Southwest Airlines Community

Thank you for the insight.  This is more information than I was able to find on any SW help site or even walking through lost item process.  I understand there must be a tremendous amount of lost items and I am no more special than the next guy.  Maybe where SW falls short is the lack of process explanation and potentially technology to assure a more organized approach to lost item recovery.  Eye opening to see the inefficiencies. ... View more

If she can't fly with a mask on, Southwest is probably not the best choice for you. I believe some of the other airlines have more accommodating policies. Different airlines are appropriate for different people with different needs. As someone who needs to fly pretty much every week to feed my family, Southwest's policy is right for me.   I can tell you that if you do plan to fly Southwest, and you are asked if she can/will wear a mask the entire time, you should answer with an emphatic 'yes'. Any hedging or lack of sureness in your answer will likely lead to you being denied boarding. ... View more

45 seconds?! That's ridiculous!! I can't believe you had to wait that long 😅   --Jessica ... View more

With every ban comes a work around. You can get a Psychiatric Service Dog document as easy as you could get a ESA paper. https://www.emotionalpetsupport.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuKLVlLii8gIVsyCtBh3FfgsTEAAYASAAEgLP7fD_BwE ... View more

@jrhartwick Someone has to be the last EarlyBird purchaser before general boarding begins.  So there were 8 people between you at EBCI and someone who checked in 24 hours prior, I don't see what the issue is.  The closer to departure date that you purchase EBCI the less value it has in terms of better boarding position.  It still saves you the worry of having to check in exactly 24 hours prior.   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

Jealous! I wonder how prizes went "unclaimed" - you didn't have to claim points prizes, so it's a little confusing how they are giving more points away now. Maybe the prices given away specifically on June 18, like the large point prizes, had to be claimed? That would be a shame if the bigger prizes were never claimed by anyone!   --Jessica ... View more

I’ve been flying Southwest 2-3x a week for several years now—I’ve been meaning to finally join this messageboard I’ve lurked for so long, so thanks, as it’s a good question.   When I first took a field job, I primarily chose Southwest because of the frequency of service to my two prime stops, Albuquerque and New Orleans (but I handle Portland OR to San Juan PR, and can/do use SWA to get to all those locales).   In the intervening years, the reasons have changed:   1. The Companion Pass, one of the better if not best reward of all the domestic airlines—my wife flies for free with me and we use the heck out of it with no restrictions. 2. The customer service. On the phone and at the gate and on the plane and on social media, I’ve always had good, usually very good, responsive experiences with staff. 3. Open seating. As I most often book less than a week before flying, I love that I’m not stuck picking the best of a bunch of middle seats.   Now, those are my main reasons, they might not work for others, just as others’ reasons reasons might not be best for me (like, I very very rarely check a bag, but I like knowing I can for free if I choose).   And I’m not saying they are perfect, not hardly. They had a pretty rough early summer, as poor COVID business decisions SWA made and outside tech issues and the severe weather created a perfect storm of problems that pax had to suffer through (and I did). I’ve done my share of complaining to Southwest staff for sure.   But for the vast majority of the time, before and since, they get me there on time (or early) and most importantly, safely (their top track record on that is important to me, too). I’m a happy customer, which is more than I can say for, say, my rental car companies.   Now, if you don’t like them, fine, whatever, but no one here can do anything about it (or even care, to be frank)—it’s a messageboard for pax to share info and opinions amongst themselves.   Good luck/Godspeed. ... View more

@Khayes128 wrote: I have contacted the airport they rely on the airlines to let them know how many chairs they need for each flight. What evidence do you have that Southwest failed to do that? ... View more

Totally agree with you, you should get what you pay for    Southwest isn't in the business of delivering that. Would recommend literally any other airline so you don't have to deal with their "quirks" , sincr Southwest decides to identify their flaws as such. ... View more

I flew every month last year except April and May. Nothing bad happened to me. Not flying last year was a personal choice (and not one available to me). ... View more

Thank you, Blake. I have reached out to that department.  ... View more

@ghsiehswa wrote: Can you use travel funds to buy points?   Also, you're saying we need to convert travel funds to a travel voucher before the funds expire to get the extra 6 months added?   Morning.   One can  only use vouchers to buy flights.   Travel funds may be converted to vouchers   1) no earlier than the day after they expire 2) no later than 6 months after the expiration date.   Vouchers are good for travel for 6 months.     ... View more

@JimTex You failed to cancel a nonrefundable ticket and Southwest is the problem?   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

I guess you don't understand that weather in any of the cities the plane was to visit before BWI could have prevented the plane from getting to BWI, thus a cancellation at BWI. ... View more

Sorry to hear of your problem, but you are dealing with a federal regulation. Southwest has no control in the matter.   If you want to  complain, You should contact your elected federal reps  ... View more

@ldiller wrote: I tried to use a travel fund credit issued in September 2020 and I am being told that I have to use it by July 14th which is ridiculous considered everything just barely opened two weeks ago.  I think you mean "everything just barely opened *to full capacity* two weeks ago."   That is pretty much true. Things have been open this whole time (since summer 2020), but there have been capacity limits, masks, temp checks, etc. A lot of this has gone by the wayside, as it should. What an awful, strange year it's been. I will be more than glad to have it in the rearview mirror going forward.    That aside ... I'm not sure how a travel credit issued in September 2020 has an expiration date of July 2021. My only thought is you reserved the flight in July 2020 to fly in September, but it doesn't make any sense that you would fly anywhere in July *or* September 2020 given your post.    --Jessica ... View more

@bwallet wrote: I've got assume that they will not catch us up on missed drink coupons. I've got 22 saved, and I've had at least 70 flights since I last got any. If they catch us up, that's 50. Id be surprised if you are right.   The rules say "fly 10 paid flights and get drink coupons.   The rules were never changed. ... View more

If you want an actual Southwest cup / mug / tumbler there are plenty in the Southwest Store!   https://www.swathestore.com/swathestore/shop/accessories/drinkware   --Jessica ... View more

Additionally, assuming you are flying domestically it's TSA, not Southwest that requires the ID and they do not need to be told what ID you will be using. Here are the acceptable forms of ID for TSA: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification Flying without an ID is also possible: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/i-forgot-my-identification-can-i-still-proceed-through-security   Southwest does look to see if your name matches an ID if you are checking bags, but I suspect that is still somewhat optionally if push came to shove. You mentioned son and girlfriend...  if either are under 18 no ID is required to fly domestically.  If you are flying internationally all individuals regardless of age must use a passport.   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

I got the same thing. It was obviously a canned response. I went ahead and submitted a ticket for each member in my party since the voucher only covers 1 of the tickets. I would like to actually have a conversation with someone as I'm asking for a very reasonable response, but they make it impossible to get a hold of anyone. ... View more

We're sincerely sorry for letting you down, @Tugolfer07. As a Customer-to-Customer support forum, we are not equipped to assist you here, but I encourage you to Contact Customer Relations for assistance with resolving your situation. Thank you!   ... View more

Got my first chance and boy, are they quiet!  ... View more

So I was finally able to reach customer relations at the number that has subsequently been removed from the link posted on page one of the thread.  The flight was not cancelled directly due to weather (as I suspected), but due to air traffic control orders from Houston based on what they expected to be the weather that night, that ultimately did not occur..  So still outside of SWA control and they will not directly reimburse the hotel/rental car costs, but they are giving us vouchers to compensate for the experience.  So ultimately I am happy with the outcome, but I don't think I should have had to work so hard to get to this point. ... View more

EBCI doesn't guarantee A, but C is egregious. If EBCI is resulting in C, they need to assess if there should be a limit on the number of EBCI being sold. ... View more

@bwallet wrote: I get Southwest. The two airlines that I frequently fly are Southwest and Emirates (international business class only), and there couldn't be two more different experiences. I like that Southwest is fun. However, somethings just cross a line, and I think that this is one of them. Be fun, joke, be lighthearted, but wearing something that says in some form or another, "I don't care", well, that isn't Southwest. Shouldn't the goal of Southwest to project "I do care"?   I wouldn't get bent out of shape about it, but I have to admit that if I saw this, I would roll my eyes and think it wasn't appropriate. After that? I'd shrug my shoulders and move on with life. Well said.   The threshold of thinking something is inappropriate vs.  being so aggrieved to get online and act like someone kicked your puppy has been blurred.   In today's world... they are one and the same.  Being offended is now a badge of honor... signifying something to be proud of or something.    And to take it a step further and conclude that this somehow implies this person can't do his or her job is another stretch.    We're wearing masks much longer than many of us think is prudent.   It's driving many of us bonkers and creating divisiveness more than unity.  Why not take some of the seriousness out of the tires to soften the ride a bit?    As with most of these online rants,  I'm not sure what the goal is.   To garner sympathy or solidarity?   Because it seems if we disagree,  we're told that we're not helping, or being mean, .   I guess we're just supposed to say "Amen" and thus the afflicted party feels justified in their torment.       Seems a little like letting the emperor run around naked in my opinion.        ... View more

I always think it unfair when it is a knock on effect. I had American once cancel a 10pm flight out of DFW because a flight at 6am out of DCA was cancelled due to weather. They said it was weather related. No. Weather 16 hours earlier halfway across the country does not make my flight cancelled due to weather.    Now, I buy all of my personal tickets with a Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. Airline cancels my flight and claims weather? Chase pays for a hotel. However, since switching to Southwest three years ago, I haven't had a single flight cancellation in over 200 flights. American? Ha! ... View more

@dfwskier wrote: If you think things will be better elsewhere, IMO you will be disappointed. They won't be. As a matter of fact they will be worse.  yeah American Canceled hundreds of flights this weekend because of a pilot shortage which is 100% in Americans control. Technology not so much. United was also affected when it came to the outage a couple days a go. Airlines aren't perfect.  ... View more

You were comfortable buying a ticket to travel in September 2020 before the vaccine, but now you're not comfortable traveling after the vaccine??   Sorry,  I'm not tracking your logic.  ... View more

If only there was birthday cake on my flight this evening. I like birthday cake. ... View more