Southwest Airlines Community

IMHO both a massive fail in the employee applying a personal bias to punish a person she didnt agree with, fail in applying the rules correctly, and most importantly a massive fail in her condescending addressing of the customer.   And these condescending, biased, and dismissive comments are definitely massive fails for anyone in a customer service position.  Both need to have a discipline event in their file, and retraining.   “Yeah? What “media” do you think you wit?” “That ain’t no media I ever heard of,” “We don’t recognize your little ‘law enforcement media’ thing here in Chicago,” he said. “You can complain to your little cop buddies. But in the meantime, I’m the boss and what I say goes.” “Yeah, you go ahead and write a little blog about it to your two followers,”     @chgoflyer wrote: Unfortunately, Southwest agents, perhaps as a side effect of the corporate culture of empowerment, sometimes inconsistently apply policy. It can happen more often when it's a policy that is not well defined to begin with. In this case, the gentleman making the complaint seems to be blowing things way out of proportion, in my opinion to further his own agenda. (The language he's using to describe the agent's comments makes that clear.)   I definitely wouldn't consider this a "massive fail." Just another minor issue of the type that happens all the time and could have easily been fixed with a call to Southwest after the fact.    ... View more

However, he should not have had to worry about those 4 pounds as he clearly qualified for an exception as he followed the rules.   The writer followed the rules, SWA employee did not.  That makes the rest of this comment of yours irrelevant.   BTW, with very little exception, being a little over isnt getting you a ticket.     @dfwskier wrote: @chgoflyer wrote: Unfortunately, Southwest agents, perhaps as a side effect of the corporate culture of empowerment, sometimes inconsistently apply policy. It can happen more often when it's a policy that is not well defined to begin with. In this case, the gentleman making the complaint seems to be blowing things way out of proportion, in my opinion to further his own agenda. (The language he's using to describe the agent's comments makes that clear.)   I definitely wouldn't consider this a "massive fail." Just another minor issue of the type that happens all the time and could have easily been fixed with a call to Southwest after the fact.  Completely agree.   This guy allegedly flies every week with Southwest  and uses the Fly By Lanes. Really? I'd of thought he would be smart enough to go TSA Pre or Global Access. Apparently not.   The article is a rant. Pure and simple. He threw all the excrement he could think of at the wall and waited to see what would stick.   Besides as a cop, he should know that rules  are rule, and laws are laws. Yet he said:   "The heaviest of the media bags had been four pounds over.  Four pounds.  These Southwest employees decided to make a debacle and insult the entire law enforcement community over four pounds."   It was over the limit, and this self entitled idiot is complaining about it.   Maybe I can use that one the next time I'm pulled over for speeding "Well officer, I was only a little over the limit." Lotta good that will do me.   ... View more

However, he should not have had to worry about those 4 pounds as he clearly qualified for an exception as he followed the rules.   The writer followed the rules, SWA employee did not.  That makes the rest of this comment of yours irrelevant.   @dfwskier wrote: @chgoflyer wrote: Unfortunately, Southwest agents, perhaps as a side effect of the corporate culture of empowerment, sometimes inconsistently apply policy. It can happen more often when it's a policy that is not well defined to begin with. In this case, the gentleman making the complaint seems to be blowing things way out of proportion, in my opinion to further his own agenda. (The language he's using to describe the agent's comments makes that clear.)   I definitely wouldn't consider this a "massive fail." Just another minor issue of the type that happens all the time and could have easily been fixed with a call to Southwest after the fact.  Completely agree.   This guy allegedly flies every week with Southwest  and uses the Fly By Lanes. Really? I'd of thought he would be smart enough to go TSA Pre or Global Access. Apparently not.   The article is a rant. Pure and simple. He threw all the excrement he could think of at the wall and waited to see what would stick.   Besides as a cop, he should know that rules  are rule, and laws are laws. Yet he said:   "The heaviest of the media bags had been four pounds over.  Four pounds.  These Southwest employees decided to make a debacle and insult the entire law enforcement community over four pounds."   It was over the limit, and this self entitled idiot is complaining about it.   Maybe I can use that one the next time I'm pulled over for speeding "Well officer, I was only a little over the limit." Lotta good that will do me.   ... View more

Because airlines regularly allow employees of other airlines to fly at no cost.  It is a reciprical agreement.   Even if she were flying standby, thats no cost (except for tazes), still nothing.....   I was on a flight where there were several SWA FAs deadheading and I noticed a pilot from a regional carrier in the waiting area, they called her over and had her preboard with them.  I haerd them talking about our desitnation and the other airline employee said she was going there to fly out.  Like all other jobs, membership has its perks. ... View more

True, the ACAA forces airlines to comply with certain rules and as an airline with no assigned seating SWA cannot dictate what seat can be used.   However, the preboard fakers are a real issue, especially out of LAS, MCO, ISP......   We are not talking about people with hidden issues, we are talking about what your own employees joke about and call them miracle flights.   Ive watched these people preboard, heft their huge oversized bags into the overhead, and on arrival bound off the plane and go through the terminal like they were running a marathon.     ... View more

Looks like Jetway Jesus was there to meet her.  The miracle flights seem to be especially plentiful with SWA.   @MrSavage wrote: 0 through passengers. The complaint is about the obvious false disabilities. Entire families boarding first because of a 70 yr old woman that walks away fine after the flight. Unfortunately I just now consider southwest to not have acceptable boarding.   ... View more

But priority boarding does.  Thats the $40 fee.   @jksobonya wrote: @ronnyradio wrote: “whereas the OP at least PAID to board A1-15..." Early bird doesn't guarantee you A1-15 seating. Heck, it doesn't even guarantee you A seating. And therein lies the rub. You can pay for early boarding if you want, I have in the past, but there are no guarantees you will get A boarding.    --Jessica   ... View more

No, she likely flew at no cost. ... View more

SWA did exactly what they should have. The unfortunate behaviour was on your part.   That breed dog would likely be an ESA, and the chance the dog had an ability to remind anyone of a time to take medication is not a claim that is likely.   THe dog was aggressive, it got tossed, as it should have.   Blame the right persons, your family not SWA. ... View more

Just join the list of the other dozen preboard fakers. ... View more

There is only one solution.  One not likely to happen.   Assigned seats.   This problem is growing and getting out of control.   Internet pages will spread the way to avoid any fees to board first.  The first half of the plane will turn into saved seats zones.   Verbal and physical confrontations will continue and get more and more prevalent.   Its easy to predict, and if SWA isnt going to do anything about it, then they are complicit in the outcome.     ... View more

There is already a solution to seat saving.     Sit where you want.   Why worry about others being mad because they want to game the system and be cheap?   @Jtravel wrote: Today I paid for early check in. When I boarded a passenger had saved 5 seats by putting bags all over them. I could have insisted on sitting in one but then would have been in a group of people mad at me. Why even have assigned boarding order if you let people save seats? It’s clear in this case 1 person in the group of 6 paid $15 and used it to seat 6 people. I think a solution could be to allow seat saving from the middle of the plane back so that cheaters don’t get the prime seats.   ... View more

Unfortunately their hands are tied.   People have figured out a way to not pay the early bird or priority fee and board first to grab the seats most wanted.   Then they try to save seats, or entire rows.   Its only going to get worse. ... View more

The employees may have been deadheading to their next work assignment.  I dont have a problem with them preboarding, they dont take the "prime" locations like bulkheads or exit rows. ... View more

Whats crazy is these untrained ESAs and fake ESAs biting people, crapping in the plane, etc....   @Bmunoz wrote: I understand your concern, however, it is unfair to the rest of us who genuinly NEED an ESA and have an ASA to be limitede or contrained/questioned because you don't feel comfortable. I have a 90lbs GSD and I don't mind providing proof from my doctor, but if you're going to start restricting what I can and cannot do because you don't feel comfortable then that's just crazy    ... View more

Better hope your representative isnt a Democrat.   They are too busy on the "I hate Trump" narrative that they are not even going to listen to you.   @rtbarron wrote: @jgallagh1944 wrote: Does the ADA actually state that the airline has to let the ESA fly at no fee? If not, SW could charge the people flying with pets the same fare for their pets that they would charge a passenger; that would put an end to most of the phonies looking for a cheap or free way of transporting their pets. For those who need an ESA, limit seating to the back of the plane. That way, those of us that don't want to share our space with someone's animal will be able to enjoy the flight as best we can.  The Air Carrier Access Act ("ACAA") does prohibit airlines from charging a fee for support animals. Unfortunately, Southwest (and the other airlines) have very little leeway in regard to carrying service animals. Passengers who are concerned about the possibility of fake service animals would be better advised to contact their U.S. Senator or Congressman than the airline.   ... View more

Thats not harassment.   Its embellishment.   @LizF wrote: The ADA provides explicit coverage for service animals.   Businesses are allowed to ask if the animal is a service animal and ask what tasks it is trained to perform, but they are not allowed to ask the service animal to perform the task nor ask for a special ID of the animal.    I have never been harrassed by Southwest Airlines employees about my hearing dog.  Southwest Airlines employees have always been very kind to me.     I was recently harassed by a TSA agent in Oklahoma City who rushed up to me to attempt to ask me what my small service dog "did" and if it served breakfast.  I saw her rushing towards me and that she was laughing, so she apparently thought her hateful actions were funny.  I couldn't hear what she was saying, but my husband did.  He reported her hateful behavior to the supervising agent.  I doubt anything will be done to correct this hateful TSA agent's behavior, but she was at least humiliated WITH ME in front of her TSA peers and all the waiting passengers.     ... View more

You could have purchased the upgraded boarding and gotten on e of the A1-A15 spots that were likely available. ... View more

@dfwskier wrote: @spacecoastbill wrote: @ronnyradio wrote: I hear ya Bill but not too many would want to sit there for what may be hours next to someone who is giving you the stink eye for the whole flight or to cause a confrontation even tthough the seat-saver is also responsible...just not a great situation and one that won't change until some hot-heads really get into it... Let them.  I just laugh at them.     They will get up and leave to go sit with the people they wanted to save the seats for. Some people disagree with you.   I'd suggest that you respect their opinins as they have respected yours. Many disagree with you.  Dont like the comment?   Move along..... ... View more

@ronnyradio wrote: I hear ya Bill but not too many would want to sit there for what may be hours next to someone who is giving you the stink eye for the whole flight or to cause a confrontation even tthough the seat-saver is also responsible...just not a great situation and one that won't change until some hot-heads really get into it... Let them.  I just laugh at them.     They will get up and leave to go sit with the people they wanted to save the seats for. ... View more

That was your choice not to sit there if you wanted to. @Dkasp wrote: A guy was a list and sat in the front seats.  He saved the other two front seats for his wife and daughter right in front of the agent.  I asked to sit thee and he said no that his wife would not be happy!  I wasn’t happy. I too was a list.   ... View more

Written on several forums, which logically means that it is an issue.   Maybe you are just not watching it happen or ignoring it.   The "no policy" is sticking your head in the sand and inviting confrontations and issues due to the irresponsible "lack of a position"....which means that it does not work.   @nostresshere wrote: Another thread that has been hashed and beaten to death.   I could waste my time and yours discussing this, but it is not worth it. Much more is WRITTEN about it, than what actually happens onboard - based on my 50+ flights in the past year.   The current policy of "no policy" works.     ... View more

Just ignore those claiming they are saving a seat.  If there is not a warm body in the seat and you want it.... just sit there. ... View more

Not true.   Im sure in this case that she did not magically get healed in flight like the pre-board fakers.   Those that genuinly need to preboard because of visible or not visible conditions are not the problem.  Those faking it to preboard are. ... View more

@RSH_Houston wrote: I'm all about accomodating respectful flyers who might have this request, in the very unlikely occurence that they can not do so when boarding in their assigned position.   If a couple or a pair of business associates wants to be guaranteed the ability to sit together, they should purchase like tickets, or as the gate agent usually announces when he/she starts the lining up process,"you may move back to where that person is boarding, but not vice versa". Families with young children board after Group A as you know, pretty much assuring them of ALL being able to sit together.    However, the purchasing of one upgraded boarding pass, for the purpose of "holding" an additional seat in an area where typically, A-Listers and Business Select people sit [the front rows and the extra leg room over the wing exit rows (children can't sit there anyway)] creates a kind of homogenity that is unacceptable to me. Doesn't this just smack of entitlement? Especially when, through either my SWA loyalty, or my purchase of a Business Select fare, afford me that priority in choice.   I, and many others, have the same issues with "through" passengers who jump into these seats as the terminating passengers disembark.   And many Crew Members, withwhom I have had this discussion over the years, agree.  Well spoken. ... View more

@judygolfing wrote: I've experienced this on every flight I've taken lately, either enforce a policy of no saving seats or do away with Early Bird. People faking a medical condition and pre boarding is more of a problem than EBCI.   Its really easy, when they say the seat is saved, and there is not a body in it.... if you want it just sit there.  They are free to call the FA over. ... View more

@RSH_Houston wrote: Yes, I have to concur. This is becoming more and more of a problem. Another problem is cheap seat 'through" passengers jumping seats on direct flights between flight legs (segments).   I too, fly quite often and early in the year on Business Select and then once the A-List Preferred is met, on Wanna Get Away or Points, buying a $30 or $40 upgrade at the gate. It's not just the front aisles, those usually get consumed by the pre-boarders (I've seen as many as 40, and as many wheel chairs as 11, REALLY... this two has become a problem).   The more prized wing seats have become a haven for this. I was just on a flight Friday, a guy bought either a Business Select (which I doubt) or a $30/$40 bump at the gate, boarded at the end of the Business Select, and then proceeded to take Seat 12B (the two seat aisle over the wing on the port side), flipped down the trays on seats 11A, B, C, D, E, F and the adjacent to him seat, 12C. His kids (4 of them) took the entire Aisle 11, leaving the center seats empty, and his significant other took the one next to him. Anybody tried to sit in them, he instructed they were saved. ALL of his brood boarded way down the A or into the B Group. Cheap seats, no doubt. The flight had about 30 empty seats, a guy boarding way late, wanted one of the aisle seats he had held (his kid was up running around with the rest of his very large group), was told it was saved for his kid, and he ended up in "my" middle seat, which otherwise would have been unoccupied. Here I sit, $600+/- seat, with an armrest buddy and his kids are flying with no middle passenger on a $100 or so ticket. WTF, Bulltickie! THey could have ALL boarded together, regardless of their boarding group position, after the A Group and still all sat together.   There is no SWA policy regarding this, although in their boarding announcement they make the comment if your group is separated, you may move back and board with them, but they may not move up and board with you. Makes sense, another way of saying "no seat saving"!    I had a brief discussion with the Flight Attendent about this during my regular banter with them while everyone else is diddle-effing around looking for an aisle or window seat andstowing their 3 suiters. She reaffirmed, "no policy", but "write the airlines", which I will be doing.   In hindsight, and I thought about this during the flight, I should have raised hell about his inability to deal with an emergency, in the wing exit row, as he and his significant would have been more concerned about their kids than getting ALL the passengers out. Most people who take exit row seats don't realize part of their obligation is to get everyone else out first, an then themselves.   As they had boarded late enough that their luggage was all over the plane, they exited, making themselves obnoxious once again, moving the wrong way during the deplaning process while they collected their luggage from all over the plane, instead of simply waiting until everyone else was off, as they should have.   Not one to be quiet, I had quite an exchange of words with Dad, while we were being held up by the children. He was absolutely indignent.   There has been lots of discussion over the years among SWA people regarding these issues, but no one has come up with a solution.    WRITE THE AIRLINES!  Ignore the seat savers.  If you want to sit there and a person is not in the seat.... then just sit. ... View more

@dfwskier wrote:   @wallywoobird wrote: Call me an introvert if you must, but what's the big deal about sitting with your 'loved' ones? Unless you must provide care for a underage or infirmed passenger just sit separately for three hours, why can't you? It's not a party going on. If you do have to provide personal care then PAY to board together in the A group. Good grief already, all you snowflakes!   Luff ya SW!! What if your loved ones are aged 7,9, and 10? Then buy priority boarding if you want to have a much better chance of sitting together.   ... View more

@SWDigits wrote: @dfwskier wrote: Due to it's boarding prcess, Southwest cannot assign seats to family members. So if you are A-List, and the rest of your family is not and the best they can do is Answer: save seats.   What are thoughts about having a save seat section? Meaning if you want to save seats then don't do it in the front or emergency exit rows? Most likely if you tried to save a seat in the rear of the plane, nobody would care.   Those trying to save seats in the bulkhead and exit rows are where the majority of the problems arise.   Just ignore them.  If they say the seat is saved, and there is not a person sitting in it...just sit there.   Let them try to complain to a FA.  It wont help them... but let them try. ... View more