Southwest Airlines Community

Everybody can jump on me, I'm ready for it,  BUT, I've always felt that so many of the issues I see on this forum could be sorted out and solved if Airlines had cameras on their planes.   I know I'm in the minority. ... View more

Not true. One of the most BAIT & SWITCH policies by any airline! This is ridiculous. I've been an A-List member for 15 years & A-List preferred for couple years with a companion pass for my kid for the last 4 years. I read this as simple English & then the Southwest gate handlers at Phoenix Airport gate D-7 embarrassed me by first feigning ignorance about the policy & then clarifying that "the companion needs to be on the same reservation #" which they know is impossible!! Wow! Funny thing is I fly all over the US & only Southwest Gate handers at Orlando & Phoenix enforce & are happy to rub it in your face. I've flown & had my kid board along with me in so many other Airports like San Diego, Austin, Raleigh-Durham, San Jose, LAX, Ontario-LA, Orange County etc & they never make any fuss of a 8-year old boarding with me. And now Southwest rubs it in my face again! Not nice at all. "   ”We know getting more time with the people most important to you is everything. That's why we're spreading the love of one of our most-coveted A-List and A-List Preferred perks. Starting March 12, anyone on a reservation with an A-List or A-List Preferred Member can board when they do. That means everyone on the same reservation gets to board together and pick their seat earlier. Because we can all agree the more time you get with your people, the better.” B.S.! ... View more

Wow such a great post, really interesting.   floorsadvisor  ... View more

Glad to hear that things went well.   Enjoy your new pup! ... View more

I have the southwest carrier     so I know it will fit   Using it Wednesday and only the one time   Yours half price if you want it  ... 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

People have exploited airlines with peacocks and other animals as emotional support animals. My wife had an "emotional support animal" when she was in grad school. That cat got her through her PhD. The poor creature flew cross country more than it should have. Once he went deaf though, he seemed to stop minding. We always paid a fee to fly him. He was, as I said, what you would call an emotional support animal today, but he was just her "grad school buddy".  I guess things had a different perspective back then.   Something is wrong if I can just claim my untrained miniature horse is a ESA and have it fly, but someone with a trained, certified rabbit that can detect epileptic seizures is rejected. Something is very, very wrong. ... View more

@LAloha wrote: I was called by Southwest a few days before my flight saying they had overbooked my flight and if I was willing to take a later flight.  They offered $500 for compensation, and I said I would take if, but did not know exactly when I could rearrange my plans for another flight.   They said to choose a date and if I needed to change it, I could.  So I accepted it and they rebooked me for August 30th. I emailed Southwest asking if I was able to cancel the current reservations and book it for later.  They emailed me saying that they cancelled my voucher and it is not longer valid, since I was not traveling.  I called in to see if my reservations had been cancelled, as I did not cancel, had only asked if I could and if I could rebook.  My reservations were still there.  They transferred to a lady in customer relations and she said it was too late to get my voucher back.  I told her that I had not even cancelled my booking but she said sorry.  I think this is illegal, if not unethical.  I asked to speak to someone higher, and she said there was no one. I have been advised by a lawyer friend to sue for the $500.   I hate to have to do this, but I have never seen any airlines do this, and I actually worked for the airlines for 15 years.  Suggestions?  I do want to eventually travel.     I'm not sure if I'm understanding everything correctly, but that doesn't make sense to me.   You can check the value of your voucher here: Check Travel Funds (just click on "+Check Southwest LUV Voucher")   I've never heard of a voucher being cancelled once given to a customer. Perhaps this is just a misunderstanding?     ... View more

We're so sorry for letting you down, @Jockey1967. As a peer-to-peer support forum, we aren't equipped to assist you here, but we encourage you to reach out specifically to Customer Relations by phone at 1-855-234-4654 or on Facebook or Twitter @SouthwestAir. Thank you.   ... View more

Considering everything going on, I'm not sure whether this is a refreshing change of pace or much ado about nothing.  Methinks you have too much time on your hands.  I'd say you may even be GLAD at all the decrease in carbon output these days? ... View more

It means the world to us that you’d like us to showcase a Nebraska livery! While we have no immediate plans in the works for that, we appreciate your enthusiasm. As a peer-to-peer support forum, we aren't equipped to document your suggestion here, but we encourage you to reach out via the options in the link below. Thank you!   Submitting a Suggestion and/or Complaint ... 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

@sheryls wrote: They basically said that they will NOT accommodate but you are more than welcome to pay the additional fares for changes in flights.  Every other airline is accommodating customers' requests due to the virus outbreak and companies cancelling all travel.  SW doesn't care.   There's nothing to accommodate here because the other airlines are doing what Southwest already does: no fees to change flights. All other airlines charge fees as high as $200 (on top of the difference in flight cost) just to change a flight. The airlines are now waiving those change fees. Southwest has never charged fees to change flights, so there's nothing they need to do differently.     --Jessica ... View more

Just as an FYI per the Department of Defense, member are not authorized to travel in uniform. The only time this is authorized is if a member is to report directly to a duty station or a military flight where they are required to be in uniform or will not have the opportunity to change in uniform. So, your policy of military boarding only captures a very small percentage of members that could use this.  ... 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

Here's one for the books:  Recent flight I was on... I was in an aisle seat.  In my peripheral vision, I saw the passenger in the aisle seat across from me open their laptop and proceed to edit what turned out to be an adult video for a podcast!  SMH!!!  Fortunately, I didn't see any kids walking towards the forward lav.  When I went to the lav, I mentioned it to one of the FA's.  She told me I wasn't the first to mention it to her.  And, that she and the other FA's had made trips up the aisle trying to catch the passenger doing this.  But, she said unless she and another FA saw it for themselves, they couldn't even ask the person to close the laptop.     I mention this as one of SWA's competitors is now training their FA's on how to deal with passengers viewing X-rated videos on-board.  I'm not a prude.  Nor am I a voyeur.  But, as a retired TV engineer and long-time tech geet, I notice when people use electronics.  As I said before, this one had me SMH!  ... 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

Shade...I understand you...I also have a journey next month and planning to take backpack, as the luggage isn't included in the cost. It is vety hard for me, because I love taking everything useful with me. ... View more

@nostresshere wrote: Not bashing WN, but....   My wife was short a few segments last year so we turned one trip from 2 segments to 4 and did a 4 flight run in December to get A-List.   AND - I opened two cards last year as well.   Would have been nice if we were one of those that were targeted.  Oh well....   I had lost A-list last year after being very close and earning it several prior years. I was offered a promotional A-list by flying six flights during some period which I did, got the promotional A-list to tide me over, and then eventually earned it permanently applying to this year.    Keep a lookout for a promotional offer sometime around the end of January.     ... View more

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

Thanks for your reply! ... 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

@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

@dfwskier wrote: @bec102896 wrote: I usually go for the exit row window/aisle if they are taken I'll go back towards the last row because that's usually where I might find the 1 open middle seat because who wants to be in the very back if they can be in the middle of the plane.   -Blake My experience is that on  very full planes, rows 2, 3 and 4 are the rows likely  to have empty middle seats. Why? Most late boarders follow the leader towards the back of the plane to find seats. When they find none, they start heading forward and are instructed to take the first available seat. So there are times that late boarders fill up middle seats from the back to the front of the plane.    Some late boarders are astute enough to grab a middle seat up front. I've noticed fewer of them than those mentioned in the preceeding paragraph. Agree @dfwskier the front third of the plane is Southwest's "hidden first class" likely to have an open middle - IMO because the bin space fills up so those late boarders with carry-on keep heading to the back and once they find bin space they take the next available seat as they head forwards.   On a moderately full plane then good chance for an open middle seat in the way back as well.    ... View more

I have filed multiple police reports, TSA report, and reports with the airline. Nothing has been done. I would just like others to know that nothing will be done about items stolen from their checked luggage. ... View more

Hmmm, I doubt many people are buying that BS fare just for the free drink.    While I too have had drinks skipped on a recent flight due to unrealized turbulence, I agree more that safety and organization is more important.  As much as I enjoy a free Coke Zero, it's only satisfying if it makes it into my stomach and doesn't end up on my jeans. ... View more