Southwest Airlines saves a lot of money on wheelchairs, now that they have assigned seats. Until late January, a wheelchair meant early boarding, and boarding order secured the best seats. Southwest had some of the highest wheelchair costs in the industry worldwide – after planes, people and petrol.
It’s remarkable how many Southwest Airlines passengers have recovered from their physical ailments since the change in seating policy on January 27th. However airlines globally still see passengers declaring wheelchair entitlements, even when it doesn’t get them better seating. It means,
- Priority check-in and security
- Early boarding
- Escort through the airport, saving long walks
- For some, a sense of VIP treatment without paying for it
Here are more than sixty wheelchairs prepped for a single flight to the U.S. from Taipei.
Taiwan to US…. this flight has over 60 wheelchair passengers with mobility issues. Barely any Taiwanese faces. Taiwan really is the hub collecting Southeast Asians before they head Stateside.
Maybe someone should just turn a budget airline into the official Wheelchair Airline.… pic.twitter.com/JSgosAyD7h— Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) May 11, 2026
Air India reports that 30% of their passengers flying to the U.S. and U.K. request wheelchairs. The airline will process “over 100,000 wheelchair requests every month.” Of course, once everyone deplanes at their destination, a miracle occurs. They’re cured! They call this effect “Jetbridge Jesus.”
Passengers who request wheelchairs when they don’t really need them hog available wheelchairs and staff time pushing those chairs. It means there’s not available assistance for passengers who really need it, because some people take advantage of the system to skip queues. But when everyone has wheelchair priority, nobody does!
Clickbait to anger the masses? A month ago, I was on a flight with a WWII veterans group traveling back from DC and there were about 60 in the group and about 40 wheelchairs. My mother is almost 80 but looks much younger. She also can’t walk long distances and pull or carry luggage but sure people think she is faking it.
Additionally, she’s also had to wait 40 mins after disembarking from the aircraft for a wheelchair and has on multiple occasions been told no wheelchairs were available after already being the last to exit the plane. DFW is notorious for this, but has also occurred at LAX, so based on distance she will decide whether she walk it. she does not uber so it’s always family waiting to pick her up and while difficult she does not want to make them wait, nor does she like sitting at a crowded gate post flight for a wheelchair.
It’s definitely a thing in some communities from SE Asia. Lifestyle seems to play a part, though I suspect it’s also just laziness?
This makes me angry. My mother flies regularly from YYZ to CDG (and back). She needs a wheelchair on both ends, because she cannot walk more than 300m at a time without some pain in her legs. She is not the type of passenger who gets off the plane at the other end without waiting for the wheelchair; she stays seated until they are ready to help her with a wheelchair at the other end. Good thing this route doesn’t have too many fakers.
I married into an Asian family and Ill have to say its abused in my wife’s culture. Some of it is innocently deferential to elders wanting to keep them from stress but after a while its ridiculous.
My MIL is in her early 70s, does Zumba, physically efficient cleaning the house, squatting to do the floors yet the family calls for a wheelchair when she travels. Guess its like a mobile throne for the family head 🙂
A bunch of wheelchair fakers, and they are out there, is likely killing the profit margin on many flights. Even at an average of $10 per passenger you have 20 in a wheelchair that’s $200, often the profit margin, if any, or many flights. Not to mention the flight ends up going out late.
For all the people that will criticize back in the 1990s when I started to fly wheelchair passengers were far less common and usually it was evident of why they needed a wheelchair.
But today bad behavior is considered fashionable.
“It’s remarkable how many Southwest Airlines passengers have recovered from their physical ailments since the change in seating policy on January 27th.”
If it’s so remarkable, why aren’t you posting the decrease %age? I’d expect a Thought Leader to not just make an empty claim like that without having actual numbers to state why they see it as remarkable.
Same thing for the BR and AI flights – you talk about how many need it to board and say that “once everyone deplanes at their destination… They’re cured!” While I’m sure you don’t believe it’s “everyone”, I’m not seeing anything in this post that has any actual statistics (even something anecdotal like how many of those BR pax didn’t use the wheelchairs on arrival).
I watched 40+ wheelchair pax lined up and slowly carted off a few at a time for an arriving QR flight at DFW last month. The pax very clearly weren’t saving time waiting for their turn and nobody seemed to get up and walk off when realizing how long it would take.
Long rant is to say that this post talks a lot about numbers for how many need wheelchairs to get on the plane, but provides zero substance for how many few the chairs on the other side.
@theboywanderz — You meant: Clickbait to *sell ads, and apparently to hate on Asians. Oof.
@George Romey — Thanks for mentioning the greatest decade… *wink*
@Ben — *Thot* Leader
Wheelchairs? Please. At this rate, I fully expect sedan chairs and palanquins to make a comeback.
Quick fix: Wheelchair passengers are last to board the plane.
@Denver Refugee — But, what do we do about wheelchairs during evacuations? Leave em?
Wheelchairs on international flights are very route-specific. This has to do both with the age demographics of the people who fly as well as the cultural expectations for older people to walk (or not). India might be the worst of both in terms of number of people requesting wheelchair service. I once flew EWR-DEL as there were 131 wheelchair passengers on the flight. That is nearly half of the aircraft. The wheelchair lines at DEL or BOM to get through immigration are often hundreds of people deep. I think much of this has to do with the massive Indian population that lives abroad and the resulting number of elderly people traveling to visit family.
Sometimes yes, and sometimes no. Of course their are people scamming the system, but you also can’t judge a passenger’s disability just by looking at them.
My wife used wheelchair service on 4 flight to and from Asia. She’s very young looking and appears completely healthy. But she has just had foot surgery with wires and pins, internal and external on the foot. So she was it what I refer to as “hobble mode” and that’s about it. I even carried the doctor’s report and photos of the x-rays to validate her need if requested.
So don’t judge a book by it’s cover until you hobble a yard in their shoes.
Respectfully
Last to board, last to de-plane. This would be easier all around, and would eliminate the abusers. Real needs are still attended to, but the perks attracting the poachers being lost, would certainly carve into those numbers
RE: “a sense of VIP treatment”??, I look at them and think less of them, not more. I am old, my back always hurts and I can’t walk as fast as I used to but I will not lower myself to use a wheelchair. Further, obesity is not a handicap and it really irks me when I see youngish fat people pushed to the front of the security line and given preferential boarding. It’s even worse when their 10 traveling companions board with them.
Board them last and at the rear of the plane unless they have a state issued handicap permit.
of course they are faking. they even have carryon spinners with them too.
In those cases where it’s a round trip, why not just inform customers that a wheelchair is automatically booked in both directions and no-shows are tracked? If the assist is only intended to board first, deplaning last may deter abuse. Alternatively, tracking outbound-only requests would achieve the same effect.
The population is aging and age-related diseases, like arthritis, are limiting mobility. Many routes through airports are too long and connecting times too short for many seniors to handle. On a recent trip from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale on Alaska Air the walking, from point of entrance to point of departure on a one-stop flight was a total of 3 miles miles and had 3 tricky train connections. Many airports in senior-heavy locations do not have remedial moving sidewalks (FLL), or have moving sidewalks often under repair (MIA).
You should see the daily arrivals off of Air India into SFO
It’s definitely abused; depends on the route too; when I would meet arrivals from New York, particularly, requests for 20-30 wheelchairs were common. Many of these would evaporate, never claimed on arrival. On wide body arrivals from south America, 60 chairs was not uncommon. They would get through customs and immigration faster that way, as well as with baggage collection.
“Many routes through airports are too long and connecting times too short for many seniors to handle.” But, this appears to be a queue to board a plan, so they walked through the airport to get there. Or, am I misinterpreting this?
I love it. Every time you post a fake service dog report, you get the never-before posters popping up telling us there are legit service animals. Duh, we know that; we’re talking about fake.
Post of massive numbers of wheelchairs concerned it’s massive scamming? Again, never-before posters need to recount that people do have legit need even if not obvious. Duh! Yes, we know that. But 60? No, it’s not a flight of WWII veterans. Gee wiz, is there some group chat that relays that Gary has posted on wheelchair cheats, quick post that not everybody cheats.
“Quick fix: Wheelchair passengers are last to board the plane.”
Why? My wife is handicapped, with a prosthetic leg. She’s also a 1K on United. So because she lost a leg to cancer she should lose that pre-pre-board benefit that everyone else gets to enjoy. Just have wheelchairs board in their assigned group.
I just flew SWA last week out of O’Hare. There were about 40 wheelchairs lined up against the wall, only 3 were used on my flight.
I asked what are they going to do with all of these wheelchairs since SWA is ending service to ORD in June?
They told me there is a bunch of trucks coming to pick up all the ORD gear including the wheelchairs and take them to warehouse, where they will be redeployed to their other airports.
On ORD Taipei, the senior citizens literally need to walk about a mile, and may have to stand in long immigration lines. My 83 year old mom would want a wheel chair to do that. Also, while my mom has her mobility, the only way she could connect at ORD from T2 F Gates, to T1 C gates is a wheel chair. Same issue, she needed the wheel chair arriving at T5 and going to her connection at T2.
Of course some people in wheel chairs can walk, but the logistics of airport travel make it better for people with limited mobility and stamina to use a wheel chair.
Sometimes, people use the wheelchairs to get their elderly parents who may not speak the local language to get on their connecting flight (ie, thai or indonesians transiting in TPE to the USA, for example), whether they’re physically incapacitated or not. I don’t agree with this specifically, but I do understand the rational.
Others are just lazy and entitled. FAs from the ME3 have quite a few good stories about how some won’t lift a finger.
I used to fly South West regularly from Hollywood/Burbank airport (simply because it is one of the most stress free airports on the planet) and very convenient for anything west of the Mississippi river. Particularly on flights to Vegas, the amount of passengers needing “wheelchair” assistance was ridiculous, and amazingly, once we hit the gate in Vegas 9 out of 10 of those disabled folks popped right up and were able to walk unhindered up the jet bridge. Not all, but there are many who take advantage of this situation. Was in Portland airport yesterday and there were probably 35 to 40 people “claiming” the need for assistance or early boarding but they were walking onto the plane just fine, I don’t question, but I do shake my head, I have an artificial hip, I was imagining, not really contemplating putting in for assistance myself, simply out of frustration that many people take advantage of the situation and services when they don’t need them.
In this era of “hate the other”, does Disney Anaheim/Orlando still offer special boarding accommodations for the wheelies and their +1?
While I have no doubt that the Jetbridge Jesus crowd exists, a more realistic theory is …
The process to get TO the plane is much more arduous than the process to get FROM the plane.
It is completely realistic that a passenger who struggles with the amount of walking and STANDING required to get through check in, security, and boarding requires less or no assistance to get off a plane at the other end where they can set their own pace.
I understand there’s lots of fraud in this system, but as a disabled person who only recently started using wheelchairs in airports I have thoughts.
1. I usually travel with my husband and even though I can walk down the jetway to my seat, I cannot stand in long lines (I do have TSA pre/GE). I also need help stowing my stuff.
2. Recently flew to LHR – was very grateful for their top notch system, as it’s over a mile from the gates to the curb, which I can’t do right now, especially carrying a carry-on. My husband chose to walk (they offered him a ride with me) and I met him at the gate.
3. Also flew into LAX recently – which was a nightmare (on UA) – no wheelchair waiting for me, so we grabbed a random one that had been left in the terminal, which worked out because while we arrived in terminal 7, the bags were sent to terminal 6.
4. When we returned from LHR we arrived in IAD, which is another nightmare due to “renovations” – I was in a wheelchair and was NOT offered any kind of skipping any lines. It took over an hour to get through CBP, even with GE status (the kiosks remain offline there). We almost missed our connection, even with a 3 hour layover.
I resent the tone of this article. For some airports (SNA, ONT) I don’t need a wheelchair as they’re small enough that I can use a cane. I still book myself as “needing assistance” so that I can board early to get settled in. If Asians are gaming the system, so be it. I will say that on SWA I have noticed a steep decrease in wheelchairs and Jetbridge Jesus healings.
Hold their carry-on spinner at boarding and tell them they will get it when they are wheeled off at their destination. Serves as collateral and as a way of weeding out the fakers.
You mean to tell me that nons are incapable of behaving in a high trust society and drag everyone down to their level? How shocking!
It is people taking advantage of the system. It is the reason McDonalds started putting the drink fountains behind the counter and restricted refills. Same reason some people believe they can throw coffee creamers on Teslas. Low class folks abusing the system because they think they are better than others. What is the harm, they think.
Michael Mainello “It is people taking advantage of the system. It is the reason McDonalds started putting the drink fountains behind the counter and restricted refills. Same reason some people believe they can throw coffee creamers on Teslas. Low class folks abusing the system because they think they are better than others. What is the harm, they think.”
How utterly simplistic. No, the reasons are not the same. Your conflation tendencies leave me utterly nonplussed. And no one is thinking “what is the harm”. You just made that up. Everything you post screams “I am a low class folk.”
People throw creamers at Teslas to protest MegaloMusk and McDonalds removed the self-serve for more complex financial reasons than a few people going in and filling up a jug with soda.
I realize the “board last, deplane last” approach has appeal to discourage cheaters. But, do you want to be on a plane where all seats are taken except 10A, 15E, and 18 F? Now, here comes three wheelchairs for those seats. Why did we depart so late?
Chairs are generally lined up for the people who requested them. There should be a $100 fee for any chair not picked up by the party requesting a chair. This would stop people from requesting them, not needing them, and causing there to be a shortage of chairs for another flight.
Wouldn’t it just make sense to make wheelchair users board later/last, removing the incentive?
I’m not trying to punish folks that have a need, but also, they don’t need to be first. Just because you’re not able, doesn’t mean you should be entitled to priority service – just service.
It’s not really a “privilege” to be first on the plane, when you have an assigned seat, when you could be more comfortable and have more personal space & comfort in the gate area. Also, assume someone with mobility issues is seated in an isle seat… They might have to get up twice to allow subsequent passengers to access their seats. If mobility/wheelchair/more-time pax are loaded last, then that issue goes away.
Wheelchair people are “Board first, deplane last”. That is why they request them, then don’t need them because they don’t want to be off last.
@WearyWatchdog – You sound like an over educated blowhard who posses infinate knowledge and zero common sense. Do you wear a diaper because you are not smart enough to go the bathroom. No wonders folks like you are considered aholes by regular folks.
Gary you need to educate yourself on the different options for assistance and on hidden disabilities. Certainly some of these people might not need a wheelchair but many do. Some people can board a flight on their own but can’t walk long distances. Some people have medical conditions that can cause fainting while standing still (in line) for extended periods of time but look completely healthy.
I wish I didn’t need wheelchair assistance, but I do. For the 50 years, I didn’t, I really didn’t care or pay attention to who did. Now that I need it, I see how judgemental everyone is. My knees are shot. I can’t walk the length of the airport, can’t stand for more than about 5 minutes without severe pain. Without wheelchair assistance, flying is out of the question. Walking up or down the jet way using my cane is just asking for me to end up needing to be taken out by EMS after the fall. Some are crazy steep, curve, and they are trip hazards.
Getting on first….I don’t care about that. But I am slow and you don’t want to wait behind me. I don’t enjoy flying. I only do it when absolutely necessary. It sucks for me now.
make them last on and last off.
As a data point, I fly LAX to TPE, HND, ICN segments over a dozen times a year. TPE has the most wheel chair requests by a long shot. And since flights land at the same time (half a dozen widebodies in an hour) sometimes over a hundred wheelchairs is not uncommon if walking past gates. This view isn’t uncommon.
I use a wheelchair to my gate. I then walk onto the plane as regular passenger. I then have a wheelchair when I disembark to take me to my connection. I do not use it to gain early entrance to the plane. The terminals are huge and I cannot use my 75 year old energy walking. I think many seniors need it for the transport. Using it for early loading is nonsense.
This does seem to happen a lot, particularly on certain flights. Flying out of Taiwan to the USA it’s always that way for some reason. It’s almost comical to see row after row of wheelchairs lined up like cars for a race. My suggested remedy would be to require the people to disembark last and use their wheelchairs awaiting them at the arrival airport. If the person chooses not to do so then if they ever try to fly that airline again with a wheelchair request they must pay some onerous fine (say, $500) or not be permitted to fly. If this were clearly warned about in advance I suspect the Jetway Jesus syndrome would quickly ease. It’s like any other rule: Simply make it so that the penalties will discourage most people from breaking them.
I have a torn Achilles and had to request assistance on an international flight last month for the 1st and hopefully last time, I felt so guilty, had to keep reminding myself it really is necessary.
I have flown Eva Air IAH – TPE many times, always the most chairs lined up in both directions of all my other international flights.
Wheelchair passengers should be given seats in the “safest” part of the airplane (according to Air Safety); exclusively in the last 15 rows…
This will enable them to board first, and leave last in order to minimize passengers traffic in the crowded aisles of the aircraft.
As soon as this is implemented, watch what happens…
A lot of comments by selfish people wanting to be at the front of the line getting off.
A different analysis is that airports are being made more difficult to navigate by older people. Some are removing moving sidewalks so that passengers can be forced to walk past shops on the hopes that they become shoppers. No wonder they request wheelchairs. Interestingly, the arrival area sometimes bypasses the shops so the walking is less.
I was recently at Logan Airport and it reminded me of the retail maze that Ikea builds into their stores (which I rarely visit). I wish the situation was better on my arrival at LAX where JetBlue parked at a remote terminal before we got bussed to Terminal 1. It would take less time if there was a tunnel from the remote terminal to Terminal 1. It added an extra half hour to the process. No fun and I ended up getting home a few minutes after 2am.
This does not look like those wheelchairs are all for one flight. I’ve been through there more times than most and never seen this. It looks like they’re just stashing them there. The post is just clickbait trash, though people are of course faking the need.
Talk about a missed opportunity…
Doctor Jesus from the Red Cross healing passengers as they enter the terminal
Ground Zero for release of Religion 4.0 update
Landing abilities for the 3.0 version fixed. 😉
UNITED Global Services flyer here and I can report that there is a HUGE misuse of wheelchairs in the US.
Here’s my take. If you request a wheelchair to board the flight. Then you should be given some sort of tag or item indicating wheelchair use so that when the flight lands – you’ll be told to WAIT until everyone deplanes so that the wheelchair is waiting for you. I’ll bet a lot people will think twice.
It’s like the misuse of the blue disabled placard when parking in disabled spots.
Yes, I know that many disabilities can’t necessarily be seen. But I absolutely hate it when people abuse and misuse the system while people who really need those parking spaces are left to go park blocks away… People who miss use these placard’s should be outed and shamed