Winter Weather Update

[cday]

If you were dreaming of a white Christmas, you were certainly in luck if you were traveling to or lived on the east coast this weekend.   The northeast portion of the country was pummeled by Snowmageddon 2010.  When Mother Nature hands us a storm of this size and proportion, we do our best to predict what the weather will do, anticipate staffing needs, and get our aircraft positioned so that we can accommodate Customers as soon as the weather permits.  We also have some tools that are available for Customers who were impacted by the wintery weather:

• Southwest.com is continually updated with information for each city impacted by the storms.  We are offering reaccomodations for folks that were unable to make it to their destination due to the weather conditions.  The complete list of cities affected is here.
• Customers that were attempting to travel to any of the impacted cities and used ticketless travel can rebook online here.
• Sign up for alerts!  We can send you text, email, or phone notifications if your flight status changes.  Sign up here.
• Use our southwest.com mobile app (for iPhone, Blackberry, or Android) to view flight schedules and stay in touch with your flight status on the go.

We’ll continue to monitor the storm as it moves off the East Coast.  In the meanwhile, hang in there with us and maybe go make some snow angels!

[Anonymous3972]

Southwest cancelled my sister's flight today, citing "weather". The next flight they can put her on is on Jan 1 -- AFTER NYE, where she was set to attend a wedding for a close friend. After hours on the phone haggling with 3 customer service reps and supervisiors, there is absolutely not one flight available to get her to her destination before NYE. We tried to figure out some kind of alternate route -- flying to Omaha NE first seemed to be an answer! As we tried to talk to these customer service folks to arrange this, the flights, one by one, just kept dissapearing. Each rep had the same pat answer for us -- "there is nothing we can do to help you". It was really dissapointing, because just a day ago we were talking how much we love Southwest. But come to find out, when it comes to a weather "crisis" they really won't do anything to help you.... even when there IS a solution. I guess it has to be the exact same route you chose initially, they won't be flexible. They won't give you a credit for your inconvenience. They won't pay for your hotel if your flight is cancelled due to weather. It was eye opening. I get that there will be issues with weather. But I always thought Southwest was a different kind of airline. Sincerely, Dissapointed in Chicago (yep, NOT the northeast as you would have suspected?!)

[Anonymous4516]

Your experience is a mirror of mine. Bad weather goes a long way to showing the deficiencies of Southwest. Flying this airline is kind of like driving a car without insurance. If something goes wrong, you are left entirely on your own and you will absolutely hear the word "Nothing," over and over again. "Nothing," appears to be the amount Southwest has invested in training its employees in basic communication skills. And "Nothing" is what Southwest will do for you if you find yourself stranded, no matter how loyal you've been to the airline. The motto of the airline should be: LOYALTY: YOURS TO GIVE, OURS TO ABUSE.