Southwest Airlines Community

In theory, I think the concept is good. However, I’d like to respectfully throw a monkey wrench in it. I live in California, and I can imagine the outrage here if Southwest implemented these types of flights. Yes, we have plenty of natural attractions that can be appreciated from the air, but the idea of flying commercial airplanes, with the resulting Climate Change damaging emissions, simply for the viewing pleasure of a few privileged customers… well, I think Southwest would face backlash from powerful West Coast “green” groups. Also, please keep in mind that airlines received significant federal financial support due (in part) to the essential nature of the service they provide; so, if they start engaging in this sort of pleasure flights, they may find themselves in hot water. That’s just my humble prediction. The flip-side is that if they offered sightseeing flights over, for example, Yosemite and/or Lake Tahoe, in a heartbeat I would book a window seat. 😉 ... View more

Given that there were only 26 passengers on that flight, I wonder: did they all receive an "A" boarding group?   Normally, Southwest's boarding process requires forming a line next to those posts/markers* that are located right outside the boarding gate. Unless the boarding process has changed very recently, I don't see how passengers can keep 6 feet from each other without losing their boarding position.   I suppose one possible solution is to stay a safe distance away from the group of boarding passengers, and then board last. If the plane is lightly booked, there should still be plenty of seats to choose from.   *- By the way: does anyone know how far apart those posts/markers are? ... View more

dfwskier:   With all due respect, I believe you are misinforming when you state “you can't carry (on the plane) any liquids/gels in sizes greater than, I think, 3.4 ounces”.   You can bring into the plane a lot more than 3.4 ounces of liquids. You can bring to the airport an empty bottle and fill it up with water once you’re past the TSA security checkpoint, or you can purchase an expensive bottle of water once you’re inside the secure area and bring it on the plane.   I always bring a 16-oz bottle of water on the plane, and I keep it in the seat pocket (not in the carry-on that goes in the overhead compartment that gets shut right before take-off). Taking a couple of sips helps me equalize (i.e., “pop”) the ears during take-off when there is a change in air pressure.   Southwest flight attendants hand out a free cup of water or soft drinks during flight, and I truly enjoy the amenity, but I also like having my own water bottle, which I can sip from during take-off and landing. 🙂   I know you meant "into the TSA security checkpoint" instead of "on the plane," but this post is for the benefit of a first-time flyer, so these details may be important. 😊   Happy flying! ... View more

This is very concerning, indeed!   One of the scariest parts of the article is that "many of the 88 foreign 737s acquired by Southwest were certified in one day, and in some cases put into passenger service on that same day. That process typically takes three to four weeks per plane."   Essentially, those Southwest passengers were flying on a foreign aircraft without knowing it. ... View more

Hello amorley135,   Usually, a SWA agent announces/describes the boarding process at the gate, so it’s easy to follow along, and once you’re on the plane, you can take any empty seat you like.   Likewise, the check-in process when you first enter the airport is designed to be easy to follow, whether you are checking in a suitcase or not. There are plenty of signs with instructions on how to follow along. The key thing is to arrive with plenty of time to spare.   Basically, most of the airport experience has been very carefully designed so that it’s easy to follow along. Pretend that you’re a sheep, and just follow the herd, and you’ll be just fine. 😄   Being that this will be your very first flight, I would recommend that you select a window seat, so you can better observe the wonderful experience of air travel. Note: if you sit in the wing area, your view of Earth below will be obstructed by, well, the wing  😉 so you may wish to avoid it. There is a useful website with information on the pros and cons of different seats on different aircraft, if you have time you may want to check out:  seatguru  [dot]  com.   Your boarding position will impact the seat choices you’ll have once you get on board, and the boarding position is affected by when you check in for your flight. It’s wise to set your smartphone alarm and make sure to check in exactly 24 hours before your flights (or, to get automatically checked in, purchase EarlyBird).   You might like to explore in advance the websites for the specific airports you will be flying into and out of, because there may be interesting things to do and see there, both outside and inside the secure area. Some airports have small but very unique museums/memorabilia, art exhibits, and even yoga/relaxation rooms!   It can get very cold during flight. Decades ago, airlines used to offer small/thin blankets for passengers to borrow, but that’s very rare on domestic flights nowadays. Southwest doesn’t offer blankets, so I’d suggest that you wear warm clothes or bring your own small blanket in your carry-on bag. Even if you find that it’s not too cold during the flight, you can always use the small blanket as a cushion for extra padding on the seat.   Depending on the length of your trip, you may want to bring some food or snacks onto the plane, because Southwest does not offer food-for-sale service on board. You may also wish to bring to the airport an *empty* water bottle that you can take through the security check-point and then fill up for free at a water fountain once you’re in the boarding-gate area --or you can pay exorbitant amounts of money to purchase a water bottle once you get past the security checkpoint; please keep in mind that EVERYTHING is more expensive in the secure boarding-gate area, and even MORE expensive once you’re on the plane where a bottle of beer may cost you $7.   Last suggestion: install on your smartphone in advance the Southwest App, which you need to have installed before you can enjoy the in-flight entertainment (some of the SWA onboard entertainment is free, some of it costs $).   I remember how alien the experience was to me when I went on my first flight. I remember being anxious, and I must say, Southwest has a unique, laid-back culture, and I wish that SWA had been my first experience.   I’m sure you’ll be fine. Please come back and share your airport/flight experience.   Enjoy your flight! ... View more

Dear jksobony: With all due respect, I disagree with your stance that this is a pretty insignificant matter. There are numerous conversations about this topic on this board, because boarding sequence has a particularly unique impact on Southwest vs. other airlines. For example, while it made sense for me to pay $10 for Early Bird (EB) a decade ago, I rarely bother* now because, in the tangible reality I witness at the boarding gate, it doesn't get me now the benefits it got me back then (and now they charge much more for EB). *- The exception is if I know I'll be away from cell/internet access 24 hours before the flight; but, normally, checking-in exactly 24 hours before flight-time gets me a sufficiently good position, not much different from the position of a travel companion who does fork out $ for EB; and then we both watch lots of people boarding before us, and then... (gasp!) ...once on board, sometimes they try to save seats. Also respectfully, I see nothing wrong with a loyal customer expecting benefits. Unless I'm severely mistaken, many airlines use the term "loyalty" to describe their... well... frequent or loyal customers. For example, Southwest describes its Rapid Rewards program as a "loyalty program," no? Do you think those customers shouldn't be allowed to voice their opinions unless they are complimentary of the airline? (It's a rhetorical question.) These issues are important to many loyal customers, and you can't simply brush their opinions under the carpet by suggesting that they go fly "any other airline". @@jksobony wrote:   Any "loyal" customer who 'rightly expects' benefits or compensation isn't right, and isn't very loyal.    Southwest boards on a first come, first serve basis, and always has. We can talk about how a small minority 'abuses' the pre-boarding process until the cows come home, but at the end of the day it's a pretty insignificant matter as long as a) you get on the plane and b) find a seat.    If it truly bothers you, you can go to any other airline and pay for a specific seat - and pay much more overall in the process!    --Jessica   ... View more

mskok:   On July 30, 2019, at 4:38 PM, you wrote a post titled “JULY 1 Flight 2617 to Seattle” where you mentioned being removed from a Southwest plane. Then on August 14, 2019, at 2:30 PM, on that same thread, you mentioned speaking with a lawyer about that incident, which you vaguely describe as “[…] I was just asking questions […]”.   On that thread, and now on this new one, you don’t want to describe the situation you were involved in (e.g., what questions were you asking?). Essentially, you simply call Southwest bad names.   This is an open forum. When a story seems incomplete, some of us sometimes ask questions. I'm just a Southwest customer. Seeing the way you replied to jksobonya (Jessica), you’ll probably also accuse me of being part of “the squad” (whatever that is).   I don’t think this is the appropriate medium for you to obtain the answers that you desire, in a situation where a lawyer is already involved.   ... View more

“Race and Power in the Air” …or “Confirmation Bias”?   It is sad that you chose to turn this into a racial thing, and for a self-described “man of power” you seem to have a rather thin skin.   If your food was really as carefully packaged as you say, it should have been quite easy to follow the crew member’s instructions and place that package in the space under the seat in front of you.   I am a member of a minority group. That reality rarely comes up in my social interactions. Sometimes things don’t go 100% smoothly, but that’s not a race thing; it’s a life thing.   I can’t believe Southwest gave you vouchers worth $50 just for complaining, and to top that off, you post here to show that you are ungrateful about their extraordinarily generous gesture. ... View more

I’m not a Companion Pass (CP) holder, but this issue of boarding position for Companions also affects regular passengers like me. Boarding position is uniquely impactful on Southwest because there are no pre-assigned seats.   I believe it would be easier for everyone if, 1) CP holders had a chance to board with their travelling companion (perhaps as an option for a small fee?) in recognition for their loyal patronage, while simultaneously, 2) adopting a clear, universal, consistent no-seat-saving policy unless previously arranged (e.g., passengers purchasing 2 seats for themselves get an official decal during boarding to place on the seat they are legitimately saving).   Wouldn’t these two changes save precious seconds (and prevent some frustration) during the boarding/sitting process?   I remember how great it felt when Southwest drastically improved their system by assigning boarding positions. It sure is day and night compared with the old system of 20 years ago. It would be nice if Southwest now took another quantum-leap forward. ... View more

@Flying_Slug wrote: @SWDigits wrote: I think those are good questions, I would be curious to hear how Southwest responds to your note.  Any chance you are able to return to share your boarding experience out of SJC?   There are two different threads I've seen that are relevant to your concerns:   https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Boarding/SWA-is-testing-loading-from-the-front-and-rear-of-plane/m-p/82885?advanced=false&collapse_discussion=true&q=swa%20is%20testing%20loading&search_type=thread https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Check-In/We-purchased-earlybird-checkin-and-when-we-got-on-the-plane/m-p/72756?advanced=false&collapse_discussion=true&q=we%20purchased%20earlybird%20checkin&search_type=thread Hello SWDigits (and everyone else). I completed my round-trip this week, and here’s my update.   It turned out that my flight was not affected by the 2-door boarding system being tested at SJC. I overheard the beginning of an announcement for a nearby gate that was using that system, but I couldn’t listen to it because by that point I was already boarding my flight.   On the round-trip flights, the baggage drop-off agents & the boarding-gate agents & the flight attendants were all friendly and efficient. On one flight, the pilots gave us 5-minutes’ notice of “minor turbulence” that they anticipated would last for a few minutes, so we were all ready for the “ride” and it was all over within that timeframe. The flights landed no more than 5 minutes later than the scheduled arrival time. My checked suitcase arrived at the carousels without damage. These are the important things that make Southwest my preferred carrier for domestic flights.   However, I have not heard a peep from their Customer Service folks, even though over a week ago I sent them an e-mail (requesting a reply), about the original questions I posted here. So, perhaps that’s an area for improvement at Southwest.   I’m still confused about how the 2-door boarding system is supposed to work. I wish to avoid being “the one”    passenger that slows down the boarding process for everyone else. I strongly wish Southwest communicated clearly (with an easy-to-find video on their main page, perhaps?) how this system works.   Happy flying to y‘all! Flying_Slug I imagine this is my last update on this topic. I’m writing this, mainly, to give credit to the SWA employee who eventually did e-mail me. Thumbs up, and love, to Cindy G. for taking the time.       After my last post here, I received an e-mail from Southwest, with: 1) apologies for not replying before my travels had been completed, 2) a statement about how the 2-door system helps to save valuable minutes to keep the operation running on time, and 3) an assurance that my questions/concerns would be passed on to the Senior Leaders.   Still, no direct answer to my question about HOW the dual-door boarding system physically and chronologically plays out at the boarding gate(s).   I wish the Senior Leaders would direct their tech teams to create a video to post on the website, to show how this works, the same way there is a video showing the regular 1-door boarding process.   Southwest is selling boarding position upgrades at the gate for “just” $30-$50, so clearly they know that passengers value boarding positions and the processes that affect them. It really shouldn’t shock them to hear me ask how this boarding system impacts the benefit of boarding order.   If you send me an e-mail prior to my flight, telling me you’re trying something new at my departure airport, please: 1) anticipate that I will want to know how exactly the new system works, and 2) have a basic but informative response prepared. Telling me you’re trying something new, without operationalizing the details of how the new thing works, doesn’t help; and telling me afterwards that you’re forwarding my concerns to your higher ups does not answer my question either.   I really am surprised that my question is apparently so challenging that it remains unanswered and needs to be passed on to Senior Leaders. Come on, folks. I know Southwest can do better. Please keep being transparent. Your customers expect it. ... View more

@SWDigits wrote: I think those are good questions, I would be curious to hear how Southwest responds to your note.  Any chance you are able to return to share your boarding experience out of SJC?   There are two different threads I've seen that are relevant to your concerns:   https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Boarding/SWA-is-testing-loading-from-the-front-and-rear-of-plane/m-p/82885?advanced=false&collapse_discussion=true&q=swa%20is%20testing%20loading&search_type=thread https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Check-In/We-purchased-earlybird-checkin-and-when-we-got-on-the-plane/m-p/72756?advanced=false&collapse_discussion=true&q=we%20purchased%20earlybird%20checkin&search_type=thread Hello SWDigits (and everyone else). I completed my round-trip this week, and here’s my update.   It turned out that my flight was not affected by the 2-door boarding system being tested at SJC. I overheard the beginning of an announcement for a nearby gate that was using that system, but I couldn’t listen to it because by that point I was already boarding my flight.   On the round-trip flights, the baggage drop-off agents & the boarding-gate agents & the flight attendants were all friendly and efficient. On one flight, the pilots gave us 5-minutes’ notice of “minor turbulence” that they anticipated would last for a few minutes, so we were all ready for the “ride” and it was all over within that timeframe. The flights landed no more than 5 minutes later than the scheduled arrival time. My checked suitcase arrived at the carousels without damage. These are the important things that make Southwest my preferred carrier for domestic flights.   However, I have not heard a peep from their Customer Service folks, even though over a week ago I sent them an e-mail (requesting a reply), about the original questions I posted here. So, perhaps that’s an area for improvement at Southwest.   I’m still confused about how the 2-door boarding system is supposed to work. I wish to avoid being “the one”    passenger that slows down the boarding process for everyone else. I strongly wish Southwest communicated clearly (with an easy-to-find video on their main page, perhaps?) how this system works.   Happy flying to y‘all! Flying_Slug ... View more

@SWDigits wrote: I think those are good questions, I would be curious to hear how Southwest responds to your note.  Any chance you are able to return to share your boarding experience out of SJC?   There are two different threads I've seen that are relevant to your concerns:   https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Boarding/SWA-is-testing-loading-from-the-front-and-rear-of-plane/m-p/82885?advanced=false&collapse_discussion=true&q=swa%20is%20testing%20loading&search_type=thread https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Check-In/We-purchased-earlybird-checkin-and-when-we-got-on-the-plane/m-p/72756?advanced=false&collapse_discussion=true&q=we%20purchased%20earlybird%20checkin&search_type=thread Thank you very much for the links, SWDigits!   Flying out of (or into) SJC, I haven’t encountered this before, but now I see that it has been happening for a while at other airports. It is the first time I receive an e-mail from Southwest, a few days ahead of my flight, with the subject “Get prepared to fly!” to let me know that they are “introducing a new dual door boarding option”.   I think that having passengers line up orderly by the boarding gate, only to then have them choose which boarding door to use, voids the premise that they advertise: “When your boarding group is called, find your designated place in line and board the aircraft in numerical order with your boarding group.” < https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/faqs.html?topic=boarding_the_plane >   Now it sounds like people would no longer board the aircraft in numerical order. I’ve been flying Southwest for so long, I remember when Early Bird cost $10. Now I’m middle-aged and certainly can’t compete with youngsters racing down the tarmac to dash up the rear-door stairs.    I know Early Bird doesn’t guarantee a “good seat” but it does provide (usually) a nice boarding position, and, costing (now) $20, it would probably irritate me to look out the jet-bridge window and see folks walking up the rear-door stairs and boarding ahead of me.   I’ll come back and share my experience with boarding next week, and I’ll also share the feedback I receive from the e-mail I sent directly to Southwest.   Happy Summer, everyone! ... View more

@DancingDavidE wrote: I've really enjoyed App in the Air for an added layer of notification, including gate changes.     Receiving notifications when flight details change at the last minute, allows me to relax before the flight. I'll look into App in the Air. Thanks for the suggestion! ... View more

I will look into FlightView. Thank you for the suggestion!   @TheMiddleSeat wrote: Hopefully Southwest will implement a new notification system soon after the retirement, I find the current one to be horribly unreliable and gave up on it long ago. Until something new and reliable is in place I would recommend using an app such as FlightView to track your flights.   --TheMiddleSeat   ... View more

@syber2th wrote: I have a flight in the future.  Would like to know what I should do if my flight is affected by the grounded planes You may wish to contact the airline directy (click on the Contact Us option at the bottom left of this screen), especially if your future flight is in the very near future.   I hope your flight is enoyable and on time!   F_S ... View more

It looks like the decision has been made for you:   "President Donald Trump said he is issuing an executive order Wednesday grounding all Boeing 737 Max jets".  (source: cnbc) ... View more

@Harrisj22, I’m happy to hear you had a great experience with the cabin crew, and I hope your grandmother recuperated quickly and is doing well.   Even though they are very busy folks, I often notice that SWA Flight Attendants go the extra mile when unusual needs or situations come up.   It sounds like those Flight Attendants on your flight to Chicago earned a pat on the back, and I would like to present a suggestion to you. This is an open forum for us to communicate with each other, and it is not necessarily monitored by SWA management. If you would like to make sure that Southwest passes your compliments along to those wonderful Flight Attendants, perhaps you might consider contacting SWA directly, at Southwest.com/contact-us.   Happy flying, F_S ... View more

GoddezzOfWar: I’m sorry to hear that you’re spooked.   In my exchange with dfwskier, I listed extremely rare cases. I’m confident your next flight(s) with Southwest will be just fine. I expect the same for the two flights I have booked for next month.   I hope you get to visit with your daughter as planned.   Happy travels, F_S ... View more

Okay, it seems that I focused on the wrong word, and I'm sorry about that. I see now that your emphasis is on intentional. My emphasis is on knowingly. Semantics?   Airlines have knowingly deviated from safe standard procedures (to save a buck) without obtaining prior approval, and that’s what those examples I listed were meant to illustrate. The FAA did determine that Southwest deserved a hefty fine. Did the FAA make a mistake? Was the airline’s rule violation intentional, or was it due to unknowing incompetence? I would prefer the answer to be “neither”.   I don’t work for any airline, but I know an airline mechanic well, and frankly I can’t agree that all I hear is nothing more than Union propaganda. So I guess our views are different on this issue, and I'm fine with that.   It’s not my intent to slam Southwest uniquely (i.e., this is probably an industry-wide issue). In fact, I like Southwest and fly it often –can’t wait to fly them to Hawaii! ... View more

Having the power to pull strings to get two seats together on an overbooked flight must be nice… ... View more

dfwskier:   There is historical evidence of airlines that did fly unsafe planes as a result of their cutting maintenance costs. For an old example, you could google American Airlines flight 191 (May of 1979). For a more recent example, google Alaska Airlines flight 261 (January of 2000). For a closer-to-home example, I’m sure passengers didn’t enjoy Southwest’s flight 812 on April 1, 2011, and you could also google “Southwest Airlines faces a $12 million government fine due to improper repairs on its aircraft” (July of 2014).   At many places (too many places in my opinion), whistle-blowers get punished with truncated careers despite laws supposed to prevent retaliation. It shouldn’t be this way, but it is the world we live in.   Yes, it could also be true that some labor disputes may lead to canceling a flight due to (say) a broken tray on seat 13C, but both scenarios can happen at the same time. ... View more

From the TSA website: "Baby food is allowed in reasonable quantities in carry-on bags. Remove these items from your carry-on bag to be screened separately from the rest of your belongings. Please see traveling with children for more information."   Then, there is an important note: "The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint."   This looks like a question best directed to the TSA, so they could advise you on specific documentation or procedures that would increase the chances of the TSA officer giving you the green light at the checkpoint.   Have a good flight, F_S ... View more