golfnutt complaining about people tarding up a thread is a brilliant piece of performance art.

You will be boarding the plane last.

Actually, I don't fly Southwest. When I'm on my preferred carrier I board in Group 1.

You don’t fly Southwest yet you post in a Southwest thread. Your contribution is truly appreciated. It is the collective experience of members like yourself that make threads like this extremely valuable.

Just cuz im too lazy to delete all these posts, lets just get this thread back on track. golfnutt if you want to talk about ESA go do it in the esa thread. If you want to respond to someone, send them a PM. If you want to respond to me about this post, send me a PM. (basically dont post in this thread again unless its about the GTO for southwest self seating that doesnt involve ESA). Everyone else, lets get back to talking about how much the middle seat and fat people suck.

I find a scowl works wonders. Not to the point of making eye contact with any/all people walking down the aisle, but if you're just generally in a bad mood and people can see it, they will generally look to grab a different middle seat than yours.

I also find that people seem to take the middle more when I'm on the aisle than when I'm on the window...probably anecdotal, but my successes at securing one of the empty middles have come when I'm in the window seat.

I'm 6'3" and lanky, so not sure if that plays into it either.

Personal preference is to get off plane as fast as possible, so I tend to stick to the front 1/2 of the plane...generally I go far enough back to verify no exit seats are available, and then I find the first window seat on the left side of the plane with someone already in the aisle, leaving only the middle seat open (avoids the chance of any couple looking for two in a row to seat down and fill the row), and sit down.

A woman next to me on the Southwest pre-boarded early because of anxiety. Not because of anxiety of flying, but anxiety of finding a seat. No doctor's note needed. I did not know this was possible.

Almost anything you say that doesn't involve a bomb will get you pre-boarded. Not because of any legit concern but because the gate agent is tired of hearing the same bull**** every day and it's easier just to let the crazy people get on the plane now as opposed to arguing about whether they can get on the plane now or 5 minutes from now.

It is a coinflip for me whether to let those people just have their way, or shut them down so they stop trouncing on society.

At least produce a letter. I can't believe you can go from C10 to ahead of A1 just by saying you get anxious getting an open seat without a doctor's note.

This problem is solved by any of the following:
A) Getting a business priority seat that costs like $30 more
B) Making sure you confirm 24 hours in advance - should get you close to front
C) Serving in the military
D) Have an ESA (thank you)

It was your story. You just posted that you'd seen it. Now you're having trouble believing it's possible?

Yes, it was my story. I didn't believe it was possible. It seems so outlandish that you can get pre-boarding by just proclaiming that you have anxiety trying to find a seat without even a note.

But as the other poster mentioned, a gate controller isn't going to really care. Why sit there arguing with a passenger? You win nothing.

Fair point. Simply asking for assistance w/ your anxiety is considerably more outlandish than getting a fake note allowing you to use your pet to accomplish the same thing.



When you say Who are you referring to?

Actually you!

I detest fake notes. I am happy to hear that airlines do call medical offices to verify if the notes are authentic.

Last flight I took I got business select and was A2 for the last leg. I'd estimate 10 people preboarded before me and two were because of pets.

They should just allow pets to fly, have a fee and maximum per flight. Enough with the esa ****. I'm fine with animals flying, kinda over people pretending they need them and also getting special boarding on top of it. And people like golf getting paid for it.

I agree. I think the people sitting near a pet should get compensated. A pet should not help one person at the inconvenience of others. It costs the airline nothing.

They should get pre-boarding so they get a seat first and others can choose to sit next to a dog.

It is not people pretending they need an ESA for the flight necessarily. It also at the destination.

Why did 8 others get to pre-board?

There were a few wheel chairs and their companions and a few kids flying solo to visit their other parent for Christmas.

I don't care about sitting next to a dog. I'd rather sit next to a dog in my preferred seat than have Noah's arc and their handlers take all the premium seats.

Why should you have to produce a letter? Nobody asks for proof if you really need a wheelchair or special assistance. Just last week during preboarding for a flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam (non-SW obv) a guy was pushed to the plane in a wheelchair right in front of us. At Schiphol, he was walking at least from the gate to immigration without a wheelchair or any other form of assistance.

It's no more outlandish than being allowed to take an animal on the plane because you are anxious.

There really isn't premium sitting on Southwest. All seats are the same.

Although being near the end of the line, it may be harder to find a compartment, you will be in a middle seat, and likely near the back.

I would say if you are B15 and above, it is ok. If you are in C, you are the mercy of everyone else.

The person with anxiety over finding a seat was C11.

I'm pretty sure if I went to an agent claiming anxiety over my boarding assignment, I'd be told to **** off and check in earlier next time.

She told me that on her last flight she passed out from being so nervous and a doctor on board had to revive and kept checking up on her the entire flight. That is the story she told the agent.

She said was so used to traveling with her dad her entire life and he was the one that always ensured she had a seat and she is too nervous to do it on her own.

She is 22-years old.

I used to fly with a scumbag who would fake an injury to preboard SW flights. He'd just limp up and they never challenged him.

I'd stay in my B "you sit by the toilet' group and shake my head.

I set up a notification on my phone 24.5 hours ahead of departure to remember to check in at the stroke of 24 hours.

Edit: she is the epitome of a snowflake and an example of what is going wrong with society.

BRB I see a cloud that needs a cursing.

Can you get 'A' anymore, even at 24 hours before? It seems like they are selling all those 'A's out online anyway.

Pretty often I do, yes. I find the elite A 1-24 whatever it is, pay extra zone rarely has more than a couple of people in it.