I fly Southwest pretty regularly. I recently flew DEN-CLT and was denied preboarding. I was B30, but I request preboarding so I can sit in the aisle seat in either row 1 or 2. I have severe neuropathy in my left leg, and I struggle walking down the center aisle on most planes unless they're the larger planes for international travel, but I can't tell you how many times I've fallen and gotten hurt trying to walk down the aisle in smaller planes.

The Gate Agent took one look at me and said no when I went up to speak to her about preboarding. When I told her I needed a specific seat, she just rolled her eyes and said I was denied. I told her that in that case, I would like to request the aisle chair to take me to an open seat so I would not have to walk down the aisle and she told me that is only offered for non-ambulatory flyers. I know this is not true, as I have used the aisle chair in the past. I wasn't flying with my wheelchair, just my rollator, as I was flying to see my mom, and I have a wheelchair at her house and I don't use one every day.

I was lucky that when I boarded, there was an aisle seat open in row 3 somehow, but has Southwest's policy changed? Or did I just encounter a bad Gate Agent? Part of why I always pick Southwest is their customer service has always been above and beyond what I am used to, with such friendly and helpful employees. And since I was denied, does this mean on my return flight home CLT-DEN later I will also be denied?

EDIT: Just wanted to add an edit to say that I have filed a complaint with the DOT and spoken with SW's Accessibility Department on the phone to have a complaint registered. They've assured me that there has been no change in SW's policy, and that the gate agent in question will be investigated for not following SW's policies or the laws surrounding disability access. They assured me that this will have no impact on my ability to preboard on my return flight.