Southwest disability question

[connie254]

DS has autism and on the SW website I checked he has an emotional/cognitive disability. What exactly does that mean as far as what they will for him?

 

[lanejudy]

We have been allowed to pre-board with DD. How well that works out for you may depend on how well he can handle getting settled then waiting patiently while everyone else boards. I have heard some families who will allow Dad to pre-board and organize carry-one at the seats while Mom and Kids with autism remain in the terminal and board last. I don’t know if that if standard or not. Usually pre-board only allows 1 companion and that situation would essentially allow 2 plus seat-saving, which is also frowned upon by Southwest.

Good luck and enjoy your vacation!

 

[Hoodie]

Basically it means you get the preboard sleeve. As long as we are in group A for boarding, we find it's more hassle than anything as it only allows for 1 other to board with him and he gets anxious that his dad and brother aren't with us on the plane. We've only done it once

 

[Simba's Mom]

Basically it means you get the preboard sleeve.

Just so you know, they no longer give a separate preboard sleeve. So don't be like I was at the check-in desk, and yell "HEY! Where's my preboard sleeve?" (in my defense, it was 4:30 in the morning and I apologized) I've taken SW several times since this new policy-now they have it right as part of your boarding pass.

 

[Hoodie]

Just so you know, they no longer give a separate preboard sleeve. So don't be like I was at the check-in desk, and yell "HEY! Where's my preboard sleeve?" (in my defense, it was 4:30 in the morning and I apologized) I've taken SW several times since this new policy-now they have it right as part of your boarding pass.

Thanks! We last got the sleeve in January but haven't requested it since due to the high anxiety it caused.

 

[EveDallas]

Just so you know, they no longer give a separate preboard sleeve. So don't be like I was at the check-in desk, and yell "HEY! Where's my preboard sleeve?" (in my defense, it was 4:30 in the morning and I apologized) I've taken SW several times since this new policy-now they have it right as part of your boarding pass.

This is good to know. They were still doing it in April so I wouldn't have been aware.

 

[mfly]

We have been allowed to pre-board with DD. How well that works out for you may depend on how well he can handle getting settled then waiting patiently while everyone else boards. I have heard some families who will allow Dad to pre-board and organize carry-one at the seats while Mom and Kids with autism remain in the terminal and board last. I don’t know if that if standard or not. Usually pre-board only allows 1 companion and that situation would essentially allow 2 plus seat-saving, which is also frowned upon by Southwest.

Good luck and enjoy your vacation!

I don't want to hijack this thread or create an argument, but just to clarify: Southwest has repeatedly stated that they "don't have a rule for or against the saving of seats." That being said, I think common sense and courtesy should be exercised when/if seats are saved.

 

[h518may]

Just so you know, they no longer give a separate preboard sleeve. So don't be like I was at the check-in desk, and yell "HEY! Where's my preboard sleeve?" (in my defense, it was 4:30 in the morning and I apologized) I've taken SW several times since this new policy-now they have it right as part of your boarding pass.

We’ve never asked to preboard until we are at the terminal, so how is it on the boarding pass? Do they print a new one or do we let them know before hand?

I always preboard with DD and let DH board with DS. We try to sit in the very first row so she has fewer people she could bother.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We’ve never asked to preboard until we are at the terminal, so how is it on the boarding pass? Do they print a new one or do we let them know before hand?

I had it in my profile (RR member), so my boarding pass was printed with the Preboard typed on the right. I imagine it would work at check-in, or they probably would print one at the gate.

 

[bookgirl]

My step dad is a preboard and it's just printed on his ticket. Or if we do it at the airport they reprint his ticket. It basically allows him to board early and get settled (my mom will board with him).

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't want to hijack this thread or create an argument, but just to clarify: Southwest has repeatedly stated that they "don't have a rule for or against the saving of seats." That being said, I think common sense and courtesy should be exercised when/if seats are saved.

To clarify further: Southwest's being neutral on seat saving also means that if you are saving a seat and someone else besides the person you are holding it for sits down, they will do nothing.

 

[PatMcDuck]

They have been letting me and my husband pre board with my special needs adult son, EWR and MCO. But if they only allowed one of us, no big deal, just saying that they have not been completely strict on the one extra person rule.

 

[disneymom3]

We’ve never asked to preboard until we are at the terminal, so how is it on the boarding pass? Do they print a new one or do we let them know before hand?

I always preboard with DD and let DH board with DS. We try to sit in the very first row so she has fewer people she could bother.

Yes, they print a new boarding pass for you. I forgot to click the button for special needs on my last flight and when I asked about it, they printed a new copy for me.

 

[AnneE]

If we decide to pre-board with Southwest, we just walk up to the desk at the gate and they print the special boarding pass for us. My son has autism and it actually helps us a lot to get him settled early, even though it means he's waiting a little longer. He does much better waiting in a seat than being thrown into the boarding crowd. Also, since we board early, we can be among the first to exit, which also helps a lot. Standing in that long chaotic line, trying to get off the plane, not understanding why no one is moving and feeling super anxious to GO is so, so hard on him. So preboarding helps us on both ends. Good luck!!!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Hi all! I'm a 22 year old with HFA so I can help. In the past, my parents have told them that my sister has allergies and we need to wipe off the stuff incase there are peanuts. And just an FYI, only one other person can pre-board with your DS

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

If only one person is allowed to preboard with the person with the disability, do they make an exception if other members of the party can't be left alone? For example, a parent traveling alone with two kids, one of whom needs to preboard, and the other is quite young?

 

[Simba's Mom]

Since the last time I posted, we had occasion to fly Southwest, and everyone was super. It was an extremely difficult flight for me because I'd just fractured my pelvis, couldn't take a step, and was in considerable pain. But my doctor said it was my choice and wouldn't further hurt anything. Did you know there's a pre-pre-board? Southwest got me onboard and got me settled in before the pre-boarders. But then I'd have to be last off, so they could spend the extra time needed to help me. Kudos to Southwest! I strongly support them if you need to fly with a disability.

 

[lanejudy]

If only one person is allowed to preboard with the person with the disability, do they make an exception if other members of the party can't be left alone? For example, a parent traveling alone with two kids, one of whom needs to preboard, and the other is quite young?

Yes, they will. We travel as a party of 3 and have all pre-boarded.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

If only one person is allowed to preboard with the person with the disability, do they make an exception if other members of the party can't be left alone? For example, a parent traveling alone with two kids, one of whom needs to preboard, and the other is quite young?

granted it was a Make A Wish trip and I do not know if that changes anything but adult daughter who is mother of wish kid was a preboard and I had to board with her they allowed all 3 boys to board with us as I was only other adult in our party. flight was with Southwest

 

[SueM in MN]

Since the last time I posted, we had occasion to fly Southwest, and everyone was super. It was an extremely difficult flight for me because I'd just fractured my pelvis, couldn't take a step, and was in considerable pain. But my doctor said it was my choice and wouldn't further hurt anything. Did you know there's a pre-pre-board? Southwest got me onboard and got me settled in before the pre-boarders. But then I'd have to be last off, so they could spend the extra time needed to help me. Kudos to Southwest! I strongly support them if you need to fly with a disability.

We pre-pre boarded with Southwest too.
In fact, we are usually the very first on any flight we go on with DD because it takes both my husband and I to get her boarded and I need to do some things to her wheelchair to get it ready to go to baggage from the door of the plane.

Yes, they will. We travel as a party of 3 and have all pre-boarded.

Enjoy your vacation!

we have also.
In our case, we explained that both my husband and I were physically needed to get DD boarded.