Southwest Airlines Community

Sadly, now more than ever, it's a good idea to always get your news from reputable sources only, and to avoid repeating unverified rumors. It seems crazy that this bears repeating, but with certain powerful people choosing to manipulate the public with false "news" for their own benefit, vigilance and truth are our strongest weapons.   Yesterday President-elect Biden announced that once he takes office he was ask Americans to wear masks for 100 days.   Biden Says He Will Ask Americans to Wear Masks for 100 Days to Fight COVID-19 Spread ... View more

@jksobonya @Taz052362 My suggestion is that you get that communication to SWA soon.  Here is what I've found, notice the next scheduled release date:    We are currently accepting air reservations through April 11, 2021. On December 10, 2020, we will open our schedule for sale through August 16, 2021. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently.   Here is that link.  https://www.southwest.com/air/flight-schedules/ ... View more

This is always a touchy subject, as there are many people out there that love their pets as if they were children, and there are other people who have real mental health issues who truly  need an emotional support animal to get by. The difficulty is trying to understand the difference between the two groups of people. Those who "love" their pets and insist they can control them and that they are loving and wouldn't hurt a fly (etc.) are the problem - they try to bring their animals on board an aircraft and the animals can't be controlled. They aren't real service animals and they should not be allowed to board in my view. We need better policies around what qualifies as an emotional support animal and when/how one can bring an animal on board, because apparently people are getting around current policy and bringing non-emotional support animals on board.    --Jessica ... View more

Temperature checks instituted as part of security screening would likely have cost more than their value as a covid screening tool, primarily since the screening would miss asymptomatic carriers.  ... View more

Thanks for posting this.  I guess nothing is sacred anymore and just another reminder to change my password every year.  I've gotten into the habit of every Jan 1 I change my password on everything.  It's the same password for everything, (YES, I know this is stupid) but working on a new system for this year.  Same password with the final part being related to the company or whatever the password is for.  Anyway, thanks for reminding us to be careful, and hope all ends up well for you. ... View more

@jksobonya wrote: Huh. I haven't seen this prompt yet. One of my flights booked with points actually decreased by a few hundred points yesterday, so I rebooked.   --Jessica  I think I know what was happening. The initial booking page was showing incorrect points amounts for the flights. Then when actually trying to book a specific flight the correct (higher) point total showed up.   Why do I suspect this? Well when I was trying to book DAL/MDW flights the points required was 3042, but when I tried to actually book a flight the flight required 3111 points.   Today when I looked at flights the required number of points was 3111 and not 3042.   ... View more

I'm not sure who told you this but you don't need to take a COVID test to fly anywhere in the United States on Southwest Airlines.   --Jessica ... View more

@M3WAState wrote: I don't disagree that masks are important and I think you're missing my point. As I initially stated, we are compliant in our state. Quickly stopping at a grocery store for a couple of items with a masked child is do able. Masking the child when appropriate and required by our governor's guidelines, generally, isn't a problem. Traveling across the country on long flights is stressful for adult and children alike. The SW policy to kick parents and non-compliant two year olds off the plane is misguided and simply cruel. As parents, we are trying to do the right thing for our children while adhering to flight rules. A little more understanding of that by the airline and its passengers could go a long way.  Cloth and surgical masks do NOT filter out viral particles. Please see my other posts in this discussion. The pores in these masks are simply too large to be able to properly filter out viral particles.    If you're a parent, then PLEASE do not make your child wear a mask, not even "during a quick trip to the grocery store." You do care about their physical and mental development, don't you? Well, we all know that reduced oxygen saturation isn't good for anyone, but this is especially true for the young.    Southwest is actually violating the Air Carrier Access Act by forcing customers to wear masks. All the scientific and medical literature show that wearing masks INCREASES the likelihood of infection. This is even true in the context of hospital operating rooms.    I mean, you're free to wear a mask, but if you care about the health of your children, you would discourage them from doing so.  ... View more

@Floridagal45 wrote:   Sorry to hear of your issue.   Southwest is simply doing what it said it would do (and you agreed to) when you bought a non refundable ticket.   Who knows what the virus situation will be by 5/31/21. It may have improved enough for you to take a flight.   If not, you do have some recourse. SW has an unofficial policy that lets travelers with expired travel funds turn those funds into vouchers. This can only be done after a travel fund expires. It must be done within 6 months of the expiration date. The resultant voucher can be used by anyone but expires in 6 months. Cost (subject to change) is $100.   Hope that helps. ... View more

Let the XMAS shopping begin....thanks for the intel. ... View more

A power bank would be another option. ... View more

@frenchie213    So what happened when you call Customer Service like Blake suggested.  Please don't be one of those that get on here and complain, (and hoping to possibly get restitution) yet never come back and leave the readers not knowing the final results, even if it no result.  ... View more

Woo hoo! Sounds like information that was greatly needed. Good job Chase!   --Jessica ... View more

@bwallet wrote: Flying in to something that is non-changeable and non-refundable a few hours before it is risky. All types of things can impact and delay flights including weather and mechanical issues. If it is important, I would fly in the day before. Agree with you completely.   I learned from an early life experience. I was to run a meeting in Kansas City that was to start at 10 am. I was on a flight due to arrive at 8 am. Plenty of time, right? No. We tried to land 3 times (fog - visibility right at minimums), and failed three times. Off to Salina KS we went.   I finally got to MY MEETING at 1:30. I was the only one that was late. Never again. ... View more

It's not a scam, but what's likely is that you did not read the terms and conditions of your offer. So many people think that they will receive points immediately after doing X but the reality is you won't receive your points for a billing cycle or two - per the user above, it takes 2 billing cycles, but this may vary by offer.   --Jessica ... View more

Also, just as quick to the  Summit County ski areas via Colordo 24 to Colorado 9 as from Denver - much quicker than via I- 70 on high traffic days.   I did it many times when Western Pacific flew out of the Springs.   The drive back to the Springs at night can be a bit disconcerting when there are literally hundreds of eyes watching you as you drive thru Wilkerson Pass. (deer, elk?). ... View more

You gotta do what you gotta do.   Life (flying)  is pretty safe as long as you wear your mask, wash your hands etc. Southwest does a good job of sanitizing it's planes and keeping plane air fresh.   Statistics I've seen are that your chance  of dying from Covid exposure on a plane  is something like 1 in 400,000 to 1 in 600,000.   Your chance of dying in a car crash is something like 1 in 125 over your lifetime. ... View more

SWA use to fly to Colorado Springs in the past.  I'm glad they are bringing that route back, and hopefully not flying me out of Albuquerque to Dallas first.... ... View more

Just keep watching.   As the travelling public returns, so will flights. ... View more

Tempting!! But the irony is, with spending down in general this year, I don't know if I could spend $4K in 3 months!   --Jessica ... View more

This is fantastic news. This study reinforces what we already knew, which is that masks are necessary to prevent the spread of the virus on board a plane. Most especially, the study highlighted the importance of everyone, including the potentially infected person, wearing a mask continuously throughout the flight. As we know, unfortunately this remains problematic for a few reasons. Some flyers continue to be non-compliant with mask wearing. And airlines do allow the removal of a mask while eating or drinking. The study also did not test for an infected person moving throughout the cabin, as when using the restroom for example. However, the main takeaway is that if we all remain masked our exposure risk in total is very low.   Actual travel inside the plane is only a small part of a travel experience, and risks remain in other areas. But hopefully this will assuage concerns of those fearful about traveling on board a plane.   And as noted above, for the industry to truly recover, we'll have to have available destinations that are not under quarantine or otherwise blocked. Unfortunately, numbers are still rising in many areas, so it may still be a while before that happens.         ... View more

@MurphreeJA wrote: I am in the same situation. I have a "credit" for nearly $300 due to a cancelation before the Covid thing but now I can't feel safe using it. I've contacted SouthWest several times. I don't expect a refund, I just would like an extension on the expire date of the credit until such time as it's actually safe to fly again. I've been told in other words to buzz off three times now.  The latest one said something to the effect of (paraphrased) "since we offer such great deals with our wanna get away prices we don't feel we need to offer you any customer service no matter what is going on, you shouldn't have been cheap because now we have no intention of doing anything for you. Oh but we value your business. " I have flown SW exclusively for over 20 years, but that will be coming to an end, I'd rather pay more just on principle. It's incredible how stupid the company is acting towards it's customers in a time like this. Does it really cost them anything to extend the expire dates of unused credits? If they think giving me more time to use my $300 credit is too costly, I wonder how much it's going to cost when I and my family and everyone else I warn away from Southwest never fly them again. This is just bad decision making on the part of the company and it will cost them more than they realize. I'm going to file a complaint with my state comptroller this week and any other governing body I can find that will listen. I will warn everyone I meet to avoid Southwest from now on.    Unfortunately, I don't think you'll find the grass greener on any other carrier. They are all doing pretty much the same thing now, which is no longer making accommodations for customers due to new covid-related cancellations. 😞   Sounds like you missed the period when funds were being extended through 2022. That's unfortunate, but you're not the only customer in this position. I'm truthfully surprised (and disappointed) that Southwest isn't making any more accommodations for customers such as yourself, since it's clear that the pandemic is far from over.   You can file any complaints you wish, including with the US DOT, but it's unlikely to make any difference, since Southwest is acting well within their Contract of Carriage (the contract you agree to when buying a non-refundable ticket). If Southwest canceled the flight you are due a full refund, but if you did you are due only travel funds, with limitations and a expiration date.   Your one possible option with Southwest is to reach out to Customer Relations (not the reservation line) after the funds have expired, and request they be reissued as a voucher. You have 6 months from the date of expiration in which to make the request, and if granted the voucher will be good for 6 months, and is usable by anyone (not just the named passenger, as with travel funds). There is a $100 fee for this, which will be deducted from the funds.   Contact Customer Relations      ... View more

It's probably a good idea for somebody with a respiratory condition such as COPD to avoid unnecessary exposure risks right now. Such as being inside an enclosed container with other people and not wearing a mask.    Personally, I'm taking as few exposure risks as I possibly can these days. ... View more

Has also happened to me and the online system does not allow me to make the change myself.  They tell me this has something to do with price differences when I go in to re-book myself.  I realize they are shifting flights due to less travel, but every time I call, I can re-book on a flight that is almost identical to what "the computer" replaced with three stops and 12 hours of travel time. ... View more

@ChillinLinda As I mentioned above, sending a private message on social media is the best option. I would not suggest email.   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

It's been a couple years since I flew thigh MCI however I do know Southwest only has 8 gates at MCI and they are all in the same terminal (terminal B) you shouldn't have any problem making your connection assuming your first flight is on time.    -Blake ... View more

I never call, I contact Southwest on social media (Twitter Direct Messages for me) whenever I have a booking problem or question about my flights. They normally get back to me within minutes but when I contacted them a few days ago it was closer to 45 minutes. Still, it was great service considering how slammed I am sure they are.   --Jessica ... View more

No, I hadn't.  Thanks for the update and glad SWA cares as much about its employees as it does it flyers.   ... View more