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Terrible and Uncaring Customer “Service”

jmcmd
Adventurer C

My wife and I booked a flight through Midway to attend an important ceremony.  The tickets were booked months ago using Rapid Rewards points we had, purchased, and transferred.  The flight was to leave 5:50 AM, transfer in Chicago.  At 9:45 PM the night before, we received a text stating our flight leaving Midway was cancelled!  We called to reschedule, were told this was due to the “anticipation of bad weather “. The had no replacement flight to offer us.  We were up the entire night finding two replacement flights using American, at a cost of over $900!  I called customer service and called them on the fact that all incoming and outbound flights through Midway were happening and on time.  I was told that Southwest operates “differently “. And all they could do is refund my points and Early Bird”. This is the third time we have been canceled last minute with no good explanation or compensation.

 

BEWARE!!!

3 REPLIES 3

Re: Terrible and Uncaring Customer “Service”

Rakly
Explorer C

I have had a miserable few days thanks to southwest. I was stuck in NH for 2 nights and received no compensation. Not only that, I repeatedly received inconsistent information from the customer service people. Then, finally, I return home and they said I should contact customer relations upon my return but the wait time is 45 minutes! I’m not sure what is happening with the formerly dependable airline. 

Re: Terrible and Uncaring Customer “Service”

dfwskier
Aviator A

Sorry to hear about your travel trouble. I suspect you were the victim of the bad weather that hit the east coast affecting tens of thousands of travelers on every ariline. That would also explain your difficulty on reaching the airline via phone -- there were lots of people calling.

 

Southwest's policy on handing out free hotel rooms is the same as every other airline: if the problem is caused by something out of the airlines control (like weather), then the airline does not provide a hotel roon. If the problem is caused by something under the airline's control (plane breaks down), then a room is provided. This may not seem fair, but it explains what happened.

 

If it ever hasppens again, ask for a hotel discount coupon. It's not a free room, but it is a discounted room. You do have to ask for one.

 

BTW I responded to your question about e-mailing  customer servcie in your other post.

Re: Terrible and Uncaring Customer “Service”

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@jmcmd wrote:

My wife and I booked a flight through Midway to attend an important ceremony.  The tickets were booked months ago using Rapid Rewards points we had, purchased, and transferred.  The flight was to leave 5:50 AM, transfer in Chicago.  At 9:45 PM the night before, we received a text stating our flight leaving Midway was cancelled!  We called to reschedule, were told this was due to the “anticipation of bad weather “. The had no replacement flight to offer us.  We were up the entire night finding two replacement flights using American, at a cost of over $900!  I called customer service and called them on the fact that all incoming and outbound flights through Midway were happening and on time.  I was told that Southwest operates “differently “. And all they could do is refund my points and Early Bird”. This is the third time we have been canceled last minute with no good explanation or compensation.

 

BEWARE!!!


Were you also notified bu email? If you received an email then there should have been some instructions about re-booking alternatives, or when you called in they would have offered replacement flights - it sounds like there may not have been anything open that met your timeline.

 

Depending where you were headed the flights may have already been full, or if the destination is one with few flights then it could be a day or more before a replacement seat is available which was after your event.

 

Sorry to hear that you had to use another carrier with last-minute fares, I hope you were able to make your event at least.

 

 

 

 

 

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