Southwest Airlines Reviews

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.