[nagdu] You are required to sit in the bulkhead.

[Cindy Ray]

I thought this was old news until I went to Houston Monday night. I flew on Southwest Airlines. They have open seating. I got on early, but there were a number of folks getting on then, so I elected the bulkhead row as requested. Bear in mind that previously I had flown not less than four flights where this was not an issue. When I boarded in Chicago, the crew member said that I was required to sit in the bulkhead. I told him that I was not required to sit there. (I wanted a tray table.) He said that I was, and I asked him why. He responded that this was because of the dog. I told him that I had done a lot of flying, and I knew for a fact that I was not required to sit there. However, I was going to arrive in Houston late, so I decided to get with it. I said I would, but I knew that I was not required to. The service agent came on board and told me I was required to sit there. (I had now fastened my seatbelt.) I said I was sitting there, but he would have to show me that this was required, and he said I could find it on their web site. Then he said that I was not to argue with a crew member and could be removed from the flight if I persisted. I said that I was not arguing, I was just stating that I am not required to sit there.

A little later, a woman came on board, and she verified that I was correct in stating that I need not ride there, but their concern was that the dog couldn't be made to fold small enough. Their seating areas aren't ample, but I think it can be done. I would have been willing to try other seats to see if we could work it out, but by then I was a little tired of the whole thing.

Friday, I returned. When I boarded in Houston, armed with the knowledge that I don't have to sit in the bulkhead, I began to head back farther in the cabin. A crew member said that I was required to sit in the bulkhead with the dog, and I said I wasn't required to do that, that just Monday a woman at their airlines had agreed with me. But again, I did not want to hasslwe with it too much, but I did want to sit elsewhere. He said he was going to talk to his supervisor, and I suggested that he not bother with it. I put my bag up above and sat in the required location. Chris came on board, and she told me I was required to sit there. I said, fine, but I had done a lot of flying and hadn't received this kind of treatment from an airlines in years. She said that planes vary. Well, duyh. I told her just about the only place he couldn't ride was the two and one planes where there is just one seat down the aisle on the right as you go in. I don't even remember all she said, but she said I needed to not be yelling at crew members. I said to her that I had not been, and I hadn't. She it had been reported by other passengers and passengers panic. I said I had not been, alhtough by then I was tempted, and I told her I was so done with the topic right now and pretty much done with Southwest. She told me I wasn't being cooperative. I'm not sure where that came from because I was in the bulkhead with the seatbelt fastened. I told her I really wouldn't mind being there, but I really wanted to sit where I can have a tray table. Those planes don't have any, not even in the arms of the seats. So she then said she was going to talk with the captain. Nothing ever came of that, and I really felt that intimidation tactics had been used. The rest of the flight was without incident since I didn't have to change in Chicago to return to Des Moines.

The Southwest planes are small, as I said, and I suspect that really this is the most comfortable place for my particular dog as he is rather large, though not mamoth. Here is what I found at their web site concerning bringing service dogs into the flight:

Trained Assistance Animals

Southwest Airlines welcomes trained assistance animals on all of our flights. Except when too large to be safely accommodated, a trained assistance animal traveling with and providing assistance to a Customer with a disability will be accommodated in the aircraft cabin. In accordance with federal safety regulations, the animal must be positioned so as not to obstruct Customers' expeditious evacuation in the unlikely event of an emergency.

Now, I get this, and if I had sat in another seat where it made it more than inconvenient for the seats to be shared by other passengers, I would be glad to consent to the bulkhead, but I believe it is not a requirement. 

Cindy Lou
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