As a frequent flyer, my loyalty to airlines goes beyond the number of miles I get per flight. For that reason, Southwest Airlines recently lost my business with their new policy.
One of the downsides of social media is people jumping to conclusions. It’s even easier to do when the post is about something you don’t know a lot about, such as wheelchair use. It is a subject I have plenty of experience with. I spent most of my life traveling with my mother, who was in a wheelchair. I started using a wheelchair 10 years ago and have been a full-time user for almost three years.
Judging Disability by the Number of Wheelchairs
It started just over a year ago when an X user (@CLK1341104) posted he had just seen 30 people in wheelchairs pre-board a Southwest flight. He shared a photo of the process with the words: “Typical @SouthwestAir flight to Florida!”
The statement went viral and the responses alternated between accusing passengers of fraud and explaining what it’s like to have invisible disabilities. The debate became more heated a few months later when reports were posted about wheelchair users on a trip from Florida to Puerto Rico. It said many actually got up and walked off the plane instead of waiting for wheelchairs. It was called “a miracle.”
Continue Reading Article After Our Video
Recommended Fodor’s Video
The first thing lost in these accusations is the admission that these were Florida flights. The fact that there are more senior citizens going to and from Florida, especially in the winter and spring, was the point. These “snowbirds” are older and more likely to need assistance. Those flights are expected to have a maximum number in wheelchairs. It’s more unrealistic to think 30 older adults are pretending to have difficulty walking just to have the pleasure of a wheelchair.
Life as a Wheelchair User
I can understand why people can be confused about wheelchair use. It is not black and white as to whether or not you can walk. I used a wheelchair in the airport long before I needed to use it in my house. I also used one in museums, zoos, concert halls, and shopping malls. The same was true for my mom and for many who have had difficulty walking at some point.
The need for mobility devices is more often gradual than exact. Yes, there are tragedies where an able-bodied person is in an accident and becomes completely wheelchair bound overnight. More often, it’s someone like me, with a progressive illness or injury, who goes from needing a cane, to using a walker, to getting in a wheelchair. The wheelchair need is going to come a lot sooner for long distances, such as airports.
It is clear the public—and Southwest Airlines—have the wrong picture about traveling while disabled. Nothing about it is fun. I have my own power wheelchair now, but I previously would use the manual ones when flying. They need to be pushed by airport personnel. I was frequently left for what was supposed to be a few minutes, which often turned into hours. They would forget to come back to put me on the plane and they wouldn’t always be there to get me off the plane.
It isn’t a miracle every time someone gets up from a wheelchair and walks. There were times, when I was still able, I would get off the plane on my own because I was tired of waiting. Contrary to trendy belief, wheelchair users are almost always the last, not the first, off the plane. I’ve missed connecting flights waiting for a chair.
Southwest’s New Policies
As the articles and online complaints continued, Southwest Airlines made some changes, beginning on January 27, 2026. The first was to eliminate their open seating, often called a “cattle call.” Instead of being able to pick seats on the plane in the order they get on, you can now choose seats when you buy tickets. As most other airlines do, you also have the option to pay extra for priority seating.
Along with the elimination of open seating,
Southwest will no longer have automatic boarding passes with PRBD (indicating pre-board) for those with special needs. Instead, they have added in their Disability-Related Accommodations information, “Preboarding will be available prior to general boarding for Customers with disabilities who self-identify at the gate area as needing additional time or assistance to board.”
This new statement puts the obligation on the wheelchair user to go to the counter and explain their needs. Those who are unable to get to the counter will have to go on the plane with the general boarding.
As a person who is bound to a wheelchair, I find it hard to imagine someone would lie to use an assisted device. The only logical explanation to me is the desire Southwest created to get on the plane earlier. Could there be a few people out there who think a better seat is worth this? It’s possible, but certainly not the majority of wheelchair users.
While this policy change is being touted for efficiency, it can turn into a nightmare of waiting as those with walking impairments are slowly moving to their seats and holding up the rest of the passengers. That’s something time will show the naysayers.
Maybe it’s also a lesson Southwest needs to learn, but I won’t be on one of their planes watching.
Editor’s Note: Southwest Airlines was contacted regarding their updated wheelchair policy for comment and has yet to respond at time of publication.