Monday, January 12, 2015

Airline Preboarding Policies

Flying home from the holidays on Southwest Airlines reminded me that money talks.  I know it’s a cliché, but that’s why this metaphor rings true.

I had gotten authorization to preboard the flight and learned that I would be boarding after the Group A passengers.  For those of you who are not familiar with how Southwest operates, they have open seating and board according to Groups (A, B, and C) and priority numbers (1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60).  The sooner you check in, the better your chances of boarding earlier.  If you pay extra, then you get the privilege
of boarding in the A1-15 group.  After that, it is up for grabs.  I had a middle Group B boarding pass.

The fact that I had to wait to board after Group A didn’t bother me too much, especially since my flight was just a short one from San Francisco to Orange County.  However, I saw a young mother and her son who was about one-year-old in front of us.  She seemed overwhelmed, trying to get her baby carriage folded an ready to carry into the plane while at the same time taking care of her child.

In the meantime, they had started sending in the B Group boarders and that poor mother had to let them pass her.  By the time she and her child had gotten on the plane, there were hardly any open seats available and a flight attendant had to advocate for her.  I think everything worked out in the end, but that child was not happy, especially at the beginning of the flight. 

It seems to be standard procedure for most airlines these days to give priority to first-class passengers.  Only a few still board families first.  And United has even eliminated preboarding.  (http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/06/05/united-cancels-preboarding-which-airlines-are-still-family-frie/)

To me, this simply does not make sense.  For those who need the extra time to get settled on the plane due to special needs, it is right that they board the plane first.  Before first class.  Before Group A.  Before anyone else.  They should be allowed enough time and help to get seated on the plane before all the other passengers hurry inside.

It all comes down to money.  The airlines are now charging extra if you want preboarding privileges.  Southwest offers “Early Bird” checkin, and American Airlines has a “Boarding 1” option for some additional fees (http://www.farecompare.com/news/five-cheap-airline-fees-worth-money/). Even if these fees may seem nominal to some, they impact the very travelers who need preboarding services.  Families with small children, people with disabilities, the elderly.  And if you have families with children with disabilities, or elderly with disabilities, that makes it all the more complicated and financially difficult.

People with epilepsy and their families should not be denied preboarding rights just because they cannot pay premium fees.  In fact, since stress is known to cause seizures, people with epilepsy should board first.  This will lessen the stress caused by flying.  Preboarding allows you to get settled comfortably and puts you in a calmer state of mind when you travel.  This will make the flight more pleasant for everyone onboard.

Have you had any travel experiences?  Have you preboarded before?  Please share your thoughts.



1 comment:

  1. This is stupid! Don't the airlines realize it is easier for EVERYONE if families with small children and people with disabilities board first?

    ReplyDelete