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A social media user waiting to board a Southwest flight just lately cried foul over an apparent “pre-boarding scam” involving wheelchairs — whilst the airliner stresses that its coverage complies with the legislation.
Passengers are identified to get antsy boarding and exiting planes, however Paul, whose Twitter deal with is @trendready, complained about how some fellow flyers are perhaps attempting to game the system by requesting wheelchair assistance in an effort to be the primary ones on a flight prior to takeoff.
“Pre-boarding rip-off at @SouthwestAir,” he claimed in a Saturday tweet with a photograph of a line of people in wheelchairs. “20 passengers boarding the usage of a wheelchair and most probably most effective 3 need one to deplane.”
The airline responded to the complaint however admitted it had little power to forestall any imaginable trickery.
“We’re sorry for any sadness, Paul,” Southwest tweeted. “We paintings hard to take care of the integrity of the boarding process while providing suitable accommodations for all who fly. Since many disabilities aren’t visible, we’re not able to query the validity of preboarding requests.”
Other social media customers chimed in and mentioned similar “scams” they witnessed.
“I sat subsequent to a wheelchair pusher recently,” one user tweeted. “Asked her how many people do you suppose legitimately need a wheelchair. Answer: less than part most don’t even pretend that they have a disability they only want the ‘perks.’”
“Yep! Looks like the airport at Las Vegas. My husband at all times calls it the wheelchair parade,” another social media user wrote.
“I finished flying @SouthwestAir after a person who used to be running from his automobile to the terminal in entrance of me, used this to get a great seat on a packed flight,” another user claimed.
An afternoon later, Paul again tweeted his frustrations over people the use of wheelchairs who would possibly not have needed them, including taking pictures of folks standing and strolling around before plopping again in the wheelchair.
He claimed 14 folks used wheelchairs to board, however only six needed them to deplane.
“Hey, Paul! Our preboarding coverage is in compliance with ACAA requirements and permits us to supply suitable lodging for all who fly with us,” Southwest tweeted in response.
“Nevertheless, we remorseful about if you happen to have been disillusioned along with your experience, and we respect you sharing your viewpoint.”
Customers who want a wheelchair will have to identify “themselves as desiring wheelchair assistance upon arrival to the airport, at any connection points, and upon arrival to their vacation spot,” according to the airline’s policy.
A wheelchair will also be added while booking, Southwest says.
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