Southwest Airlines Community

@Supetk08, sorry that this happened to you, and it has happened to most of us frequent flyers one time or another.  It is hard to read and absorb all the rules, so when it happened to me, I learned from it and have been lucky enough not to have it happen again.   Caveat — basically true - I have seen a few travel funds expire since the pandemic started but decided I just had to let them go because of the rules in place when I purchased.  The pandemic has been more of a challenge for the airline than for me personally.   Like many commenters on this thread, I have found the other airlines also have similar rules, so I choose to stay with Southwest Airlines when I can reach my destination with them because, in general, I find the flight experience with them to be more pleasant.  Even though every airline or any public service business is going to have some issues at some point, I find those types of problems are fewer with Southwest, and that their employees are most often kind-hearted.   Safe and enjoyable travels to you, wherever you go and whomever you choose. ... View more

I am unaware of any such announcement of A-List status carrying forward.  Like you, I had it for many years, but with the slowdown in 2020 travel, I had to watch it slip away.  One redeeming grace is that I also haven’t traveled as much in 2021, so I didn’t miss it as much as I might have in a regular year.  If it means a lot to you, you may be able to plan a few cheap trips to nowhere, that is booking someplace close when fares are on sale, landing in the airport, then flying right back on a different flight.  It is riskier with Covid, but I know some Frequent Flyers who were close to either a Companion Pass or A-List status who would do that on a weekend day at the end of the year.  I did it once for a Companion Pass, taking nothing but a good book, and I am lucky enough to have a lot of choices of destinations.  Don’t wait too late in the year though — not many sales at year end because of holidays. ... View more

@KarlaTeer, Concerned about the length?   The maximum size in inches per carryon is 10 x 16 x 24, so as long as the case fits within those dimensions, it should be fine.  You may have to check it if it exceeds that size.  Report back and let us know if it made it as a carryon. ... View more

@spratrat,. So sorry this happened.  An after midnight trip from IAH to HOU will not be fun.  The only good thing is less traffic on the road so hopefully less worry about not having the children in car seats.  The fare from one airport to the other was about $65 via Uber about three years ago (and about $1 per minute).  Plus I always found that catching an Uber or Lyft from IAH was more complicated than I liked, so Hobby was always my airport of choice.  I hope the trek goes well and the children are sleeping.  My child never got sleepy on a plane or in a hired car, no matter how early or late I traveled, so I know you cannot count on that.  My heart goes out to you — it was always hard for me to grasp just how big Houston is in land area.  I agree with you that it doesn’t seem like the two airports should be counted as being in the same city.   ... View more

I empathize because I have learned the exact same lesson, except with a $50 voucher and an additional $200 purchase.  I begrudgingly accepted it and never made the same mistake again.  There are so many other good things about Southwest that this one “hrmmph” moment did not turn me off of the airline.   Sorry that it happened to you.  There are several posts on this forum that warn about it; however, I suspect that, like me, you may not have looked to see that it could happen until it did happen to you. ... View more

@dfwskier, I see your point but sometimes flying is the only option, such as for medical treatment or custody orders, especially with dual working parents.   And if they have to fly for medical treatment, kudos to the (at least) two outstanding pediatric medical facilities in Dallas — both very close to Love Field.  A huge Thank You to SWA for supporting the Ronald McDonald House for the caregivers who need lodging in the DFW area. ... View more

@TheMiddleSeat,  I wonder if the boarding software will be programmed to deal with the new policy since the confirmation numbers are on the boarding passes.  It could be fairly simple — like the bong sound that the computer produces if the boarding pass and the flight don’t match.  I cannot recall if it bongs when a B40 that is not A-List tries to board as A16.  As you point out, it likely won’t be the boarding agent doing the verification.   ... View more

@M3WAState, thank you for doing your best as a parent-passenger and articulating the question well.  As a person who worked Pediatrics in medicine, I agree that it can be challenging to fly with little ones right now.  It is always challenging, but the masks add a new level of anxiety, especially with connecting flights.  Getting stuck outside the departure or arrival location would be terrifying.     The airline has to balance having the same rules for all versus giving employees the ability to innovate in serving individual customers which has been a historic precedent for the airline.  I am a customer who once received that innovative service attitude when I left my wallet on a flight, and a flight attendant ran down the concourse to return it.  So I remain a devoted Southwest customer and fan.  I always liked that, as long as safety wasn’t compromised, employees had leeway to do something different.     In this unusual time of empty middle seats, when a screaming toddler is melting down, perhaps a flight attendant might ask if any row would be willing to sit shoulder to shoulder (that is, allow a masked passenger in their middle seat) to offer those seated nearby the crying child a chance to move.  Although it might be a potential solution, I am not an airline ventilation expert.  I have also seen so many self-centered passengers that I can envision a parent who might whip their toddler into a frenzy to try to get the extra space if that were an official policy.  (One only has to look at pre-boarding and service animals to see the lengths that some passengers will use to meet their personal desires versus the greater good of the group.)   Perhaps a return to the smoking versus no-smoking type of seating where two to three rows in the back are designated for families with small children who might get upset about wearing a mask? Giving families an option to be near others who share their same concerns about toddlers and their very natural tendency to get upset about strange situations.     I would expect that Southwest is trying to do whatever it can to fly as full as they can, and I expect that they will always choose safety whenever competing interests occur.  Perhaps someone could design a windowed cloth hood for infants-toddlers versus a mask, and there could be one or two available on each flight.  But then, would it have to be purchased by the parent versus just provided by the airline?  Logistical challenges abound.  (Admittedly, I would gladly have purchased one for a struggling parent in order to calm certain tough situations on flights years ago before the mask requirement.)    Hopefully your request can be considered and the community can contribute any other creative ideas for the airline’s consideration.  Nothing is for certain, but crowd-sourcing and creative ideas could lead to fresh perspectives. ... View more

Southwest announced in Oct 2020 that they are restarting service to Jackson MS in 2021.     So so many good places to eat in Jackson — Drago’s, Brent’s, Walker’s, bully’s, just to name a few, and the Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop, for dessert. ... View more

https://www.bwiairport.com/animal-relief-areas    I have not traveled with pets , but I hear other passengers discussions from time to time.     If you connect in Baltimore, you will likely want to know where the pup can use the bathroom.  Hopefully the pet relief areas is not too far from your gates.     ... View more

18 years old is the official age to need a government ID; however, if your 15 y/o is tall or:mature-looking, the agents may question the age,.  If not an emergency flight and you have time, you might consider getting the child one even if not absolutely necessary.   https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification  ... View more

https://community.southwest.com/t5/Inflight-Experience/Need-Advice-For-Cat-Travel/m-p/75938/highlight/true#M733    @missmarple123, I am not sure how much you searched the discussion boards, but the above is a link to a similar issue.  I hope the trip goes well for you and your pets (and for the other passengers if your cats are as vocal as mine.  Mine yowl at everything, but I have little sympathy because I know they have a cushy life.) ... View more

FAA service animal info    As you have probably researched on this community forum, animals on flights have at least two camps of thought.  One - service animals are perfectly fine on planes, and two - pet owners have come up with lots of ways around the rules to be able to fly their animal free.  Some truths in both lines of thinking, which is very unfortunate for people who need service animals.  The issue rose to the top of the FAA and airline priorities when a large dog attacked a passenger (on another airline).  The lack of an agency to certify service animals is a challenge for airline employees because many of the agencies offering documents have official sounding names but are just vendors looking to make a buck selling paper that is not acceptable documentation.     Hopefully you provided Southwest the info ahead of time (which would help your position if lodging a complaint).  I have found that a well-written letter to Southwest Customer Service often gets results (as with other airlines); mostly because it can take out the emotional response which causes people to get defensive.     Even though I am a person with allergies who generally wants pets out of the cabin, I am not a zealot, and I understand the need for service animals for many.  I am sorry that this happened, and I hope giving some background helps you with understanding the issue and explaining it.  I hope things works out for you, at least for a refund.  ... View more

Just wanted to be sure you noticed that while the pump does not count as a carryon, any ice chest would.  I used to carry a small lunch box in which I could put a freezer pack, then stuff all that into a two gallon ziplock in my backpack.  If possible, then, yes, I recommend it all be frozen, and that the ice packs be the solid kind, not ziplock bags of ice (which I have seen rejected by TSA).  Much of what goes questioned or pulled is at the discretion on the individual TSA officers and manager on duty, so I also suggest the you capture a screen shot of the linked page from @SWDigits.  Helping them see the rules might be important.     Good luck and and have fun (or get some sleep) while on your trip.  I hope all goes smoothly. ... View more

That does sound terrible and very unexpected.  I used to travel 2-3 times a week and often sat in another section of the plane from my bag, and I never had that happen or saw it happen.  Hopefully he had a tag with a phone number on it? because maybe it was a mistake and the person will call.  I certainly hope he gets it back, especially with medication inside.  Many insurance companies won’t allow refills if the prescription has been filled within 30 days, and finding the one person at an insurance company who will listen and can act upon the incident to allow an unplanned refill could be tough.   ... View more

@Bkf23, personally, I would not risk bringing it onboard but you can check it at luggage.  The risk is that if TSA decides not to allow it, then your options are throw away whatever the agent doesn’t allow or return to the desk to check it in as luggage.  If you have to make that choice, there may not be time enough to return to check it, or you may not have a bag to put it in to check it as luggage so you might have to buy one.  The potential loss of time and money would be enough to convince me that I should check it.  If you have time to spare and pack a extra folding bag that you can mash into your carryon, it might be worth taking the chance.  Also, keep in mind that your departure airport might allow but the return airport may not.  The TSA agents/management at each location have some discretion to make decisions.     I once had a paper temporary drivers license and the departing airport accepted it but the returning airport did not unless I agreed to a more thorough search and pat-down.  I was lucky that I allowed enough time to get that done.     Good luck and good travels. ... View more

TSA would also likely do the swab test to verify that there is no issue with the materials of which they are made, so you might want to allow extra time to go through the security line. ... View more

@Shlars1936, I hope it all works out well.  SWA flight attendants are the best in my view.  Hopefully the fact that there is not a drink cart will work in your favor.   Regarding the space between wall and seat in the front row, that may vary based upon type of aircraft.   Best of travels to you.  Hopefully you are traveling late so you can arrive and just relax/sleep/refresh after the flight.   ... View more

@Spawn31270,  I am not sure I understand your point.  An A-Lisr "status" does not get "wiped out" at the start of each year, but is based on prior year travel.  So one typically keeps or maintains 2020 A-List status based on travel earned during 2019.  It seems as if you are thinking everyone gets wiped to zero and then they have to earn A-List status for 2020 based on 2020 travels? Or is that if you you are thinking that if one has a certain amount of miles accumulated, one should be rewarded for not redeeming their miles and building up a stockpile of points?  Occasionally, people like myself slide off the A-List because I didn't have much travel in the prior year.  That gives more people that did fly a lot an opportunity to board earlier than me.  You may be thinking (correctly) that if a flier doesn't spend their points, then the airline saves money, so let the A-Listers keep their status as long as they are not redeeming?  But that could keep the newest frequent fliers further down the boarding lines.     Perhaps the reason SWA does A-List status only based on prior year travels is because seats are not assigned, so boarding status is more of a benefit and they are trying to reward the current customers versus working as a travel retirement plan.  (Unfortunately people have tried to use it that way and discover points are maintained only if a paid trip is made once a year or some other ways to earn are completed).   I hope you have good travels whomever you choose.   ... View more

@elijahbrantley , that is great news!  Thanks for posting, and Thanks to SWA for that enhancement for account holders! ... View more

@chgoflyer, I am happy for you but nope.  Not seeing that on my account.  2019 was officially my last A-list preferred or even A-list status.  Happy flying to you, and enjoy the early boarding.  (Fortunately we all arrive at the same time and I will survive in the middle seat, though I will miss my head rest wall in the early mornings.) ... View more

@johnjam101 , Excellent use of language because I really like that phrase.  "Planing my trip" will be now used for the time in which I coordinate, schedule and book any vacation using air travel.  Thanks for sharing/creating. ... View more

https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Blog/12-Ways-to-Get-to-Cuba-on-Southwest/ba-p/48471    @johnjam101, did you find this blog post in your searches? It does seem like there are many things to know so I hope you will research thoroughly then take and enjoy the trip. ... View more

@Transplant29 Now that @DancingDavidE and @dfwskier have said to write in and send a copy of some records, I can only add information about what issues to discuss in your letter.  I sent in a private message to you so you will hopefully see a notice in the upper right.  I sent privately because of the few people who might copy the info and send in to get their vouchers renewed, which is part of the reason why Southwest does not renew many vouchers beyond the expiration date.     I am so glad that you are doing well now.  Good luck and I hope SWA will issue a new voucher.  If not, please try not to let it get you down.  You are a survivor and a fighter and have handled many greater challenges than a bureaucratic policy. ... View more

8F - or whichever has the solid wall by the seat.  Best for sleeping as I can lean right and tune out.  No neck pillow, no head bobbing.   ... View more

Sorry to hear about the mixup.  Thanks for posting this reminder for people to never pack critical medicines or equipment such as nebulizers in checked luggage.  Also, verify the destination on the luggage receipt (although many folks don't know the three digit airport codes, one should ask if it looks odd.  In this case BNA is Nashville and MDW is Chicago and neither of those look like what an infrequent flyer might expect as the final destination).  I hope your luggage arrives soon. ... View more