Southwest Airlines Community

Hi Val,   I want to take this opportunity to cite for the highest commendation a SWA employee who went well beyond the call of duty to assist me in a difficult situation.  His name his Isaish Williams and he works in gate customer service at the Sacramento International Airport (SMF).   On December 16th, while going through security prefatory to a 7:30 PM flight to SeaTac to spend the Christmas holiday with my family, the left lens of my glasses popped out of the frame due to the loosened screw that secures the same.  Having monovision correction, the loss of vision through that lens turned the world into a melted neopolitan ice cream-like blur.  Stumbling my way through the concourse, I stopped at every store inquiring without much hope as to whether per chance they had an optimetric, miniscule flathead screwdriver required to resecure the lens to the frame.  Of course, no one did, not even the vendor selling eyeglasses.  Making my way toward the gate assignment for my flight, I thought, "Perhaps tools kept onboard an aircraft would include a micro screwdriver."  I didn't hold out much hope that it would, but desperate situations militate desperate hopes.   Sequeing over to the customer service desk, there I lamented to Isaiah my woeful tale.  He sadly informed me that no such tool was available, especially one so infinitesimally small.  But then he paused and intoned, "Wait, I have an idea."  Opening a drawer behind the counter, he retrieved a stapler, probably the only quasi "tool" to be found at such a location.   Opening the stapler, he broke off four coapted stables from the load, straigntened one end and "voila," fashoned an improvised allen wrench-like micro flat head screwdriver!    Isaiaih and I worked together assiduously, I holding the frame ends tightly together as Isaiah managed to turn the head of this miniscule screw degree by degree into its housing on the frame. Tortuous and surgically precise coordination between us ensued for the next ten minutes and then, "Eureka," the lens was securely fastened into the frame. I looked at Isaiah and exclaimed, "You are my hero today, I can see clearly again!"   SWA is lucky to have a guy like Isaiah on staff. He is the very quintessential paragon of excellance in customer service...friendly, helpful, accommodating, bright, and innovative. Of course, I am nominating him for the lifetime "Angus Macgyver" award which I am certain he will win hands down.     SWA fan forever, James Grauer  ... View more

Tonight, I was an hour too late. Not because of anything that your employees did or didn't do. In fact, one reservationist went out of her way to get me to Detroit from my vacation in Seattle. My 63-year-old brother was dying of cancer, which  he's been dealing with for over two years. I had just seen him in April, so before the hospice lady described his condition to me, I thought I had plenty of time. After all, my only sister had also died of cancer at 55 in 2014 and she took many weeks to transition, as the hospice people put it. So, I thought I was safe to attend my sister's only son's wedding in the San Juan Islands on August 18. But if I got on that island, I knew it would take days to get back and I struggled with whether I should go to the wedding and represent my sister or to see my brother. My sister-in-law helped me make the decision this morning by putting the hospice lady on the phone with me. Once the decision was made, my first call was to Southwest. I had already booked a return flight from Portland to Phoenix where we lived for August 25 and a flight from Phoenix to Detroit to see my brother on Sept 2 with Southwest. It seemed like I had plenty of time, and I had several doctor and dentist appts to make. So the Southwest reservationist had to change all those flights and get me on a flight today to Detroit. She was able to do that and not charge me all the exorbitant fees that I was overwhelmed by when I looked at the website. I was so worried about the cost that I considered putting it off, but she handled everything for me and was most gracious. I wish I had her name because she eased my burden during a very trying time. I arrived at midnight and my nephew picked me up at the airport. We went directly to the hospital where they had a family room we could stay at. When we got there, we stopped by my brother's room, but my sister-in-law said he had just passed. I missed him by an hour. My only brother was gone but I'll not forget the kindness of your reservationist and how she took care of everything. I'm very grateful to Southwest. ... View more

If I am going there and SWA is flying there: SWA is always my first and final choice. I would rather adjust my schedule (if necessay) than fly on another airline. Your people are the best; your service the best. Thank you and keep up the good work. ... View more