Southwest Airlines Community

Two good friends of mine, both women, were gate agents at a SW gate. I won't mention the city. Both lasted about a year or so. They knew the rules about pre-boarding but both got tired of "arguing" with passengers pre-boarding (with three or four adults with them) or passengers in "C" group getting in line with "A" group friends.  Some passengers would literally yell in their faces.  Both would come home with headaches and stress dealing with those passengers who abused the rules or who thought of themselves as "special". According to my friends, the most important thing was to load passengers as quickly as possible for that ever so important take off time. ... View more

responding to Dr_Rock-it:   I agree. But along with pre-boarding abuse which is so prevalent, I  have an issue with "group number"  abuse.  I was recently on a flight to Hawaii. I was A7. A passenger behind me was A8. The group A1-A5 had 11 people in it!! What? Turns out a passenger ahead in A1-A5 had his entire adult family with him. We saw their passes and they were "C group". The A8 passenger behind me spoke up, complained, but was met with some profanities.   We thought that group would be stopped by the gate agent.  NOT.    Of course, that "C" group took up all the emerg row seating.    I saw a similar situation last month on a trip to southern CA.         At 6'3", I like the extra leg room in the emerg row seats. I don't have carry-on luggage so that is not an issue.  ... View more

Regarding the post where the wife and daughter are the occupants,.they just haven't boarded yet.    ??   Riddle me that.   What is an open seat?  I will  go with my friend  who is a SW Captain  (who is laughing at this) have defined "open seating":  'Nobody physically in the seat at that moment'.  People actually need clarification on that?   I have no issue with saving a seat for one or two family members but not in the emerg row (more leg room) for their group C friends.  I'm 6'3" and I pay Business Select to try and get a seat in the emerg row when flying alone. When flying with my wife, I get the Early Bird and sit in the rear of the aircraft to save a seat for my wife.  (Close to the bathroom for her).  ... View more

That is what her adult sons do. Pre board, then mix in with the other boarding passengers and grab the emerg row seats. I don't see how they get by with that with the FAs watching. Both sons are 6'4" and like the extra room in the emerg row seats.   ... View more

Yes, pre-boarding abuse is, has been, and always will be a "hot" topic on this forum.  Three friends of mine, one a SW Captain, another a SW First officer (I use to fly with them in the Air Force) and a good friend, a senior SW FA, have all told me that SW allows such liberal pre-boarding to avoid verbal or even physical confrontations between the gate attendants, the FAs and the pre-boarders.   It would be bad PR, a bad image, for this to happen. Plus, confrontations at the gate would likely lead to a late departure which would really anger most passengers.  ... View more

My neighbor has been doing this for years. She is not disabled,. She is an avid hiker.  She has a cane that collapses, then pre-boards with her two adult sons. She laughs about it and even has posted it on FB. Then last week, her son who boards with her, grabs an emerg row seat after passengers start boarding and saves it for his brother.  She says it is really simple. She says the FAs don't have a clue or don't care.  Not too long ago,  I saw five adult family members board with "grandma" in a wheelchair who preboarded. Five to assist? Why is that allowed?   ...and this is not the first time I have witnessed this.  ... View more

As a previous reply by "YeahNoMaybe" said: The FAA rules do state:  "Follow the oral directions...by the FA".  My friend who is a SW captain, and a family member in the higher tiers of the FAA messaged me and made their comment - "What part of the FAA regs 'Follow the oral directions...' is confusing?"  In the past, I flew as an LEO on SW and came across this and was asked to intervene.     "Follow the oral directions..." really seems unclear to many passengers.     The FAs have enough to do to ensure safety without dealing with rude, non-complying passengers.  According to my SW Captain friend, most pilots would like to see a permanent ban on those passengers who ignore the FAs.  ... View more

First, I am retired Air Force, flying air refueling aircraft and transport aircraft. I have dealt with in flight emergencies and opening hatches.  First, "Saving seats" should not be allowed in emergency rows. Those who board with the best group numbers (ex: Business Select) should be allowed if they want one of  those seats and it is open.  On one flight, a male (aggressive and confrontational) passenger saved the other two seats in the emerg row for his family. The FA was there and said nothing when another tall passenger and Business Select wanted to sit there.   When the other two family members came (C group), they were two elderly smaller women well into their late 70s or early 80s.   That should not be allowed which is another issue for emergency egress.    But:  How does SW set some common sense boundaries and enforce it without fear of a lawsuit or a physical confrontation?    In an emergency, things become chaotic,.. confusion and panic can set in.    I have seen it on SW once when encountering severe turbulence on descent and approach (into Burbank CA). Some passengers were screaming, puking, crying and the FAs were doing their best to keep everyone calm.  ... View more

I use to fly as an LEO but not as an air marshal. The flight crew knew we were LEOs (with gun and badge).  I had to intervene more than twice on unruly passengers that were either  drunk, loud, profane, disruptive, or confrontational towards the FAs.  Drunks were the worse.  I have seen a few passengers who absolutely refused to comply with safety procedures.    So, I am glad SW will not continue their alcohol service,.at least for now.  Also, why I am against bars at the airports.   A fight I had in the last year: a drunk puking over the other passengers in his row.  ... View more

Why wasn't this woman stopped at the boarding gate?   Everyone is afraid of being sued for offending someone.  The same with SW.  ... View more

I agree with "spacecoastbill". I use to fly as an LEO and trained as well as the dynamics of a firearm discharged inside an aircraft. I'm also retired Air Force and flew. A discharged firearm, typically a 9 or 40, may put a hole in the window. No one is sucked out. The cabin pressure is compensated for.  At 37,000 feet one time, my right cockpit window came close to being blown out and that could perhaps have sucked someone out,..but we always had our cockpit seatbelts on. Yes, people reference movies as factual. I hear it all the time.  ... View more

Regarding the news article: I had  a flight change.  I had a connecting flight in Burbank CA but it was three hours earlier than the departing flight,  (same day).all in the same time zone. I wanted to be on that flight to see how they accomplished that time travel.  ... View more

I agree with chgoflyer:     This is almost funny if not pathetic.  I will side with science and the medical community. Those comments from folks about masks being non effective are the same folks that believe that the moon landing was a fake, that Sandy Hook was a hoax, Epstein actually committed suicide,  and that Elvis is still alive and living in Arizona.  It's a self agenda thing. They just don't like wearing a mask.  I am a former Air Force pilot. I didn't allow smoking from my crew or military passengers.  (this was back when smoking was deemed to be ok) Don't like it then don't get on my aircraft.  ... View more

I just read elsewhere about "it is my right not to wear a mask!".  What right is that? Is that in the constitution? Is that in the SW bylaws?    Nevertheless, an airline is a private company, when it comes to the mask issue they set the rules as they see fit or what they believe is best for all passengers as a collective.  They set the rules, the passengers do not. Don't like their rules?.., then don't fly with them.  A good friend of mine is a pilot with SW. He recently told one irate, non complying passenger who was boarding and entering the aircraft that if you don't like the rules, get off.     I use to fly as an LEO for years with SW. I had to intervene  a couple of times for some idiot passenger who didn't like the rules.  I always wanted to put them on a "no fly"  list for the rest of their lives.   ... View more

First, I agree with you about people not wearing mask claiming medical reasons. Probably the great majority do NOT have medical reasons, they just don't believe in the mask protection. They're lying about their medical reasons.    Second, FAs not enforcing the mask requirement: A family member just returned from a SW flight and stated several people took off their mask during take off roll and kept them off.  The FAs did nothing. My family member took video and posted it on FB. Yeah, both FAs just walked past these people and said nothing. My family member was sitting behind one of them. So, why even require masks then?  According to the video and my family member, those same people put their mask back on after landing.  ... View more

plus I found out that when SW changed my flight, I lost my early bird special on my go home flight. I thought that went over automatically.  ?  After about an hour and a half with an agent, I got my early bird back.  The agent was real nice but she was extremely frustrated with the constant changes,.and people yelling at  her on the phone. One of the SW pilots I know well said things have gotten "horrible" at SW especially the schedule changes.  ... View more

My neighbor has been scamming for a couple of years now. She just did it again last week. She also has a cane that collapses and sometimes uses a knee brace (on the outside on her clothing). She is very phsically capable. Last week, she pre boarded with her husband (who "helped" her boarding). Then her two sons accompanied her as well.  She laughs about it and even will post it on Facebook. She just wants the first few rows, overhead bin space, and her family sitting together.  Now, her sons do it.    ... View more

I have posted a few times regarding this issue. I don't mind if a person saves one seat (their spouse, friend etc) but not a whole row or three rows which has happened. (It was on You Tube).  Also, there should be absolutely no saved seats in the emerg exit rows. Passengers in business class or early bird specials are often trying for those seats. I traveled a lot before I retired and I saw fights almost break out or verbal confrontations  over saved seats in the emerg row. The FAs, standing there, did nothing except to say there is no SW saving seat policy. I have actually seen one man forcefully block the emerg row with his body and hands, blocking some passnegers actually trying for those emerg row seats. There was a verbal confronatation.  His friends, group C, took the seats. SW won't do anything about this.  ... View more

I spoke to a SW customer service agent last night. She said a few agents at the check in counter have been known to get it wrong. However, as she said, the unloaded handgun, hard locked case CAN be placed inside your regular luggage. Since it is inside another piece of luggage, only the main luggage is counted as a single checked piece of luggage,..not two. However, a long gun case, usually very large, is checked in as a single luggage.  ... View more

I have replied and posted comments on this issue several times. Saving seats in the emergency rows is a sham and is abused. I have seen both emergency rows (both sides) saved. The FA was standing right there and did nothing. I also saw a physical fight almost break out on the airplane over this issue. The FA told the upset passenger that the person has saved the seats.  What? I thought SW had no saving seat policy.    I wrote the CEO on this suggesting absolutely no saving of seats, period, in the emergency row seats. I got a nice reply back basically saying that SW has no saving seat policy.  I wear a discreet body cam now when flying so I can record such abuses. Many of my friends do as well. Facebook has a couple or more videos of this abuse, one showing both rows saved. I love SW but I am dismayed that SW doesn't cater better to those A List and EB seating. It's not fair to them.  ... View more

Thank you for the reply. I have this "special luggage" printed out for him. He was aware of the SW policy but didn't have it printed out. I always do.   He contacted SW Customer Service and offered to send them the video (from the body cam) but they stated that was not necessary.  ? Really? I would think SW would want to see that. If anything, for training purposes.       Now, with TSA -  at an dinner gathering recently, a TSA agent (only a year with TSA) stated that all handguns MUST be checked separately as checked locked luggage and CANNOT be inside another checked luggage. He said it doesn't matter what the airline's policy is.  So I contacted TSA on that and haven't heard back yet.    ??!!     Side note: Don't travel to New York City with a handgun in checked luggage or as checked luggage.   But that's another issue.           ... View more

I commented on this a few weeks ago. Yes, it is and has been out of control. I wrote the CEO and received back a very nice and professional email from a customer service staff. Basically, it said they cannot do anything about it due to federal laws.  But I still ask: why does it take a group of people (family members, friends) to accompany one disabled person that is preboarding?   My neighbor has done it a few times:  she fakes an injured leg (has a cane and cloth brace ) and her husband and sometimes other family members accompany her in preboarding.  She laughs about it. She even sat in the emergency row section once when she told the FA she needed the extra leg space for her injured leg. She posted it on Facebook and it shows her laughing.    Which raised the question- doesn't the passenger have to be physically capable of opening the emergency hatch?  ... View more

I did write a letter to the CEO and received a very nice, professional response back by a staff member. Yes, FAs are to ascertain whether or not a passenger is capable of opening an emerg door. As the response I received, the FAs do just that and will require a passenger to move if necessary.   But, look at my message dated 09/03/19. The elderly woman issue was recorded and posted on Facebook and suposedly it was posted on You Tube.  She could barely move.  ... View more

I forgot to mention:  Regarding the elderly woman in emerg row seating: Yes, this should be reported to the FAs. Thing is, the FA was right there. The scene was also recorded and posted on Facebook by a Facebook friend of mine whom I was flying with. I also heard that it was posted on  You Tube which surprises me due to possible legal consequences brought on by SW. I am sure SW doesn't want their dirty laundry aired.  ... View more

Here's a followup: Not too long ago, a dad apparently with a low A number, got the emergency row and saved two seats for his two daughters. Were they 15 years of age? No although they told the FA they were. It was obvious they weren't. We guessed about 12 to 13 and we were almost right. I sat next to a SW middle manager employee, in front of the group and overheard them say they were 13 and 14. They were also petite.  I always understood you also have to be physically capable of opening the emerg doors to sit in the emerg row.    The SW employee I sat with told me that  FAs are usually instructed not to confront or question about ages (unless it is really obvious). They don't want confrontation which can lead to a delay of the departure time. (Can't have that!) .....So,..not offending someone or not confronting someone about this important safety policy is much more important to SW then passenger safety.  As my good friend who is an attorney/judge said: Wait until a real emergency and the person is incapable of opening the emerg door,...and people die or or injured.  Multiple lawsuits against SW.  ... View more

I did send two emails. One yesterday. The same reply: SW does not have a "saved seat" policy and does not intervene unless it inteferes with boarding.  ... View more

I flew SW for business (law enforcement) for over 11 years.  A couple of times, as a LEO ( the FAs knew I was an LEO). I was asked to intervene because someone aggressively took a saved seat and an argument broke out,..almost a physcial fight. (We were still on the ground, they should have called airport police, not me...but that's another story).  If some does take a saved seat, (which they should be allowed to,..remember, no SW saved seat pollicy) , be prepared for possible confrontations.  ... View more

My neighbor does this quite often. She fakes an injured leg, uses a cane, and gets pre boarding. She hasn't been stopped yet. Plus, a couple of times, she was allowed to sit in the emergency row, the better seats, and saves the seats for her family who were in the "C" group. She brags about it.    Plus, a few years ago, a very elderly woman (probably in her 80s) was pre boarded. I got on board and she was in the emerg row exit.    What?!  Even if she didn't pre board, an older person should not be allowed to sit in those emerg rows. I am retired from the Air Force and have opened emerg doors many times, (mostly for training) and it is not the easiet thing to do. Add a real emerg to that, and chaos, and you will have problems.  ... View more