Southwest Airlines Community

I'm not referring to a message that is answered a week later.  I'm talking about an instant message that gets immediate attention and the central operations calls the gate agent within 30 seconds.     ... View more

We don't agree but that's okay.  Just because you can make up time in flight doesn't excuse the holding of the flight for five people.   You could have left on time and still reduced time in flight - no excuses.   The policy applies to everyone equally.  Now, if an entire flight is delayed and impacts a certain percentage of the passengers, then I understand the delays.       ... View more

On the Southwest system, you can only use three methods of payment.  Either three flight credits (if that will cover the fare) or no more than two with a credit card for a total of three.   I just did this for my New Orleans trip.  I have several flight credits and such so I chose the largest two and paid the difference with my credit card. ... View more

I would say NO.  There is nothing that Southwest could do to avoid and it is part of the flight experience, like weather. ... View more

I was up early and contacted Southwest about this very issue.  I mentioned Long Beach and Burbank airports.   After an extended hold where the individual consulted their supervisor, I was told that those are small airports and the second entry point is primarily for preboard and such.  Yes, they can board through both doors in general boarding, but the gate agent is expected to manage or "police" the entry so that no one boards ahead of another boarding position.   So, there you have it.  The gate agent not doing their job.  That's why the LUV vouchers were given.     Everyone wants to be first on the plane and will try and break every rule to do so.  It is time for the gate agents to be held accountable.  I would like to see an instant messaging feature on the app that lets you report some of this as it is happening so that there can be an instant response from Southwest before passengers are irritated.   If the instant message and reporting were added, the gate agents would do their jobs properly.   ... View more

Same here - I just booked my travel now I can't get in. ... View more

While everyone can scoff and dismiss the concerns of the OP, I will not.  Did you read that they are considering Delta or United?   I did read that this is an experimental process and I will call Southwest Shareholder Relations tomorrow and give a perspective from both a customer and shareholder.  Basically, you can board from 20 doors if you want, however, you are going to have to managing the boarding positions carefully.     In my opinion, this is a silly experiment and that's why it is in the experimental stages.  They are capturing the feedback and that's why the LUV voucher is given.  They've had these complaints before and smoothed it over because it is Southwest who is messing up the system that everyone has come to respect.   Here's a case where a loyal customer did accept all of the terms and conditions, but yet found that the boarding position was a concept, at best.     Bad idea Southwest.  Bad. ... View more

You and I will never agree.     It is Southwest who makes the big deal about the boarding position rather than the seat assignment.  That's fine.  However, if you are going to honor the boarding positions then you will need to "police" the entry on the plane.   This is Southwest's problem.  If they are going to board from two doors then they need to allow only a certain amount of people at a time go to those two doors.  Maybe 10 at a time.  Then, when BOTH lines are down to the last person, 10 more, and so on.   If one line goes faster, then the boarding position is compromised.  If the gate agents can't "police" the boarding of the plane, get new gate agents. ... View more

The flight was due to take off at 12:25 pm and we didn’t even close the doors until 1:15.    The post shows that they were far more than "a few minutes late", looks like they were a good hour late, or more.     We just had a post where someone got to the airport with 35 minutes to spare before the flight left.  They were told that they couldn't make that flight.  So, if they would have held that flight an hour the person could have made the flight.   So, who makes these decisions?  Sometimes you need to have a policy and follow it, especially when this number of people are RELYING upon you to keep your schedule.   I say let it rain LUV vouchers. ... View more

No, I definitely saw that part.  However, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few per Mr. Spock on Star Trek the original series.   Time for LUV vouchers to rain. ... View more

I agree with you.  After the Holiday DISASTER as it has become known, you would think that instead of irritating the people already on board and telling the five that they were late would have been the first choice.   Call and ask for a LUV voucher.  Next time, if they missed the flight then they missed the flight.  What is good for the goose is good for the gander. ... View more

I believe that the order in which people boarded the plane was compromised, thus, the $175/ea LUV voucher.   Maybe the gate agent needs to be retrained? ... View more

That might be the way it SHOULD be but the OP had a completely different experience.   If the boarding order was respected, you wouldn't have had this post.  Instead, the flood gates got opened and poof there went the boarding positions. ... View more

Tell ya what.  You buy my tickets and I won't complain.   No, I'm not going to secure a boarding position by checking in at the 24 hour mark only to have some gate agent decide that the C group can start boarding through the other door.   No, I'm not going to sit by.  Remember, your rights end where mine begins. ... View more

That's irrefutable evidence that Southwest DOES NOT endorse what these gate agents are doing despite that it has become the norm in this location.   I continue to affirm that what is needed is an instant reporting system when the gate agent doesn't follow the policy and you get an instant feedback and it gets checked out.  If a gate agent knows that within 30 seconds of doing something wrong they will be challenged, they'll follow the rules.   If this would ever happen to me, I'd pitch a fit and demand a LUV voucher too.   ... View more

If Fido decides to "self identify as a dog with a disability" could Fido preboard?   Would a song be sung? ... View more

...and next time the travel companion brings the same dog and the system is broken...   It is really time to get the FBI posters going.  I am seeing on the FBI's most wanted a tab dedicated to banned Southwest doggies.  I guess you can list them for what they are "charged" with but until they are tried and found guilty, we must presume that they are innocent.     ... View more

Yes, the insights and ideas on this board are some of the most cutting-edge ideas in the universe. ... View more

Yeah, I know what a microchip is and they don't always register with the reader.  It is a rather passive system anyway and the animal rights people will barbeque you for requiring a microchip.   I believe that the FBI's most wanted is the way to go.  Post pictures of Fido, Barney and Ellie at the Post Office and other public places. ... View more

We've all been on flights where the dog just walks on and lays down on the floor.   I even pet the dog sometimes.   ... View more

Coming back from Jamaica, the only thing that they are really interested to know is whether you spent US dollars there, or not.     Pour another drink... ... View more

Just how would you enforce a "lifetime ban on that dog"?  Collect DNA and compare to each dog admitted to the flight?   Have a "wanted" poster and post at all airport gates?   Put the dog on the FBI's most wanted list?   I'd love to hear your proposal. ... View more

You raise an interesting proposition.  I will neither support nor oppose your suggestion.  I will warn you that the board has been busy lately with people complaining about companion dogs on flights.     ... View more

Power down and restart your phone.  Then try. ... View more

First, there is no guarantee that you will "sit together" on Southwest, no way to guarantee that.   Second, the child has to be UNDER THE AGE OF SEVEN before the family boarding policy applies.  The policy works by identifying a passenger UNDER THE AGE OF SEVEN and then up to two adults can board with that child during family boarding, after group A and before group P.   All too often people see the family boarding the other way around.  They travel with kids so think it automatically qualifies for family boarding.  It is the other way around.  You have to have a child that meets the age definition before the policy applies.   You mention "under the age of 10" so we need to know the child's age at the time of the flight to provide more information.   ... View more

Most of the time I am sympathetic to people who feel cheated by Southwest.  I've been a promoter of more goodwill given the Holiday DISASTER and basically, cutting people some slack.   However, getting to the ticket counter 35 minutes prior to departure is completely implausible.  Every airline in the country tells you to arrive at the airport two hours before your flight departs.  Yes, sometimes you have an hour or more to spare, but when you cut it closer, you just end up with messed up plans, like yours.   You should have arrived earlier.  If you couldn't then work with Southwest.  Had you cancelled your flight you could have preserved a flight credit.  Instead, it sounds like you went off in a huff and put yourself in financial loss.   Get to the airport on time. ... View more

Did they conduct test 46-J-45 to confirm? ... View more

Is there any clinical evidence that it is bed bugs? ... View more

The gate and associated areas are under the control of an airport authority.  They control the space and they alone.   Contact the airport authority. ... View more

This is totally your fault.  Get to the airport TWO HOURS before the flight time.   You didn't so you missed the flight.  You should have cancelled but you didn't.     ... View more