Southwest Airlines Reviews

My sister-in-law called saying they got an email that both seats were cancelled and the money was, as they stated GONE. Gone? Gone where? Of course we know it was in Southwest's already filled coffers. When I called asking why would a seat be cancelled for a flight that has not taken off and was days away, I was told they are linked and if you don't have one, you cannot have the other! I was told that this policy took effect in September, I replied we bought these tickets more than 60 days prior. I had the confirmation which tells me how I can use the credits, it tells me I cannot change the name, it tells me there are no change fees, it tells me it is nonrefundable, but it DOES NOT tell me that if I don't call 10 before take off, they will confiscate my money.

So I had to purchase a ticket for $500 more, one way (1 and a half times more than the round trip fare we paid in July) to get him home. Did I mention that he is blind? He was so excited to be with his brother and nephew for the weekend until all this happened. By the way, the only place you get the message is just when you click "purchase this flight"? Then the message about the no show policy goes away. If you go back, it is no longer there, and it still does not appear on my confirmation. So if you missed it, too bad so sad. IF I ever fly SWA again, I will purchase the legs of the flights separately, that way you will only have some of your money robbed. That way the other leg will still be intact. As we all know, there is no advantage to making round trip plans, no financial benefit...until now. I am going to try to contact the state's attorney general. This is out and out fraud.

I had planned on flying up to see my son on Saturday, 11/9, and returning home on Monday, 11/11. It would have been my 4th straight weekend in a row, and I wasn't looking forward to it. Fortunately, plans changed and I found out on Wednesday, 11/6, that I would not have to make this trip. On Thursday, 11/7, I went online at about 7pm to cancel. I do not cancel a lot, but I do appreciate the ability to do so. My last flight that I canceled about a month early I did so by calling the 800# because I was only canceling my return flight and could not split the cancellation online.

The cancellation appeared to go fine online. I was somewhat concerned that the website did not generate a unique cancellation confirmation #, but I didn't worry too much. After canceling my flights, I cancelled my hotels and car rental.

I was very surprised when I received an email on Saturday (11/9) in the evening informing me that my return flight home was forfeited because I did not cancel my departing flight! When I called SWA 800#, they said that there was nothing that they could do, but I should call Customer Care on Monday morning. When I called Customer Care, they said that they could check their website and tell if I had accessed it Thursday night. After putting me on hold for about 10 minutes, the rep got back on the phone and said that I had not even accessed my account on their website. Now, perhaps I failed to click something (which I'm sure I didn't, because I got a message that I had successfully cancelled my flights), but I KNOW I was on their website on Thursday evening. Essentially, they are calling this very good customer a "liar".

I am done with SWA. My #1 reason for flying with them is for their liberal cancellation policy. But, if they are going to play games with their cancellations, why bother? I am not out $229 in credits. I will use up my rewards points, and all future travel will be via JetBlue. No more waiting in their stupid line like cattle being herded for a seat. No squeezing into their seats like sardines in cans. And no more crappy peanuts.

So much for SWA's self-proclaimed customer service. They should call their "Customer Care" "Customer Don't Care".

I will never fly Southwest again. I booked the previous flight via phone and no disclosure of this fact (instituted in Sept) was discussed. The lady I just talked to was quite..."Tough"...buddy...to me. Like you guys just figured out how to steal from your customers. Please get this word out and boycott Southwest. I am a single parent with 3 kids in college and you just stole a significant amount of money from me. One of the reasons I have flown Southwest for 15 years is I was always able to show up and use my credits. Now apparently you guys are in financial trouble having to increase your bottom line like pirates... Lost customer.

Around 7pm once all the custody issue was settled my fiancée called to reschedule our flights and we were told that our reservations were no longer valid and our money or funds had been confiscated!! This obviously was a shock to me. We were told to contact customer service to voice our complaint. My fiancée then called customer service and we were told there was nothing that they could do, that it was corporate policy change and that the notice was on our ticket (email confirmation). BTW we looked and could find nothing stating this policy.

Please understand we are valued SWA customers and they have been our airline of choice for 13yrs (Dallas resident). This was the 1st we heard of such policy and this was one of many reasons that we flew SWA:

3. An airline that understood and cared.

These are reasons my family used SWA for personal and business. But after my experience today I feel SWA is no different than all other airlines. I am very disappointed in customer service and how this situation was handled. They claimed their hands were tied. This is a similar response when I told them weeks ago that they damaged my luggage (they put SWA fragile stickers all over my $300 metal luggage that won't peel off all - although they agreed it was the wrong luggage). They said sorry! IMO, SWA is definitely making changes, but not for the better. If I were a businessman, which I am, I would not lose a family's business over $800. Especially on a policy change that happened a month ago (under the radar)! Bad business and I am shocked that SWA would let this happen!

Starting from the gate the crew member has no customer service skills and no regards for business select customers. I asked the crew member showing my boarding pass if they are boarding and the answer was go in the line. I waited and then when boarded finally and asked them to take my coffee cups they said I have to wait so I waited and then waited till a second crew member came but this lady was even worse and said "I can't go this right now." It’s very surprising that the crew member who was making the announcement did not knew where the lavatory were in the back and referred to it as "whatever seats" are there in front of the lavatory. I asked the crew member again after 1 1/2 hr in flight to take my cups when he was going back with empty tray and he said "not right now" :).

I am surprised and upset even though he finally took the coffee cups when I asked him if he is sure he wants them now. This is the first and last time I will ever take Southwest.

Needless to say, my family is Hispanic and I'm white... and I said, "We are a family too". She then sighed and looked at the other flight attendant who then looked at us ugly, and my mother-in-law said, "It's ok. They'll throw us off the plane. There's no discussing this with her. Let's just sit wherever we can." So as soon as we did, an Asian family boarded, greeted her real nice, and sat in our seats. Everyone looked back at us with a face of unpleasant looks, like they were Embarrassed for us but felt the same way we did, afraid to be thrown off the plane. I want something done about this. I am very unsettled about this.

I boarded the plane and sat in my seat. After reaching out cruise altitude, I really had to use the restroom. Now I always ask permission. I called over the flight attendant. Me: Ma'am, I understand the seatbelt sign is still on but can I please use the restroom? Her: (in a mildly unprofessional tone) I'm sorry but no. Me: Ma'am, I've been up for over 24 hours and I have an upset stomach. Her: Well you're a big boy. You can hold it.

Honestly, I wanted to punch her. My grandmother just passed away, I had been up for more than 24 hours, and I was about to have the runs in my seat. I was furious. I decided to get up after sitting there for about 30 seconds. I walked up to the restroom and the same woman was there and gave me a stern look and said.... Her: What are you doing? Me: I'm sorry but there's two things that could happen. 1) I can go to the bathroom in here or 2) I can go in my seat and I really don't think you'd want to clean it up. Her: Oh I wouldn't clean it up. You would.

It gets even better. After I took care of my business and returned to my seat. The woman started taking orders for drinks. She skipped me on purpose. The gentleman next to me was nice enough to order a second drink and give it to me. The rest of the flight was somewhat ok, other than the few times she walked past me and gave me a nasty look.

I ended up writing a complaint to Southwest Airlines customer service. Their response was clearly dismissive. I even stated that I would never fly their airlines again. In their response, it states "We're confident your next journey onboard our LUV jets will be more positive, and we hope to merit your future consideration the next time your plans call for travel by air. We will always welcome the opportunity to serve you onboard our LUV jets." Apparently you can't fix stupid. I never ask for handouts but in this situation, everyone expected a voucher at the very least.

The 2nd thing that occurred today was on my 2nd leg of our trip. We landed in Denver from Tulsa and the flight was delayed for a short while, which was fine because we could grab something to eat. I'm not sure what's going on at that airport, but in the terminal where SW is, it's just a huge mess. Tiny seating areas crammed together with flight gates so close of either, it was hard to tell which gate was which. There were probably 500 to 609 people in that space waiting to board flights. Disorganization at its best. We didn't even hear the cattle call for our flight, it was so noisy. We noticed others lining up so we did, too. The attendant checking in tickets to board kept saying 2 carry-ons--- no exceptions. Okay, I can understand this for the most part. I had a backpack and 1 carry-on wheeled luggage, and was also carrying a small bag with airline blankets and a pillow. Obviously, these were not going to be stashed in stowaway or under my seat, they were going to be covering me!

So. I got my ticket checked and started to walk down the corridor to the seats when the flight checker calls to me very rudely "Hey, come back here. You can't carry on 3 bags" -- in a very angry manner and in front of all the as senders waiting to be checked. I told her that my 3rd bag wasn't a carry-on but a plastic bag that contained my airline blankets and pillow for the flight -- not to be put in stowaway or underneath my seat. She said "Too bad, one of them had to be checked" (very rudely). I thought you know, I'm not going to check blankets and I was not going to check either bag either, so I tossed the blankets and told her she could have them!

I've never -- not once -- in all these years had a problem carrying those blankets on any airlines, much less SW. I've carried them all over the world with NO PROBLEM -- until today. Usually, SW had the friendliest, most helpful and cheerful attendants of any airlines -- but not today. I sure would hate to see SW attendants go the way of AA -- most hateful attendants anywhere.

This is actually illegal in most stated. Credits with a company cannot actually have an expiration date. However, Southwest's Terms state that all litigation will occur in Texas, which has no consumer protection laws in place. According to a California & Ohio state ruling, state-level consumer protections such as the ones we enjoy in Oregon, Ohio, California, and many other places, are preempted by the federal Airline Deregulation Act. So, to Southwest Airlines: You took my money without giving me anything in return. You disposed of my money without my consent, and you will not return it, or even allow me to use it to make my next purchase from you. That is theft. Legal recourse may still be an option (it has been two years since the last court decision, and much has changed in the regulatory world), but does anyone know of any other recourse available?

I missed the connecting flight by minutes. They did not hold it up for the 20 passengers going to Providence. Same with people going on the Hartford, Long Island, Manchester, etc connecting flights. I estimate between 60-75 people were stranded at BWI for the night. Of course no SW rep met our plane to give us the bad news. Why fly an airline you can't trust? It's simple SW - Do what you say or don't say it at all!...It's called honesty and translates into good customer service.

I AM SO SICK OF SOUTHWEST LYING TO THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS. I WILL NOT FLY SW UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. I hate the lines to board, and they are just as greedy as the other airlines, making you pay $25 to get an "A" boarding pass which, by the way, can leave you at the end of the "A" line.

Southwest refused to pay for my hotel (they gave me a website to visit for discounted rates, but they had no discounts available that day). I also had to make the 5:00am flight the next day and get routed through Houston (instead of the direct flight I originally had). I missed half day of work, had to pay for a hotel and an extra day of parking, and I didn't get to see my kids for an extra 24 hours. Had I known I wasn't going to make my connecting flight, I would not have flown to Orlando; I would have hopped a plane elsewhere, which could have gotten me to Austin that day. I filed an official complaint that night and requested a call back, but it's been 7 days now and still no contact. BEWARE! Southwest Airlines does not care about its customers. I will do everything I can to NOT fly Southwest again.

We will NEVER FLY SOUTHWEST AIRLINES again. We felt angry, unsafe in wearing these soiled clothing, and totally disenchanted with this company. I know that AirTran is now the parent company, but we have never had a bad experience with it or Delta. Avoid SWA!!!

I understand there are delays due to severe weather and all. However, the part that really gets me upset is Southwest not willing to help compensate with the loss of funds for my parking of the extra day at the parking garage. The front desk staff had been extremely unhelpful as well in reference to answering questions related to my Rapid Rewards. Their response had been to call the 1-800 number. I have over 30,000 Rapid Reward points. I would rather just use a different airline than redeem the points.

The FA then proceeded, again in a booming voice, to ask me if I was having difficulty in assuming the task or whether I needed to be reseated (This said in a very rude tone, not the usual script quoted by all airlines FA's.). Just to quiet her down, I agreed although I would like to have "discussed" her attitude and manner with her in front of the rest of the plane, just as she did with me; however, I was held hostage. Those on the plane were clearly taken aback, almost as much as I. In addition, when serving beverages, this inappropriate employee asked two young men to whom she referred as "Honey's" if they wanted anything to drink. Southwest is aware they have lost a customer who returned to their airline after years of flying other airlines. I will recommend to future fliers, unless you want to be treated with a questionable level of respect which includes Southwest's boarding practices, I would strongly suggest flying with another carrier!

By holding for the next agent, I was connected in less than three minutes. The return call came through about an hour and fifteen minutes later! When I told the return caller-agent of my dissatisfaction, she suggested I call customer relations in Dallas. I did and rather than own up to any kind of deficiency, CR justified everything. It seems SWA cannot accept responsibility for anything in terms of policy, customer satisfaction or their own computer systems. Every company has the right to set their own fare policies but this is an area where they can elect (or not) to help out their customers who have already paid for a ticket. Unused seats on an earlier flight are free to the airline to let a paying passenger use. SWA chooses for some fare classes to stick it to the customer.

To make the story short, most of the group did meet the ship at the first port which was international, but we had to pay for all of it. Southwest did give us a customer service number, which does not work on the weekends. After I reached out to them with my expectations that they would reimburse me the expenses I incurred due to their mechanical issue, the customer service representative proceeded to hang up on me because I wanted to talk to management and asked about his name. I did receive a refund for my original tickets deposited back into my account ($350), but am still out of $1,500.

Customer service has not responded or reached out (did email them as well) and only God knows if I will ever see my money. This company is an embarrassment and a huge disappointment as they do not hold themselves to their mission statement. It is very disappointing that the consumer is the one who pays for a service and then when the company is unable to provide it, then the consumer is the one once more who is stuck with the problem.

I filed a complaint with the TSA for violating my disability rights, violating my civil rights and for racial discrimination. The lady was of color and I'm white. The TSA gave them 30 days to respond. Today is the last day to hear from them. A phone call won't settle this now. 3 months is a slap in my face, so I have all the paperwork ready to be filed in court on Friday. Will let you know what happens.

Granted, the overall level of service in the air travel industry has been going to hell, but when comparing Southwest to its competition, Southwest is a better choice.

They actually had the audacity to ask for a note from her doctor or mine. That made me feel like a third grader who missed school and needed a note from my mommy for being absent. I even contacted the Better Business Bureau and Southwest still declined the refund. So from now on, please do not purchase a nonrefundable ticket unless you absolutely, positively know you are going to take a trip that same year your ticket is purchased. I now truly believe that Southwest Airlines is a company with no heart.

Past security, we get to the gate and the attendant said I missed the flight, plus I couldn't board without my pass anyway. Why did the first guy send me through security, especially since I was travelling with a 2 year old and a 9 month old, if he knew I couldn't board? As soon as the boarding attendant saw me and my kids, he got on the walkie-talkie and said we had made it. Then he looks at me and says, “Why are you flying? What's your emergency?" I told him I have tickets to the inauguration. He then told whoever was on the receiving end of his phone and came back with "I'm sorry". So, had I said something else, could I have flown? Did they want to keep as many people as possible from Pres. Obama's inauguration?

But the story is not done yet. I go home and my fiancée gets a call from a guy at the airport on my cell. He said my phone was found in the baggage room and to come pick it up. When I did, there were deep scratches on the front and my screen is cracked! This weekend has been totally horrible. Stranded, son's ticket non-refundable, my ticket a hoax, and now I have to pay to fix my phone.

The clerk behind the counter took one look at the dog and said "Your dog cannot fly." Astonished, I replied "Excuse me? I had cleared it with customer service before booking the flight. I have flown with this dog many times before." She stated, "His vest states In Training and per our policy, we cannot accept dogs in training." Still not believing what we were hearing, I quoted her the ADA Federal Law. She was not moved. When my husband said he can just take the tag off, because we grabbed his old vest when leaving in the morning, and that he had flown with the same vest several times prior. She said "Sorry, that is our policy." We then asked to speak to her supervisor.

The clerk was gone for several minutes, obviously explaining what was going on to her supervisor. The supervisor, a black lady with an attitude, came up to us, took one look at the dog and said, "Your dog cannot fly! I am sorry but that is our policy." Again, we explained ADA rules. She said "It does not matter. He is in training and we do not allow dogs in training on the plane." We informed her that "He is not in training, is certified, and that I had my doctor's prescription allowing me to travel with a Service Dog, that we had flown several times with the same dog before, and on Southwest." She proceeded to check our flight history! And when we did not get anywhere with her, we asked for her supervisor.

Well our request was rewarded about 15 minutes later with not just one, but two apparent supervisors. They introduced themselves to us, and we asked to be taken to a more private spot because we were now a spectacle. More so to other Southwest ticket clerks, in particular a Hispanic clerk who thought it’s her business to tell our clerk that "She was just following rules and not to worry. Southwest will stand behind her." This aggravated the both of us enough to tell the Hispanic clerk to mind her own business and get back to her post. She actually thought it appropriate to mouth off back to us. This was totally unacceptable! All while in full view and ear shot of hundreds of other people.

We felt humiliated and helpless. All the while, the dog did nothing wrong and acted the most professional as a well-trained animal should. The two supervisors asked to check our documentation (which is also a mistake). Then after speaking with the black supervisor, calling my doctor, requesting the dog’s documentation, we were told that they had called another supervisor by the name of James at their corporate headquarters in Dallas, TX, and he informed them to tell us we could not fly. We were escorted to the Delta Airline Ticket counter by the two supervisors to see if we could fly on that airline. We were told by one of the supervisors that we would be refunded our Southwest airfare and rewards points! Oh yay! Hope it didn't hurt.

Delta was more than happy to charge me $600.00 counter ticket price for a flight to Dulles, after a stopover in Detroit. My dog and I were graciously welcomed aboard, treated with utmost respect and professionalism. And when leaving the plane in Dulles, the pilot even asked if he could pet my dog, saying what a beautiful animal he was!

Although I had finally arrived at Washington Dulles five hours later than planned, I had missed my training seminar! Service Dogs are always in training. They require continuing education, just like licensed humans. Needless to say, he was a perfect gentleman while in flight, a seasoned traveler. There is much more to this incident, involving speaking with Southwest Airlines "Customer Relations" Department, who offered me a monumental amount of $150.00 as a "good faith" gesture to use towards my next flight on Southwest! You have got to be kidding. That, um, supervisor, I was told I would never fly Southwest Airlines again. I expect nothing less than an apology and my airfare refunded for my Delta flight. I was told "That would not happen." Well, again, here I was asking for that supervisor's supervisor.

Again, this is not over, and I intend to let as many people know that Southwest Airlines is not Service Dog friendly. Do not fly with a company that does not follow Federal Laws! If they can disregard the mere act of flying with a Service Dog, then what else do they think they are mightier than thou to disregard? Perhaps overhauling a jet engine every so many hours? Or, then maybe there is another supervisor somewhere that will continue the practice of the employees sticking together on an issue, and screwing over the very people that pay their salaries! I wonder if Southwest supports PETA. Or, maybe Southwest needs to have all their employees read their mission statement and follow their own rules.

When the plane was on the runway, somebody was calling my husband on his phone. He took it out of his pocket and was trying to turn it off. At the same time, another passenger started screaming that my husband's phone was on and called the stewardess. I repeated to the passenger what she was saying and then told her, "I know. He is turning it off and mind your own business." The stewardess got up, told my husband that when they meant off, it means no current going through the unit. My husband tried to show her how he turned his phone off and tried to explain that was an honest mistake that he really thought it was off. She snatched the phone out of my husband's hand, turned it off, and told him that if we were at the gate, she would have taken him back and that she could turn the plane around.

After a few minutes, she came back and told us that she would not turn the plane around but she would have some officers meet at Newark. I tried to talk to her and she just walked away from me, leaving me with the words in my mouth. I told her that it seems that she was very badly educated. When it was time for her to go around and ask passenger what they would like to drink (we were sitting on the second row in the front), she asked all passengers except us. When she heard my husband telling me if I saw what she did, that she walked by us not even asking us if we would like something to drink in an over-four-hour flight; she came back and asked. Why? Because we are Hispanic?

By the time she came back, the mental damage was done. Now one of the safety rules is that no passenger can stand by the lavatory near the cabin waiting for it to become available. There was a ** lady standing right next to her waiting for the lavatory to become vacant and she did not say anything. This means rules only apply to certain races. When we arrived at Newark, there were four law enforcement officers waiting for us at the gate. Now the question is, why? If after all it was not my phone that was on and now there is a report under my name. When we got home, after almost 24 hours of not sleeping because we had to stay with the officers and give our version of events, we were feeling dehydrated, physically and mentally exhausted.

On both flights, I had no problem with the person next to me (two seats over) using my second seat to sit down their laptop, books, food, and even putting the arm rest up and using it to lounge, putting their long legs in the center seat. I was in the window seat on both flights sitting comfortably in one seat. Why was I made to buy two seats? Was it because the flight was undersold and they knew it? Was it because they were trying to sell more tickets? I think so. This "Customers of Size" policy is a moneymaker for SWA to sell more seats and fly fewer people on each flight. It is not applied equally to all people of size. The policy is open to interpretation and definitely not applied to all or even interpreted equally to all. I am angered because they told me that I was disabled, disabled for being "a customer of size." I was also put on public display and discriminated against. I was browbeaten by the ticket agent who was talking down to me and loud enough for everyone in the line behind me to hear.

SWA said they are refunding the second seat on both flights but have done nothing to apologize for the reprimands, the embarrassment, the discrimination, and especially their fraudulent act of making only certain "people of size" to buy two seats to fly, or deny service. Why was I singled out when larger passengers were not? The ticket agent refused to check my bag too even after I complied and got the second ticket. I was not going to fight with them and decided to pursue the matter after my trip. I filed a concern with the manager for SWA at BWI to note my dissatisfaction and he told me that I would be refunded if they do not sell all of the seats on the flight. Fraud, that is what I thought. Discrimination is what I felt along with embarrassment and anger for being labeled a disabled person.

I understand that Southwest is renting space; but just like an apartment where you live and welcome visitors, if the landlord does not maintain the place, you have a choice: live in squalor or clean it up. Southwest, you need to roll up your sleeves and give it a good scrub. No excuses! BWI is so much better... that is until you get to the baggage experience. I have been flying with Southwest for many years and baggage service is always an issue. At BWI, slow is putting it kindly. Two issues: 1) How hard would it be to implement A-list baggage check-in? It seems ridiculous to make the business traveler wade through all the tourists just to check a bag. You have A-list security check-in, so surely this would be an easier proposition; 2) Retrieving baggage has become more ridiculous over the past month. No announcements are being made timely advising us of the status. How hard is it to make an announcement? If the carousel sign stops broadcasting, an announcement should be made as to the new location or the issue. I’ve learned to just trawl the baggage carousels and look for my bag. Most of the time, it’s not on the carousel that’s posted for my flight. Why?

And what takes so long to unload the bags? I learned to look for my bag after waiting an hour or more each week after a weekly delayed flight and from another passenger, not a Southwest customer service representative. Last evening, after an extensive delay, again no announcement was made, even after the flight was removed from the sign over carousel 5. Rather, after 1 hour or more wait after the plane had landed, when it became obvious we were not going to receive bags anytime soon, we approached the desk. We were told to get in line (another line after spending hours in LGA in line) and we would be taken care of. Now, this is after being delayed more than 5 hours. The last thing business travelers want is to wait in another line. A man got very agitated; and only then did I overhear that bags were not on any carousel, but in some holding area. I approached the area after being directed by other passengers and finally had my bag. Sketchy service here.

Southwest is the "official" airline of the Essence festival, so Erinn wasn't surprised to find the terminal more crowded than she had ever seen it before. The final leg of the group's flight back home was delayed for an additional 20 minutes. Erinn said she took that time to charge her phone, use the bathroom, and buy a beer along with her coworker at Buffalo Wild Wings, which she took with her to the boarding gate in a clear plastic cup.

Back at the gate, Erinn said she noticed that the employees seemed "frustrated" about having to deal with the last-minute gate changes and standby issues. When she approached the counter to inquire about the status of her flight, a customer service representative told Erinn that her flight would board in ten minutes but that Erinn would not be on it because she was too drunk to fly.

"I initially thought she was joking, as I was not drunk or under the influence of any substance," Erinn said. She told her daughter and colleagues to go ahead and board the plane, assuming that the situation would clear up as soon as she made it clear that she wasn't wasted and offered to recite the Gettysburg address or to say the alphabet backwards to prove that she was sober. In response, the Southwest employee asked Erinn if she was on medication. Erinn told her she took pills for ADHD, and the rep told her she shouldn't have mixed medication with alcohol, a fact she knew because her son has ADHD. (Okay, thanks, doc.)

The employee gave Erinn a partial Hilton hotel voucher (She still had to pay $59.99.) and asked if she wanted to call the police. Definitely, Erinn said. But, according to Erinn, the police officer who arrived at the scene told her the airline had the right to refuse service to passengers and, even though he could tell she wasn't drunk, he couldn't give her a breathalyzer because they're only used in traffic situations. An observer urged Erinn to go to a nearby hospital and get a toxicology test to prove her sobriety.

Erinn's daughter got off the plane and joined her mother, and they went to the hospital for a toxicology test. Erinn had a point to prove. As you can see from the photo of the report, provided to us by Erinn, her blood alcohol level was <.003 only a few hours after the incident, meaning that she was sober and even if her blood alcohol level was higher at the gate and had dropped during the time between the incident and the test. It's unlikely to have dropped by a factor of, say, 20.

Erinn told us that she's racked her brain, trying to figure out why she was publicly singled out and is convinced that it's because Southwest couldn't handle the extra business from the festival and had to come up with some way to get people off the flight since she was limping due to leg pain and had a cup of beer in her hand. She was an easy target. "I felt so disempowered as a patron, customer, and a citizen," Erinn said. "I just couldn't believe this mistreatment could be legal."

However, Southwest spokesperson Brad told us a completely different story. According to Brad, four different employees, including the captain himself, observed the incident and decided together based on the fact that Erinn was stumbling, slurring her speech. Erinn contends she was limping due to injury, and the next day, she was provided with a wheelchair to the gate. Also, Erinn attributed the "slurred speech" to her Pittsburgh accent.

After missing my flight, I went back to terminal B to the Southwest counter. I told the employee that I have work the very next day and I really need to get a flight to Sacramento. The employee said that there was another flight going to Sacramento that very night at 9:55PM. It was also the last flight going out to Sacramento and it was for sure going to be available for me to get on, but when I got to the terminal, the flight attendant said they were already full. It wasted my time running from terminal B to terminal C again. I went back to the Southwest counter and told them they lied about having a seat for me on that plane, their last resort was for me to catch the first flight the next morning at 6:15AM to Sacramento.

This made me very angry that I had to contact my workplace the next morning that I was stuck at Las Vegas Airport waiting for a flight coming home. This made me lose my work hours and it also ruined my attendance for work. I am very disappointed in how Southwest let their employees mislead customers into thinking that they are guaranteed a spot on a plane that was already full. Also, they do not hold planes for their customers that have a connected flight even though it was their fault for getting held up for half an hour on the runway.

Realizing I would miss my connection in Denver to Ontario, I immediately went to the gate to see if I could make other arrangements to get home that night. I have been in Michigan for 3 weeks due to my mom's passing and I needed to get back to work on Monday for an important client meeting. When I finally got a chance to talk to the Southwest Airlines employees at the gate, I found out it was a mechanical problem that caused the second delay. I explained my situation and asked if there was any possible way I could get home that night. The Southwest Airlines employee very coldly and in a rude tone said, "You have two choices: you can spend the night in Detroit or Denver and get back tomorrow." I asked if I could get put on another airline. She once again rudely responded, "I gave you your choices, but I can't stop you from cancelling you Southwest ticket and try your luck finding another flight with another airline, your choice."

I inquired why our flight couldn't take the plane that was going out with no further connections that night and then we could take their plane. They would get in late, but that way, everyone gets home that night. The Southwest Airlines employee was once again rude and said, "I told you before, you have two choices, you can spend the night in Detroit or Denver. If you don't want to take either offer, get out of line so I can help the next person in line!" I can only imagine if your employee was ever treated like that, she would not have liked it one bit. In all the years of air travel, I have never been so rudely treated. I was shocked at her approach to her customers. I was rudely treated by a US Airways employee about 4 years ago and have not flown them since.

As she was filling out the Denver Double Tree Hotel paperwork, I asked about my baggage and meals. She just chuckled at the meals question. Regarding the bags, she said, "Well, it's just going to stay on the plane and you won't have access to your bags." This didn't seem right to me since the plane was going on to Spokane. When I made that comment, she just responded, "I'm not sure then. You'll find out when you get to Denver then." So I called my wife and asked her to check with Southwest Airlines customer service. I got the hotel voucher and only one of my boarding passes for the Denver to Las Vegas leg the next morning, but not the Las Vegas to Ontario leg. I asked, "How can I get my other boarding pass, do I just enter in the new confirmation number on the top of the receipt you gave me?" She said, "Not sure, you can try that," and then directed me out of the line so she could help the person behind me.

I walked away very upset due to the rude treatment and the fact that I was given no straight answer to any of my questions. I went down to an empty area of the terminal to call my wife. I explained what happened and she couldn't believe how rudely I was treated. She said she did talk to customer service and they said your bags will likely come off the plane but they were not sure and to talk to the Southwest employees at the gate. It was obvious no one at Southwest was in the mood to help out its passengers that night. Apparently, as I was talking to my wife on the phone, there was a Southwest flight attendant sitting on the other side of a pole. She must have heard me and got up and came around the pole and said, "I am really sorry about what happened to you, you should not have been treated that way." Her name was Tracey (spelling?) and was the first Southwest employee to say sorry about what happened and gave me a couple of drink coupons. It just so happens she was working the flight I was about to get on and she really took care of us on that flight. She saved Southwest from having a 100% complete breakdown in customer service and compassion. She was awesome.

I wish I could say Southwest was done screwing up that night, but the poor customer service continued. As I was waiting to board, I asked the Southwest employee at the gate taking boarding passes about the baggage situation since the gals working the front desk and customer service were of no help. He got on the microphone and made an announcement that bags will come off the plane and you can decide to pick them up or let them spin around in baggage claim until someone grabs them and put them in a secure area. They will make sure they get to where they need to get to the next day. I was not thrilled about this so I decided I would grab my bags. I then asked him if Southwest employees in Denver and the hotel were alerted to what was going on in Detroit. He said yes and that a Southwest customer service person will be waiting at the gate to give instructions regarding the bags and hotel.

As people were boarding, he was cracking jokes to cheer people up. No one was in the mood since everyone just wanted to get straight answers and get home and some of his jokes were inappropriate. Upon arriving in Denver, no Southwest customer service was available at the gate or in the baggage claim to guide and help stranded passengers. Southwest was way understaffed to handle the situation and once you did get someone's attention, the information given was wrong. Southwest employee in baggage claim sent me and others to the wrong side of the airport to pick up the Double Tree shuttle. So when I did find the shuttle after walking all over the airport with heavy bags, the driver barely spoke English and said, "No, this not the right shuttle.” Fortunately, there were other Southwest passengers on the shuttle who yelled out, "Don't listen to him, this is the right shuttle, get on!"

Once on the packed shuttle with no working ventilation, we were subjected to a 40-minute road trip in a crammed shuttle to the Double Tree, not far from the Denver city limit passing closer hotels on the way. Once at the hotel, we walked in to the lobby only to encounter a line of 20 plus people trying to check in. After standing in that line for almost 30 minutes, I was finally in my room at about 12:30PM. After getting in to my room, I called Southwest Airlines regarding getting a boarding pass for my Las Vegas to Ontario flight the next day. The Southwest Airlines representative (identified himself as Chris employee #**) indicated there was nothing he could do for me. He was not able to locate my reservation for the Las Vegas to Ontario flight that the Southwest gate personnel in Detroit told me I had a seat on. In addition, he told me that my original confirmation number and the confirmation number on the receipt given to me in Detroit were no longer valid and not found, respectively.

Chris said he was unable to help me and that the customer service folks who could help me are gone for the day. He said to discuss with Southwest representative at the airport when I get there in the morning. So as of 2:00AM, I still didn't know if I have a seat on the Las Vegas to Ontario flight later that day. I woke up at 6:00AM and went on the 40-minute shuttle ride back to the airport. Once at the airport, went to the main Southwest counter to try and get a seat for the Las Vegas to Ontario flight so I can get home. Once again, Southwest representatives said they can't find my reservation for this flight. However, this time, the Southwest employee made an effort to help me and made a few phone calls. After a few calls, I finally got my boarding pass and about 13 hours after meeting with Southwest representatives in Detroit, I had hope I was going to get home.

I see this as a complete customer service failure on Southwest Airlines' part. Southwest Airlines should be ashamed of the rude behavior, the misinformation, the lack of information and the lack of motivation to help customers. This is one of those what not to do cases your employees should be aware of. I missed a critical day at work and I suspect my boss is still upset about it. I have provided my contact information below and would like Southwest to contact me on how they plan to address this customer service failure.

Thank goodness, the nice gentleman in N.C figured it out! When we finally made it home, we were thankful our luggage made it too until we took it off the carousel to see a big hole in the front of the luggage and a big tear on the side! Took it to the baggage claim; he looked at it, said he had seen nothing wrong (with my brand new luggage just bought before this trip). I showed him the big hole. He said, "Yea, that's a manufacturer's defect. I can't help. They didn't make luggage that can travel"!

From the looks of the above complaints, it looks like the people working for Southwest have a defect in customer service! They have no respect for their customers or their property. They are by far the worst airline I have ever dealt with!

Upon asking Southwest for a replacement, I was told they wouldn't cover it because it was an electronic device similar to a camera or laptop. This is ridiculous. Two suitcases ruined in one round trip and the least they could do, since they apparently aren't going to train their staff better or fix the conveyor belt that they are blaming, is replace the one item for which we submitted a request. Incidentally, this is in fact the 3rd suitcase they have ruined as on the last flight we flew Southwest (last August), they also ripped a suitcase and then duct taped it back together telling us it was still functional. We didn't get a replacement for that one.

I am angry because the customer relations agent said there was no way I could get a refund, but could dispute my credit card bill. That has already been paid! My confirmation # is **. We traveled on April 2 and 9, round trip STL RSW. I think that I am due a refund. Thank you for attending to this matter in a reasonable time.

Is this the way you treat the customers? I always opt for Southwest Airlines for my traveling, but this time, I faced a lot of trouble due to the delay. I was expecting a great help from you guys in such cases, but was completely dissatisfied. I am expecting an immediate response to this complaint and greatly appreciate if you people could refund my extra traveling expenses I have spent on this trip.

This is the most unethical business practices I have ever seen. I work for a multi-billion dollar corporation and I will make sure I influence my company not use Southwest for business travels. Maybe that will hit their pocket and gain some business ethics. I hope it hurts their finances the way it impacts their customers. I sent out a national wide email within my company not to use Southwest due to poor customer appreciation and unethical business practices. I have one administrator looking at other airlines already.

A business is built on not only by advertisement but by recommendations. Also, most business transactions you have 3 days to change or decide if you do not want them. I don’t know how Southwest Airlines get away with keeping someone’s money especially if they really need it. I am so disappointed.

I thought that maybe the 9 that I still received credit for would be worth something. It turns out even if I bought more points to make up the difference, it would cost more to buy the points than pay cash for a round trip ticket from San Diego to Denver. What a rip off. What's sad is that neither the customer service department nor investor relations (I am a financial advisor with a large Wall Street firm) will do anything to amend this. I will say this, I will never recommend SWA as an investment for any of my clients or portfolios! If it's all about the shareholder, well then, you just lost a ton.

Departed BWI on Sunday, January 15, 2012, 12:40 PM, flight # 2286 to Norfolk. I arrived at BWI at 10:30 am and checked in at curbside almost immediately. There was only one person in line ahead of me, and two people were working curbside check in. However, Security A & B was backed up at least 50 people. Only one security line was open. My flight was on time, but my luggage failed to arrive in Norfolk. After waiting a while, I realized my luggage was not coming down the conveyor. I reported it to the baggage claim person. There were three others whose luggage did not make it to the airport also. I was told to call later in the afternoon and they would deliver it to my hotel if it came in on the next flight. My luggage arrived at my hotel 5:00 pm that evening.

Return flight, Wednesday, January 18, 2012, Flight #200, 9:50 am from ORF. I arrived at the airport at 9:00 am. There was one man working curbside check in. He was assisting a woman and man, who were in the wheel chair. I waited because I thought another employee would come out to help. He did see the line forming but did not say anything to any of us. I was wondering why he did not call for more help. After thinking he was walking back to his post to assist us, he was side tracked again. At this point, I decided I had better go inside, only to find out there were people waiting. My bag was finally checked in at 9:25 am and labeled late check in, which I was unaware of at the time. After waiting at baggage claim almost 20 minutes, an announcement was made that the carousel it was coming on was changed, so I moved up to the newly assigned one. My luggage never arrived in BWI with me. I was told that it was checked in late and that was the reason it was not there. I had to make a special trip late that night to pick up my luggage.

I was told that evening when I went to pick my luggage, that if bags are not checked in 30 minutes prior to takeoff, this is the normal outcome. My bag was checked in 25 minutes prior. This to me seems unacceptable considering there are not enough people checking bags at the airport that their customers are treated this way.

Also, another point I want to make is the airlines and airports advertise the time you need to board before being left behind but there is no mention of bag checking times and this should be emphasized to customers. I felt I was unjustly treated for something that I do not consider my fault at Norfolk airport.

After opening my bag that evening at home, I noticed that my bag was not packed the same way, when I packed it that morning. What was on top was now on the bottom. It appeared to have been opened or it must have really been thrown around. I know from past experience that a note is left in the bag if it is opened for inspection. This time, no note of a search other than my belongings was out of place. I am left to think, was this why my bag was late? Because it was searched or did my contents get spilled out and thrown back in by personnel?

I at least travel every other month with Southwest because they are reliable, prices are competitive, and I do like the pilots and flight attendants who are friendly and keep us informed. I hope this is not going to be normal treatment for their customers. I realize all businesses are cutting back on staff, but it is monumental when a person’s luggage does not make it back with the person.

I called again in January 18th and told them I was trying to book a flight to Vegas in February. They assured me I would have it within 24 hrs, I even gave them a different email address. I did not receive it the next day and called back and they said it was in process, but could take up to 48hrs. Again, never received it. I called today (Thursday) one week later and they said they sent it.

Now they are mailing it to me. The flights have gone up $160-$200 since last Monday when I wanted to book the flight. Also, I was told there was no expiration date on this new voucher, but was informed that it expires in March of this year! Southwest will not honor their credits and they put you off until the voucher expires! They should not be able to blow people off like that. I can't speak with a supervisor, nor will they have one call me back!

The gentleman who helped me told me to call after Dec 10th, actually Monday right after my ticket expires and they will give me extension. So I ended up not using the voucher and let it expire and then called them. First a lady tried to issue me a new voucher but then she said she cannot then transferred me to different department and I had to be on hold for half an hour. Then they told me because the voucher is expired, they cannot do anything and cannot even refund the money because it is attached to the voucher. I asked to talk to their manger. She came to the phone extremely rude, constantly cut me off and finally said sorry for the inconvenience but it is what it is. "Our employee gave you wrong information and we'll make sure he gets the right guidance," and she hang up on me.

I basically lost $304 worth of ticket that I could spend going to Arizona if I was not given wrong information. Secondly, I understand my voucher is expired but why the money I just spent on my credit card cannot be refunded? And the worst is how she talked to me and treated me, made me so stressed out and ruined my whole day. I am so frustrated and angry. I will try to dispute through my credit card and will never travel with Southwest even though it's been my favorite airline so far and I will let all my friends and family know what happened to me.

This, after writing to them, with plenty of time ahead, to let them know the reward was going to expire, and that I need their help before it does. A week later they contacted me. A day after my reward expired, and now I have to pay $50. I've been a customer for over 15 years. I hope this $100 in revenue is worth losing me as a customer. I think this is a slippery slope they're on. I miss Herb! I am out $100 because of their own admission, that this new program is confusing, and because they waited until the day after one of my rewards expired to contact me. Shame on them!

Southwest claims that their website is secure. Well, beware. Someone knows how to hack their system. They refuse to give us our money back. I explained to them that what they are saying is “someone stole our credit card number”. I called the credit card company to inquire if we booked any flights on an airline. The credit card company gave them the info for Southwest and that is how they changed the flight. The only thing they did with the credit card is change the flight. This is beyond belief! Either their web is not secure or someone at Southwest knows the person and gave them our ticket. You decide which you think is more reasonable. Don't forget this is a 'non transferable' ticket. I even wrote to Gary Kelly, the CEO, at his home and he has done nothing.

I was standing at the counter at the time and he looked right at me and this other lady ran up to the counter and said she would like to take those two seats on another flight into Salt Lake at a later time. I spoke up and said that I was there first and he just looked at me as if I were crazy. I am feeling that he profiled me because I wasn't dressed up. I was very casual. If you have a camera system in the area, you should take a look. That really hurt my feelings and I feel as if he owes me a personal apology. Not asking for anything but for him to acknowledge, he totally ignored me when I was at the counter first.

My daughter called the 24 hour line on Tuesday Nov. 1, 2011. She was told by a lady that her suit case had been found and that she could have it delivered or she could go to the airport to pick it up. She chose to go to the airport the morning of Nov. 2,2011 to pick it up. She was then told that it actually had been found, but that it was not at the airport there in Austin yet. The person told my daughter that when it arrived at the airport that they would deliver it to her by 2:00pm that day. My daughter needed to go to work @ 3:00pm and called to see where the suit case was. The lady told her that it had been delivered and signed for @ 2:06. The guy that delivered it took it to the wrong address! After my daughter called to check on it, he went back and picked it up and re-delivered it to my daughter. Are you kidding me? This is completely unacceptable! She was given a $50.00 voucher towards her next airfare. That's it? I want my daughter to be compensated for her inconvenience!

It took me a while to get the attention of one of the two ladies that were discussing unrelated issues. When the lady finally showed up she told me that there was nothing she could do, their policy is that as long as the suitcase can hold merchandise it is not considered damaged. When I asked for a manager she told me she was in charge, so I asked for the corporate contact, at that time she finally told me that she could file a courtesy form and that wasn't going to do anything for us. I told her I need someone responsible to look at my suitcase and my wrinkled/dirtied sweaters. Once again she told me that as long as the suitcase holds stuff, then it is not considered damaged.

I am writing to the Southwest office expecting a follow thorough and an answer. I am also considering to write the consumer affair and any agency that monitors airline customer service. I like to be compensated for my damaged luggage and sweater.

We missed our flight and needed to get a hotel in Seattle.

I have made police reports, contacted both TSA and Southwest, as well as a few other agencies. Southwest has still not come to a conclusion on this incident and my business is suffering due to their shady employee with sticky fingers.

On television, they look like a great company. But when it comes down to trying to contact them with a problem, the only decent employee they have that responded to my case was via Twitter. Unfortunately, the thief is still employed by Southwest or TSA because of their slow process in investigating this theft and is most likely still stealing from passenger's checked luggage at Midway in Chicago.

After cancelling the flight and attempting to rebook, I was prompted (online) that I cannot change the passenger's name on the flight even though it was all along my credit card info and that my Southwest account is out of credit, absolutely zero dollars! Further, there is no difference whether I fly, she were to fly, or if I bought the fare for someone else as it's a designated "seat" that I'm buying, not the person.

I am not requesting for me to be refunded the amount of the purchase in cash/check, but simply to apply it to future travels on Southwest. I understand their business must operate on guaranteed revenue and thus my reasoning for not asking for a direct refund, but simply a credit towards flights that I can use. Under the current policy, I have no plans whatsoever of booking a flight again for this particular person nor do I have any recourse of recovering the funds from her for the ticket - thus Southwest is, in my opinion, unfairly "holding" nearly $500 that will never be used in the future.

I explained the situation to the customer service line on 9/20/11, who escalated me to customer relations in Dallas. After holding and recalling for approximately 1.5 hrs, I was basically told "too bad" and they couldn't care less that I paid for the ticket and desired a refund. I also wrote their corporate office but received an auto-reply message basically stating they may or may not get back to me.

Please feel free to contact me with regard to specific questions or if I did not provide adequate clarity.

Jeff

My fiancé told the lady that we needed to cancel a ticket; he gave all appropriate information and before he had a chance to ask what our options were, she says that the ticket has been cancelled and that it's non-refundable and non-transferable. So now, my sister has a credit for a future airline ticket that she didn't purchase. I am extremely upset about this. She didn't pay for it; we did and we should have received the credit. Unfortunately, we are using Southwest for our honeymoon trip but after this trip, I will never use Southwest again. Refunds and credits should be issued to the person who purchased the ticket and not on whose name it is in.

Now, I am out of the money that I used to purchase for the ticket and I can't even use a credit towards another airline ticket in the future. I don't make very much money and I had worked hard for that money to do something nice for my family since they live in Portland, Oregon and I am in Trenton, Missouri, and they don't have money either. It wouldn't be a big deal if I was loaded.

Southwest needs to change their policies.

On our return flight from Kansas City and when the pilot landed the plane in Phoenix, he was traveling too fast, and landed hard. Inside, we were jostled left and right, until the reverse thrust and brakes sufficiently slowed the plane. After touching down, the wheels made a sound like the plane was not completely on the runway, but of course we have no proof of that being the case.

The flight attendant had to diffuse the situation by telling the supervisor that the passenger was OK. When asked about the policy of paying for an extra seat when making a reservation, the customer service agent at the gate said: "It's online but you have to look for it". This was a horrible breakdown in the usual great customer service we come to expect from Southwest. Especially since the supervisor and gate agent didn't humble themselves to apologize for humiliating one of their passengers.

Leaving it up to a gate agent to eyeball and size up passengers for whom they deem should take up two seats is not a fair way to apply this policy. The flight wasn't full so even if the passenger was a little heavy, there was no reason to single her out. What about the comfort of other passengers when crying babies disturb them or another passenger has had too much to drink or smells? Where does the fairness of "who should pay an additional fee" rest? This situation of allowing gate agents to discriminate at will has to be addressed and ceased. I am counting on Southwest to do the right thing.

We are traveling to my father's funeral and this delay will require us to get a hotel in Dallas before completing our travel tomorrow by car.

It would have been cheaper to cancel his existing reservation, take the credit, then pay the $250 for their full fare 90-minute flight!

Then, she came back and waved her hand in my face again, so I pulled my ear buds and she was again snapping her fingers and saying, "Sir, sir, sir, are you with me here," in an awful and condescending tone that was enough to embarrass me and catch the attention of half the cabin in fear that there was probably something terror-like happening. The woman at hand here seems to be very overwhelmed and under-qualified to manage stress on the job, as if that were even possible as an attendant. She demanded something of me that I didn't understand and was pointing at the seat next to me saying, "Move it up. That seat needs to moved forward." Very confused, I tried to locate the button while my hands were already full and she then leaned in and said, "Here, I will get it," and exhaled with disgust while shoving my hand aside.

I was absolutely shocked by and displeased by this behavior. I normally choose a different carrier due to the fact that I fly for business weekly and we use a corporate account, but on this particular day I booked the flight myself due to the fact that I'm trying to escape from my work for a week, so I personally booked this because your rates were $10 less than your competitors and you offered free luggage check in. Also, I booked a non-stop from Portland to San Diego and a non-stop back from San Diego to Portland, but on the way down to San Diego, we were set down in Sacramento where the experience grew after staff changed poles.

I'm not sure what kind of pow-wow you guys need to have with her, but I feel unhappy enough to ask for a full refund and maybe some sort of nice corporate gesture on top of the refund. When issues between my staff and client come up, I immediately speak with my staff in question while immediately refunding without the client asking and compromising their next visit to our business. Whether my staff insists on it not happening the way of the complaint, I impress the fact that there are always two sides of the story and listening with a solution is the safest choice and the professional choice.

Again, I pretty shocked, and as of right now, I will not re-book with Southwest. I will most likely be booking a return flight with another carrier for the 6th of February. Thank you for your time and for listening.

I have witnesses whom I have never met until today and will be filing the appropriate complaints with my state's "Equal Opportunity offices" and will be contacting several people in the National media to be heard. I will not stop and refuse to be discriminated against. I will not tolerate discrimination due to my disability! I will not be 'talked down to' because of my disability! I will not be treated as a second class citizen by any airline or it's employees. This will not be tolerated by me - period. I will be contacting every media outlet that will hear me out, as well as all social media available (i.e. Facebook, twitter, national media television programming shows, local news stations, as well as all National Disability advocate and ADA groups.)

Furthermore, my complaint is also regarding this employee while she was boarding early passengers holding the "blue" early board passes. I was holding an early board pass due to the fact that I use a wheelchair and have a permanent disability. I have flown Southwest several times and understand completely all the "rules" regarding early boarding. I am also an intelligent, educated 41 year old professional. This Southwest employee named Vanu, literally began scolding me as I approached the front of the line to board early. Keep in mind, I was on time to board early. Previous Southwest employees instructed me to be back there in 25 minutes at 10:10am - to board early. I was there at 10:05am! I tried to explain this to Vanu, but she did not want to hear it! Instead, she continued to yell at me in front of all the passengers, like I was an incompetent child. She also refused to help me down the ramp and would not help me with my bags. I dropped them from my lap several times and she refused to help pick them up. I have at least two witnesses that heard some of this and offered their names immediately - in case I wanted to file a complaint against this employee.

Vanu continued to raise her voice scolding me, saying "that being in a wheelchair I should know better and to be early". I want to reiterate that I was early. Next, she told me since I was late that she would not help me to get into my seat on the plane. She said I would have to "figure it out on my own". She very rudely refused to assist me. In short, I am very very embarrassed, felt discriminated, angry and simply disgusted by the behavior of your employee. You should be ashamed. I would like to suggest that you send your employees to a more informative customer service and anger management training, before something worse happens! This situation was heard and witnessed by several passengers and I was told that they were very put off by this behavior.

If Vanu would have actually gotten physical with me, you would have a major lawsuit on your hands. In fact, since I do have witnesses, I will be filing some type of lawsuit against Southwest Airlines. I will contact everyone in National media relentlessly, until I am heard! I will not stop. This caused me a great deal of embarrassment, anxiety and fear. My vacation was ruined due to your airline and your employee. She was so rude and loud that I wasn't sure if she was going to escalate the situation in a more physical manner. Also, I believe Southwest should not have refused to assist me to get onto the airplane and into my seat from my wheelchair. That was unsafe and degrading, to say the least. I am a "paraplegic" and cannot walk at all. Yet, your employee refused to help me. This is called discrimination. She told me to "figure it out on my own". Then we will see, that's exactly what I will do now.

What is so frustrating is the fact that her plane from Chicago did continue to fly out, according to the flight status report and the confirmation by a representative on the phone today. What compensation did she get? $50.00 towards her next ticket. She told them that she will never fly with them again, and they said, "Okay, then we won't send you anything!"

So, to top it all off, it is currently 12:00 am in Chicago and my sister just called me here in Colorado, telling me that her flight was canceled due to maintenance and she had to spend the night there. They provided no coats and all food courts are closed. She is alone and scared. I feel so bad for her because I purchased the ticket only because the luggage was free. What a scam!

I was given a Customer Care phone number, 214-932-0333, where I was told exactly the same thing by Brandy, who is an assistant to the President, Gary Kelly. I explained that the original rep, and all reps, should have made the actual policy clear. She replied that it was my responsibility to read the company policy when I booked the flight online, and would not relent. I am stuck flying three legs with Southwest, and paying for another which I cannot utilize. I am writing this so that others will know of the policy but, more importantly, to reveal the true nature of Southwest Air - which is not to treat customers with courtesy and understanding. By being literal and dogmatic, they have created bad will and karma. I hope never to use them again, and wish that you, too, will boycott Southwest and call the Customer Care number above and let Gary Kelly's assistants know that Southwest's deceptive practices render them no better than the rest of their unethical and inhumane competitors.

I explained to the Flight attendants our situation and they eventually moved my wife, trading seats with the man's wife who had been split from him because of late boarding due to the connect being late. The flight attendants were great and explained the man's condition should have been known to them before he boarded. One attendant stated she asked the person who wheeled the man onto plane if he (the passenger) shouldn't have been something like a special case passenger (the proper name she used, I don't know). This seems to me to be a problem of the boarding personnel, not the attendants. They did all in their power to accommodate my wife for our inconvinience.

However, something needs to be done to ensure the comfort and safety of all passengers. This was Southwest flight # **** from LAS to CMH, 12/11/2010. I would like to make a formal complaint to the Airlines. I have the attendants' names and their numbers and their permission to use them if needed. I need help with certain tasks and rely on my wife. With her sitting in back of plane and myself in front, I had to rely on attendants, who were outstanding, which is unfair to others.

Now I'm freaking out?! Why can't they get a piece of luggage from the check-in place to the plane in almost an hour? It was always 20 minutes before flight time that's considered 'late check in'--When did they change it to an hour? So now by the time I get thru security, I am the 4th to last person getting to the plane, so it was not just me that was running behind.

Now every single overhead compartment is full! And I have to carry on my medications. They need to be within my eyesight at all times. Of course the attendant grabs the bag and tries to shove it in some compartment towards the back of the plane. Now getting to Baltimore, I get off one plane, and immediately proceed to the next scheduled S.W. flight to Long Island. I see all these people in a line waiting to board a plane; I ask the S.W. attendant at the counter {w/my boarding pass}, "is that the line for boarding--are we ready to get on the next plane now?”

She says "NO- we're not boarding -- goes over there and sit down". Instead of saying, "We will be boarding your aircraft in 5 minutes at 'etc. ' gate no. and it's right over there-->pointing." she sends me to sit down at a whole other gate, where I proceeded to freak out for the next 1/2 hour wondering when/if my luggage would ever find its way to NY.

Then I hear my name being paged, I run up to the S.W. counter and say, "I heard my name being paged.” She says "yeah, because you're supposed to be on the plane!” I had to run to a different gate, I was the last one on the plane, and one nice S.W. gentlemen was so kind--he said "We've saved a seat for you!. " But then to the S.W. female flight attendant on board, I was shakingly upset, "why did your rep send me to the wrong gate? Why wasn't I instructed to board? "

Blank stare then, of course, no overhead bins available for my meds. I just threw everything on the middle of the aisle of the aircraft, threw up my hands, and cried! "That IS IT!” I said, "I'm outta here!” Seeing how upset I was, she promised to take the extra step to ensure my carry on bag was securely stowed. But I was still so disturbed that I was 1 minute away from missing my connection, all because a S.W. flight attendant was too lazy to give me proper instructions. It was a genuinely harrowing experience flying Southwest, and being so used to flying Frontier lately, I guess I expected the same treatment out of S.W. NO, No, No--very different. I am so concerned about every flying S.W. again? Why are they good from N.Y. to Florida, but such a complete mess from Denver, and out of Baltimore?

My luggage was on the plane, not me. I told the lady, "you said the plane leaves at 6:50PM?". She said to me, "Oh, have you not done much flying in your life?". I was too stunned to reply and yes, I have done much flying in my life and never have I ever had this happen to me. I was in shock and then started to cry. I got to the airport one hour early and now, I'm stranded at the PCB with my luggage on a plane and no more flights are going out today. I asked the lady, "if they canceled the delay you told me about, then why didn't they make an intercom announcement?". The lady stated that they probably did make an announcement lifting the delay but since I had not crossed the security area yet, then I would not heard the announcement. Now, I'm even madder. Then the lady gave me a confirmation ticket for the next day air flight out to Nashville, my destination.

But this will top the cake. She then said, "But we won't charge you any extra". Ahhh! I'm thinking silently, "it is your (Southwest) fault and you aren't going to charge me extra when it was not my fault anyways?". Was I supposed to thank her for this remark after what all I have been through? She never apologized for screwing up. I was left with no motel, cab or luggage in this supposedly an international airport in the middle of nowhere. I am still furious with the way this was done. Oh, and the lady said, "this is how Southwest does it". This was a horrible experience and I hope it doesn't happen to others. I'm doubtful that I will trust Southwest to be in charge of my flight again. I feel that some sort of compensation should be awarded to me for my horrible experience.

What? We were livid departing with 35 passengers missing? The next flight out of BWI to JAX was 1 pm which did not depart until app 1:30. I had to wait 5 hrs due to both miss communication and inefficient employees not mechanical or weather related. Needless to say I missed my ride home from airport and missed my doctor appointment. I feel we should at least be compensated for this inconvenience.

Now husband goes to the doctors and has to go for surgery on September 1st. Southwest will not give us a refund or extension for later when he heals. We cannot afford to lose this money. They wouldn't even put it back on credit card, upsetting us more. Husband cannot afford this aggravation. Results: aggravation and funds we cannot afford. Please help us. Thank you.

What? We purposely didn't check any luggage in because our flight was arriving at 10 pm and my husband had to work the next morning, and we didn't want to spend any extra time waiting at baggage claim. Now we would have to waste our time waiting to retrieve that one piece of luggage. I tried telling the flight attendant that we had X amount of people in our group and were allowed X amount of carry-ons, but she rudely said, "move along, keep walking, thanks for understanding".

After we were seated, my husband went back and tried explaining that we were well within the allowable baggage count and that we wanted our luggage back. He was told there was nothing she could do, despite that fact that the luggage was within reach of my husband and the flight was not full. Needless to say, my son's asthma inhaler and other necessary items were in that confiscated carry-on. So now we are at our final destination, Milwaukee, and we go to baggage claim and of course, our luggage is not there.

We then spend another 45 minutes at the Southwest office trying to track and locate our one piece of luggage to no avail. 26 hours later, our one piece of luggage is delivered to our home. I start making calls to "customer relations" and after 10+ attempts of talking to the wrong people, busy signals, waiting and getting disconnected, etc., I finally get through the next day. I reiterate my story to the representative via a 16 minute one-sided conversation, and was told there was nothing they could do and offered me a very insincere and unapologetic quasi-apology and gave me a piece of advice..."next time tell the ticket agent that you have kids who can't carry luggage and that this person and this person will be carrying extra". What? Moral of the story? Don't fly on Southwest. If you do, load up your pockets with whatever you may need for the next day or two.

Within couple of minutes, they announced that please leave the aircraft, you will get a new aircraft on same terminal. Your flight is delayed by one+ hour. Our flight was given to some other passengers as their flight did not arrive. I felt that it is very unfair from Southwest management part. If there is some issue with the flight weather or something unavoidable, I can understand, but this was just a Hippocratic behavior from Southwest management.

Well heaven forbid I should need some assistance. She stormed at me and said, "well, use a credit card". I did and again this did not work. Pam made a very heavy sigh (I'm sure to make me feel stupid and incompetent; and it worked). I had checked my bag many times at Houston Hobby and it seems every ticket clerk is angry to be there and the clerks take it out on the passengers.

I have been working in Galveston since April and I will be traveling to Hobby many times, I just wished I looked forward to it. Pam informed me she did not have to give me her last name. I am dreading returning to Houston Hobby ticket counter.

So I called Southwest customer service and spoke with Sherrone, agent. She not only told me "tough luck" but is exceedingly rude on top of that! I basically got a big "***** *** buddy". I called back and spoke with another agent who had better phone mannerisms but basically gave me the same bottom line. Southwest would not help me even though the promotion had been reflected on my account for over a month and I had bought multiple flights under the illusion that this promotion applied to me. This is a classic bait and switch and would have cost Southwest absolutely nothing to fix. Even when I said I was going to file complaints, they refused to budge. I mean, when someone says they are going to file complaints, and all they are asking for is an existing promotion that would cost the company nothing (priority seating, really? ) you would think it would make sense for the company to try to help out. Not in this case. I asked to speak with the VP of customer relations, Jim ***, and they told me he was not and would not be available at any point.

I have a tape recording in which the FAA inspector states that even though he was provided with a date of flight and a SWA flight number (1127), there was no way for him to obtain the aircraft tail number from Southwest Airlines in which review aircraft maintenance records that would in fact prove that the aircraft was flown illegally without proper dispatch and without proper maintenance from Burbank to Las Vegas.

I have since obtained the aircraft tail number myself by going to the private fueling company who fueled our aircraft on the day in question. I have provided this information to the DOT who has not taken any action against SWA or the FAA. I also reported this incident to Congressman Jim Oberstar who conducted the Congressional hearings in 2008. I can confirm that Southwest Airlines has put profit ahead of safety, has knowingly put crew and passengers at unnecessary risk. I was retaliated against and forced to resign from Southwest Airlines. I lost my home and financial security as a result. This came after flying nearly 20 years with the U.S. Navy (without accident) and over seven years of flying with Southwest Airlines. Herb ** presented me with a written commendation for action taken during a emergency return at Bradley International (Smoke and Fumes in the cockpit, Flight 481, March 7, 2000)

I called my credit card company and they confirmed that my card showed the charge from Southwest Airlines. I called Southwest Airlines customer service to find out what the problem was. They said a fraud alert had been issued and to contact my credit card company. I called Visa and they updated my home phone number, which I believe did cause the alert to be issued. I then called Southwest again to tell them I had communicated the new information to Visa and to get them on a later flight that same day. I was told they could get on the 12:50 flight, so I called them and told them what I was told. They were to go back to the Southwest counter and that they would be issued tickets for that flight. They did and were told the tickets were not paid for again. The Southwest employee that they spoke with refused to talk with me on the phone to verify credit card information or to clear up the confusion.

Again, I called customer service and told them what happened. That representative kept me on the phone for thirty minutes while she worked on fixing the problem. She issued me new confirmation numbers for a flight for the next day. That same evening, I decided to call Southwest one more time to ensure that my relatives would get their tickets with no problems. Again, I was told that there was a hold on the tickets and that they would have to pay cash at the counter or provide the actual credit card for verification. At that point, I told the rep to remove all the credit card info and that I would wire them the cash. So not only was I grieving over a husband I had cherished for 44 years and planning his funeral, I also had to suffer through something as simple as getting airline tickets. Three times I was assured the problem was fixed and it was not.

Due to this airline's incompetence, I had to spend $86 to wire my sister the cash so they could get their tickets. They spent $24 on cab fare round trip to the airport the 20th and could not get tickets. I spent $45 driving to Dallas that morning and had to turn around and come back because of the problem. Then to top it all off, when they showed up on the 21st with cash, they were told the tickets were already paid so I wasted time going to the bank and $86 wiring money that they didn't need. When I called to try and get back some of the money I had to spend due to their errors, the best I was offered was a $75 voucher towards another ticket.

I was told if I could fax receipts to them, they would try to possibly credit my card back but that wasn't something they usually do. The only receipt I have is for the Western Union money transfer. If I had known beforehand, I would have gotten receipts for gas and had my sister do the same for their expenses but at the time we incurred those expenses, we never imagined that this nightmare would happen. Losing a spouse is a terrible experience and Southwest Airlines caused me so much additional pain. I do not understand why I was never contacted by Southwest when a problem showed up on the tickets. They had my email and current phone number. Offering a $75 voucher is not sufficient for the grief they caused. I think that after what they put me and my family through, they should at minimum discount me the $993.60 I paid for tickets.

Nightmare is when I got up early morning and brought my confirmed e-ticket to the airport on Feb 24, 2010. The lady told me that I should have a real ticket with me instead of this ticket. My confirmed e-ticket doesn’t have confirmed number. By then, my plane will leave in 25 minute before my security check. The lady with Southwest airline shows no sympathy and told me see their manager. The manager did not seem to care if I miss the plane and let me keep in line. Until it is my turn, he told me that I have to buy a new ticket for $298 in order to get on board even if I take the next plane. At this time, both my travel agent and I have no way to do nothing except to purchase this ticket again.

After I finish my trip, my agent argued with Southwest Airline and they agreed to give me my money back. But until I get my credit card statement, I see no credit back from Southwest. What a management it is? I told all my friends not to take Southwest Airlines, they just don’t care.

Today, I called once again to ask why I haven't received my card and they tell me that they don't know, that they will reorder (for the third time) and to call back in 24-48 hours. The card is a purchased non refundable so I need to get it or I would lose my money. It has been such a pain to deal with this. Their hours are the same hours I work and I am wasting so much time on this. The service over the phone has been horrible and no one seems to care.

I called Southwest phone number 1-800-435-9792. The representatives cannot solve it. They gave me customer relation phone number 1-214-792-4223. I called it hundreds of times from Thanksgivings. No luck. Either there is no one answering or it’s a busy tone. I faxed to them at 1-214-792-4223 more than twice. There are no responses either. I e-mailed them more than 20 times. Only "No reply" is the response. I mailed to them also. Again, no response! Could you help to push Southwest to fix the software bug ASAP? It's been 3 months already and it seems to be going on forever in the future. Thanks a lot! I spend more than 1 hour to call Southwest at least twice a week to fix the online check-in problem and Rapid Award issue manually, which wastes my time and energy.

Customer service, Daunte *** becomes loud with me and states not his problem. Mostly concerned about how the issue was handled, with rudeness. Mr. *** stated that if it was another airline, they would not give me the time of day. Up until 11:15, the 10:20 flight was still on the board, but no 11:15 flight to Dal. I wanted nothing just courtesy and not being treated poorly due to board errors. No call or email notifying cancellation. Flying used to be an adventure. Today it is a challenge. Thanks. Fear games played with cancellations due to weather when this is not the case.

In the meantime, us passengers were to sit there and wait. There was a six year old little girl flying by herself. There was absolutely no SW employee to stay and watch the child during the crew change. On the previous flight she had asked for assistance by the crew to help go to the bathroom and was ignored. The man sitting next to her didn't want to get involved. When I came up and took my seat she proceeded to ask me to help her. Being a mom myself the mom mode kicked in and I said I would.

I was prepared to stay outside the door and just make sure she was okay. But as it was January 3, 2010, it was extremely cold and she had a lot of bulky clothing on. She asked me to go in with her to hold her clothing. I shouldn't have agreed to this but she was very small and needed assistance. Nobody else was around to help.

As soon as she was finished, we departed the bathroom and took our seats. We were in the restroom for approximately 1 minute. The new flight crew then came on and one flight attendant (who refused to give me her name) found out that I helped the little girl and proceeded to go ballistic in front of everyone. She called Christine M, the ground operation supervisor. From the beginning they started accusing me of doing something to the little girl. They pulled me off the plane and started making accusations. As I am a mom, I was thoroughly embarrassed and humiliated. They even intimated that I was going to be arrested. However, Ms. M did say that she had talked to the little girl and that the little girl did say that she had asked me to take her to the restroom and to hold her clothes.

I told Ms.M the exact same thing as did, the man that had been sitting next to the girl from San Antonio. They proceeded to get abusive and ugly with me and kicked me off the flight. She said she would book me on another flt. She and another lady proceeded to take the whole incident out into the terminal and continued to abuse and humiliate me. They booked me on a flight later in the day. I also had a 4 hour drive back to my home in Alabama to pick up my son. Not only did they harass, humiliate and threaten me, but they also delayed my getting home to my own son on time.

I want to take serious legal action against Southwest Airlines for harassment, public humiliation,mental anguish, damage to my reputation, and false imprisonment. By the way, I am a respected citizen in my community and a Den leader for the local cub scouts. I am not going to let this go away, Ms. M also said she was going to call the parents of the little girl, however I can assure you she didn't tell the parents that they had left her child on the airline unsupervised by a southwest employee and with a group of strangers. So, I could still be accused of something I didn't do. I am under considerable distress over this situation and getting physically as well as mentally ill over the whole situation.

I then asked to speak with a supervisor. She said there was none available. I asked, "What is the supervisor's name?" She replied, "Kelly," but refused to either one of their last names. In fact, she refused to give me the company's address. I then asked to speak to someone else. Suddenly Jesus, a supposedly supervisor got on the phone. The conversation started off with an attitude because Lilly already filled him in on my story. Jesus told me that if I can't prove that conversation took place with the Southwest employee, there was nothing they could do. I asked him to go listen to their recorded conversations. He told me that it was my job to prove.

I have never been so humiliated in my life! I have been a dedicated Southwest Airlines customer for years and I own two credit cards that I just cancelled. I am also going to make sure I don't book anymore reservations through Southwest Airlines for a company of over 10,000 employees. We don't do business with companies that don't value their customers and treat them with no respect!

Sunday morning, at 5:30 am, Beren (my fiance) and I (Jonathan) went to the Little Rock Airport with our 6-month-old puppy Gatsby (half dachshund/half cocker spaniel, 15 pounds) to fly back to San Diego on Southwest Airlines. We had sedated Gatsby, but Beren had him in her arms as we waited to check our bags and to purchase the pet boarding pass that we had already reserved. The Southwest lady finished with the passenger ahead of us in line, and so we walked up to her. She all of a sudden noticed Gatsby in Beren's arms and freaked out. She freaked out bad, because apparently she was afraid of all dogs, even cute 15-pound puppies that are asleep. She told Beren to put him in the dog crate immediately, and she said that he had to be in his crate at all times, which we know is not entirely true, because you have to take him out to go through security and the policy said that he only has to be in his crate once you go through security. So she was misinformed.

She called out her supervisor, because she was so freaked that she saw a dog, even though it is part of her job. And so, he came out suspicious and slightly hostile. He then said that the dog was too big and that he was not getting on the flight. We flew with Gatsby to LR from SD and have before. He is under 25 pounds and meets all their policies regarding dogs, and they let us bring him here. Beren told him that Gatsby is 15 pounds and not too big. Then the supervisor said that the crate was too small for Gatsby. We put Gatsby in the crate to show that he was erroneous. Then the supervisor said that the dog needs to stand up in the crate. Southwest policy says the dog must be able to move around comfortably and be able to stand up in the crate. (There was a boarding pass on the pet carrier from the San Diego airport showing the dog and the carrier passed inspection there and had flown on Southwest just a week earlier.)

We have the photos to prove that Gatsby can stand up in the crate and move around, but the man just was not in a good mood and was rude and just kept saying no and no and no, because Beren was crying and telling him that this is ridiculous. The dog had flown several times in that crate. He can stand up, and he just wasn't at that split second, because he was sedated to ensure that he was quiet in the plane for the other passengers.

The man told Beren she needed to calm down and that there was no way that the dog was getting on the flight (which was only half-full, and we had reservations for Gatsby and had met all their requirements because we had traveled a few times with him). Beren went outside and called her stepmother Ashley who dropped us off. Ashley returned and attempted to talk to them. The supervisor was already holding Beren's boarding pass and wouldn't hand it over to me. Luckily, we had online versions printed off. Ashley walked in with Gatsby in the crate, and Gatsby was standing up in the crate, moving around in it. Ashley pointed that out, and the supervisor was being obtuse and stubborn and just said no. Ashley started arguing, and eventually the police came over to see what the problem was. So I grabbed Ashley and told her we had to leave. Ashley took Gatsby and drove home. Beren and I got on the plane, because we have obligations that had to be taken care of. Luckily, our families live in LR, or we don't know what we would have done.

All this started because Southwest hired a woman who was deathly afraid of dogs, even though part of her job is checking in dogs. Then it being so early in the morning and the only supervisor working is not in a good mood and not a puppy lover, so they told us our puppy cannot go home with us. They let us fly to LR with our 15-pound puppy in his airline-approved crate that he definitely fits in, but then because of ignorant employees in LR, we do not have our cute little puppy dog with us, who had vet appointments today and Friday in SD and who is an integral part of our little family. And the employees were smug about it, like proud and happy they had kept a sweet sleeping puppy (who met all the requirements and who Southwest had let go to LR) be forced to stay away from his family. Beren and I are outraged.

We are trying to talk to Southwest about it, but they are so slow to make amends and probably won't do anything to their employees. We are looking into hiring a lawyer to sue Southwest if they don't play ball and to sue the employees personally for both apologies, negligence, and the intentional infliction of emotional distress and also, to get our puppy back to SD. My parents might fly another airlines to drop him off, but we have had such an emotional horrible experience. It is not easy to get a dog somewhere, and Southwest is so slow to respond to us. We are freaking out.

We knew their policies, we met their policies, and there was no need for any of this to happen. That puppy is like our little child, and we want him back. We want those horrible employees fired, and we want Southwest to train all their employees on the correct procedures so this does not happen to anybody else. It is heart-breaking. (Flight number 3843, Flight date - Sunday November 29, 2009 from Little Rock to San Diego)

My husband was so angry and mad but he didn't say a word because this was our last stop and we were headed home and he didn't want us and the children not getting home. They knew they did wrong because they were in a panic and kept saying he walked through there on his own. We know. I was there. He stood away from any type of machinery and said, "I have a pacemaker and here's my card," and I know they have many cameras to verify this. I am outraged.

Skeptical, I called back and another rep gave me the same story, so I was more comfortable with it. Fast forward to today, 10/5/09. I've been called the number Southwest gave me for over a month now and each time I call, it's busy. I've called the main Southwest number and they told me that the customer service # provided is the only route to solve my re-booking issue. What do I do now? Just smile and know that Southwest just took my money and offered no help.

FYI, they were standing at the front of their line, in A-1, so I was not even in their line. Well, I showed her my boarding pass and pointed to my A-31 pass and the sign on your front stainless steel pillar. I then asked her, "So who's dyslexic now?" Her husband immediately told me I was disrespecting his wife and that I was a **. I was hoping to get a Southwest rep to come and solve the problem, but not a single Southwest employee was in sight. After a minute or two of back and forth cussing and returning expletives (I used a loud voice in the hopes of catching the attention of a Southwest employee who were nowhere to be found!), the Arab decided to get "security" to pull me out of line.

He returned with state troopers and they pulled me out of line. I lost my rightful place in the lineup because none of your employees were available to help me. The troopers were rude. Then to make matters worse, I had never met an unpleasant flight attendant or ground employee of Southwest Airlines ever, but this time, you had the most unpleasant attendant in our cabin. A tall, middle-aged man. He ignored me when I talked to him, told people not to stand in areas, not to do this or that and my wife and I were delighted to hear that the crew would be changed in Chicago.

I believe the Arab and his wife thought it was first come first serve at the lineup. I just found out differently on my flight to Boston and made sure I printed a boarding pass the day before the return flight. On my way to Boston, my wife and I could not sit together because of this. If you had an employee there to explain it to them, perhaps this would not have happened.

At this point, I started having trouble breathing and having an anxiety attack. I called my advocate, a close family relative, to speak for me because I became unable to speak. My advocate explained to the supervisor that I have a mental disability and that she was advocating for me. The supervisor gave the same stonewalling to my advocate and returned the phone to me. As soon as I was off the phone, the supervisor came back. Even after being told that I had a mental disability, she insisted on pushing me further. I informed her that she needed to stop and leave as I was having an anxiety attack brought on by her judgments of me that were unfounded in fact. She persisted and I explained that she needed to leave again. All of this took place, not in a discreet and compassionate way, but a judgmental compassionless way. She had no regard whatsoever to my mental disability, nor any regard to the fact that I was surrounded by other people.

Finally, after asking for the third time for her to leave, she did. My husband returned after getting food to find me in tears unable to catch my breath. He went to talk to the supervisor who gave him the same rude and uncaring attitude. My husband asked to speak to her supervisor to which she replied she does not have a supervisor and there is no one above her that can be contacted. My advocate was on the phone with Southwest Airlines customer service during this time explaining the issue and reiterating my mental disability and anxiety attack. They stated that since my husband was sitting next to me this should not be an issue. They agreed to call the supervisor. They got back on the phone and agreed to have a different supervisor come over, but said that the person's name was Scott.

Razzy ** arrived and with an expressionless face and a tone to his speech, refused to listen to me at all. We again called my advocate to talk to him explaining that I needed him to talk to her instead of me. Razzy refused to talk to my advocate. Razzy refused to let me have the phone near him so that my advocate could hear what he was saying. Razzy repeated over and over that it was a judgment call that based their opinion that I needed a second seat. I again explained that I did not require a seat as the armrest goes up and down just fine. Razzy refused to listen to me and continued to harass me in front of the rest of the passengers. I told him that I could not talk to him anymore due to my anxiety attack. He still refused to talk to my advocate who I needed to speak for me due to my attack. I could not breathe. I could not speak and I was falling apart in the middle of the airport, again with people all around me.

Razzy would not leave. I repeated that I was done talking to him because he would not listen to me. In his same tone and expressionless face, he repeated that I needed to purchase an additional seat. I informed him that he was discriminating against me based on disability especially when it was clear that he would not look at the evidence and refused to talk to my advocate. My advocate was necessary and on the phone with me during the entire conversation and heard everything Razzy ** said. I simply had the phone up to my ear so that she could hear. I kept telling Razzy to please talk to my advocate; he continued to refuse. It seemed to me that he did not want to resolve this matter in any way other than to force me to buy the second seat. He didn't seem to want a witness to the mistreatment, but my advocate was able to hear the entire conversation and will attest to what she heard.

The way I was treated was unlawful and unacceptable treatment in regards to my disability. I was in a wheelchair and clearly having an anxiety attack. Not only the disregard for my mental disability, the fact that it was clear that I was having an anxiety attack, but also the humiliation of this being done in front of the entire waiting area. Nothing discreet about that at all. By the policy stated on the Southwest Airlines website, if the armrest can go up and down, it is not required to purchase a second seat. This was not an issue. I got from PDX to Vegas just fine. They refused to let me on the plane without purchasing another ticket in Vegas. I needed to get home to my underage daughter. I am on social security for disability. It's not like I have disposable income to buy a second seat. Finally, he left me alone in full hysterics and I couldn't breathe. This was now the worst anxiety attack I have ever experienced in my life. I felt like I was going to die.

The plane started boarding and we had our pre-boarding slip and were escorted onto the plane. Razzy and the other supervisor were not around. I had hoped that the issue had been dropped and I could finally just return home. Once seated, we took numerous pictures of me seated in the seat with the armrest down. Furthermore, we took video of me seated moving the armrest up and down without issue. Razzy made the gate attendant then take me off the plane. They explained I needed to talk to him. I get to the ticket desk and he ignored me. I tried to show him the pictures proving I fit in the seat. He refused to look at it. My husband tried to show him the picture. Razzy did everything not to look at the evidence. He refused to look at it always diverting his eyes. He made it clear that he made a decision and no matter what, he was not going to listen. He then said again that I had to buy the seat in front of everyone at the ticket counter. Nothing discreet about this at all. Razzy was clearly discriminating against me based on his own personal opinion.

Even after I had proof that I fit in the seat fine, the armrest going up and down without issue, Razzy refused to look at the evidence. People were getting on the plane at least as big as I was with no extra seat. One man who was larger than me got off the flight that had just arrived. I talked to him and his wife. He was not required to buy an extra seat either. I was targeted and it was clear I was targeted. We have pictures of other passengers with their permission who were not required to buy that extra seat. They made a spectacle out of me. They caused me to go full-blown panic/attack mode and they refused to allow me to board the plane to prove it even though their policy has no guidelines about size. It simply states you must be able to fit in the seat with the armrest down which I did without a problem. I was in a wheelchair because I am unable to walk more than a few feet. More and more evidence we had, the less they paid attention. Razzy refused to look at the video and photo proof. They refused to listen at all.

So, I spent seven hours in panic mode unable to remain calm because of someone's opinion. They admitted several times that it was based on a judgment call on their part, judgment of discrimination. They pushed me over the edge with no regard to what they were doing to me. Disabled with a back injury and mental disability (recognized by the ADA), I was discriminated against and humiliated without regard to factual evidence. Had this happened in Oregon before flying to Vegas, I would have had the choice to go home and not take the flight. Instead, this happened where I would be stranded in Las Vegas with no idea of how I would get home to my underage daughter. What happened to me was wrong, discriminatory and offensive. It was discrimination based on the personal opinion of two people who did not intend to listen to me, not to mention that I was in a wheelchair, standard wheelchair and I fit in it just fine. They harassed me over and over even after I told them they needed to stop due to my having an anxiety attack in the middle of an airport. This was the most traumatic experience of my life and it was completely unnecessary.

They can't enforce a policy some of the time and expect people to accept it. Based on my research, others have had this same experience with Razzy **. Clearly, this is not an isolated issue. But the policy remains vague and quite honestly discriminatory since it is up to the discretion of certain attendants. You have to really search the site in order to even find the policy. This is not being honest and upfront. The fact that the only way to get a refund is to have the plane not be full, not that the person can fit in the seat, is shady business practice. It is no more than an attempt to fill seats on a plane. We had to borrow the money to pay for the second seat on a later flight. I spent the entire plane ride anxious and uncomfortable.

The following day, August 13th, I was admitted to the hospital in the ICU due to the overwhelming stress of this even that had taken place, all because of the lack of sensitivity of two attendants and their blatant disregard to my disability that they were informed of. I have never been so humiliated or treated with such blatant disrespect and disregard of my disabilities by anyone in my entire life. This isn't just about being asked to buy a second seat. If I didn't fit in one seat, I would have understood. But I did fit. When the issue escalated and we were given no options for going above the supervisor, it became a more serious issue. I do not believe for one second that there is no one above these judgmental supervisors.

Now we're in Vegas. Yahoo! Almost a full week to enjoy. We decided to forget about the airplane ride and enjoy ourselves. We do not leave the airport until Thursday, July 2nd at 1 pm, direct flight to Bradley International Airport. Well, well, well, we checked our bags for departure, and the lady asked for our IDs and then followed it up by saying, "you know you were supposed to be here at 7 am right?" "What?" I exclaimed in confusion. I know for a fact that I requested the 1 pm flight because there was no way my fiancee would want to get up and be at the airport that early. I even snickered a little when the ticket saleswoman offered the choice. "No, no, I'll definitely take the 1 pm flight," I remember that! I do not know if they tape these conversations while booking flights. I certainly hope so for peace of mind and answers to this experience.

So now, we are on standby for an indirect to Connecticut, last flight of the day. Another couple of hours to wait now just wasting away, hoping that something causes two people on this flight to not make it. "Okay, there is one open seat available at the moment; you are going to have to wait until everyone checks in to see what is available," says the lady at the desk at our gate. Hours to minutes going by so slowly. We now are a minute left, all have boarded except this family of three. Yes, yes, yes, I'm thinking while looking 1/8th of a mile down the hallway. I see no running family as their name was being paged for the third time. "Looking good," says the lady at our gate, who has been reassuring and mentally stabilizing us through this ordeal. Our carry-ons in hand and standing smiling, feeling so relieved, knowing that we will get back to Connecticut in the same day. Wouldn't you know? The family was already on the plane! Some communication problem was the answer to that. Unbelievable!

Now we are told there is no other flight out of Vegas till the next day, and that it will not be direct either. My girlfriend flipped out. I calmed her down before a scene broke out. Need I remind you, our bags were en route for Connecticut. No clothes, no place to stay, no place to bathe and with not to be spent. Also, we were dressed for Connecticut weather for the ride back, not for 100 degree weather.

Very Irritated, tired, hungry, what to do now? I wish I could remember the lady that was working the desk at our gate. She was trying to do everything she could to accommodate us. She assured us a flight out the next morning. She was so very helpful. She was on that next morning and stated that our flight home would be her first priority. We thanked her for all of her help as she gave us that discounted hotel stay ticket. Now, an extra 20 dollars for taxi ride back. We exchanged numbers with a couple that we had met at the hotel through the week. Reluctantly, they allowed us to shower and sleep there for the night. I had to buy dinner in return. Respectably, another $100 out the window! Shorts and shirts for both of us because we were without clothes - $80. Breakfast the next morning - $10. Taxi ride back, another $20.

We did not sleep a wink because of our discomfort on the living room floor, and nervousness of any other problems involving our flight back. We both had to call out for our Friday shifts. Mike - Dietary Mgr. - $24/hour x 8 = $192; Crystal - LPN - $24.50/hr x 8 = $196, All together, $618 of just unnecessary monetary inconveniences - not to mention our pick up had to be rearranged. That was not easy by no means.

To top it all off with a cherry, we had to sit separately again! Crystal, uncomfortably between two plus-sized staring gentleman that would stop asking her questions. Myself, window side next to husband and wife and crying infant. I have two of my own, but my tolerance was tried at that moment. We boarded again to our next and final flight to Hartford, CT, again, seated separately because we can only walk to our gate on the other side of the airport due to my ankle injury, which made us board later than normal. We were both just so fed up, we did not speak about it anymore.

This is a situation that my fiancee has been on my ** about for the last couple of weeks. I finally had the time at work to fill out this form. I apologize for all the negativity, but it is what we experienced. Thank you for your time.

The man at the counter told me that our bags were not guaranteed to be on the flight and I was fine with that. We were on our way home. I explained that my son was handicapped and on the electric scooter, but he refused to check the scooter in at the counter with the bags and said that I could take it as a carry-on. This is a full size sit down electric scooter. He also would not call ahead to the gate to tell them that my son was on his way on the scooter. Security documents were issued to us, not boarding passes. TSA security checked our carry-on bags at 11:02AM. The Southwest gate was only four gates from the security check-in. When we got to the gate, which was not yet 10 minutes before the flight, they stopped us and said they had given two of our seats to people on standby. The flight was still there and the doors were still open.

While I argued for well over 10 minutes how important it was for my son to be on that flight, they were not concerned and let the flight leave without us which brought my son and I to tears. I asked to speak to a customer service rep. He explained that was the last flight that would reach Cleveland for the day and that I would have to wait for the next flight which left at 6:50 Sunday morning. This left me in San Francisco airport for almost 24 hours with a handicapped son that needs constant attention and no luggage. By the way, our luggage made it on the flight, which I believe may be against Federal law being that we were not on the flight. Our luggage contained all my son's skin care items and his clean clothes, it also contained his electric scooter charger. My son has open wounds all over his body and these wounds must constantly be cared for in a sterile environment and kept clean or he risks serious infection. Wound care was not an option in an airport restroom.

When confronted with the situation, the customer service rep continued to claim we were not there 10 minutes before our flight left so they had the right to give our seats away. He would not compensate us for a cab or a room because of this. I did not have money for a cab or a room in San Francisco. At no time was I offered the option of talking to the airport's Compliance Resolution Officer that all airports must have available to handle ADA complaints. He said he would get back with me, but I never saw or heard from him again. We had to spend the day and night in the airport until Sunday morning. My son's scooter ran out of power because I did not have his luggage, which was already in Cleveland. I had to end up pushing his scooter with him on it through airports in San Fransisco, Chicago and Cleveland. No wound care was attempted on my son for this period of time.

When we got to Cleveland, our bags were in the Southwest office waiting for us. I have heard nothing from Southwest about this matter for the past 4 weeks and have sent complaints by email and by mail. I thought that the possible ADA violations and violation of Federal law by sending our bags without us on the plane might merit a respond, but I guess that I was not correct.

As she was finishing up with her customer, who you could she was being snippy with, she yelled over the counter to the man in front of us and said, "Next person to this kiosk." The man didn't move. She looked annoyed and said even louder, and motioned with her arm..."Next customer to this kiosk." He calmly said, "I have a question. " She snipped, "Well, I'm not going to answer it from here and yell over there." Even though she already was doing that, then she said, "So step over here and begin your check-in process and then I can answer your question. " Then he said, again, with no yelling, no attitude, "Well, my question is about check-in." She just looked at him and yelled, "Next person to the next kiosk." again, with an exaggerated arm movement. This is all going on while she was still helping another person, who was now waiting for her to finish yelling at this man so they can leave for their gate. He doesn't move, then she looked at me and she yelled again, "Next person to the kiosk. " So, I went.

Another lady took the guy in front of me and began to have an argument with him. I heard him tell the other lady, "I don't have a ticket. I just received bad news and me and my daughter just rushed here to buy a ticket here." His daughter was like 4. Well, the woman started to tell him that they weren't going to help him while he was being disruptive and he said he wasn't, she said he was. He said to her, "You're the one yelling at me." She said, "Only because you raised your voice to me." And on and on it went. The entire time I was there, I never heard them get to the resolution of selling him a ticket. The ticket agent argued with him like a bunch of 15 year olds and I never once heard him yell or raise his voice, but I did hear the two ticket agents yell and raise their voice. So, now, I checked in on the kiosk, not too jazzed about having to deal with any of these people because I heard them being nasty to everyone.

I checked in, had my suitcase up waiting for it to be checked in when Blondy walked away into the back. Another woman came out and put all the stickers on my bag and then Blondy came back out again and said to me, "Are you Deborah?" I said yes. Well, I am about 5'4" and I am overweight. But not so overweight that it has ever been assumed that I can't fit into an airline seat. So, she said to me, "Have you ever flown on Southwest." I said, "Yes, many times." She said, "Have you ever been approached? " I said, "What do you mean?" She said, "Well, do you think you can sit in one seat, with both arm rests down comfortably?" I said, "Yes, of course, I can. I just flew hear 4 days ago on Southwest with no problem. I fit in the seat and the seatbelt fits and I have slack in the seatbelt.” By the way, saying all this to me out loud, not at all trying to be discreet. My travel companion just stood there in complete shock.

Regardless of my answer, she still wasn't convinced. She said, "You appear to be larger than one of our seats can accommodate and we recommend you purchase a second seat." Staying calm, I said to her, "I just told you that I flew here 4 days ago and not only do I fit fine in the seat, I have slack in the seatbelt." She said, "Well, if you don't purchase a second ticket here, they may not let you on the plane. Then, you will be forced to buy a second ticket at the gate. If the plane is full, you may have to wait to get on another flight that isn't full so you can have two seats." I just looked at her and said, "Miss, what part of 'I fit in one seat' didn't you understand?" Then she said, "Well, if the plane isn't full, they may not bother you, but if it's full, they may need you to purchase an extra ticket.” All I could think was, 'If the plane is full, then how am I going to buy a second seat to even sit in?' Then I began to walk away.

She said to me, as I was walking away, "Well, in the future, just something to keep in mind, you should buy two seats and then if you can in fact fit in the seat, just show a flight attendant and they will refund you the 2nd ticket." All of this by the way with the same terrible attitude she treated the other man with. So, not only did she totally humiliate me, now I was worried that I was either not going to get home on my original flight and when would I get home, and also worried that I was going to have to shell out an additional $100+ to get home. We were 2 hours early to the airport because a friend dropped us off and I spent the next 2 hours totally stressing out and being upset. When we finally got to the gate, all was okay luckily. No one even looked at me twice and there were bigger people than me on the flight.

I really felt discriminated against by this tall blonde who was probably a size 4. Just as I told her, I fit totally fine in the seat and again, seatbelt even had slack in it. It wasn't even extended as much as it could go. To give you an idea of my size, I am again, 5'4", an ex-athlete so I am muscular and I wear a size 16 or 18. Not skinny, but not a big huge person. So, beware out there... if you aren't as skinny as the ticket agent and they are so vain that they look down on every person who isn't model thin and to them you look like a big fat blob, they will give you a hard time about whether or not you will fit in the seat and embarrass you in front of everyone, regardless of how you tell them you do fit.

I don't know that I will ever fly Southwest ever again. I have a brother who is a Delta pilot and I fly for free. The only reason I don't fly Delta is because I have to fly stand-by and I usually buy a ticket on Southwest because they are reasonable and I have the comfort in knowing that I have a guaranteed seat. But after this experience, I may just decide to fly stand-by on Delta. So for all those of you who wear a size 16 and up... beware, you may be discriminated against!

I beg your patience as you read my abbreviated report. For 7 months, thousands of words were sent by me to the TSA as the overzealous individual who stopped me and remained unidentified was dressed in a blue shirt. As of July 2009, I have accepted that the blue shirt was not a TSA agent, but curiously an SW employee. I spoke cordially to a TSA agent by phone last week and we both agree that it is “unfortunate” that a “blue shirt” should cause this confusion. Here is a brief summary of original report:

This is not a TSA error, but Southwest Airlines’. On November 30, 2009, at 8:30 am, MCO screening dock for Southwest flight from MCO to IAD to DC for connecting flight to Dublin, Ireland. 30th of November 2008. At 8.00 AM, I made my way inside the terminal. For the next 2 hours, I sat with hand luggage and my main luggage to be checked as soon as I courteously left the main rush of passengers pass through. I asked a question of a male official. I was given a curt response to a question as to what time I should begin to queue. The man didn't appear good. I took all my belonging outside to have my last cigar. Not being one to waste anything, there was about a glass measure of wine in a bottle which had been consumed over the previous day and a half. I imbibed a small glass measure. Being an eco-friendly person for 40 years, I placed the empty bottle in my eco-friendly bag. It didn't occur to me to leave it on the ground outside the terminal. With one beta blocker tablet left for my hypertension, I reckoned I'd save it and was anxious to get my tablets 20 hours later in Dublin. I ought to have known how bad things can get at any airport, but with good grace and politeness I carried my pieces of luggage through and trying to dispel my usual claustrophobia, I calmly proceeded.

I asked of one official if I should take my waist belt off as it usually does not set the alarm off'. We joked and all was well. Then suddenly someone - I say 'one' as he in retrospect and post trauma, he never identified himself nor gave a number, etc. He rushed over with an inordinate amount of energy (seemingly to stop any further outbreak of humor and niceness). He came over to me and brusquely said in a loud voice: “Where are you going?” I politely replied. He interjected, "You're not going anywhere.” Now, the incredulity of an earlier $147 taxi-ride for 40 miles 2 and a half hours before paled into insignificance. Little did I think then that the shockwaves were to ascend from a minor illness to a major one over the next 7 months. Little did this unidentified person realize the train of events and the continuing havoc and distress that his errors of judgment have caused me.

I remain incredulous as to what this one screener was assuming or even thinking. If he was assuming or presuming that I was under some influence, could I not have been tested in some manner, breathalyzed or walk the line? In sheer disbelief and delayed shock, I witnessed this 'unidentified person' mishandle the situation and me - as he out for my baggage to be brought back, he opined - that I can ask for my money back from Southwestern. Again, he was mistaken and misinformed. I was so 'shocked' I couldn't say to him that none of my flights nor hotels for the next 10 days were refundable, etc.

The ramifications and fallout are immeasurable, not least in terms of my collapsed health. I spent 2 days going around Orlando looking for beta blockers for my heart condition. When I couldn't walk another mile, only then did I hire a cab. Little did I think that it would be 6 fright-filled days (including trouble outside one pharmacy in Orlando which almost led to a shooting and my rescheduled flight home developed engine trouble and diverted for 36 hours) before I arrived back in Dublin, Ireland. I reiterate that the assumption he made was totally wrong.

7 months later, when the TSA tracked him down and found him to be an SW employee, he apparently alleged again that I was stopped due to intoxication. The cost of this event to a budget traveler in sum certain alone is twice the cost of my month's vacation at Cape Canaveral, but to this day the ramifications - and now the insult - is totally unacceptable. After years of admiration of the hospitality of the USA, I would be a little wary of passing through again (a return visit to Edwards AFB and Nellis in October 2009 is on hold). But to redress a wrong, I would travel to the small claims courts of Florida to get some answers at least. I pray this recourse to US law is open to a 'foreigner.' It is slightly ironic, but no secour that I have passed through many high security institutions around the US, including the White House (on this trip), the Pentagon (twice), and many military AFBs including Edwards, CA and Nellis, NV, and it was only when I arrive at MCO that civility and plain niceness vanishes.

I experienced the same air pressure/ear pain issue on a Southwest flight from Houston to San Francisco after two months. In between, I flew using Continental & US Airways - no issue whatsoever. My family flew from Houston to Los Angeles - all members of family had significant ear pains. My colleague flew from Oakland to San Diego on Southwest - same issue. I inquired with him and he immediately said, his ears pained a lot. He said fellow passengers complained about the same. Our coach flew from Houston to Tempa - he & his wife were in pain when they landed because of ear problems experienced on Southwest flight. This all happened in the last two (2) months.

It is not me. It is many people facing the same issue on Southwest flights. We fly on other airlines such as Continental and no issue. I thought about it and finally decided to write to FAA as it seems to be a cabin pressure/cabin seals related issue in most of Southwest planes. It is not only me. There seem to be many people. I decided not to fly Southwest at all. It doesn't seem to be good from in flight safety issues perspective.

So I decided to call their corporate office. It confuses me to how this is even legal; it's stealing in my opinion. So I get on the phone with a rep and they then again told me that there is nothing they can do and that if I don't use the credit by December 30, 2009, I lose it. I asked how they think this is acceptable, and I told her she was stealing money from me and that it was wrong. I asked why they think this is ok and the reason for taking consumers' money in this fashion. Her response to me was "We need to make money too."

I have spent several hours on the phone, haggling with Southwest and have gotten nowhere. I have lost $1,504.00. I got nothing but stress and frustration; all for nothing.

I had an agenda that kept me busy from Cape Cod to Hartford, but managed to send the original damage report to SW and a hand written letter noting the circumstances, including our foreign residence and email addresses. I suggested that a hundred dollars would be acceptable for the damage to books and clothing. In return, I received a form letter sent to our San Antonio address requesting that the damaged items be sent to the airlines. The cost of sending them from Mexico would be about 40 to 50 percent of the hundred dollar settlement I felt was acceptable, an amount that did not include time and inconvenience. I am about to contact SW again and am sending copies of my letter to the FAA, the congressional oversight committee, and a lawyer. I will initiate action in small claims court if necessary. I am quite disappointed and irritated with SW. The company was much better under the old management. Items damaged were a sweatshirt ($40), a Brooks Brothers dress shirt ($65), three books ($35), plus time lost (several hours), and inconvenience (priceless).

As a paid passenger, I was deprived of my customer's rights and then threatened by Southwest Airline employees. I missed my business meeting in Denver on June 11 and had to pay for all my party to stay in Denver for the next day meeting. I demand the Southwest Airline to investigate this incident and to enforce the legality and regulation in the counter service at Gate B14 and 15 at SLC airport.

They have people working at a counter labeled Southwest Airlines. They have access to our personal information via Southwest Airlines’ computer systems to print boarding passes and the check our IDs then take our luggage. Also, the bar code sticker is just for show as Southwest does not scan your luggage so they cannot tell me if it even made on the plane. I am sure the person who checked my bag is the person who took my bag.

Southwest cannot tell me who that person was. Why would they deceive their customers into believing we are dealing with their employees and that our luggage has the ability to be tracked or traced? I really think there is a ring of people in Orlando that know how Southwest does business and they are stealing bags that look expensive. I think this need to be investigated.

My bag had my name and information on the outer tag as well as inside the bag. The plane that went down on the Hudson, they got their luggage back. Why is this so impossible to know who checked in my bag and what happened to it after it was checked in? To this date, they have not located my bag. I have lost not just clothes but things with sentimental value. Items I was wearing when I got engaged to the man I have been with for 25 years. They tell me they will cover up to $3,300 the values of the items total are closer to $6,000 and not to mention the amount of time spent of having to call them every day. They said they would call me and I only received 1 call from 05/29 to tell me to send in my paperwork because if it's been 5 days I am not getting my bag back.

What ensued after this request was something out of a high school. I was told by the flight attendant that I should tell the man not to put his knee in my back. I said that I had. She then said that if I did not like it, I should move. I agreed to move and sat in the back with two young men who moved to accommodate me. Then for no reason whatsoever as I moved to make it comfortable for the front attendant trying to avoid conflict. The attendant in the back then takes it upon herself to tell other passengers that I was a troublemaker and refused to serve me water to take my medication with because my drink order was taken by the flight attendant in the front. I then got up to go to the bathroom to get water. They said loudly out in the cabin while I was in the bathroom how they were going to notify the captain. My travel companion told me later.

The whole time, the flight attendants were fawning over the man whose size had caused me to move, offering him free drinks and refused me service until almost the end of the flight. At that time, they handed me a beverage can that had been dented on both top and bottom. The one flight attendant kept hitting me on the shoulder and kicked my foot as she walked by in an effort to provoke an argument. I remained calm and kept my eyes closed as to not make eye contact. They were trying to get me to react angry. The flight attendant in the back was African American as was the tall passenger. I felt that the harassment was racially motivated and constituting a situation that can neither be explained or tolerated by those in charge. There was a simple solution, reseat the tall man to a place over the bulk head where he could comfortably place his legs.

Southwest Airlines needs to hire older more sophisticated men and women who use their intelligence to solve problems. Those too large to fit in the seats should be seated first and placed in the front or over the bulkhead in an exit aisle where there is adequate leg room. Flight attendants have the authority to reseat people but should be courteous and fair in that request. No one should ever be forced to sit for hours under this kind of duress.

Due to the delay, I had to proceed home as my ride was in a rush. So during the ride home, I called Southwest Airlines to let them know about the stewardess and our luggage. After waiting for someone to answer for 20 minutes, I finally get connected to a representative. I then asked for a supervisor and waited another 10 minutes. When I finally was able to speak to the supervisor, she told me that there was nothing they could do since our luggage was not damaged. Then after a few minutes, she hung up on me. Not only were my clothes soaked, my souvenirs were damaged too! I then emailed them and received a response the next day saying they will get back to me within 7-30 days. Ridiculous and I will never fly with Southwest Airlines again. Also, it has been almost a week and still no response back!

My husband and daughter flew home earlier than I did. It was decided I would stay until my son was released from the hospital, so I could help them get on the flight and through the airport. This was because he was unable to lift anything, was in a neck brace, on medications and was in pain. His wife would have to manage the luggage as well as their 1 1/2-yr-old little girl. I wanted to purchase a one-way ticket home on the same flight as them. So, I phoned Southwest on March 6 asking to get on their flight.

Even after telling them our medical emergency situation, they quoted me the staggering price of $276.21! I was shocked! I knew that I could go online and purchase a ticket with Frontier for only $59. They said that was the best they could do. I said, "No, thanks," as that was robbery, and purchased my one-way ticket for Frontier online the next day, March 7, for $59. The only thing was that our flights were not at the same time. I would have to fly out 3 hours earlier and wait for them at SFO. Our daughter-in-law's parents were going to get them as close to their plane/gate as possible to help with the luggage and the baby.

However, Sunday night, March 8, I became upset that Southwest was being so inhuman about this. I was willing to pay a reasonable price, not this highway robbery. It was like they had me between a rock and a hard spot, and instead of showing compassion, they chose to be greedy. I phoned them back asking to talk with a manager. I said they were showing a total lack of human compassion here. I said that, at this point, I thought they should put me on the flight for free(!) realizing, of course, that that was an unrealistic request. However, I felt that maybe they would offer a reasonable fare and I would purchase that so I could help my son out.

After talking with 3 different women, Lisa got back on the phone and said that her manager was prepared to offer me a discounted ticket of $245! How utterly insulting! No thanks! I flew home on the Frontier flight and I have to say they were very accommodating. They offered to hold my luggage so I could hang out waiting for their arrival in the secure section of the airport to help them. As it turns out, their flight was delayed another 2 hours and I ended up waiting for them in San Francisco for 5 hours.

Everyone involved in this terrible accident, from the ski patrol to the doctors to Frontier, were wonderful. However, I will never fly Southwest again if I can in any way help it. They were utterly cold.

As we had B-20 tickets and were standing in the correct area, I kindly asked this group to notice their line number and stand in the appropriate place. This led to one member of the group yelling and screaming at me with foul language. The airline employees did nothing to prevent/help this situation. Several people standing around me were shocked that Southwest did nothing to stop this situation. After 4 flights with Southwest on this trip, I have made the decision to never fly with them again. Their line numbering system is a joke! It only leads to anger and frustration. I really do not need to be the line police, but if Southwest can't enforce their policies, who will? Not me. I'm choosing airlines that book seats from now on. No more cattle calls for me!

I realize that leaving the notebook was her fault, but now the issue is her grade, not fault. It seems that if Southwest has a program to return left items, they should act on it. The girl I talked to at Southwest told me everything has to be turned in and not just discarded. Someone please call. Consequences: a sophomore in high school will fail a class.

We had to rent a car and drive 6 1/2 hours all night to get to the hospital just in time. We had been up for over 24 hours. The employees at SW said to call the customers relations line and that they would help us in anyway. Pay us back for our tickets and the renal car as well as are time for having to drive all night. This was clearly an error on SW's part because they had not even entered our names with our boarding passes. No one called a head to any gate and I had told the attendent on that flt that I was having brain surgery and they announced that our flt was being held but because they had not entered boarding passes in our names so they didn't know to keep holding the plane!

It's bad enough needing a craniotomy but to be dumped in the wrong state because of human error and then told there's nothing they can do is just terrible customer service! So I complained and the employees Caroline at SW relations said it wasn't SW's fault but they would refund a portion of that trip. I still have no credit a month later on my VISA card and even though I faxed a long letter have heard nothing back. The employees in Phoenix did call us multiple times during our drive to make sure we were still a wake, not lost and to tell us how sorry they were! I have no response from the airlines yet not even a statement to say they're sorry and hope your surgery went well

flight fees, rental car fees now being rented in one state and left in another and for additonal time and miles, physically we showed up for my brain surgery with me lacking sleep and completely stressed plus my husband had no sleep and was tired and stressed trying to get us form AZ to LA in time for surgery!

Will appreciate anything you can do. If [they] need somrone to watch these PSA folks, I am available, even thou i am 70 years old . THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.
LOST FAITH FOR PEOPLE AND FEEL SORRY FOR MY BROTHER IN TUCSON AS HE MEANT WELL AND SO DID I.

My daughter was very shaken by the incident and felt frightened to go on the flight and in fact was upset about it for a whole trip to Disney. She was scared to death to get on the flight to get home. I don't know the name of the lady because she kept saying over and over one more word and your off so I was afraid to ask her for her name. This is the worst I have ever been treated in my life. I felt like a criminal. I wonder if there is anyone worth contacting at Southwest or if anyone has had any luck with complaints to them.

My daughter is still having nightmares about the incident. It terrified her. She has been diagnosed with a separation anxiety disorder by a doctor and this has cost me money in counseling fees as she has needed ongoing support to get past this.

When we got to vegas no problem checking in at the hotel. Two days before leave my wife asked where was the papers to see what time we leave. I said we didnt have anthing we gave it to the attendants when we left. So i called the 800 number the hotel gave me. The person said we just need a confrmation number. Then check into the kiosk. Then the phone disconnected. So we called back and was telling the person what happened but we wanted to know what time the flight left just to make sure then another person said n oyou need to purchse new tickets. We asked why we need new tickets if the airline took ours when we boarded the plane. They had all our information in the system about the flight back, so we asked for a supervisor, and they hung up. All the while I was using my cell phone adn they burned up all my minutes, and ruined 2 days of my vacation because I was on the phone back and forth trying to get this issue resolved so we could get home.

We called and told the next person the people keep hanging up on us,we werent screaming like we wanted to so there was no reason for hanging up, so my wife took the phone she was crying cause she was so upset and this lady told her they could get our tickets down to a hundred dollars per ticket and we could aply the money we lost to future tickets, then the phone hung up again the lady said she would clal back f it happened and never did. So we called again then the next person said youve been through a lot and it was no need for all that and we could use our confirmation number. So we finally get to the airport to leave, they check out bags,we get up to the gate and they say no you need new tickets.

Back to the starting point. SO we called the people we talked to againand didnt get anywhere they didnt offer discounts or anything. I said you know you guys are robbing us and you dont even care that we bought plane tickets that you guys took and now youre saying we need to buy more and they had us in the system for 2 reservations. Then flights were cancelled so the lady at the counter could care less at LAS. Other people were upset about cancelled flights and she was very rude to us. By the way our flight ended up being an almost 2 hours late. Which we believe we should recieve compensation for. They made us pay for being ignorant to how flying ad tickets work, they should pay for being late.

In the end we ended up paying $400 for new tickets toget home. Which wasant even the price we paid in the first place.We were taken advantage of and treated like 2nd class citizens,my job is to serve in the military to protect people and give people the freedom to do such things, it makes me furious. Please warn others and if anything can be done I would like that. Thanks in advance.

We lost 2 1/2 days vacation on the phone with unhelpful people.Acutally once you get disconnected you have to wait for an operator at leats 30 min. We have to pay overages on the phone bill for 35 cents a minute and we were on the phone for hours. Then to top it off pay for a late $400 flight.

The flight attendant noticed it, but didnt say anything. Then the man handed my oldest granddaughter a magazine. When she accepted it, he grabbed her hands and taped them together. Although they screamed for a stewardess, no one showed up. The youngest one went over and had to bite through the tape to get it off of her wrists. Finally the flight attendant shows up and moves the kids to a new site. Then she says I saw that guy with the tape and thought he was strange.

When the plane lands Southwest lets the guy off the plane, never calls police and THEN lets the kids go to the baggage area unattended. The guy follows them which prompts my grandkids to turn around and request that someone take them to baggage claim. Southwest STILL did not detain that man.

After spending several hours with Southwest, my daughter-in-law was told she could have credit towards another flight, of which she refused. The next day my daughter-in-law spent the day on the phone and then went to the Denver southwest terminal to get someone to deal with this issue. She is so worried that this crazy man is doing other things to other kids. Southwest would not deal with this. She has contacted Homeland security and now the FBI is interviewing the kids and are looking to press two charges of minority assault when they find the guy. Airlines need to keep people and especially kids safe on their airlines. With all these cutbacks with airlines child safety should not be one of them.

I must either pay $167 for the rooms or drive each day for 2 hours to my customer's other site.

Six out of eight of us boarded the plane earlier and my parents boarded with the last group. My sister and I saved two seats and as my parents were approaching the aisle, approximately 6 rows down they were stopped by Karen. Karen physically stood in front of my parents who are in their 50's and are both physicians to stop and to sit where she instructs them...my mom said my daughters are in the back and have saved two seats for us (mind you that it was not a full flight). Karen replied, NO, YOU DO AS I TELL YOU! YOU CANNOT GO BACK THERE!

I got up from seat and walked towards them. I am FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT. Karen back into me and pushes me with her arms back and instructs me to go to my seat. I tried to explain to her that we had saved them two seats and that I was pregnant and needed them to sit by my side, however, she just kept yelling and throwing her arms around...she then called security and pulled the person working at the ticket booth into the plane. At this point, we all proceeded to sit down.

She comes back and threatens to have us ARRESTED FOR A FEDERAL OFFENSE while pointing her finger in my moms face! While we are seated??? I don't understand Isn't SWA praised for their customer service? Is that what their mission statement is about? Isn't there an open seating policy? I have never been so violated in my life!

I am pregnant, there is not need to physically or verbally attack someone? What was her reason?

He asked if I needed a special seat. I did not know what was meant by a special seat so I said no, I did not require a special seat. He then told me then I would have to board the plane with my group. Then I ask him if I can speak to his supervisor and he tells me he is the supervisor. I asked him then I would like to speak to his supervisor and he told me that there was no one available that everyone was gone for the day.

Then another woman comes walking up and he asks her the same questions that he asked me and she responded the same way that I did and he gives her a pre boarding pass. I call Southwest on the phone and the woman advised me to tell Mr. J that I insist that he gets a supervisor and he again tells me they left for the day.

I go to another gate and ask for Mr. J supervisor and without hesitation the woman gets a supervisor on the phone and is on her way up. Her name was Denita. She explained to me that Southwest has changed your policies and I was not able to board the plane. After providing them both proof of my disability I find it outrageous that just because I look healthy and the woman was elderly that they could judge that my disability was not warranting pre boarding the plane.

I told the Supervisor Denita that I felt Mr. J was discriminating against me. She never offer to have me speak to someone from Complaint Resolution Officials (CRO)? I have never even been questioned once about needing a pre boarding pass. Let alone to find out now the ticket agents are picking and choosing who they feel needs to pre board. I would understand if I did not provide proof of my disability but I did and for Mr. Jensen to give someone else a pre boarding pass right in front of me made me feel discriminated against. It is hard enough to travel especially when you have a four year old. My wife can only hold so much.

I received a letter from Southwest that said they looked into the matter and the employees were right not to let me board the plane but they did not follow regulations by not filing a report regarding my complaint.

When we entered the vestibule, I asked 2 attendants, Lynda and Karen, if they could help. Possibly they could ask if there are any single riders that would be willing to take a different seat so my daughter and I could ride together. Not all 6 of us, just the two of us. Lynda looked at me and said, You're pretty much out of luck. Wouldn't even TRY to help. So we went to the back, which was full, and started to make our way to the front. Then Lynda and Karen started saying If EVERYONE would just take a seat, we could get going... They encouraged the other passengers to chastize us by saying Just sit somewhere!

My daughter was visibly upset, but no one cared....So much for the customer service. They wouldnt use the intercom to help, but Lynda sure used it to make her singing talents known. I dont think I need to mention that Karen stored a small bag and 4 breakfasts (which cost us nearly $22 at the airport) that I thought we could have during the flight. When I asked if I could have the bag, she pulled it out of the overhead, and someones hardback book fell and hit me on the head. No apology, nothing. It was an inconvenience to assist the troublesome passenger?

At the end of the flight, I was trying to get the food, only to be told to hurry up, there ARE other people behind you, you know. Im not very tall, and it was difficult to reach so I just left it there. I'll pay extra if need be for Delta, American, NWA.

My back from being shoved to the ground is terribly sore and I was not able to work today from the physical and emotional pain.

We were on Southwest Flight 2474 departing from Phoenix. As the plane began to taxi to the runway, a male flight attendant approached our seats in passing and quickly remarked you need to take her out of that? as he was doing overheard compartment checks. I was a bit confused as to what he was referring to as the statement caught me completely off guard. A few moments later, the same attendant returned and said very rudely, Are you going to take her out and I replied hesitantly, No, I dont really feel comfortable trying to hold her during take off?. He then said that due to some incident in 1988 where a baby was strangled, they were not allowed to be used.

I told him I had used the same carrier on the Southwest flight I had taken just days before and that several flight attendants were even crowded around me and my daughter remarking how cute she was, while she was in the carrier, and that those Southwest employees had not advised me of this. His response was a snappy, they were wrong!? He then ABRUPTLY said, Then we have to return to the gate.? And walked away in the direction of the cabin. I looked for someone who could explain to us what was going on. Another flight attendant (female) came over to our seats and said that the baby carrier I was wearing was not allowed during taxi, take off or landing. I asked her to see the FAA regulations stating this (as I was concerned with the conflicting information I was receiving from various Southwest employees.) The first gentlemen then returned to notify us that they were indeed, turning the plane around to let us off at the gate. The second attendant then finally brought me a copy of the FAA guidelines, and I read a sentence that vaguely stated that a baby cannot be strapped to a person or seat using any sort of devise during taxi, take off or landing.

At this point, still worried about the safety of my daughter but wanting to comply with the rules I had just been informed of, I took my daughter out of her carrier and prepared to hold her in my arms alone. At this point, a third flight attendant (male) approached us and advised us to follow him off of the plane. We advised him that upon reading the guidelines we had asked to see, we were willing to comply with the FAA guidelines but we were concerned as to why this policy which had supposedly been in effect since 1988 had not been relayed to us nor enforced on our flight days prior. We also asked why they were still attempting to force us off of our flight, when we were agreeing to take our baby out of the carrier. This flight attendant replied that they didnt trust that we wouldnt put her right back in it as soon as the flight returned to its course.

We then PROMISED that we would not use the carrier and relayed that we would just like to continue our flight home. This second gentleman listened to what we had to say, told us he would relay the information that we would no longer use the carrier to the crew/cabin and proceeded back to the cabin area. He returned quickly to report to us that the flight attendant (singular) is not comfortable with you remaining on the flight. We both looked at each other in utter disbelief. In the meantime, select passengers within direct earshot were making remarks such as, who are they to tell her how to hold her baby? We questioned WHY we were being thrown off the flight if all we had done was asked to be shown the guidelines which we were not made aware of, nor were enforced on the first Southwest flight we had just taken- and if we were willing to comply with the rules now that we were educated on them- what was the reason for forcing us to get off the plane?

This third flight attendant seemed to be a mere messenger and the initial attendant who reprimanded us never returned to speak to us again. However, the messenger made it quite clear that it was the initial flight attendant who wanted us off the plane. At this point, we said we would not like to deplane, as it was absolutely unbelievable what was happening. We had done nothing wrong and yet we were being denied passage home on flights we had paid for, just because a disgruntled Southwest Employee felt the need to exert some form of power over a family traveling peacefully with small children. The third attendant then relayed that if we were choosing not to get off the plane, he would call security. At that point, I was so disgusted by what was happening that I said aloud that we should just get off the plane. My children were beginning to pick up on the stress of the situation and I didnt want anything more to do with this horrible company anymore.

Fulu relayed to the attendant that we would be contacting a lawyer and that this was not right, nor was this the end of the situation. We then began to get our things, and another passenger came up to me and said, If I were you, Id sit right back down, I would stay on the plane. Exasperated, I then responded to her quietly that maybe I might as well start breastfeeding my daughter. After being escorted off the plane, we were corralled to the Southwest Service Counter at the gate. There was a confused employee looking at us who advised she had not been informed as to what was going on and I said calmly that I did not care to discuss it with her. A woman identified by this employee at the counter as a supervisor came over to the counter and without addressing us personally, responded to the employee at the counters inquiry as to whether we were going to be refunded, that we were not going to be refunded because we had been pulled.

I heard this, but had decided not to say another word to anyone working for Southwest as I had already witnessed firsthand the incredulous way they treat people. I just stood silently as the woman typed on the computer and didnt so much as look me in the eye. There were law officers gathering about 20 feet from us, complete with a drug sniffing dog, but they only spoke with Southwest Employees, the third male attendant who escorted us off the plane, and eventually the woman supervisor. They never approached us, never got our side of the story, and never took any action as, I am presuming- they realized this was hardly a situation with warranted law enforcement. We were advised that we would NOT be getting our luggage back as they would not take it on the plane, and it would go on to Detroit without us. After speaking to the law officers, the supervisor apparently had a change of heart as she did indeed process the refund which Fulu requested. We were then told that there were no more Southwest flights going to Detroit that day.

So here we were, with two young children, in an airport across the country from our home, with no luggage and no carseats (which had been checked as luggage). We walked to a different area of the Airport at this time to call my friend who lived in Mesa, AZ to advise of the situation, and only at that point did I begin to cry. My friends mother in law is a travel agent, and she advised that while the situation was absolutely insane, the main thing was to secure that we would be able to get home safe, and not be stranded, with our small children, in the Airport or across the country. After her advising, we request to speak with a Customer Relations person and Fulu made headway with him, and was able to have him arrange a flight home for us the following morning. He never apologized, but he did agree that it should not have come to this.

Overall, I am astounded and still in a bit of shock over what transposed three days ago. There was absolutely no reason to remove my family from our flight. I feel that after the fact, the attendant had some sort of vendetta due to me questioning the accuracy of his flippant remarks. After we were advised of the FAA regulations, we made it clear that we had every intention to comply with them. We were removed from the plane after the fact, for no reason we can see other than discrimination.

There are several things I am hoping to accomplish by writing this letter. For one, I am hoping to obtain an apology from Southwest Airlines. Secondly, I am seeking to educate other innocent mothers and children who will have to travel by air anytime soon. Thirdly, I would like the record to be straight, and for the detailed FAA guidelines in regards to lap babies be very publicly advertised AND enforced so that another mother does not have to endure this horrific situation. I have myriad friends who have used the exact same baby carrier as what they assumed a safe way to travel with a lap baby, (myself included on our trip to Phoenix) and they had NO clue that they were not permitted due to purported safety hazards. Please help me in this matter, for the sake of mothers and babies everywhere.

One day later, after unpacking all 10 of my bags (large family), we discover 1 pair of jeans (2 weeks old) and a brand new jacket missing. So I called and am told that there is nothing they can do because I needed to report it within 4 hours. It took me more than that to go through everything!

The customer service within this organization is less than concerned with their customers.

There is nothing being done with the issue from Southwest end of this. I am out a Several hundred dollars in damaged shoes, belts, clothing and dry cleaning bills.

With all the security changes and more people checking bags, the airlines should show more concern - baggage agents at the destination city were unocncerned - it was an oh well attitude.

Disappointed and disgusted traveler

My $9.75 chinatown authentic model sword was mutilated, being snapped in half numerous times. this caused me emotional damage.

I was treated like a criminal. So some stupid agent at Southwest Airlines created for me long delays and personal humiation because some other agent failed to fix my name after I called a week in advance to fix the problem of the nickname and she said it was fixed, but obviously it wasn't due to the incompetence of airline employees who can't get it right and don't know what's happening and they should both be fired for stupidity and utter incompetence.

I was searched, delayed, and treated like a criminal by security after Southwest Airlines employees messed up their responsibilities.

HAZMAT crews arrived in the baggage claim area arrived fearing the leaking baggage was hazardous spilled material.

The liquid was just water.

Recently purchased items were damaged beyond repair. Memrobilia was damage and lost forever. We retained receipts in most cases. All clothing was soaked. Some clothing is stained beyond repair.

They have a 2 carryon limit, but people abuse it all the time and the ones who end up suffering the consequences get treated unfairly. The last flight he took, he boarded close to last, he had a gift for his nephew, a gas a remote control car that cost upwards of 400 dollars. It fit right under the seat, but because proir passengers took 3-4 bags each they made him check it. No big deal, but they had no tag to let them know it was fragile and it got damaged.

When he picked his bags up it was crushed, they didnt do anything about it and I think it is bad customer relations. They should apply the rules to everyone to make it fair.Needless to say I doubt he will fly them again. They are so big they dont care about one customer, even if he spends thousands a month.

His company regularly uses Southwest to fly it employees to different customers because of the low pricing.You know what surprised me the most of this whole thing, the gar my friend had is nitrus powered, he tested it to make sure it worked and then emptied the gas out, but they allowed him to take it through the first tme on the plane. Wouldnt that be considered an explosive possibilty?Maybe I am wrong, just a thought!!

The car is so srushed it cant be fixed, we had to purchase a new one, so far nothing from Southwest appologizing for this or anything of the sort

On at least two instances, one involving me, arguments broke out as to who was ahead of whom, whether or not a bag holds a place in line or not, whether seats are part of the line and its becoming comical but a some point there's going to be a real serious fist fight over this. The open seating policy is illusory; its just a way SW has devised to pack their flight.

What I suggest is that SW publish some 'rules of the line' or monitor whats going on in their waiting areas. A simple sign would go a long way to avoiding these unpleasant situations and would increase passenger satisfaction. Something like Stay with your bag while in line or DO NOT LINE JUMP or NO BUTTING IN LINE or BE COURTEOUS, ASK IF YOU ARE NOT SURE IF SOMEONE IS AHEAD OF YOU ASK! signs along those lines would at least give people some guidance in the waiting area and discourage the people making up their own rules.

SW has good potential with its air service if it just starts caring a little more about passengers before they board.