Rejection of a Cancer Patient for Early Boarding.

I arrange this issue prior to arriving at the airport. I deal with
this situation on a regular basis. I talk to the travel agent, airline
and check in person and take names! Be proactive on your next flight.
Hope you see better health.

I have a great deal of sympathy for you (I'm an AKRS amputee), but
your problem was not caused by the airline, but on people who take
advantage of "pre-boarding" when it's not necessary.

I travel a great deal and just last week, when the gate agent
announced pre-boarding, three-quarters of those seated in the gate
area stood up and rushed the jetway door!

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), which regulates disability access
on airplanes, does NOT require airlines to offer pre-boarding to
anyone. Most airlines have done so as a courtesy to disabled
passengers. Sadly, those of us who are disabled who really need and
appreciate this kindness are losing it due to others who want to board
early so they can get the "best" spot to stow their carry-on luggage
or whatever.

What the gate agent told you is exactly correct -- airlines are
cracking down on pre-boarding because too many people were taking
advantage of this privilege.

Because airline personnel are not permitted to ask whether or not
someone is disabled or what their disability is, it's usually
impossible to limit the number of people who pre-board. And allowing
everyone to pre-board slows down everything.

Because I'm disabled and travel with assistive devices, I always
advise the airlines of this when I book my trip and always at least 48
hours in advance. This means that if non-disabled persons board before
me and place their carry-ons in the nearest compartment to me, my
devices "bump" their stuff. You should hear the screaming and fussing
when their stuff is moved to the airplane's baggage compartment.

This is the only preferential treatment the airlines are required to
give me. Please don't blame the airlines because jerks have ruined
pre-boarding for all of us.

I googled didn't find anything related to amputees/amputation. I just
figure AKRS is a medical acronym and not commonly known enough to be
easily searchable.

If they would just force people to check their GD luggage and leave
the overhead bins for small bags like they used to (people are putting
their on-wheels-suitcases in there, jamming them in to make 'em fit),
then people like you wouldn't have such problems getting on and off
and dealing with your belongings.

This push in the last 10 years or so to put as much as possible in the
overhead bin just makes it take FOREVER to deplane. They should let
those of us who don't put anything in the overhead bins deplane first.
(And disabled people as well, of course.)

What is this world coming to when a response to this kind of letter
includes an admonition to the OP that he should have carried a
doctor's note. Sheesh.

Well, maybe look at it this way: Maybe you just don't look as sick as
you feel!

I dont understand the correlation between your chemo bothering you and
boarding early.

The arthritis yes, but is it only when you stand? Not seated?

If this be the case, a wheelchair and a doctors note would come in
handy.

Everyone in a wheelchair gets on first anyway right?



Good Day

I am sorry for your illnesses and hope you are on the road to
recovery.

I am sorry they would not let you board early, I am assuming it wasn't
because they didn't want to let you but they maybe have policies that
would not let them.

As others have said I think a note from a doctor would be good and
that way the gate person knows that that airline has okay for you to
board early.

To me, it would make much more sense for them to risk erring on the
side of customer service and mistakenly let someone board early who
may not really need to, then to err in the way that they did. There
is absolutely no risk or cost to them to take you at your word and
they should have done so. How ridiculus that you would be expected to
bring "documentation" of your medical condition - what your condition
is really is none of their business.

Glad you took the time to write and hope you are feeling better.

So sorry this happened to you. Although I do not question your wish to
board early, nor your need for it, I don't understand why the average
healthy person would want to board a plane early, unless it is a
situation where you get to choose your seat. I always wait until
everyone else from my boarding zone has gotten in line and gone
through the jetway - THEN I board the plane. I don't want any more
time sitting in a tiny airline seat than absolutely necessary.

"I do not choose to have cancer but I can choose my airlines"

Great line and so true. Apparently this airline is not familiar with
the concept that "not all disabilities are visible". Apparently they
also aren't familiar with the concept of compassion. I'm so sorry
they embarrassed you. That must have been awful.

We're rooting for you!

it would have gone a long way to have a note from your doctor.

I hate to say it, but Cancer and/or Leukemia is not necessarily an
"outward apparent" ailment and it could have very well appeared that
you were trying to weasel your way to the head of the line.

Granted, that wasn't your intention, but look at it from the
standpoint of the gate employee, who probably gets hounded for various
reasons to let people board early or jump the line every day.

And why would you be embarrassed? As you said, this wasn't something
you chose.

Thomas F.,

Sorry to hear of your situation.

Maybe a note from your doctor would work in the future supported by
mentioning the need when making a reservation would work.

In partial defense of the gate crew I bet they have heard every
possible excuse used by people not deserving to board early. They must
have a real time of it trying to extract the truth and in some cases,
like this, fall short.

Good luck.

BillR.