aren’t wheelchair bound. Jet bridges also move up and down automatically via auto-leveler (the little wheel that is at the end of the jet bridge that rests against the a/c fuselage and measures the sink and lift rates as people plane and deplane) The auto-leveler can be quite “jerky” and would pose a danger for people like my mother.
As usual, any issue that seems simplistic to some is in reality much more complex.
I don’t think that anyone in this post is talking about a 93 year old who needs additional assistance. I was boarding a Qatar flight from DFW and there were over sixty (60) wheel chairs pre-loaded and when we debarked in Doha I watched many of the “wheelchair bound” race us to customs and immigration, without wheelchairs or any other assistance. I think that if wheelchairs were last on and last off the number would be closer to 0 than 10 on a flight. I take nothing away from folks who need some help, but I’m not very tolerant of people who abuse the system!
WOW! What a jaded view you have. There are so many variables that it is impossible to judge based upon what people might do at 2 different airports. Or even the same one arriving vs departing.
For example when I left Houston I git a wheelchair twice. Once when my knee was really bad and another time when I broke my foot. It was a long walk to my gate and I didn’t want to risk it on how long it might take me to go that far..So I requested a wheelchair. The first time I didn’t even know that it would give me priority boarding. Except for Southwest where I can’t choose my seat in advance I actually prefer to board late. I have PTSD and being crowded is a trigger. Even in SW I would prefer to board in the late A or Early B group.
When I arrived in FT Lauderdale the first time I took the Wheelchair. Even though I could have walked if I had to..I was slow and it was painful..
The 2nd time when I arrived I was told that they didn’t have enough wheelchairs or attendants and that it would be 25 to 30 minutes. In that case the baggage claim was about1/4 of the distance that I had to go boarding. Maybe less. And there were others who needed the wheelchair much more than I. Besides I was excited to see my mom who was picking me up.. That excitement can temper the pain some. Or at least make you feel more like it is worth dealing with rather than sitting around feeling helpless waiting on someone and making the person who is picking you up wait on you.
I am guessing that has a lot to do with the “miracles ” That people are complaining about.
After all people mostly arrive for flights at different times. But they all leave the flight at the same time.
I flew 2 weeks ago and I almost asked for a wheelchair because my back was spasming so badly. I decided not to sort of hoping that walking would help. (It didn’t but sitting on the flight did help some.) When I got to the gate I asked if someone could help me lift my carry on into the overhead bin since I was unable to lift without severe pain..I was shocked when they gave me priority boarding. Which worked out great because I got a seat with more leg room so my bad knee wasn’t screaming by the time we landed.. The last time I flew it was. And for the record even though I took the wheelchair that time I did not get priority boarding. I gouge that I could have, but I never thought to ask.
This time I was going to bring my electric scooter since I was hurting so badly but my mom has an extra one. I should have brought it though because a relative got injured and they borrowed it..
Thankfully once again the baggage claim was very close to the terminal. But the terminal where I left was fairly far. Especially when you factored in going through security. And standing in that line weaving around. Walking 100 yards is much different than walking 7 to 10 times that. Although those moving walkways can help, with my bad knee they are a little scary to step onto and off of..
I’m not saying that no one ever abuses the system, but Why not give people the benefit of the doubt. There are so many medical conditions that you can’t easily see. And there are many reasons why someone can’t wait for a wheelchair. Like trying to mean he a connecting flight. Someone I know had that problem. No choice but to walk when they shouldn’t have, or miss their connection.
Have a blessed day..Don’t judge, because you never want God to show you why you might choose not to wait for assistance, that you could really use.