Southwest Airlines Community

Unfortunately, we are hearing more of this on this board.  I hope that Southwest is reading this board to see how it is impacting their future revenues.  Obviously, if you won't choose Southwest in the future that's one more seat that they have to look elsewhere to sell.   I would recommend contacting Southwest using the links at the bottom and request compensation for your delays. ... View more

Contact Southwest directly and request a LUV voucher for your trouble.  If they don't have anyone to handle the baggage, they are going to have to reduce the number of flights  This is solely a Southwest operations issue and your concerns are valid. ... View more

The airport provides the wheelchair services and will assist in boarding the passenger on the plane.  Additionally, notify Southwest when you get the ticket that the passenger needs assistance and the boarding pass will be marked accordingly.  Also, at check in, let them know that she needs to preboard.   They will also assist deplaning as well. ... View more

This is a customer to customer forum, primarily.  No one here is expecting an HR question as there is already a platform available to Southwest employees to communicate those questions.   If one of the mechanics came here and asked about a part number for an injector nozzle on one of the GE jet engines, there wouldn't be much of a response either.   Your HR group can answer your question within the scope of your policies. ... View more

See if your credit card will reimburse you for TSA precheck and KTN. ... View more

That's US DOT - just because they make a lot of noise, nothing changes until a law is passed.   A parent who purchases airline tickets for a family should receive a guarantee from the airline that it will seat the parent and child together without fees or a last-minute scramble at the gate or having to ask other passengers to give up their seat to allow the parent and child to sit together. On February 1, 2023, Secretary Buttigieg announced the Department's plan to launch a dashboard that displays which airlines guarantee family seating. Since then, some airlines have stepped up to guarantee adjacent seats for young children traveling with an accompanying adult at no additional cost. While this represents significant progress, USDOT is not stopping here. Secretary Buttigieg recently submitted to Congress a legislative proposal to require that airlines provide fee-free family seating.   I would encourage Southwest to take legal action here as this bill is aimed squarely at them and compromises the open seating policy.  Also, since you can't charge extra to create a seat beside the "accompanying adult", then the options become refund and they go somewhere else.   I urge Southwest to stay the course and if you receive demands to "sit together" just issue refunds and say bye.  All of this reformatting is compromising one of the core policies that makes Southwest great.   I also disagree that a young child is defined by anyone under the age of 14.  Nonsense.   This represents a "feel good" piece of proposed legislation which I predict is nothing but wall paper. ... View more

We may not agree and that's okay.  I support the OP 100%. ... View more

I would have to argue that all of what you mentioned is completely irrelevant in the OP's case.   You had 140+ people inconvenienced to convenience five people.  Unacceptable. ... View more

I'm in total agreement with you Lisamarie.  It is time for Southwest to follow the rules and stop inconveniencing the majority for the convenience of the few.   Holding the entire plane for five people is nonsense.  If you need assistance constructing a letter, let me know.  I'll be of assistance. ... View more

While you may believe it is a "dodge", that is your right.   If Southwest's primary concern was "sitting together", they would be guaranteed to be able to sit together.  As it stands now, whether they sit together, or not, is secondary to the current family boarding protocols.   The policy refers to "accompany" the child on the plane.  If they get to sit together, that's fine with me.   As I have stated multiple times, it is not the family that gets to board.  It is up to two accompanying adults with a child under the age of seven.   To prove my theory, take mother and father in their 40s with their children 17, 18 and 20 and see if all five are allowed to use family boarding.  Of course, at MCO, anything goes. ... View more

I'd ask that you reread the core message in my original post.   People traveling rationalize that they are traveling as a "family".  Therefore, they want to use "Family Boarding" and try every rationalization to get on the plane and sit together.    The policy's intent is to have up to two adults accompany a young child on the plane.  That's as far as the policy goes.  There is no further mention of "sitting together" even though you can likely find open seats that are together, at least two of them.   There was never a suggestion in the policy that a "family" gets to use family boarding.  There is no provision for verifying that the people using the policy are actually family, or not.  Southwest doesn't care if they are related, only that the child is under the age of seven.     ... View more

While this is all great theater, the question is whether the overhead bin space is assigned to the seats in the adjacent area.     My previous experience on these flights is NO, not due to how I "feel", but what I have "actually observed" as a matter of fact.   If the flight becomes full the flight attendant will advise passengers to use whatever bin space is available.  There is no rule that says my bag has to be adjacent to my seat.  If there is one, show me.   Personally, I'd prefer that the flight attendants focus on seat saving and excessive carry on which would have likely resulted in plenty of bin space. ... View more

Read the family boarding policy.  Its intent is to allow two adults to accompany a child under the age of seven.  Whether they can sit together is another issue as we have discussed previously.   However, the "Family Boarding" suggests that the whole family can board together which is simply NOT what the policy says.  This is why there is so much consternation of the family boarding. ... View more

I cannot tell if this is a serious question or a joke.   But IF, and IF a gate agent puts everyone on the wrong plane, I find that hard to believe given that the QR code on the boarding pass is matched to you and the flight.  That gate would also have to be aligned with your flight otherwise the system will bounce your boarding pass back indicating the wrong flight.     ... View more

To the best of my knowledge, open seating is also open bin, too.  I have never observed what you are claiming other than on other airlines where you have first class and someone from the coach section tries to put an item in first class.  In those instances, the person will be told NO unless they are first class.   My suggestion is to contact Southwest directly and give them the flight information as well as dates of the incident.  That is a tough situation as failing to follow crew instructions can get you in trouble so follow their instructions, then complaint.   A LUV voucher is in order here.  The only way to change the behavior of the staff is for it to result in LUV vouchers raining from the sky.  If I were CEO, I will instruct everyone to follow the rules, to the letter, to represent the interests of the greater good and also the majority of loyal customers.     ... View more

What is different is that Southwest places emphasis on boarding position and then allows people to board ahead of them causing frustration.   What is different is that Southwest has open seating to accommodate a faster turnaround time for planes and then allows people to board with excessive and oversized carry on items.   What is different is that Southwest has open seating to accommodate a faster turnaround and also places an emphasis on open seating and then allows people to save seats completely nullifying the open seating.     ... View more

All of this started with the Holiday DISASTER as it has become known.   Much of the chatter on this board has to do with gate agents now following the rules of the airlines.  Here are a few examples:   Failing to follow Family Boarding rules resulting in a wave of people boarding as they are all part of the "family".  The family boarding only comes to life when you have a child under the age of seven. Allowing passengers to carry on excess number of items and/or oversized items.   Software challenges are will give you one boarding position at check in but another later on. Flight attendants looking the other way when passengers save seats.   Each of these is a frustration to customers and each is within control of Southwest.     It has been previously suggested that a feature on the app be given that gives an instant message to corporate the moment a gate agent fails to follow rules.  Then, corporate would call that gate agent within 30 seconds and question their behavior.  That, alone, would get the gate agents to follow the rules.  It would also keep flight attendants in line and have them follow the rules. ... View more

To the best of my knowledge, pre check does not transfer or attach to anyone other than the individual human being who made the application. ... View more

I agree.  It is a rather hollow announcement as they need to be on the precheck. ... View more

This has been discussed endless times before.  Southwest doesn't have a policy on every single element of the flight experience.  However, with open seating, there is no assigned or reserved seating.   I have personally occupied a seat that was "saved" and I told the individual that it was a great subject for a book, but not supported on Southwest.  The individual didn't complain.   I suggest everyone else do the same. ... View more

Check with the credit card carrier issuing the rewards.  There is typically pages of fine print and the question is whether the reward goes to the cardholder only or for anyone that the cardholder purchases a ticket. ... View more

I'd recommend asking for a LUV voucher.  The software team needs to work after hours and over the weekend to clean up someone's untested software mess. ... View more

Yes, they do.  I called and specifically asked.  While they don't have a written policy on it, they will advise a consumer that the practice is not supported. ... View more

Yes, let's close all airlines.  We can all drive or take the train.   Next time I go overseas, I'll drive across the Trans-Atlantic turnpike.   Thanks for the feedback. ... View more

That's the gate agent simply not following the rules.  This has been discussed many times. ... View more

TSA employs the nicest people that I have ever encountered.   Therein lies the the model of all great service! ... View more

Your first issue is with TSA.  Regardless of what the airline will and will not accept, you have to get through TSA.  Here are their requirements.     ... View more

Maybe Southwest needs to start sending emails with the check-in information so that there are no questions about what your original boarding position was?   Then, if it changes, you get an automatic LUV voucher. ... View more