MCO airport observations

OP, you and I are spoiled....IND is practically a dream airport to navigate. MCO is on my list of painful airports, along with LGA, ATL, DCA, and a couple of others. The closest airport to IND in ease I've experienced recently is TPA.

There's something about the design of the security area at MCO that just makes it seem even more chaotic....add in lots of small children, large groups of teenagers on school trips, and parents who need a vacation from their vacation, and it can become a mess.
 
First I didn't mean to offend anyone.
With family boarding there were kids who looked 11-13 years old with their parents in the line.

With medical preboards I clearly understand they need time getting on and situated, my point is if they need the extra time getting on how can they get out of seat so fast and off plane. If extra time needed getting on common sense sit and let those getting off who don't need extra time off first. That is my opinion to which we are each entitled.

Yes TSA is beyond rude at MCO but ... 2 women and 12 year old in front of us took almost 5 minutes putting stuff on belt. Right by belt they said don't put backpacks in bins- of course they did and stuff kept falling out. TSA told lady to take off 20 bracelets she had on-- she kept on. Food from McDs in backpack somehow ended up in our bin with shoes and sweaters. That is type of stuff I'm mentioning. But in end we had great trip.

As I said I didn't mean to offend anyone just telling my experience and what we saw,
 
With medical preboards I clearly understand they need time getting on and situated, my point is if they need the extra time getting on how can they get out of seat so fast and off plane. If extra time needed getting on common sense sit and let those getting off who don't need extra time off first. That is my opinion to which we are each entitled.
Because not everyone preboarding needs extra time or assistance. SWA is also required to preboard any passenger who requires special seating accommodation due to a disability, e.g. an aisle seat or a movable armrest.
 
Because preboard isn't designed to let you get off faster. Generally speaking preboards have a buffer time inbetween normal boarding to allow them to have that assistance they need. The same would be said for getting off the plane only it's generally in reverse where preboards wait until the rest of the passengers have already left.

Here's SWA's definition of preboard
View attachment 261190

Nowhere does that state first on first off...otherwise can you imagine how many people would use that!? Not only that but can you imagine a person in a wheelchair being wheeled up the jetway with a long line of passengers trying to get to where they need to be or imagine a person with a cognitive disorder that required preboard who now is bombarded with a bunch of passengers behind them trying to get where they need to be.

I'm familiar with SWA's practices. Until they instruct preboards to keep it planted (as i described earlier observing on Spirit), it will be business as usual...those in the front off first

I can imagine and I'm fine with it. No difference between a kid getting situated in a stroller in front of me. And would reduce the lineup of wheelchairs in the jetway.

As for cognitive disorders, seems it would be easier on them than being surrounded by butts waiting to get off the plane in front of him/her!

With the WC lined up as they often are, it could be difficult to get past them.

First I didn't mean to offend anyone.
With family boarding there were kids who looked 11-13 years old with their parents in the line.

With medical preboards I clearly understand they need time getting on and situated, my point is if they need the extra time getting on how can they get out of seat so fast and off plane. If extra time needed getting on common sense sit and let those getting off who don't need extra time off first. That is my opinion to which we are each entitled.

Yes TSA is beyond rude at MCO but ... 2 women and 12 year old in front of us took almost 5 minutes putting stuff on belt. Right by belt they said don't put backpacks in bins- of course they did and stuff kept falling out. TSA told lady to take off 20 bracelets she had on-- she kept on. Food from McDs in backpack somehow ended up in our bin with shoes and sweaters. That is type of stuff I'm mentioning. But in end we had great trip.

As I said I didn't mean to offend anyone just telling my experience and what we saw,

It's up to the specific airline to make the call as to how they proceed. Common sense need not apply unfortunately.

Can't say we've seen TSA verbally abusing fellow passengers. The mr & DS, having same name, used to get 'randomly' selected every single time for years we flew after 9-11. I'm talking every single flight. Often carted off to the special room. Appears 'their' name was on the watch list. Took to bringing the passports even for domestic flights and the problem disappeared. Believe jr was triggering the full Monte as he was a minor and normally wouldn't produce ID. Just glad that issue ceased as i was the one left to wrangle all the carryon stuff off the belt while they complied.

On same spirit flight I mentioned previously, we had checked a stroller. Was very surprised to be told they were to be picked up several gates 'down' the terminal. A new one on me. Admit we then moved at a snail's pace than we normally would've since small kids with their gear are even slower to get moving when walking. Tried to hug the wall to let others pass the best we could, but there was grumbling behind us. Classy

Ew re your TSA experience, so gross! I tend to give people a pass in the TSA lines in international hubs (ESL) and MCO specifically, where there are so many novice & distracted flyers. It used to be the precheck line moved very quickly in general but so many folks get it assigned arbitrarily 'free', it seems to slow things down.
 


The purpose of preboard is to load the plane faster. The gate crew has (should have) experience about what complexion (# of children, etc. in) of the waiting area should suggest which boarding strategy to choose. Also there may have been some kibitzing from higher up every once in awhile to make a last minute change of strategy or to add to the repertoire of boarding strategies.

A strategy that has not yet been tried is to also give preboarding to those who hustle, so as to leave more time for others who are more infirm to board later. So far, I think that such a plan would require a lot of micromanagement and record keeping, notably to catch fakers and prevent repeat offenses.

So far no one has invented a predisembarking procedure that on average has a significantly and noticeable shortening of the time to unload the plane. So, so far there is no incentive to monitor who jumps up first.
 
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There are many possible disabilities which you might not recognize at a glance that might require preboarding BUT would not prevent one from "leaping up." You are being very insensitive to the disabled.
I know I've told this story before, but it bears repeating.....flew SW to Orlando a few years ago. There were the usual preboards. I watched as one older couple waited to board, he was in a wheelchair, his wife (I assume) pushing him. They all boarded. I had A18 that day. So, only about 3 people ahead of me. As I boarded the plane, I see the FA arguing with this older couple who had boarded earlier. Seems they had taken seats in the exit row. The FA told them that they had to be able to perform the expected duties,, etc., if there were to be an emergency. 'Oh, we can do that, no problems at all' was the response. The FA looked at them, and said 'But you were were medical preboards, you aren't allowed to sit here', they continued arguing. She told them that if they didn't get up, and move, she was calling security. By this time, they had to go behind the wing to get seats!!! So, yes, there are abusers.

But your understanding of the reason for preboarding is wrong. As stated in the quote from the SWA policy, one of the reasons for preboarding is to allow persons with specific seating requirements to choose their seats first. This is in fact mandated by the FAA for airlines that do not have preassigned seating. There is no reason for those passengers to wait for the entire plane to deboard; in fact, that could be construed as discriminatory.
So, do I have to show anything to the GA to let them know I really need to be in the front (due to claustrophobia) or sitting in a window seat (also helps with the claustrophobia)? I never even gave it a thought...but perhaps I should. I usually just do EBCI and am able to get what I need that way. My understanding is that those that are preboards are those who may need extra time getting situated. So, if you follow that train of thought, it would seem that they would need the same amount of time deplaning. BUT....I have watched medical preboards being wheeled onto that plane, being seated in the front rows, but then hopping up quite easily when it was time to deplane, moving rapidly down the jetway and off to baggage claim. I have overheard some saying 'I told you we could do it that way, and not have to wait for the huge throng of others to board!'. Those are the people that spoil it for everyone.
But, I do understand what you're saying.
 
First I didn't mean to offend anyone.
With family boarding there were kids who looked 11-13 years old with their parents in the line.

With medical preboards I clearly understand they need time getting on and situated, my point is if they need the extra time getting on how can they get out of seat so fast and off plane. If extra time needed getting on common sense sit and let those getting off who don't need extra time off first. That is my opinion to which we are each entitled.

Yes TSA is beyond rude at MCO but ... 2 women and 12 year old in front of us took almost 5 minutes putting stuff on belt. Right by belt they said don't put backpacks in bins- of course they did and stuff kept falling out. TSA told lady to take off 20 bracelets she had on-- she kept on. Food from McDs in backpack somehow ended up in our bin with shoes and sweaters. That is type of stuff I'm mentioning. But in end we had great trip.

As I said I didn't mean to offend anyone just telling my experience and what we saw,
Don't get me started on those who put their bags up front, and then have to head back to their seats, then try to squeeze past everyone to get to their bag upon landing!!! But, that works the other way as well, for flights with assigned seating....passengers who are boarding later, find it hard to find overhead space, so have to stash their bags further back..they then are like salmon, swimming upstream, to get to their bags so they can get off!!!
But, I have to say that I have seldom had an issue with TSA at any airport, not even MCO. I have PreCheck, but even in that line, people continue to try to remove shoes and clothing, taking time to take stuff out of their bags. The TSA people tell them they don't have to do that, but they insist. I watched my brother (I had Precheck, he didn't) stand there, at the end of the belt, slowly removing his lace up shoes, then carefully take off his sweater and fold it neatly. Then have to remove stuff from his bag. I thought the people behind him were going to run over him!!!! If people listen to instructions, things go faster. But, especially at MCO due to infrequent travelers, people don't listen. They are busy dealing with kids, or just chatting. I have stood there, in line, while a TSA person walked back and forth with a dog,, telling people they did NOT need to remove their shoes, or take off jackets and remove laptops. The dog had done all that work. But, still.....people stopped to do it all!! So much for quicker lines.
 


So, do I have to show anything to the GA to let them know I really need to be in the front (due to claustrophobia) or sitting in a window seat (also helps with the claustrophobia)? I never even gave it a thought...but perhaps I should. I usually just do EBCI and am able to get what I need that way. My understanding is that those that are preboards are those who may need extra time getting situated. So, if you follow that train of thought, it would seem that they would need the same amount of time deplaning. BUT....I have watched medical preboards being wheeled onto that plane, being seated in the front rows, but then hopping up quite easily when it was time to deplane, moving rapidly down the jetway and off to baggage claim. I have overheard some saying 'I told you we could do it that way, and not have to wait for the huge throng of others to board!'. Those are the people that spoil it for everyone.
But, I do understand what you're saying.
Yes, it really is just on the honor system. I don't know whether it's specified in the ADA or just the FAA's implementation of it, but airlines pretty much have to take the passenger's word when they request accommodation due to a disability (at least up to a point.)

Personally, I don't think some kind of doctor's note would be unreasonable, but that's not up to you or me (or the airline), and there are many legitimate disabilities that are not obvious.
 

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