Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

Re: Involuntary Denied Boarding

JamesIshikawa
Explorer B

Just a quick update.

 

Since my last post, Southwest Airlines has not contacted me or sent the compensation that the Department of Transportation requires them to pay when an airline takes a ticketed seat for their own use, and inconveniences a passenger.  As promised, I have not and will never fly on that airline again.

 

I will intermittently provide this update to warn unsuspecting travelers about Southwest Airline's violation of the rules and continued commitment to violate my rights as a passenger. 

Re: Involuntary Denied Boarding

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Oh, that compensation that you yourself said you shouldn't get because you were flying on government travel? Gee, thanks for the update. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Involuntary Denied Boarding

JamesIshikawa
Explorer B

I think those reading my post have missed the point.

The bottom line is Southwest Airlines needed my seat, took it, inconvenienced me, and (as far as I know) has not payed anything to me or the US Government as compensation on my behalf.  If Southwest thinks I lie, then let them try to sue me for libel.

 

I do hope travelers will support my post because social media (such as the posts that comprise this community) can compel companies to follow the rules and encourage respectful business practices.  Critics of my post, who I admit have outnumbered supporters, encourage Southwest Airlines (and other companies) to engage customers disrespectfully anytime business needs arise.

 

The dialogue has been interesting to me, and somewhat disappointing, because the community has passively accepted Southwest's disrespectful affront to me - as sheep passively accept their fates too when the lion shows up.  I had hoped Americans would not behave like sheep!  We can have a voice if we want it!  Collectively we can compel the lion to behave better - if we don't passively allow harm to a few members of our herd every time the lion gets hungry.  The lion has taken a small bite out of me but will never get the chance to taste my flesh again because I will never fly on Southwest Airlines ever again!

Re: Involuntary Denied Boarding

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Disagreeing with every bit of what you feel entitled to is not being a sheep. Why you keep returning to try to drum up support and pleed for someone to agree with you is puzzling, but whatever floats your boat. Have a great weekend.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Involuntary Denied Boarding

gsking
Aviator C

Sheep, lions, flesh... oh my. 

 

I think we find this interesting for a few reasons:

 

1.  It's been years and you're still fixated on this. 

2.  You didn't actually suffer any loss. 

3.  This happens so rarely on SWA that few of us (if any) can commiserate. 

4.  Your intelligence begets a writing style that is quite entertaining. 

 

So... all that taken together... and... we'll nod and keep flying SWA.  Baa?

Re: Involuntary Denied Boarding

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@gsking wrote:

Sheep, lions, flesh... oh my. 

 

...

 

So... all that taken together... and... we'll nod and keep flying SWA.  Baa?


Actually I feel like the lion, eating up no change fees and two free bags. King of the aviation jungle.

 

Anyway - they surely did offer voluntary bumping, because its potentially cheaper for them to do it although it could be more if they wanted to avoid a tough situation, and it leaves customers feeling good especially someone that just got a big stack of vouchers.

 

The amazing part would be that no one took them up on it. Back in the day my wife and I would be scouting out the opportunity to volunteer - check with the gate agent, did the gate look over-full, was there some big cancellation on another flight that they would be wanting to get more people on, etc. Sit right in front of the desk so we'd be first to jump up there, or leave our name on a list before they even ask.

 

Now with kiddos in tow it's a little different on trying to keep the schedule, plus we're using points and companion pass so you miss out a little on the compensation compared to people with regular tickets, and we can't go to standby option if they aren't sure immediately and not sit together. 

 

I think the disconnect here is that after they ask for volunteers and no one goes for it, it's the nuclear option, press the red button. It would be pretty atypical for people to come back and say "nevermind, I'll take less and volunteer instead" after finding out they are bumped - there's no button for that. I'm exaggerating a little bit here but the scenario is pretty extreme and honestly a gate agent could be faced with it and not know what to do. Can they even go back once they've done that?

 

Then they bump the person that checked in last, who it turns out can't personally accept the compensation?

 

Wild thread!

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Involuntary Denied Boarding

JamesIshikawa
Explorer B

You say I didn't suffer any loss.  I arrived 4 hours late into Dallas.  That's 4 hours of my time wasted because the airline wanted my seat for it's own business purpose.

 

The Department of Transportation requires that airlines compensate the traveler for any such inconvenience, voluntary or involuntary.  Should we allow airlines to bump passengers and not pay compensation? In my case, Southwest Airlines believed they could take my seat and they clearly believe compensation is not required.

 

This is my last post.  I have invested some personal time posting my complaint simply with the hope that a community of travelers could compel airlines to behave better.  I seems to me I have wasted my time and that's OK.  Few seem to care about what they did and that surprises me.  Southwest has certainly won the skirmish with me - they got away with one.  This community supports the victor rather than the victim.  I tried.

 

 

Re: Involuntary Denied Boarding

gsking
Aviator C

I'm sure you wasted more then 4 hours of your precious time ranting about it.   

 

If four hours of your time were that valuable,  you wouldn't be flying Southwest.   And you'd probably have an accountant find a way to write it off your taxes. 

 

So no,  I still don't consider you to have suffered any monetary loss.   The world is full of uncertainty,  and air travel is definitely got its fair share of it. 

 

I lost $20 today.   I think.   Might have fallen out of my pocket.   Oh well... I'm over it.   If someone found it,  I hope they needed it more than I did. 

 

Move on. 

Re: Involuntary Denied Boarding

JamesIshikawa
Explorer B

During last week's storm, almost every other air carrier provided better service to their passengers than Southwest Airlines.  I am not the least bit surprised.

 

What can you expect from an Airline that bumps a passenger (me), and in violation of any measure of moral conduct, fails to compensate that passenger (me) - not to speak of the Airline's violation of Department of Transportation rules mandating compensation for last minute bumps.

 

Maybe "The Middle Seat" should quietly avoid this latest conversation.  The audience might re-taste that turkey dinner if this blogger tries to defend Southwest Airlines after they helped strand so many thousands of passengers in airports during the holidays.

 

I had hoped my bad experience with Southwest Airlines would serve as a warning to the public.  Southwest Airlines cared little about my rights and I doubted then that the airline would care about anybody's else's rights.  Maybe Southwest Airlines will care a little now having been presented by national media as America's Grinch - having helped ruin thousands of vacations.

 

The best I can say for Southwest Airlines is that at least they did not discriminate against me.  They do treat other passengers with the same level of disrespect and disregard.

Re: Involuntary Denied Boarding

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@JamesIshikawa thank you for another attempt to tell me what to do. I think calling me a blogger might be the worst insult yet. It appears you were not affected by the events of the past few days so who should be staying out of the conversation?

 

Thank you for your incredible contribution to this conversation 

 

--TheMiddleSeat