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News and notes from around the interweb:
- For those who used to like to claim that Southwest passengers weren’t abusing wheelchairs to get early boarding and better seating (even though Southwest had far higher wheelchair use than any other airline), it really has dropped significantly since the move to assigned seating a little over a month ago.
It used to be that people who had real needs couldn’t get wheelchairs or had long waits because people using them for airport priority took up all the wheelchairs. Now they’re widely available. Funny how that happened when the benefit shrunk from requesting assistance.
Jetway Jesus is officially dead …
by
u/EveningManager3782 in
SouthwestAirlines - The Park Hyatt Los Angeles Ghost Tower, under ‘development’ for more than a decade and sitting dormant, might get a new lease on life and get sold out of bankruptcy in April. No guarantee it even winds up a hotel, let alone a Hyatt.
- Bilt adds Bilt Verified hotels for properties with Forbest Travel Guide stars to connect to their platform.
As with their Home Away From Home properties, these will come with $100 credit, complimentary breakfast, early check-in and check-out and upgrades if available.
This is available to Bilt members with Gold or higher status. Gold is part of the initial bonus offer on the Bilt Palladium Card (see rates and fees). They aim to connect guest data they compile e.g. via restaurants with properties to tailor stays.
- Another passenger who deserves a refund – when airlines do not deliver the basic product they promise, they shouldn’t get to keep the money.
This armrest is a scandal. @AmericanAir Will you be paying the repair bill when my clothes are snagged and ripped? pic.twitter.com/ZW1CKAGcDp
— Sweet Pea (@Beat_Navy) February 27, 2026
- Wait, El Mencho was selling timeshares to Americans? Very on-brand and not sure whether cartel leader is worse than timeshare kingpin?
- ‘Pivot to premium.’
@AmericanAir first class seats on American. Flight attendant did what he could when my headrest just fell off… pic.twitter.com/wOSo501z07
— Erich Chatham (@Erich_Chatham) February 27, 2026
RIP Jetway Jesus…
Clothes aren’t the only thing that can rip in there. In the event of an accident, flesh definitely can get caught.
FAA safety regulators worry about smoking signs and seat-back placards… but AA gets a pass for seats without headrests? The headrest and armrests were items approved as part of the seat! It’s not an approved seat without those items!
I really wish the FAA would get serious about regulating for safety and hold the entire industry to a higher standard so AA wouldn’t be at a competitive disadvantage and customers wouldn’t have to risk their health for an on-time departure.
Next install a complete airplane seat at each gate. If one is too large to sit into the seat ( like a bag sizer), then that person must pay for a second seat.
We all knew the Miracle Flights would cease as soon as the dramatic advantage of being physically disabled on Southwest ceased. It was almost humorous watching all those who had to be wheeled into their seats get up when the door opened and skip, grinning off the plane.
Southwest should outright ban the people who just quit requesting wheelchairs. Then bring back the open seating.
While the armrest is concerning, what’s under the coat in the seat is even more so. Is it alive?
Really think AI could easily figure out who was fraudulently claiming disability on Southwest flights and should be prosecuted.
Southwest has over 75% of flights at my nearest airport and I’m glad to see them improving. I will still avoid until they put in a first class seat. Even Spirit offers Big Front Seat. As someone who needs wheelchair service and I’m very happy to see that go away. They could easily stop the fraud of the people that don’t need them. When issued a handicap parking permit, they also send an ID card to accompany it. The airlines could easily require it and it shouldn’t be an issue since we already have it. I certainly wouldn’t be offended if they asked me to produce mine.
@A Prez
The airlines are not able to simply require passengers to prove that they have a disability (handicap ID card, etc.) before granting wheelchair use. This violates the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). If they self-identify as needing extra time to board, including wheelchair service, the airline is required to provide this to the passenger. It isn’t a question of whether a passenger is offended. It’s illegal to even ask.
And as for first class…this is coming real soon.
As someone who legitimately requires a wheelchair when flying, I am very excited to see the Fraud Crowd disappear. In all fairness the problem was directly the fault of Gary Kelly. He desperately wanted assigned seating and tried to make that work more than once and failed. In all truth this assigned seating now in place has destroyed the quick boarding time that defined Southwest Airlines. Another brilliant failed idea of Gary Kelly was to allow people to sign up for wheelchairs when making their reservation, never having to answer any questions or speak to an agent. If that was not bad enough, along came the directive to the OPS Agent who at the Boarding Door to allow anyone in the preboarding area who could walk down the jetway to line up to board first. I actually witnessed what appeared to be a Basketball Team rise up and walk down first.
After all this, those of us who truly need the wheelchair are the ones who were punished by his actions. When we could get a wheelchair on arrival, the Prospect wheelchair attendant who was expecting to have two passengers needing them, now had only one but made that passenger wait while they tried to find another one who did not exist. On more than one occasion, I was left waiting and almost missed my connection while they searched for some long gone scammer.
As delighted as people are to see the Kelly’s Jetway Jesus disappear, nobody is happier than those of us who unfortunately rely on those wheelchairs.
That wheelchair cost is something the airlines absorb. It was probably costing Southwest some serious money. Think about 8-10 fakers per flight at probably about $10 per person.
@George Romey — Aww… poor airline…
@gary the airline followed up with me—they don’t compensate for a seat like that! It’s shameful and stupid. I included the email reply. How is this allowable?
@OneTrippe not that it matters, but that’s my coat. I turned it inside out so it wouldn’t get ripped on that dumpster fire of a seat.