
Southwest Airlines Reviews
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About Southwest Airlines
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Southwest Airlines operates domestic and international passenger air travel. Established in 1967 and based in Dallas, the airline serves over 100 destinations across the United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Southwest Airlines features low-cost travel options, flexible policies and a focus on customer service.
- Friendly and helpful staff
- Affordable flight options
- Flexible change policies
- Frequent flight delays
- Poor communication during issues
Southwest Airlines Reviews
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Reviewed June 17, 2021
We have been faithful Southwest customers for almost 20 years. Never have we seen such terrible scheduling and customer service. I flew last week and my kids this week...4 legs total, and not one was on time. I have called SW five times & still have not gotten through. Tonight, I have been on hold for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Before COVID, I loved this airline and proudly carried their rewards credit card. I do not recommend using Southwest at this time! They've got to get it together! This is terrible.
Reviewed June 17, 2021
Worst flight and customer service. Lost 8 hours. Plus had to pay for food. They gave me a $100 voucher. Last night I went to purchase more airfare. In October I have a flight. I went to use the voucher but it expires in September. It's currently June. I paid for the airfare so I had the flight during their 50% off. It was $850. I was on the phone for over 3 hours to use the voucher. Two agents said they cannot attach the $100 voucher whatsoever. But I can have it extended for another flight later on. I then canceled and found different airline, same flight details for $50 cheaper. This is an absolute nightmare. Go elsewhere if you value your time. They have no customer service and will put you through loopholes. They do not value their customers and will not make it right. They just prolonged the inevitable. I have never been treated like this. It was easier to cancel the flight I had just booked than to resolve $100 voucher on a fake 50% off sale.
Reviewed June 15, 2021
Zero stars! Southwest Airlines flight attendants have become increasingly aggressive about masks each time I fly. On this flight # 1339 to Vegas the male flight attendant repeatedly barked over the loudspeaker in a patronizing tone used by prison guards and bluehaired elementary teachers: "Don't let me have to tell you twice to put your mask on" and then all the attendants began leaning over if a mask even slipped down someone's nose and clicking their tongues and pointing at the mask. I literally felt like I was in basic training again as power hungry workers eyeballed us all and forgot about real issues like turbulence and in the event of a crash and this attitude spilled over into service as well with drink requests now only be confirmed by the number of fingers held up, the tone passengers are being spoken to coupled with the domineering physical stances they take because of of the power they perceive they now have over customers.
People are sheep however and do as told. I was fuming inside but bit my tongue, but I can see how a slightly unstable or fed up person might ask to be treated like a paying customer as there have been "2,500 incidents of unruly passengers this year, including 1,900 cases in which passengers refused to wear face masks" ** airlines saying this is the worst year ever. Duh, treat paying customers as underlings in a tyrannical society will cause problems. Everyone should drive if possible. I will. Absolute power corrupts absolutely!
Reviewed May 29, 2021
For the first time in 4 decades of airline travel an airline charged me for missing a flight that was nowhere near full. I got to the counter and they couldn't help me. They said call customer service. I had to buy another ticket. They took the whole ticket price plus all the fees that they didn't have to pay on the missed flight. Their attitude was quite simple: you missed the flight, you lost $679. I appealed to no avail. A pure money grab. No interest in lifetime customer value. You'll see other reviews along the same lines. Sure, it's relatively cheap and the bags are a good deal, but you are treated like cattle and respected the same.
Reviewed May 10, 2021
Note, this was submitted to Southwest: Where do I begin? As a very nervous flyer this was not a very good trip for me. Started great leaving BDL to BWI and landing in BWI was a great experience... but it all went downhill from there... We had a 40 minute delay in BWI, was supposed to depart at 1:05 pm, did not depart till 1:40 pm. We boarded the plane, little did we know we would be on this plane for appx 9 hours!!! For a trip to ATL.
After we boarded the plane in BWI (1:40 pm) we were told we could not take off to ATL due to storms in Atlanta. At appx 3:00 pm they let us leave the plane and go into BWI to use the bathrooms. Boarded back on the plane (appx 3:20 pm) only to wait once again, left the gate, taxied the runway from appx 3:20-4:30 pm! Were we ever going to leave BWI?
Before I go on, here's the problem... Knowing that Atlanta had huge storms that day with even the National Weather Service indicating a tornado WHY would they even think of letting this plane leave BWI to ATL??? I even heard there was ground stop in Atlanta!!! Appx 4:30 pm left BWI to Atlanta, again, nervous me and not liking flying and knowing we were going straight into storms in Atlanta!!!
As we get closer to Atlanta I noticed the flight path was changing, then I heard on the overhead speaker if there was a medic in the house to come forward, someone was having a medical emergency.... so our plan had to make a stop in Charlotte (appx 6:00 pm). Another hour long delay or more as our plane sat in Charlotte (appx 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm)!!! And we were told by the pilot that good thing about the medical emergency because we couldn't get into ATL due to ground stops. REALLY???
They let us get off plane in Charlotte (appx 7:15 pm). Re-boarded the plane only to sit in the plane again waiting for clearance!!! Landed ATL at 9:00 pm. Again, plane originated BDL at 10:35, landed ATL at 9:00 pm! We were 6 hours delayed! I realize mother nature happens, but sitting in tight space on a plane for hours esp during covid and having anxiety was awful!!! Our plane should have never left BWI knowing storms in Atlanta!! And we were being told false info and promises by the pilot. To top it off once we got into ATL they did not have a gate waiting for us... appx 40 min waiting to depart our nightmare plane!!! UNREAL!!!! I am not happy at all!
Reviewed April 26, 2021
Flew Southwest during Covid almost every week and they were nice to make changes I needed and I was understanding on flights that were canceled. Now they have full flights and less accommodating when they change flights and want me to spend $350. to change.
Reviewed April 17, 2021
After I booked a flight on Southwest Airlines, I used Southwest Concierge service to book a room at the Springhill Suites on Creighton Rd, Pensacola, Florida, for April 8, 2021. Southwest Concierge charged me $179.68. The morning after I stayed in the hotel, when I checked out the clerk printed my receipt. The actual charge for the room was $132.96. Southwest UPCHARGED me $46.72. A 35% increase to the price. I called customer service - that term is an oxymoron in this case - and the explanation was that the hotel clerk should not have shown me the true price! I requested a refund and was told NO. You know how you thought that using Southwest Concierge would mean that Southwest would leverage their considerable buying power to your advantage? Well think again, it is an opportunity for them to gouge the consumer. Do not use Southwest Concierge.

Reviewed April 1, 2021
They do what they say and I can always rely on them and free 1 bag booking. I have never run into any delay problems and I love their getaway prices. Also, people are very friendly and professional.
Reviewed April 1, 2021
Good airlines, fair price, good customers service. No problem cancelling a flight and rebooking. Have done that a few times to save money. They have ongoing sales every few months. Good rewards program.
Reviewed April 1, 2021
I have used Southwest many times, and they have been a first class airline. They seem to be able to keep on time, and get you to your destination when they say they will. I would fly with them in the future.
Reviewed April 1, 2021
Took off on time, arrived in Dallas on time. Great service by the plane crew. I was wheelchair bound but was treated just great by the flight attendants. My lost luggage was found in Houston and was delivered to home the next day.
Reviewed April 1, 2021
I like this Airline because I have had nothing but a good experience compared to other airlines. On this airline there is no assigned seating and that is a huge perk. Once while flying this airline there was a power outage throughout the airline industry and the airline gave me a flight voucher though the problem was not their fault. To me this is going above and beyond to ensure that the customer is being taken care of as far as being satisfied.
Reviewed March 31, 2021
I hadn’t flown in years, so I was a little anxious, and on top of coronavirus, we had to sit accordingly, and I have extra weight on me so it was hard to sit in a seat with minimal leg room for 2 hours! (Doesn’t sound like your ideal flight does it?) But the airline attendees were fantastic, they just went on doing everything normally and catering to all of our needs. I felt very relaxed with them showing us they were in charge and assured of our flight! And the trip home was even better! I had no one next to me and sat by the exit in the middle for that extra leg room! Would recommend def!
Reviewed March 31, 2021
Generally the best price and availability. Found that Southwest Airlines is more generous when it comes to changes. No fee for Baggage is great. The employees in general are easy to get along with and always available to help.
Reviewed March 31, 2021
Your first two bags go free and the stewards are helpful and cordial. The foot room is nice not crowded. I really like when there is a tv on board to watch. When you get your tickets ahead of your trip, the prices are real reasonable. You do get a beverage and pretzels if your trip takes more than 2 hours. I like Southwest as my first choice to fly when it flies that route.
Reviewed March 31, 2021
I love their price and the loading of passengers and often getting upgraded is possible. They get me to my destination on time and with my luggage attendant are always helpful and friendly making my travel more pleasurable.
Reviewed March 30, 2021
Love me some Southwest. For an affordable airline, they are always on-time, decently friendly staff and semi-comfortable seating. But since I usually am only doing domestic flights, they're sufficient for what I need. More than anything, they always have TONS of flights and time options that allow for affordability and convenience. This allows me to maximize my business trips and vacations equally.
Reviewed March 30, 2021
I have been flying with Southwest and Alaska hoppers for a decade. The staff is always professional and eager to please their customers. I always feel safe when I fly the California and Oregon Corridors. Baggage is always prompt on arrival and I feel comfortable and safe when Flying Southwest especially during Covid 19.
Reviewed March 30, 2021
This airlines refused to refund three tickets from June 2020. Our flight had been changed and re routed several times. The reason given was that one time in this whole ordeal was that I myself changed a departure day myself to another day. That change was done before the final cancellation by Southwest. Since then my Husband has passed away. Are they going to refund his ticket with the death certificate? I do not know because I have not been able to reach out to them. We will see.
Reviewed March 30, 2021
Southwest has great customer service, quick and easy booking process with or without miles, planes are very clean and appear to be well maintained. My favorite part about Southwest is that their phenomenal sense of humor! Sense of humor and great service is always appreciated with air travel.
Reviewed March 29, 2021
Southwest has the the lowest fairs available, in a class of their own. Always friendly and willing to go the extra mile to get you to your destinations. I will always check them first and have been flying with them for the past 30 years.
Reviewed March 29, 2021
Group seating made it easy for traveling with children. Fighting was pleasant and smooth. Attendees were very pleasant and always asking if we needed anything. The overall experience was great. Will definitely use them again.
Reviewed March 29, 2021
They give you free bags, most always are on time if not early, and they have friendly airline attendants. Their wait areas have working charge hubs. I have never had a bad situation with them to include when I had to travel with an travel oxygen tank.
Reviewed March 29, 2021
First 2 bags fly free. Low fares. Easy website. Welcoming staff, pilots with a sense of humor put you at ease when flying. Southwest has a great attitude that consumers appreciate and even expanded their routes during the pandemic. I like the smaller airports they fly into. A+
Reviewed March 28, 2021
For the frugal consumer that would sacrifice first class comforts for lower fare price, SouthWest is the winner. SouthWest employees generally are very friendly and helpful. The boarding procedure is less than ideal, but if you are traveling solo, it's not a problem.
Reviewed March 28, 2021
I have used Southwest a number of times...self check in at a kiosk was trying the first time but there was plenty of help so the next time it was a breeze. Their prices are always great with the direct flights at a good time and I don't have to pay for luggage!! A win for me because I just can't go without all my stuff I Might need. I have flown twice since Covid and felt very safe. Matter of fact I have just booked another trip for next month using Southwest. Keep up the GREAT work!
Reviewed March 28, 2021
Flights are efficient and no real additional costs such as baggage costs, seat selection. Most flight attendants are very nice and very helpful. The airfares are relatively less expensive than many of the other major airlines.
Reviewed March 28, 2021
I always fly Southwest. They make the whole flight experience easy. I can almost always count on the price being the lowest available. I love that they don't nickel & dime you to death with all of the extra charges other airlines have. They give me the option of early check-in. I appreciate that. Their customer service has always been friendly, professional, and helpful.
Reviewed March 27, 2021
I have always loved how easy you can book and change or cancel SW flying. Never really fly anything else. I have taken 5 trips in the last year and I have to say that now that the middle seat is being used it felt pretty crowded and I was real uneasy. The worse thing is that I know they are NOT cleaning. I have several photos of how dirty this last plane was.. #disappointing
Reviewed March 27, 2021
It has been over 10 years that I have flown. I am 95. I was flying home to Charlotte, NC. The weather was clear and sunny. I believe my snack included orange juice. The stewardess was, as usual, quite pleasant.
Reviewed March 27, 2021
Southwest Airlines is one of the top airlines that I trust. Their customer service is unmatched. I always feel safe and secure when traveling with them. In having a peanut and tree nut allergy, they always provide a snack that I am able to enjoy without compromising my health. Their employees ensure that all of my questions are answered and they always enforce safety precautions. I love having the ability to bring 2 carry on bags for free. It is a very convenient and reasonable service that other airlines do not offer. The various ticket options are budget friendly and hassle free. Whether you are a first time flyer or a frequent flyer, Southwest Airlines is the way to go!
Reviewed March 27, 2021
SOUTHWEST is pretty comfortable carrier for a decent price. Remember, you get what you pay for. If you're not uppity, Southwest is a bargain. Fly on week to fourteen days and get a great price. Save more money so you and those you cherish can enjoy more of your visit any place you choose.
Reviewed March 26, 2021
Southwest as most people know, generally has the best price. But it comes with some inconveniences, you cannot choose a seat! If you are flying with someone or several others, there is no guarantee you will be able to sit together. For some, this does not matter, but if this is a point of contention, you will need to either be diligent and get to the front of the line (stressful) or sit apart (yuck) But if flying alone...Kudos!
Reviewed March 26, 2021
I personally just flew on Southwest a week ago. It was a very pleasant, wonderful, relaxing experience. The personnel was very attentive, very professional and polite especially the steward on both flights 'cause I had to change planes. Would recommend southwest to anybody. A very good experience from beginning to end and everytime time me and wife fly it is always southwest and besides they have the better prices and benefits.
Reviewed March 26, 2021
I’m very happy with how all covid precautions are implemented. Going through the airport and security are smooth to get through. Southwest takes their customers' safety while flying as their first priority to provide a comfortable and safe experience.
Reviewed March 25, 2021
Best service very few problems....they seem to weather the pandemic well.... generous rebooking policies... they kept my vouchers valid when no one was traveling for a long time. Help is generally good and have a list extended.
Reviewed March 25, 2021
Southwest is considered to be the Walmart of the airlines, reasonable prices and pretty good service but, you pay for it by some dumb people rushing and grabbing seats and luggage spaces anywhere they can. If you try to be courteous towards others you'll end up losing your seat and luggage space to a low class usually fatzo.
Reviewed March 25, 2021
Flight was detained on first plane, and barely made it to second plane. Then my luggage got lost on my return trip. The representative were not very nice, and took almost a week for luggage to be brought to my home. I would not recommend them!
Reviewed March 25, 2021
Could be run more effectively and cleaner. There needs to be more incentives and easier use of online booking and communication. Adding something like random seat upgrades or random seat prizes would be a fun idea too!
Reviewed March 24, 2021
The seats are comfortable, service is right on target. Timing is great. Service is always with a simile. Phone operators are courteous, tactful and polite. As are the flight crew. They accommodate when there is a cancellation.
Reviewed March 24, 2021
Great fun people make airport exp enjoyable plus no fees to cancel or change flights way before Covid 19 caused other airlines to do that so they have the process down and it is easy to call them without sitting on hold forever but also easy on line.
Reviewed March 24, 2021
Southwest (SWA) is the REAL DEAL! I have flown almost every American Airline Company and Southwest have continue to offer more deals and ways to please their customers. I genuinely appreciate the complimentary baggage offer and not putting this financial burden of their customers. The staff is very friendly and helpful. My family has felt very welcome and safe for decades traveling with SWA. I wish I could have the pleasure to work with such an awesome company with co-workers that has fun personalities as they do! They are truly "Fly the friendly skies" in my family hearts... Way to go and thank you Southwest Airlines!
Reviewed March 23, 2021
I like that the airlines doesn't penalize you for changing your flight. I have fly Southwest a lot and every time it has been a great from checking in my bags, to the flight attendance person, even during this pandemic time, the staff has been very positive.
Reviewed March 23, 2021
I hadn’t flown in years, I decided to visit my brother in Seattle and I was a little afraid. Everyone I encountered that day couldn’t of been nicer, the flight attendants knew I was worried so they checked on me often. I would highly recommend this airline.
Reviewed March 23, 2021
As a disabled person, I find they are always in tune to my needs. It’s difficult to find yourself in a unknown airport especially when transferring planes. They always have wheelchairs and the personnel there waiting for you as you de bark. The attendant knows your name and guides you effortlessly to your next flight. Having flown other airlines, I have been left waiting for help and almost missing a connecting flight. I know when I fly SWA I am treated with the utmost respect.
Reviewed March 23, 2021
Do not fly with SouthWest if need your friends and family you high maintenance. The flight attendants care about safety first and you second and that's a maybe. We are going from point A to point B and some on to point C. Coincidentally, also one of the three-letter categories that you are assigned if you choose to fly Southwest Airlines.
Reviewed March 22, 2021
Very customer-friendly; allowed me to rebook at no charge when my original flight was booked over 65%, so that I would not have the middle seat occupied. They have gone above and beyond to accommodate COVID-19 rescheduling, extending expiration dates, cleaning.
Reviewed March 22, 2021
They are timely, courteous and allow me the rates and comfort I need on my travels with them. Their rates are very reasonable and I like that they let you carry-on 2 bags and one piece of luggage can go for free.
Reviewed March 22, 2021
They overcrowding the plane and no social distancing for everyone the service could be a little faster than they provide. I actually like that they offer free luggage and they are comparable a better price than other airlines and after the flight the luggage shows up most of the time before I get to baggage claim.
Reviewed March 22, 2021
Fares are reasonable. I like to travel on Southwest. The employees are friendly so it makes me feel relaxed because I was quite elderly even when I last flew. My flights, of course, have been on domestic flights mainly to the Northwest as I remember.
Reviewed March 21, 2021
Very professional employees and service. Every time I speak with them I do not have problems. I love the cheap flights they offer several times throughout the year. My flight depart and arrive on time, consistently.
Reviewed March 21, 2021
Southwest treats customers with respect. They have always allowed a flight change without penalty and no extra charge for luggage. On the plane, the staff is courteous and sometimes hilarious. I enjoy riding with Southwest.
Reviewed March 21, 2021
Right price, convenient, great service and I always fly with Southwest. No baggage fees, easy loading and unloading of passengers. The aircraft are always clean and the seats are as good or bad as any other airline.
Reviewed March 21, 2021
Customer service is exemplary. I have flown with Southwest for the last twenty years and any and every issue has been handled efficiently and professionally to my satisfaction. Many of the flight attendants are not only pleasant, but some are quite entertaining when announcing flight preparation information. Although the seating is not the best for comfort and roominess, the staff both on the ground and in flight have been consistently helpful and courteous.
Reviewed March 20, 2021
The flight was smooth, very quiet, and the flight attendants were very helpful. The snacks were very good. The plane wasn’t that tight, lots of room. Had great wifi. Was able to sleep. Bathroom could be bigger though.
Reviewed March 20, 2021
Two bags fly for free, staff always pleasant and helpful, good record on safety and timeliness and good prices. Never lost my baggage like other airlines have. Helpful to those who need special assistance and children flying alone.
Reviewed March 20, 2021
Flew last weekend with Southwest airlines. They practiced social distancing by only boarding 10 people at a time, and masks required. It was orderly and pleasant is I am used to with SW Airlines. The return flight was full, again organized and everything went smoothly. I was in the rear of the plane and before I was off the aircraft the crew was wiping all the seats and other surfaces. Very impressive!
Reviewed March 20, 2021
I love that Southwest allow 3 bags no fee. All the other airlines charged for bags at 40.00 and up for any and all bags. I also love that there is no class seating. Everyone is on the same level no 1st class stuff.
Reviewed March 19, 2021
I recently flew to Orlando to Cleveland, Ohio via Southwest. This was in February and had a very pleasant flight. All the stewardess were pleasant and we actually arrived ahead of schedule. We had no problems with our baggage as I did on a previous flight from another airline. I would fly Southwest again.
Reviewed March 19, 2021
Love to travel Southwest. It’s non stop to my destination and there isn’t extra fees for baggage. Always polite and fun to fly with. They're always helpful if you need any information on your flight. Their prices are excellent compared to other flights and always seem to be on time in your arrivals.
Reviewed March 19, 2021
Always great service, plenty of room and reasonably priced. They are very professional and seem to enjoy their jobs. It is also easy to order tickets and the lines to check in are not too bad. They seem to be at all major airports and their counters are easy to find.
Reviewed March 19, 2021
It beats all airlines because it is clean, affordable and everything is on board. You get food, drinks, snacks etc. so it is a great airline. It fits my budget indeed.

Reviewed March 18, 2021
Love Southwest Airline, from the FREE checked baggage, to the excellent Customer Service received at every point from the Station to inflight. I like that their website has no hidden fees, and seats are chosen as you board, so the earlier you check-in within 24 hours of your flight then the earlier you board to find your seat. You can also pay for “early-bird" check in at a fee of $15-$25 per person per segment. I feel safe flying with Southwest, as a employee owned business I believe not only do they go that extra mile, but their planes are maintained
Reviewed March 18, 2021
This no nonsense airline provides the customer service all other airlines lack. Ticket prices are reasonable and you’re not nickel and dimed for luggage ????. This is the perfect airline for intercontinental travel within the U.S. If low cost and great service is what you’re looking for choose Southwest Airlines.
Reviewed March 18, 2021
I did not have a very good experience flying to Seattle from Milwaukee in Dec 2019 on Southwest. It was late to begin with and it finally came and we flew. It landed and waited for an hour at the tarmac for the plane to find a port to park the plane. Once we got a spot and got down we now had to wait for the luggage at the carousel. There were only 2-3 carousels on and the airport was over crowded with the previous planes passengers waiting or lost for their luggage! It was a big chaos. The line to file a claim for the luggage was really long! It was almost 2-2.5 hours we had to wait when finally the carousel close to the claim filing line turned on and my luck my luggage was on that carousel.
Reviewed March 18, 2021
I like Southwest Airlines, the pricing on the tickets is usually pretty competitive for the areas that they service. I like the non-assigned seating, no charge for checked baggage and the friendly staff. It seems they go over and above on the friendliness and inject humor into the flight.
Reviewed March 18, 2021
Southwest Airlines has the best customer service I have experienced on any US airline. The people are friendly and not stuffy. Super reliable. No bag fees or change fees really help too. They are my number one choice whenever I fly to a destination they serve.
Reviewed March 17, 2021
Very easy to reserve flight. The best value for the money. What I like the most is that is no charge for bags and assign seats. Low cost to enter the flight priorities is the best in the market. It was very easy to chat with customer services when needed.
Reviewed March 17, 2021
Living a busy life it’s always good to know that changes are easy and free! That aspect of SW is very important to me. I also appreciate the friendly and human scale of interaction with the flight attendant and the rest of the professional crew.
Reviewed March 17, 2021
Recently grounded by ice storm in Richmond, Va - was re-scheduled the next day - got me to my destination - Denver, Co. Delayed by loading of vaccine (I'm proud of that) and handed out water twice. Good idea, Great experience all the way!!!
Reviewed March 17, 2021
I have flown on this airplane before covid-19 on several occasions. The flight attendants were always courteous and helpful. The seats were comfortable. The only thing that I don't like about any airplane is the reclining of the seats.
Reviewed March 8, 2021
December 2020, I booked a flight for a party of 7 ($3,410.40). After explaining I needed to change the flight, I was told I’d be refunded funds I used to pay for my travel (travel funds). She clarified that was my credit card (within 5-7days). She assured me I could book a new flight, so I did before my refund was posted. Believing this Southwest employee, I happily booked a new flight. When I didn’t receive my refund, I was told to call customer relations. After speaking to the rudest “Customer Relations” Southwest employee, I was told about the voucher.
Clearly this was a big misunderstanding and illogical for me to purchase the same tickets, without using a supposed voucher. Now, because Southwest refuses to see the mistake they made in explaining how I would be refunded. I am without enough money to reserve a hotel for me and my family. Not to mention having thousands of dollars in vouchers to use by Dec 2021. Gotta wonder how much money Southwest Airlines scams people out of money with these fine print disclosures their own employees can’t explain correctly or WON’T explain for the purposes of scamming their customers.
Reviewed Feb. 2, 2021
Booked my flight 1/27/20- flight on 5/7/20, I canceled the flight due to Covid. They issued me a credit but told me that the credit is good for the 2 original passengers. I can’t assign the funds to another passenger. They won’t refund me because they didn’t cancel the flight. The supervisor told me that unlike other airlines they didn’t cancel their flights therefore resulting in a specific credit and not a refund. They found a loophole so they didn’t have to refund.
Reviewed Jan. 3, 2021
I would give them 0 stars but think it wanted me to add it. They deserve none and I will never give them my business again. I am a 51 yo female on home kidney dialysis with fluid on my lungs, low pth and low red blood cells which all make it difficult to breathe so wearing a mask over my nose causes panic attacks. The attendants were very rude and the pilot pulled back in and they forced my mom and me to get off the plane. I was trying to do the best I could to wear the mask. I was in the front row away from everyone else and facing the window. They just left us in the airport to find our own ride home 375 miles away. As I sat in the wheelchair recouping from the panic attack and the craziness that had just happened, we made our way to baggage claim outside to wait 6 hours (til 11pm) for my fiance to pick us up.
Reviewed Dec. 6, 2020
This all starts when I reached to the America then for traveling different states I choose this flight option. Behavior of staff is very good. Overall experience was wonderful and I hope I will travel again from this flight. Food quality as per choices, even have tea according to the my taste. And I can recommend to you try this flight for once in a life. You will loved it definitely.
Reviewed Nov. 24, 2020
Booked a flight in December of 2019 for January 2020. Friend's Father was in ICU for a month so had to cancel trip. Then COVID hit in March. Grandparents that I help take care of are in their late 80s so travel and being around the general public is out of the question now. Southwest says I have to fly by 12/3/20 or I lose 100.00 of my $183.00 fare. More than a 50% penalty. They are not concerned with public health nor the current travel advisories. I have flown Southwest for many years but will be using other airlines once this pandemic ends and people can travel safely again.
Reviewed Sept. 29, 2020
I flew Southwest twice in the past month having never used them in the past. This was my first experience. I have to say that with everything going on in our world, they made the experience so comfortable and easy to handle. From the first moment you enter the plane until exit, they treat you like family. I love love love the humor when making announcements. We all need humor. Once attendant said yesterday that, "We love you, but we don't trust you so we will be checking all your seatbelts." LOL. The pilots were so kind on the announcements too. It was just a very pleasant trip during a tough time in our world. THANK YOU!
Reviewed Sept. 21, 2020
Booked a vacation package on 3/2/20, had to cancel on 4/15/20 due to covid, was told I would receive a refund by end of July. It did not happen. Called back. Said it would be by end of August. It did not happen. Called back 9/9/20. Was told I would have it refunded within 10 days. Still no refund as of 9/21/20.
Reviewed Sept. 11, 2020
Judging by the amount of grievances with Southwest Airlines out there on the web these days, the tide is turning for the once well-thought of "friendly" and hip airline we all loved. My problem stemmed from having to cancel an airline ticket I had purchased for last November 2019. I felt it was no problem for me to re-use the voucher within the next year but the Covid-19 scare began a month later and has continued to date.
I called Southwest recently and asked for an extension for the ticket but the woman told me to let it expire, then call them. What?? What kind of a sly suggestion is that for a business to ask a consumer who has paid for their product but has not used it? I couldn't believe this was the response I was getting from Southwest Airlines....I then went to the BBB of Texas and filed a complaint. The next day the response from Ashley **, of Southwest Airlines, was to "just let your ticket expire and call us after that". What? Why in the world would I want to do that? Is this the new way of business in 2020? Southwest, I thought you were better than the others.
Reviewed Aug. 31, 2020
I would like to start this out with I have never been so outraged with a company I feel the need to write reviews on multiple platforms. Originally, in August of 2019, I purchased two flights to Mexico. One of them needed to be canceled and Southwest would not allow me to do that without eating the cost of the entire $500 flight. In return they offered me a transfer of funds for a hundred dollar fee - having no choice, I accepted this change. I then went to use the rest of my voucher (prior to the date of expiration) and found that I could not find the voucher id number. The company reached out and said this would be, NO ISSUE AT ALL - and within three days they would e-mail me the new number with an extension of six months time due to covid restrictions - GREAT! Right? - No. They then sent nothing, went radio silent.
So I proceeded to reach BACK OUT to the company (on my time!) and when they reached out again they told me they would not only not honor what had been said but they would now only honor it if they could take another ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS from the $189 voucher. At this point, that would be $200 lost to their customer service department. I really just can’t fathom the inability for such a LARGE company to foot a hundred dollar bill (that I’ve already PAID) and also tell me that there is no one who can be spoken to about this except the one person in the department who is the “supervisor” - I have worked in sales/customer service for many years and this is absolutely ridiculous behavior for a company that prides themselves in the value of the customer experience. Once again, this is money that I have ALREADY PAID to the company that they will have now taken from me - even with a Global Pandemic in the midst.

Reviewed Aug. 30, 2020
What happens when your luggage doesn't… What happens when your luggage doesn't make your connecting flight on Southwest Airlines. My luggage was to arrive late. At 9 pm I was told by baggage claim associate “Louis” after he confirmed my bag was in route that I would get a call when it arrived on a later flight at 10pm. I received a call around 10pm that they didn't have my bag yet and would call me when it came in. The following mid afternoon I received a call that my bag had been stolen off the baggage belt.
Knowing my luggage would be there at 10pm, is it too much to ask that it be secured in the baggage claim area? The associates failed to do so. I received an email from Southwest They it is their position that SW will not take responsibility for my loss and I might file a claim with a secondary insurance if I have one. Thanks for the advice! The value of my Pro travel bag and contents is more than $3500. Of which it looks like I am plain out of luck! Through no fault of my own my fly free bag ends up costing me three grand. SW, feel free to contact me and do the right thing. Care about the people that keep you in business.
Reviewed Aug. 28, 2020
I tried to purchase a ticket online but the website would not work all the way through the process, so I called their airline to buy a ticket. Their agent Informed me that her computer was also not working and that she was unable to sell me a ticket at that time. I was told that Southwest was aware of the issue and that if I called back in the morning Southwest would honor the ticket price I was trying to purchase.
When I called back I was told they would not honor the ticket price and didn't know anything about a problem! They did however tell me that my call was logged in so they knew that I called but bottom line is SOUTHWEST DOES NOT HONOR what their representative tells you so don't believe them if you have an issue. I guess they don't really care about their Rapid Rewards customers. My mistake for thinking they would work something out but, NO, they wouldn't even discount a ticket. Mind you this is after hours of me trying to but a ticket and being lied to by their rep!
Reviewed Aug. 25, 2020
To condense a very long story, I tried to purchase Rapid Rewards points almost a month ago to book a flight for my husband. The purchase "didn't go through" without any explanation. I hesitated but purchased more points. When those came through, I had to book the flight with a representative. I called, my flight was associated with my husband's. I told the rep I needed to book him on my flight. She said she saw my flight and booked his.
I was working with the highest level of customer service rep at Southwest, which they felt the need to tell me EVERY SINGLE TIME I called, so it didn't occur to me that she would book it wrong. But she did. I didn't know she booked the wrong flight, because she didn't tell me what flight she booked. When I saw it was wrong, I tried to call back. They were closed at 3 pm AZ time. I called back the next morning and was told they will not fix the flight. I can pay the difference. The difference is $478 on a $91 flight. There wasn't much of an explanation given besides that there is "mutual responsibility," which apparently means that I am responsible for what the representative did because there is nothing mutual on her end. They are not offering that she will pay for half of the mistake.
Not to mention, the representative I talked to the next day was awful and rude. He would sit on the phone in silence for 30 seconds or more making think I'd been disconnected and then say, "I don't talk on command." I'm not sure what kind of response that is from a customer service rep, but it was infuriating. DO NOT purchase Rapid Rewards points. DO NOT deal with their executive offices. It has been a miserable waste of my time trying to get this flight booked and now I'm going to have to cancel the entire trip.
Reviewed June 25, 2020
Do not fly Southwest. If you have a change in plans and a ** child will be going with you instead of a ** child they will not help you. They will keep the money you already paid. Simple as changing a name. They require ID so there should be no problem. You will get no help whatsoever.
Reviewed June 10, 2020
Shout out to Southwest again. They continue to prove that flying with other carriers typically isn’t worth it. The change fees, inconsistent staffing and flight delays with other carriers like American Airlines make it easy to choose Southwest. Thank you for the great service and bailing me and my family out of other carrier disasters!! Southwest makes it easy to fly.
Reviewed May 27, 2020
Do NOT fly Southwest, unless you like disappointment. I would disregard any review older than 1 year. Because back in the day they were a good airline. I've flown them at least 10 round trips in last year, and every time, their services was terrible, flights are always late and their customer service is terrible and obnoxious! Avoid, avoid, avoid!
Reviewed May 13, 2020
I have been flying Southwest for 9 years, and they continue to be my primary choice for flying. When something goes wrong, Southwest will make your experience right. I have several examples of them thinking outside the box for my family, friends, and myself. I am leaving a review because I don't know how else to spread the Southwest LOVE!
Reviewed May 12, 2020
Do not book your vacation through SW Vacations. I assure you, especially in a time like this you will regret it. I booked an international trip in the spring before COVID19 got out of hand. The trip was to take place in late April during the peak of the worldwide pandemic. When I went to cancel I was told I would receive X amount in air credit, and X amount in resort credit back to my card. I was not happy with this since I wanted to go on the trip, but when the world shuts down and travelers' safety becomes a life-threatening concern it puts a hinder on those plans. I was told all would be processed and refunded within 14-21 business days because of the influx of calls. I understood the timeline. Keep in mind that I waited 2.5 hours to speak to someone about this in the first place, but again I understood.
I waited 30 business days (well beyond the promised 14-21) and had not yet received any communication from SWA/SWV and no credit back. I called again... 2 hours later I spoke to a lovely lady who told me she could clearly see where I was promised an SLA of 14-21 days, but that it could take several more months to receive the credit. Clearly, that is unacceptable. 1. It does not take that much time to apply a credit. It should not take more than a few days. It should be processed while on the call. 2. We are in a worldwide pandemic where people's livelihoods are in jeopardy. We cannot wait several months for a refund. I decided to reply to some other complaints I saw about this on twitter to SW Airlines.
I was absolutely disgusted to get a response from SW Airlines saying (and I am paraphrasing) that Southwest Vacations is not the same company. They do not have responsibility. I explained that if their name, logo, & branding are on the site, not to mention I receive emails from them acting as 1 company than they are responsible. That is part of your responsibility when adding your branding to what I have now learned is a 3rd party company. So at this point I am frustrated. It's been almost 60 days since canceling due to the pandemic and no credit back per their promise. No one takes ownership, you wait on the phone for hours to speak to a representative, and most importantly on my end I am upset with Southwest Airlines. I have been a loyal and frequent flyer for several years for both my personal & work travel.
I will no longer be doing future business with either because I feel in a time like this it shows the true character of a company. Yes, SWA has agreed to extend voucher usage to a later date which I believe was a nice move, but I do also believe they should be providing refunds on flights to countries that were closed, and that in this particular example they should having the type of relationship with the third party company that uses their name and logo to ensure THEY are doing the right thing by their customers. Very disappointed with the failure on Southwest Airlines part, and would never do business with their 3rd party who manages their vacations again.
Reviewed May 12, 2020
We had a flight booked for April with our child who was less than 2 (so she was free as a lap child). To make things easier, for us and everyone on the plane, we wanted to get a seat for her car seat, since prices were dropping. I was told I could rebook the flight for the cheaper price and use the travel funds for that. I did that, but couldn't use the funds to book. When I got someone on the phone again, I was told the extra money is only allowed to be used on my wife and me since it came from our ticket. I was then told the only thing I can do is turn the funds into vouchers, which would be good for a year, but it would take money from the funds.
Being that the funds expired in April and June of this year, and we never were going to use them, I agreed to it, but when we got the vouchers the expiration date was the same as the funds. When I tried calling, tweeting, and messaging, I was just told that whoever told me that information was wrong and I should just be grateful for the opportunity to get travel funds in the first place. So I am not out $278. If I was never told misinformation from the beginning, I never would have rebooked for a lower price, and the funds, I currently have, would include that money. But because I was, my funds are now short that extra money and they are doing nothing about it.
On top of this, they are not offering refunds at all, but found this on DOT **, that they have been mandated to at least offer the refund and that never happened. This is not to mention, them telling a flight was canceled in September (which it wasn't) causing me to miss a friends wedding and last April them not letting me on the flight because we got to the gate "late" and they gave our seats away only to be told later that there were more than 15 seats still available on the flight.

Reviewed May 4, 2020
First, I am a Disabled Senior with high underlying medical issues that is a HIGH RISK for the Coronavirus. CDC advised people of color with High-Risk Medical Issues to stay at home. Normally, I do not fly but wanted to participate in a Family Vacation. On 01/11/2020, I placed reservations from Houston to Long Beach, CA for a cruise but there were more Senior citizen deaths, and more people diagnosed positive for the virus. I called Southwest Airlines to see how they were handling reservations with unavoidable issues. On a fixed income with a medical issue such as Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Chronic Kidney Disease, and mainly respiratory issues. I needed to cancel the flight and cruise...
Unfortunately I would have lost over 1900.00 for the cruise and 360.00 for the flight, Therefore, Southwest Airlines offered one option and that was a discount on the flight. Their $204.00 they could have refunded but would not so place it to be used on a future flight. I explained I do not fly so it would not benefit me but they would not refund it. On today 05/04/2020, Carnival canceled the cruise because it wasn't safe for the July 11, 2020 cruise. Fortunately, Carnival cared more about their customers and provided 2 options. I decided to request the second option of which 100% refund. I do not understand why Southwest Airlines does not assist its customers, especially Very High-Risk Medical Issues. Southwest Airlines would rather risk the customer's life than lose their bottom line/revenue.
Reviewed April 26, 2020
Long time flyer in SW rewards program. Booked 2/2020. SW cancelled 4/2020 two days before flight. No notification. SW auto rebooked on much later flight. No notification. Per DOT/FAA rules, a passenger is due a full refund regardless of reason when airline cancels. Passenger can elect to let airline hold funds, but they cannot just keep them or not notify passenger of changes. No refund offered. COVID-19 shut down destination travel hotels, entertainment, restaurants, etc. Not possible to have a vacation. Additionally rental car was lined up with flight arrival. Rental agencies cancel reservations one hour after time booked. No exceptions. Hotel cancelled and refunded a day before travel. Therefore, we could only stay in airport for entire 2-week vacation. SW cancelled due to COVID-19, so why rebook without notification? SW surely knew which states issued closures and restrictions, but ignored that information.
Calling SW CS only gained some patronizing and irrational dialog. As a senior I will no longer travel by air. In short, SW is a greedy, inconsiderate of passenger health, safety and well being. If I cancelled because I caught COVID-19 and had to stay home, you can bet they would keep every cent. However, when they cancel they want to keep every cent too. As someone who has limited time left on this planet, I must move on, but never again. Flyers beware! Remember the US Taxpayer is bailing out the airlines with FREE grant money and 1% loans in $Billions. They should at least treat passenger with decency and respect for this unexpected national and state crisis. As a business you take risks, but apparently SW wants to win no matter what. Well, the small people, have friends who have more friends and influential contacts. We will remember. User's recommendation: If retired Drive everywhere.
Reviewed April 26, 2020
I am absolutely appalled at the customer service me and my girlfriend received at the Philadelphia airport. She had purchased a ticket for a flight on April 24th about a month or so in advance and it got canceled within a week of said flight. Okay, not the end of the world. The very next day she rescheduled for a flight on April 25th. This flight was then also cancelled. But then, it wasn’t. It was available for scheduling again on the website, so my girlfriend just rescheduled for the same flight again. It was odd, but the flight was available again, so we just went with business as usual.
So we drove to the airport, an hour and a half drive, and when we get there she types in her confirmation number and it says the flight has been canceled. Now, the previous two cancellations came with a notification saying the flight had been canceled. My girlfriend checked for one the whole drive there and did not receive one. Needless to say after the drive, this was a frustrating revelation. We spoke with an attendant at the nearby counter and explained the situation, and she told us that the only thing she could do was book us a flight for the following morning at 7:00 AM. We’d need to be there at 6:00 AM which meant we’d have to leave at 4:00 AM. This was not convenient for us, and it meant we’d have to make another 3 hour round trip drive.
So we found ourselves speaking with a different attendant regarding what happened and asked if we could be transferred to a flight with a different airline, something many other airlines do in these situations (my dad, a million mile flyer, can attest to this) only to be told this was impossible, despite there being an American Airlines flight in a few hours with lots of available seats. I explained my lack of confidence that the flight the next day would actually go out, and the attendant expressed that she also was not confident.
As the conversation went on, things got heated, with a supervisor stepping in as the original attendant began yelling and accusing us of lying and saying that we known it’d been canceled before driving an hour and a half out to the airport, which makes no sense. The supervisor told me he refused to speak to me because I wasn’t the passenger, despite this nonsense affecting me too since I have to drive and house my girlfriend for the remainder of her time here. We were told that our options were to keep the flight for the following day (the one the attendant originally had no confidence in, but now in the presence of her supervisor couldn’t accurately say how likely it was that it’d go out) or to get a refund in the form of a voucher for another southwest flight. Neither was a satisfactory solution given that, as far as we could tell, this was an error on their end.
I’m struggling to convey the rudeness, hostility, and apathy we were met with in this situation, but I can promise you it was genuinely upsetting, with my girlfriend choking back tears during the exchange before breaking down in the car afterwards as we drove home. I’m left expecting a similar experience for the following flight, and the whole experience has left us feeling as though we will never travel with Southwest again. This behavior was absolutely unacceptable, hurtful, unprofessional, and unaccommodating.
Reviewed April 16, 2020
I booked a flight on SWA and the system told me that I had travel funds available and it would apply them. I was asked for a credit card to pay the difference so I did. I ended up cancelling this flight and then I booked again later using part of these travel funds. I selected Early Bird Check-in which it also applied travel funds to. Then I saw an alert from my credit card so I called in to fix the problem with the system not using the travel funds.
The first time I called, she cancelled the current flight record and created a new one, refunding my payment and the early bird check in or so she said. She then told me that travel funds couldn't be used for early bird check in. I told her that the system just allowed it but through some glitch it charged my credit card, which was a bit scary from a security perspective because I never provided the CVV code. How did they do that? Anyway, as it turned out, she did credit the price of the trip but never credited the Early Bird check-in and actually charged me for it again.
The other issue I have with this is that I asked how crowded the flight might be and she said she couldn't tell me that which I know is not true because I've been told before. I then came to understand why she wouldn't tell me because I didn't need early bird check in with only 7 passengers on the flight. Also, I had checked the box on my disability, so I didn't need early bird check in at all! My credit card statement came and I saw the 4 early bird check in charges and a charge for the original flight that I had used funds to pay for except the difference in the amount, however the charge was for the full ticket price.
I called customer service and after waiting 25 minutes, I got an agent on the line. I explained all of this to him and he started checking. I don't know what he was checking but he kept me on the line for 30 minutes with his shenanigans, because he finally told me that he didn't have the authority to help me with any charges incurred. I asked him why he couldn't tell me that within the first few minutes when I told him that I had received my credit card statement and I had been charged incorrectly. If he can't help me then what is he doing? He said he wasn't allowed to tell me that he couldn't help and I asked him how he could tell me that after 30 minutes if he couldn't tell me after 2 minutes. He didn't have an answer. Bad customer service. He gave me another number to call - yikes! Dare I call it or should I just raise a dispute through the credit card company?
Reviewed April 11, 2020
Recently had to cancel reservation because of virus. Credited for flight but will not credit $100. for advanced boarding. I guess I am supposed to be happy with 1000 mi credit. What a joke, GREED wins out over fairness.
Reviewed March 31, 2020
I had a flight booked for 3/29/20-4/1/20 from Cleveland to Vegas. Well I cancelled on 3/20/20 due to pandemic and Vegas was just starting to announce closings. I was refunded my points and booking fee but they would not give me a credit for my early check in fee. They said it was non refundable to wich I explained I just wanted the credit to use it when I rebooked. They gave the usual corporate response but would not give a refund. I told them again I didnt want a refund just a credit but got no further response. It says when booking it is non refundable and if this was a normal situation and I cancelled I would not expect one but this is not a normal situation and Vegas is closed. It is not a lot of money but it is about doing what is right.
Reviewed March 27, 2020
We purchased tickets to Florida before the Covid19 outbreak. I had to purchase the Earlybird check-in since I'm claustrophobic and need an aisle seat. Since the Covid19 conditions do not allow me to fly because of an underlying condition I called to cancel the flight. They gave me back the points I had used to purchase the flight but not the $200 for the Earlybird. I would think at a time like this knowing that people cannot afford to just lose money on something not usable they would refund it. I was told it is a non-refundable amenity, and would not be refunded just because of the circumstances we are all in that is not our fault. I am sincerely disappointed in Southwest.
Reviewed March 26, 2020
After flying from Indianapolis to Atlanta we had a 4 hour layover until our flight to Oakland. My girlfriend has a service animal and we had to the bathroom. We were in Terminal C and there were no pet relief areas open in the entire terminal. We had to walk 20 minutes to terminal B to find an open pet relief area. When we came back they had closed the doors, 15 minutes before the flight. We explained to the lady at the gate that there were no pet relief areas open yet she would not let us on the plane. We then watched the plane for 15 minutes sitting and then it backed out and left. There was plenty of time to correct the situation. The 2 representatives at the counter were Paree ** and a Manager Lajuan A. She laughed and said "Oh I figured you were walking your dog because I saw a service animal on your reservation." I fly twice a week and I used to prefer Southwest but no longer.
Reviewed March 23, 2020
I was a Delta Platinum traveler for many years when I owned my last business. After selling it a decade ago we pretty much switched to Southwest for price & convenience. We always pay for Early Bird Check-in for each leg of our flights, $20 per. Due to a sudden diagnosis of breast cancer for my wife, I had to cancel a flight for a family visit, then only a few hours later was able to re-book after we scheduled doc appts, etc. unfortunately only to have to cancel again w/ in a day due to an unexpected surgery opening that came up on doc's schedule that we chose to take advantage of. I was under the understanding that SW applies your previous purchase $$ to subsequent bookings, actually 1 reason we use them.
When CC statement arrived I found out they did NOT refund or apply the $120 Early Bird fees on any of the legs. OK, I guess, for the 2nd reservation as we never re-booked, but the 1st one was cancelled & re-booked literally w/ in 3 hrs. One phone rep told me we should get our $40 credit, another in a diff department said "no". Turns out we had to change the flights on the 1st reservation to what we wanted on the 2nd rather than re-book on a different itinerary as we did. Wasted $120....which will definitely come into play when making future reservations on SW for sure.
Reviewed March 21, 2020
Southwest Airlines provided very friendly service from the beginning, picking the flight, purchasing the ticket, seating, snacks, and on board service. I will definitely use this airline again. They made flying an enjoyable experience.
Reviewed March 21, 2020
I always try to fly Southwest, because they don't nickel and dime you during the process. I like knowing I can bring two bags; though I rarely do. I like that I can cancel or postpone a trip without penalty; though I rarely do. I like that I get a straight answer to my questions when I call. This is the way it should be.
Reviewed March 21, 2020
My husband, myself and our youngest son booked a flight last April to see our 22 year old son graduate from Basic/Advanced training in Columbus Ga. The price for the three of us was very affordable. We love that they do not charge for our first luggage so that saved us money, which was even greater. We proudly attended graduation and spent quality time with our son.
On the return flight, I sat next to my husband who was sitting in the aisle seat. He had lost 50 lbs after heart surgery in 2017, so his ring was a little loose. While serving us our beverages, the flight attendant reached down next to his seat picking up a wedding band and asked if it was his. Yes, It was his! We were so grateful she found his ring before we left the plane. He would have been devastated to have lost it. It has special inscription inside. We had been married 24 years at this time. He finally put a ring guard on it after we returned. I am still so grateful for the service of that flight attendant to this day. The entire crew was up to par. Southwest will always be my first choice in domestic flights in the US.
Reviewed March 20, 2020
We have loyally flown Southwest for years. However, recently the bad experiences have been accumulating. They started with experiences involving the lack of notification or even reasonable explanation when delaying flights (for hours). Accumulating with experiences involving rude and dismissive crew members and airport employees. Until the most recent experience regarding cancellation of a flight due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of course, SOME of these experiences can be found with probably any airline or company. However, when an incident extremely disrupts your travel, I am a person who will bring it to the attention of Customer Service and expect some level of compassion. That said, each one of our recent bad experiences has been met with the same total disregard for customer care from every single person. This includes agents at Southwest Customer Relations and all the way up to Southwest Airlines Corporate Customer Relations.
The most recent of these incidents being with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic. Once Federal, State, and Local Governments, schools and communities all headed the advice of the nation's leading experts that it would be social irresponsible AND life-threateningly dangerous to travel, my family and I were forced to cancel our vacation plans which involved a Southwest flight.
Every other vendor involved in our vacation plans was accommodating and understanding as this pandemic is affecting us all. Southwest Airlines offered NO option or deviation from their normal policy and gave us flight credits equally divided between each passenger, with an expiration date. Though their normal cancellation policy is one of the worst in the industry, as Southwest customers, we understand and usually accept it. However, this situation, as most every vendor of services across the nation agrees, warrants an exception to policy. At the very least, in the interest of CUSTOMER RETENTION.
We were involuntarily forced to cancel our flight due to the pandemic and, ultimately, will most likely be unable to put the same trip together prior to the expiration date given, even if the pandemic were to subside tomorrow. Yet, everyone I spoke with at Southwest Customer Care and even up to Corporate Customer Care gave the same answer: "Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate any request to change. The credits must be used or they will expire". My family and I will never fly Southwest Airlines again!

Reviewed March 20, 2020
Do not shrink the seats anymore than they are now. In fact larger seats would be better. Free water would be good. Snacks are fine but go around more than once on a flight. More updates on flights at terminals would be good.
Reviewed March 20, 2020
I have been flying for many years on business trips. I have been using SouthWest also for many years because of the on time departure and arrival times. I can say I was never late for a meeting because of SouthWest Airlines. Of course weather delays happen but that is out of their control. All the SouthWest employees from the pilots, flight attendants, terminal employees and ground crew have been very professional in every way. From a scale of one to ten, I would rate SouthWest a TEN.
Reviewed March 20, 2020
Southwest goes above and beyond to make sure their customers are happy, plus they offer one free checked bag... that makes a big difference. Plus they go out of their way with customer service and are so friendly and planes are kept so clean.
Reviewed March 19, 2020
All personnel are incredibly courteous, helpful, and efficient. They almost always know the answers to my questions, and if not, take the time to check other resources rather than being negative. Personnel are flexible and work to accommodate my needs. Planes are clean and on time. Fares are often cheaper than other airlines. I can usually get a direct flight to my destination. Capable personnel, clean planes, punctual departures, and low costs make Southwest Airlines outstanding.
Reviewed March 19, 2020
We always save money and enjoy flying on Southwest Airlines. The staff is always friendly and the 737-800 for long haul flights has extra legroom. Two free bags per person, best baggage allowance in the airline industry.
Reviewed March 19, 2020
Southwest Airlines has professional, experienced, friendly and kind staff. I have traveled all US airlines and Southwest is number one by far the best. if you have to travel Southwest Airlines is the best staff is organized, helpful and courtesy. Southwest is my go to airline.
Reviewed March 18, 2020
Called SWest in regard to canceling my flight in the midst of the pandemic. I am 81 so am very vulnerable. Traveling from MKE to Norfolk Va. 3/24/2020. To the Outer Banks to visit cousin. Outer Banks closed yesterday to visitors so can’t get there. Can cancel ticket no problem except I used 2 vouchers worth 250$ (expiring 4/12/2020) to pay partially for ticket. Their policy is if I cancel I have to pay 100$ to reinstate the vouchers. They are then good for an additional 6 months. Are you kidding, we are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and they cannot waive or extend these vouchers or reissue them.
What really outrages me is these vouchers were issued to me for damage to my luggage in partial payment. What kind of idiots run this airline. Really. Even went to cooperate with this. Asked the woman customer service if this was happening to just a few of us and she said no. Most of their calls all over the country was about this issue. And the gov. wants to bail out this group of self serving jerks who are making millions. Give me a break.
Reviewed March 18, 2020
Southwest has tight seating but the rates are always on the low side and the employees seem happy, friendly and helpful. The boarding goes smoothly and overall the flight is not stressful except for the legroom.
Reviewed March 18, 2020
I fly this airline several times a year. I love their no change fee and direct flights. They are usually on time and a dependable airline. Also they do not charge for baggage which is a plus. The stewardesses are usually very nice too.
Reviewed March 18, 2020
I like everything about this airline and their employees. Flight attendants go through a lot and still they stay as positive as they can with all the "different" issues they experience. I try not to fly anyone else if I can help it.
Reviewed March 17, 2020
Our Experience: My Husband purchased a non-refundable ticket June 20, 2019. He was unable to make the trip. He received a credit to use the ticket by June 20, 2020. We had plans to Attend a Wedding In New Orleans March 28, 2020. We made reservations with Southwest Airlines January 15, 2020. However, because my husband already had a credit, he applied the cost of the ticket to New Orleans trip from HIS PREVIOUS credit reservation, which left him a BALANCE on the PREVIOUS Reservation. MY reservation was on a DIFFERENT Confirmation Number for the New Orleans trip. Southwest Airlines combined the reservations without notifying us. Because of Covid-19 the Wedding will not take place. We THOUGHT Southwest would be more flexible in dealing with the pandemic. THEY ARE NOT!!!! We can call "AFTER" his Expiration Date of June 20, 2020 to Cancel.
Southwest stated if my husband does not use his credit by June 20, 2020 it will cost him $200.00 out of the credit of $387.00, to extend the remaining Balance of $187.00 for 6 months which Southwest is calling a "Luv Voucher" ($100.00 will be deducted from the PREVIOUS reservation he had, AND $100.00 from the NEW Orleans reservation that was made). Depending on WHEN the next flight will be, I am SURE he will have to PAY THE DIFFERENCE for the next reservation.
We don't know the timeframe of this pandemic and still may not be able to complete a trip by June 20, 2020. However we feel FORCED and PRESSURED to use the credit before the expiration Date of JUNE 20, 2020 so the total amount will not be lost. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES YOU are only adding more STRESS to an already STRESSFUL situation by not amending your Policies during the Covid-19 crisis. I understand the non-refundable policy....but this (COVID-19) is OUT OF OUR CONTROL. MAYBE YOU DON'T VALUE YOUR CUSTOMERS AS MUCH AS YOU CLAIM!!!
Reviewed March 17, 2020
Very good to work with, such a great experience! I wish I had switched to Southwest years ago! The service was great, very friendly and easy to change flights without fees! The experience on the plane was also much nicer, boarding, etc.
Reviewed March 17, 2020
This Airline is probably the cheapest you're able to fly because they let you check two bags free. Almost all of the people I've come in contact with our friendly polite and cheerful. I'm very much like the fact that it's open seating whereas every other Airline you have to choose a seat beforehand.
Reviewed March 16, 2020
Due to covid19 I had to cancel a trip to my for a wedding. I used travel credits to schedule my trip since my last trip was cancelled due to hurricane Irma. I was told that I had to use by 3/30/20. I said impossible since I purchased for a wedding. Both the CSR and supervisor refused to give me a credit. Their names were Rosanne and Leonora. I feel this is unfair since the president has declared a state of emergency. I am sure there is something that can be done to provide a credit to my account your help in this matter is appreciated.
Reviewed March 16, 2020
I canceled early a flight from Chicago to Houston because of the Coronavirus scare. It was going to be a visit to friends. It was sooo easy to cancel. No questions. Assurance that the credit would be viable for one year. What a polite, professional customer service agent!
Reviewed March 16, 2020
Southwest cancelled my flight, but did not tell me I had been switched to another flight for over a month. I found out when I was preparing to check in. I had two days to make changes to AP parking, pick-up times, and involved a six hour layover and a missed meeting. Their response was I'm sorry and a 50 dollar voucher.
Reviewed March 15, 2020
Love everything about Southwest. By booking online and utilizing the wanna getaway fares, I always score big savings. Fly with two free bags and no extra charges when flight changes need to be made. Most importantly, I’ve never encountered a Southwest employee that was not caring, professional or courteous.
Reviewed March 15, 2020
Very good???? Safe and comfortable. Truly recommend and more. I like the rewards for the customers and safe money. Every one needs safe.
Reviewed March 15, 2020
I fly Southwest very often. I have always received great customer service and fair pricing on flights. I would appreciate some better snacks and perhaps an entire beverage instead of a small cupful, but other than that I am please with this airline.
Reviewed March 14, 2020
We always try to fly Southwest. It has always been our favorite airline however on March 9th we flew home from Vegas. We had our TSA. The employees going through the Check in were so rude. We couldn’t believe it. I know it wasn’t because they were in a hurry because we arrived way early. As a small business owner I certainly wouldn’t want these people working for me. I believe it was flight number 393 leaving for Kansas City at 3:45 pm.
Reviewed March 14, 2020
I use Southwest airlines all the time for my travel from Arizona to California. They have enough of flights to choose from but I wish that they would be able to offer instead of 14 day advance seven day advance would be great because sometimes it lasts in a travel especially with the state so close you would like to take advantage of those fares. Their customer service is great and when I had to cancel the flight all they did was add to my profile which was great. Now I could use it for other flights.
Reviewed March 14, 2020
Seats are not reserved but they were extremely helpful to me, an elderly woman with a walker. They made sure I got on early and that my walker was stored. They had it out and waiting for me when I left the plane.
Reviewed March 14, 2020
The employees of Southwest Airlines are very polite and helpful. At one time when we had to use American Airlines when we arrived at our destination I was in a wheelchair and I was left at the gate to wait for the amendment to take me to the baggage area. I was left there for about 15 minutes and I started to worrier I would miss my ride so I started to go on on my own and it was very hard to go because it was uphill and then a Southwest Airlines employee came by her way to their gate and she saw me struggling and ask me if I need help and said yes but that I was an on an American Airlines passenger and she, "That's ok. I will help you to the baggage area," and she helps me get my luggage and took where my ride was waiting.
Reviewed March 13, 2020
I just canceled a flight due to the Coronavirus and was shock to see that Southwest will not refund my $50 for early bird check in. I find it shameful that they will pocket this money. For an airline that says it loves it customers but when a national emergency hits the only love is for money.
Reviewed March 13, 2020
Recently had to cancel a business trip because of COVID19. The University of Colorado has restricted all travel due to COVID19, including my trip. I am a physician and frequent traveler and all other hotels/airlines have refunded fees due to COVID19 related travel restrictions. Southwest is alone in not doing so and should be ashamed of themselves.

Reviewed March 13, 2020
The number one reason I fly SW is the safety factor. They put safety first. Once on a stop over flight they told us it wasn't safe to fly because of severe thunderstorms. They allowed us to disembark the plane and get refreshments in the terminal. Some people were complaining, I for one thanked the attendant for the safety precaution saying I didn't care how long we had to wait as long as I got to my destination safely. The second time we had to return to the terminal because of a computer issue. SW did everything they could to put everyone on later flights and compensated us too. All their employees are helpful including when you call SW. Thank you SW for taking care of me and my children who are frequent flyers for business trips.
Reviewed March 13, 2020
I LOVE everything about Southwest. They are super friendly, free change of flight. If I can’t fly, I ALWAYS get all my points back. Super easy to work with and to resolve any issue. They are not greedy as all other US airlines.
Reviewed March 12, 2020
On a recent flight from FLL to Albuquerque we had a layover on route. It might have been a long day for the crew but their service was well below the high spirited cabin crew that normally serve their guest travelers. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give them a 4 or 5 at best.
Reviewed March 12, 2020
Very good for handicap and children and of course no luggage fee. All the staff are excellent, and are ready to help when asked. When booking our flight Southwest makes it very easy, I need a wheelchair to get to gate, when I arrive the wheelchair is just a few minutes away.
Reviewed March 11, 2020
I travel with service toy Poodle with service papers for diabetic purpose, had bought United ticket to Kentucky. They were using South West plane in conjunction, they saw and took my ticket as I boarded, steward saw me with carry on under seat bag and announced over loud speaker: "The woman who smuggled a dog on board rise your hand." I looked around, no one else seemed to have a dog so I put my hand up and this huge police officer came grabbed my arm behind back and took me off plane like a hijacker as I cried all the way, will never forget such an insulting degrading act in my life!! United apologized, set me up in hotel room and sent me first class next day on one of their planes, I got late to an event I was traveling to, never the less this traumatic experience still hurts!!!!
Reviewed March 11, 2020
The only airline I will fly, every flight I have been on for 18 years that I'm living here has been so great that the time goes so fast I forget it's two and 1/2 hours, the staff goes beyond what they need to do, many years ago we even had a staff member doing tricks, she was great, I love this airline.
Reviewed March 10, 2020
Southwest really disappointed me... First I called and asked if I could use gift cards to purchase my ticket and the agent informed me that would be fine.. So every week I went and bought gift card to save for this trip... So when I had enough gift cards I called to book and they told me that I could only use 3 forms of payment Per reservation so I had to pay the difference on my card and now I’m stuck with these cards ... Ok so when I booked I asked The lady what the cancellation policy was. She told me as long as I canceled within 24 hours I would get the original form of payment and anything after that I would get travel voucher.
So because the ticket was on sale I booked. My daughters take it just in case she was going to be able to go and I had 24 hours to cancel it. I called my bank that next morning when I canceled the ticket for her and I told them that I was canceling that one ticket but I didn’t put in a dispute but I did make them documented on my bank. The lady told me on the phone that it was going to take 7 to 10 business days to show back up. She said nothing about an email so I waited those days I went online and I saw that the ticket was still valid.
I was on the phone company with my credit card company. I asked her should I hit the cancel button again. She told me yes. I have my phone bill showing that I called the company to cancel I also have the banks notes showing that I called to cancel but the lady at the airline told me that because I didn’t receive the email which no one told me I was going to receive email saying that it was canceled. They said nothing about if you don’t get the email call us back so I just waited the 7 to 10 days and now they’re telling me I’m only able to get a travel voucher
Reviewed March 10, 2020
Fast, efficient service and great baggage pricing. Smooth sailing, no guesswork. Attendants were concerned about our comfort and attentive and respectful of our age. Ticket prices were surprisingly moderate for the heavy season we had to travel.
Reviewed March 10, 2020
On a recent trip to Vegas everything was great in booking at the website. Also had a good experience checking in. No food can be served but that is ok. Great airline where bags are included. The pilot let us Know about turbulence ahead of time and about how long it would last.
Reviewed March 10, 2020
Everything went off without a hitch. Pre-flight instructions were thorough and to the point. Loading was well organized and quite smooth. No big delays or hangups. The flight attendants did their jobs and were polite. The direct flight to Phoenix from Msp was actually 35 minutes early which was wonderful. I asked the pilot on the way off how fast we were going and he smiled and said something about the speed of sound. What really ill impressed us was the help we received at MSP getting our tickets. We are not computer savvy so we looked kind of confused coming up to the ticket counter. Immediately a worker came over and walked us through using our cell phones to scan in the machine and get our tickets printed. We were both so appreciative of that help. They must have seen a couple of seniors and were ready to assist. A pleasant flying experience which made for an enjoyable beginning of our vacation. Thankyou Southwest.
Reviewed March 9, 2020
Southwest is my favorite and whom I prefer (and go out of my way) to use. I am not a name brand (care about brands or loyal to many) person, but Southwest is definitely a brand for me. I have recommended them to many, many people, and even have their credit card. The top-notch service, kindness go a long way to help me enjoy travelling with them.
Reviewed March 9, 2020
I’ve always had great service with Southwest. Their change of flight program is awesome. They have lots of local flights to areas I frequent. They do have discounted flights at times, those are great when they work into your schedule and a location your headed to.
Reviewed March 9, 2020
Recently I had flown Southwest Airlines from Sacramento to Las Vegas (my home). While waiting for the flight to board, I was approached by a flight attendant offering me assistance to board. I'm an elderly overweight man, having weak knees, which troubles me getting out of low chairs. This kind gentleman helped me up and escorted me onto the plane ahead of the folks in line. I was dismayed at the conscientiousness of this attendant of spotting me in the very crowded waiting area and coming to my aid.
After boarding he led me to a seat with extra leg room and placed a pillow on the seat next to me allowing more room for me to be more comfortable (it was not a full flight). He then brought me a water, and said to call him if I needed anything else. With this kind of exceptional service, how could I not become a dedicated and loyal customer to this great company. Whether Southwest trains their employees to give this kind of service or hire individuals with this type of compassion, they evidently are doing something right with their customer service. I, for one, truly appreciate it. Since that time, I've flown with them as often as possible, and speak highly of them to friends and family.
Reviewed March 8, 2020
The best airline ever. Cancellation you don’t lose out. You get to use that for another flight within a year. Love this and the flights are very reasonably priced, excellent customer service ever. Southwest the best experience I’ve had in a long time.
Reviewed March 8, 2020
I can always rely on Southwest. They are on time, allow baggage without extra cost and no drama. For me, they are a utility airline. No fancy frills, no upper class, just get you where you’re going smoothly.
Reviewed March 8, 2020
I am not a frequent flier but when I do I go Southwest. I live near midway airport, Chicago, IL. Very convenient as a main hub for Southwest. Pricing is great and reschuduling is easy. Staff very helpful and very nice. Fee free.
Reviewed March 7, 2020
It’s great airlines and the staff are very friendly, every time I travel they wow me with something different, either the staff sing or they were too kind by saying jokes. I will always buy tickets for myself or my family.
Reviewed March 7, 2020
Southwest airlines have the friendliest employees. The people at the counter go out of their way to help you and they don't make you feel stupid. You get 2 bags free on the flight plus 2 cartons. The attendants on the plane are very cordial. Always helpful. I have seen them help women and seniors to put their carryons in the overhead compartment of the plane. The boarding process is very organized. I've been on other airlines where the process is like herding cattle. Awful. My luggage has never been lost. I have put boxes in the cargo and they arrive safely. Southwest is my number one airline!!!
Reviewed March 6, 2020
Southwest Airlines is always my first choice in flying. Open seating is the BEST!!!! Attendants are always friendly and I have beverage coupons to use anytime. No cancellation of change fee with this Airline either.
Reviewed March 6, 2020
Last trip coming home my flight was cancelled. I was left messages and email. I called and they offered me different options. All was good though I had a nonstop flight originally, I remained on plane to continue on to Chicago.
Reviewed March 3, 2020
Trying to book airfare for my family. Saw an advertisement indicating that if I open, and use, the Southwest branded Chase Visa card, I will receive a $200 statement credit. I applied for, was approved for, and attempted to use, my brand new credit card. I chose to take the hit to my credit report for this deal. Clicked the link, provided by Chase, that new card holders are REQUIRED to use in order to get the credit (I should note that as my new CC account was just minutes old, I did not yet have the card in my possession, and for security reasons cannot retrieve my account number, security code or expiration date from the Chase website or from associates over the phone). In order to use my brand new CC, I can ONLY go through the link provided by Chase.
My browser crashed. Or so I thought. I found out later that Southwest had been having website problems. Unable to retrieve the one-use-only link, I reached out to Chase. Chase, unable (or unwilling) to help connected me, via phone, to Southwest. First person I spoke with was not able to help me book the flight I wanted, at the price I wanted. Apparently, in the time between my crashed browser and getting a live person on the phone, two of the three tickets I wanted had been sold. There was only one remaining ticket at the price I had tried to lock in. Was repeatedly told I could book at the different, higher price. I declined.
Messaged SW on Facebook. Chatted with someone named Jeana. Was told again, they could not book the flight for me at the price I had attempted to book. But, they were aware that they had been having website problems earlier in the day. Called the customer service number for SW. Spent 40 minutes on the phone with Walker, who also would not book the fare for me, because prices are not guaranteed until they are booked. Even though it was their website that was down. And even though it is their partnership with Chase that caught my attention and sold me on booking with them. Would not let me speak to a supervisor. Would not transfer my call to another person. Apologized profusely, but did not fix the problem. He offered to "open a ticket" and have a senior associate reach out to me within the next few days. Would not allow me to pick a time frame; instead told me THEY would call ME when THEY had the time.
I also sent an email to the address listed on the SW website. Received a response that, in the signature on the bottom, informs me not to respond to the email, as I would be responding to an address that does not accept replies. They do not give me the option of rebutting, asking questions, or raising concerns. Contacted customer service via Twitter. Spoke with a fourth person (Gabriel) that assured me that if there was anything that could be done, they would be the people to do it. However there is nothing they can do.
Four different people that said they have the power to fix things, four different people that failed to fix anything. Also refuses to do anything to me to make up for the hard pull on my credit report that I agreed to in order to book a specific flight, at a specific price. Was then brushed off by Gabriel, who said "we do consider this matter closed", despite having no resolution to my problem. My previous experiences with SW have all been stellar, and let me to be skeptical of those who lodged complaints against them. This one experience, however, has soured me on them, and I am doubtful they will rectify anything.
Reviewed Feb. 23, 2020
Where are my sister luggages.. And Southwest is responsible for it all. I have no car. And they are saying that I have to come back and get. I had to catch Greyhound. No late bus and no car.. I need someone to respond back asap.
Reviewed Feb. 10, 2020
Perversion of truth and fine print BS. Customer service told me one thing to get the sale then absolutely screwed me, now I am stuck with extra tickets. I now hate this company which I once thought was a good company. I will never use them for group travel again. Sell you convenience but in reality it is a nightmare.
Reviewed Feb. 5, 2020
I had a voucher from a previous horrible experience with Southwest so when I booked a flight I tried to use it. It didn't show up but I thought when I got my Southwest charge card statement, it would show up there. When I got my statement it wasn't on there either. I called them. Apparently, I am S.O.L. They stated I had to let them know within 24 hours. How would I know within 24 hours if I thought it would come off when my statement came out? So I called and there is nothing they can or will do. Not even a boarding upgrade. Nothing! I have had a terrible experience in the past when staff was not friendly or helpful at all so I should have known. Nothing I can do now. If I cancel this flight, guess what I get? A voucher to use again. Uh...no. I will go back to United. They seem to at least pretend to care.
Reviewed Jan. 23, 2020
I had the absolute worst experience ever with South West airlines - Houston. I waited at baggage claim for over 30 minutes for my bag which never came while over the speaker the announcer called for the owner of a Crown Royal bag. As you may know Crown Royal is a liquor that comes in a purple and gold bag but this couldn’t be my bag even though it was purple and gold. It clearly said Betsy Johnson all over it. I guess that was a funny joke for the employees to yell on the loudspeaker that owner of a crown royal bag needed to come to the service desk.
After realizing my bag was not coming I was directed to a room in the back where I inquired about the location of the bag. The airport staff then said, "Oh you’re the owner of the Crown Royal bag" and began to giggle. They informed that my bag fell and was ran over and some of my stuff have been destroyed with not even the smallest hint of remorse. My bag was literally destroyed to the point all the clothes and shoes In it were ripped to shreds/destroyed. When I became angry the south west employee Danny asked me “What are you so mad about? It’s not like we are not going to cut you a check”. I explained to the worker that I am in a city I have never been to with absolutely nothing to wear and all my belongings destroyed. The employee began to tell me how southwest is a million dollar company & they have no problem cutting a check as if this was suppose to make me feel better.
The employee then told me it happens all the time due to southwest handling so much luggage on a daily basis and they just cut a check. The employees asked me to go through my bag and damages and asked me to price the cost of each item. The south west employee sat on the computer, googled my items one by one while making comments like “woah you really paid $200 for that?” and arguing with me over the amount I paid for each item saying things like “well they have it for cheaper at this store”. The worker also went as far to turn to his employee and say “I don’t even argue with these people.”
After the employee calculated what he felt I deserved for my belongings he wrote a check for $620 and told me I should just go to the mall & buy new items. The employee told me I can go to Chase bank and cash the check the same day which was a lie. I went to chase bank and they told me they could not cash check because south west had to verify it and no one answered the phone. I was not able to cash check until I returned home from my vacation. The customer was absolutely terrible and this was a major inconvenience and embarrassing experience. I do not recommend Southwest Airlines to anyone.
Reviewed Jan. 2, 2020
I was flying from Charleston back to Portland, ME with a plane change in Baltimore. According to Southwest "due to a 6+ hour delay" my checked bag was lost. I was issued Southwest LUV vouchers for my inconvenience, which I used for a flight home from San Francisco back to Baltimore for the holidays. On the flight back home from SF to Baltimore, my checked bag got lost again. The Southwest baggage counter agent said I only had a choice of returning to the airport the next day (which was Christmas day at 6:30pm) to pick up my lost bag and receive yet another $200 Southwest LUV voucher or have it delivered to me. I tried to compromise with the apathetic baggage counter agent for a reduced voucher and my bag to be delivered to my parent's home, which is approximately 8.7 miles from the airport, instead of receiving the full amount of another voucher "for my inconvenience" again.
This apparently is not possible and even after calling Southwest customer service - I am only entitled to a $200 LUV voucher for this recurring issue. What was also concerning was that when I went to retrieve my bag the next day, I noticed my bag had a tag stating it was at LAX, which was not my stop from SF to Baltimore - my stop was Phoenix, which is where they told me it was and not technically "lost." So it is obvious now that it was placed on the wrong plane completely and actually was.
This is absolutely ridiculous as this was the second time in a row that this has happened to me flying with them. And the fact that I was unable to use the full amount of my vouchers from my last flight where my bag was lost to pay for the full amount of my flight home for Christmas or any other flight for that matter that I need. $200 in Southwest vouchers also does not make up for the time lost with my family dealing with my lost bag, being unable to give my family their Christmas presents on Christmas morning and having to return on Christmas evening to pick it up. That time is lost with my family was invaluable.
So essentially, I will now have to keep paying Southwest for their flights (at a discounted rate from my vouchers "for my inconvenience") and for them to lose my checked bags or transfer my voucher to someone else so I won't have to fly with them again. So really great customer in addition to their checked bag service. But I guess you get what you pay for with Southwest and one of their mottos is "Bags fly for free." The lesson of the story here is to avoid checking your bags when flying with Southwest or avoid flying with them completely if you can.
Reviewed Dec. 19, 2019
Despite checking my bags at Fort Lauderdale airport 2 hrs before flight, mine and about 15 other passengers' bags did not arrive at DCA with our flight. Southwest baggage area at Reagan International (DCA) is cramped and disorganised to begin with: 2 carousels and NO indication as to which flights' bags are being sent to which carousel. The Southwest ground crew personnel were apathetic; I got more information from fellow travelers.
Next, when word did get around, that for those of us left milling about our bags had been sent with the next plane, we crowded into the lost baggage office, spilling out into the cramped area next to the carousels. No Southwest employee particularly took charge to give us the information; again, it was mostly being passed as word of mouth amongst us waiting passengers. 4 Southwest employees were on duty, taking our details. Since I opted to pick up my bags myself later in the evening, I was offered a voucher and told they would call me when the flight/bags arrived.
No call from Southwest. I called Southwest baggage a bit after that "next flight" was due to arrive and was met with mediocre service on the phone. I hauled myself back to the airport, and the same 4 Southwest employees were there, with no other customer in the office. 2 had eyes locked on a screen, the other 2 doing something else. No one greeted me. I announced myself, and was dismissively told to wait a minute. I replied that I had already been waiting for more than "a minute" for my bags and had come to collect them. I got eye rolls from the employee who did look up, but no apology for keeping me waiting then, and certainly no apology on behalf of their employer - Southwest - for keeping me waiting for my checked bags.
This is when things deteriorated. The youngest one of them started looking among the scores of bags sitting there by name tag, not thinking to ask me what size or color my bags were. I went over to point out my bags -- and in point of fact, did point them out -- when a 2nd employee of the 4 came over and BERATED me for being in the area with the bags. I half-jokingly asked if this really was Southwest Airlines, as it didn't sound like it! That 2nd employee's attitude to me got worse, then dismissing me in the 3rd-person as though I were an inanimate object, told her "colleague" that she didn't have to answer me/help me as I have to show them respect!
I wonder who does the employee training for Southwest ground crew at DCA, as they certainly skipped the lesson on showing the customer - paying customer - respect, and courtesy. This 2nd Southwest employee then in a childishly theatrical manner went over to the scores of bags and started "looking" for my bags, slowly one by one, exactly in the area where they were not (remember, I had pointed them out already). These words come to mind: sheer ignorance and malice.
I was handed my bags as though I, and my bags, were pieces of garbage to be gotten rid of. Absolutely, Southwest! I am glad to be thrown away from your airline after 10+ years of nearly bi-monthly flights. And as I before would enthusiastically encourage people to fly Southwest -- because of the customer-friendly service -- I now equally enthusiastically tell them NOT to fly Southwest. As I pointed out to the professional and courteous customer service agent who took my lengthy complaint -- and she did apologize profusely for those DCA Southwest baggage employees' behavior, as well as for Southwest's delay with my bags -- there is no way those 4 employees could have acted with such arrogance and impunity were they not feeling protected by an equally egregious Southwest management at DCA.
Reviewed Dec. 12, 2019
Been based out of an area with no Southwest hubs. I'm a terrible planner and change my mind constantly, so it's been a tragic time dealing with all the messiness of changing flights at other airlines ($200 to change?! And I don't even get to bring a carry-on??). Have finally been in places where I could do Southwest again, and I'd forgotten how fantastic it is to book a flight, change plans two months later, and actually get points back for changing to another flight. And, of course, my poor backpack probably appreciates me not having to stuff all my clothes into it every flight.
Reviewed Dec. 3, 2019
Very disappointed in Southwest. A treacherous snowstorm hit the morning of my flight to Orlando to attend my brother's military honors funeral service. Southwest never reported the delay in the flight because it had canceled the previous two flights and needed space to accommodate those passengers. Meanwhile we were faced with nearly impassable road conditions trying to make it to the airport. After it became clear that we were not going to make it AND Southwest did not report the flight as delayed (the flight actually left at 7:05 vs. 6:30), we had to cancel in order to not forfeit the fare. That 35 minutes would have made all the difference in making that flight.
Reviewed Nov. 15, 2019
Great service, fares, fits our schedule and we had no problem with passenger assistance. We were checked in promptly and escorted thru all the way to the plane. I requested an extension for my seatbelt and was promptly handed one.
Reviewed Nov. 15, 2019
Our flight was delayed one hour but we pulled into the gate 5 minutes before flight leaving for Nashville. They knew we were there. One passenger's brother with cancer was on the plane sick. He couldn't get to him. Theo is rude and wouldn't give me his last name. He literally closed the door in my face with no apologies. I have always complimented Southwest and have a card. I want everyone to know about this terrible experience. They said they have to leave on time even though the flight was delayed 2 hours in California. The girl at the desk Chelsea ** was also thoughtless and non apologetic. I know bow Southwest doesn't care about their customers.
Reviewed Nov. 10, 2019
Flight attendants are friendly and enthusiasm. Flight is on time. Price is reasonable. Seats are comfortable. Boarding process is quick and in order. The airplane is tidy and clean, except the waiting area is so tiny.
Reviewed Nov. 6, 2019
I am a long-standing customer and credit-card holder with Southwest Airlines. I want to describe a situation that occurred on October 3, 2019, as I traveled with my daughter, son-in-law, and their nine-month old son from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to Denver, Colorado. We were booked on a direct, non-stop flight leaving Cabo San Lucas at approximately 12:30 pm, arriving in Denver at approximately 3:00 pm. We were in travel group A, positions 37-39, including a lap infant. My son-in-law is 6 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs more than 300 pounds. He had a soft cast on his arm due to wrist surgery. When he flies on Southwest Airlines, he tries to sit in an exit row seat that provides extra legroom, and we paid the priority-boarding fee for that opportunity.
When he boarded, one of the flight attendants told him he could sit in that seat, and so he did. My daughter and I sat in an aisle and middle seat with her infant son in the economy section. During the boarding process, there were continual announcements urging passengers to find seats quickly, because the plane had to push back in six minutes…four minutes…two minutes, etc. These announcements were not made in a pleasant manner. It was like a countdown, and frankly, it was obnoxious, but people did the best they could to get situated.
When all of the passengers had boarded, a second flight attendant told my son-in-law that he could not sit in the exit row seat because of the soft cast. The only seat he could physically fit into at that point, because of his height and the cast, was a bulkhead seat on the aisle or maybe the window. He walked to the front of the plane and stood for about ten minutes as the flight attendants tried to convince one of the bulkhead seat passengers to give up a seat and move to an aisle seat in the economy section.
One bulkhead passenger did give up his window seat and moved back, but then another passenger in that row immediately moved from the middle seat to the window seat, taking the space that was intended for my son-in-law. The flight attendants said nothing when this happened. The passengers on either side of the vacant middle seat were overweight, and my son-in-law could not have fit between them. He needed an aisle seat or possibly a window seat. In the meantime, one of the bulkhead passengers kept making loud comments to my son-in-law, saying things like “Just sit down!” “Let’s go!” Another bulkhead passenger kept saying, “Call security.”
Finally, after about ten minutes of the bulkhead passengers refusing to move and two of them hectoring my son-in-law, he’d had enough, and he told them to shut up. At this point, my daughter carried her baby to the front of the plane to find out what was going on. As she approached, she heard the two passengers badgering her husband, and she told them, sternly, “You need to calm down,” at which point, they finally stopped talking. In the meantime, one of the flight attendants called security.
I then got up from my seat, at my daughter’s request, and moved to the front of the plane to sit in the middle bulkhead seat, so that my son-in-law could move back in an attempt to fit into the aisle seat next to my daughter, which would have been impossible for him, but he had no choice at that point if he wanted to diffuse the situation. Shortly after that, the security guard entered the plane and told my son-in-law he would have to leave. My daughter, son-in-law, their baby, and I all exited the plane without further incident. The passengers who had been antagonizing my son-in-law were allowed to remain on the flight.
Once we were back in the airport, the gate supervisor, Laura, could not have been nicer. She rebooked us on flights connecting through Los Angeles to Denver and gave us priority-boarding passes so we could sit in the bulkhead seats on both flights, as well as $200 travel vouchers. She commented that she couldn’t believe that none of the bulkhead passengers would cooperate with the flight attendants, especially since my son-in-law was wearing a cast and we were traveling with an infant. She also commented that the flight attendants should have done more to motivate the bulkhead passengers to give up their seats for a relatively short (2.5 hour) flight.
As a result of this incident, we arrived in Denver seven hours later than originally scheduled. We had to transfer flights while caring for an infant and purchase meals. Fortunately, we had enough formula, diapers, and extra clothing on hand for a much longer trip than we’d anticipated, but what if we hadn’t?
What I’ve left out of this story is this: My son-in-law is ** and Hispanic. He has a deep voice and speaks English with a noticeable accent. My daughter and I are **. I’m not one to play the race card, as my husband (who was not with us on the flight) would say, but you see the world much differently when you view it from the perspective of a ** family member, particularly one who is so conspicuous because of his physical presence (in fact, he formerly played professional basketball in South America and is often asked if he’s a Denver Bronco or Nugget). This isn’t the first time he’s drawn unsolicited stares or unwanted attention. In fact, this is how he moves through a predominantly ** world on a daily basis. He has to be patient and tolerant in public, even if those around him feel emboldened by their white privilege to treat him rudely or dismissively.
From that viewpoint, here’s what I think happened. There was a lot of pressure on the flight crew, attendants, and passengers to push out on time. It really felt like the passengers were being reprimanded for not sitting down fast enough. I believe this pressure to leave created a stressful atmosphere that encouraged the flight attendants to find the quickest possible solution. It was easier for them to give in to the bulkhead passengers and instead eject the “angry” ** man, rather than keep trying to convince one of them to move, which would have meant continuing to delay the flight. When my son-in-law told the bulkhead passengers to shut up, the flight attendants had the excuse they needed to call security and resolve the problem without inconveniencing the other passengers.
So, why weren’t the ** passengers who were badgering my son-in-law also asked to leave, or at least told to be quiet by someone with authority? My son-in-law paid for his brief outburst by losing his seat on the flight. Why did the ** passengers get to stay after antagonizing him for ten minutes? If my son-in-law were **, would the flight attendants have been so quick to call security? I’d call this a double standard at best and racism at worst. On the many occasions I’ve been with my son-in-law in public, I’ve never once seen him be anything but polite, gracious, and good-natured when complete strangers approach him to make comments about his height and size, which you can imagine could be intrusive and annoying after many years of hearing the same comments over and over.
The situation on the plane had to have been pretty intense for him to lose his cool, even for a brief moment. My son-in-law paid for a seat (including priority boarding status) and was just as entitled to be seated as the rest of the passengers. The flight attendants should have made that possible, even if meant offering a monetary incentive to one of the bulkhead passengers to move or even ordering one of them to move. Instead, they did nothing to resolve a problem that they themselves had created and then allowed the situation to escalate, resulting in my entire family having to exit the plane in a public and embarrassing manner.
For whatever it’s worth, as we left, a number of passengers stated that it wasn’t right or fair that our family, including an infant, was forced to leave. And, for the record, the plane sat on the ground for an additional hour while the baggage handlers tried to locate and remove our luggage. So much for pushing the plane out on time. I can’t honestly say I feel badly about that.
By the way, the repeated onboard announcements to passengers to hurry up and find seats also happened on the flights we took from Cabo San Lucas to LA to Denver. If your seating policy isn’t working efficiently enough to meet your on-time departure goals, to the point that you have to berate paying customers for not sitting down fast enough, then maybe you need to rethink your seating policy and goals. Also, depending on the kindness of earlier-boarding passengers to switch seats in order to accommodate people who are trying to sit together or who have physical or medical issues only works when you’re fortunate enough to have kind passengers. When you don’t, and you couple that with flight attendants who prefer to throw one passenger under the bus rather than find a fair solution, you end up with a situation like the one my family experienced.
What do I expect in the way of compensation for the stress, inconvenience, and embarrassment that this experience caused our family? First, I think it’s fair that we be refunded the full cost of our tickets, including the additional fees we paid for priority seating. Second, I think that my son-in-law should receive permanent Business Select or Special Assistance Status so that he can board in the A-1 to A-15 position on all future flights he might choose to take on Southwest Airlines. Third, I think my daughter, son-in-law, and I should each receive a free, round trip ticket to any destination that Southwest Airlines flies.
My husband, who paid for the tickets, is addressing his concerns to Southwest Airlines in an email. I’m choosing to address my concerns via this and other public forums because I think this incident deserves to be shared with a wider audience of people who might be as offended by the way that Southwest Airlines handled this situation as my family was. Thank you for your time and attention. C. **
Reviewed Nov. 5, 2019
Registering was fast and pleasant. There was very little time to wait. Prior boarding sent smoothly. Flight was relaxing and safe. Staff were very helpful and cheerful. Offer to stop at restroom before going to claim luggage was done. Luggage was easy to spot and came around quickly.
Reviewed Nov. 4, 2019
Buyer beware, purchased 3 flights with million plus Southwest points I earned. Paid extra for 3 early bird check ins only to find out that when the airline changes your flight they DO NOT refund or transfer the early check in you have to pay for. Their customer service was horrible and more than unwilling to help in any way. I'm sure they make millions off of this SCAM. At the end of every flight the pilot always says, "Thank you for flying Southwest. We know you have a choice and thank you for choosing us." Pilot is right. In fairness to the great gate, flight attendants and pilots they do a great job and earn five stars. Southwest you are way better than your customer service.
Reviewed Nov. 4, 2019
Most recent flight with Southwest airline was very pleasant. The pilots and the flight attendants were friendly and helpful. There was a small delay flying out of New Orleans on my return Trip. However other than that it was an amazing experience.
Reviewed Nov. 3, 2019
I love Southwest Airlines. They are quite reasonable. There is no charge up to 2 bags which is what I love, and you can change or cancel the reservation without additional fees. You just need to travel or use the voucher within the year.
Reviewed Nov. 2, 2019
Took Southwest flight 3262. I asked for an alcoholic beverage. When it came time to pay she told me I need to pay with card and I can't pay with cash. (My 2nd time flying with them.) Eventually after both of us understood that I lost my debit card, I asked how much the drink is worth and she said $7. I since I can't pay with cash can I get a complimentary? She said that she would think about it. When she came back she said she was sorry and that she couldn't justify the complimentary drink. And helped me understand that she might be brought in for questioning and whatnot. And I agreed with her that I didn't want her to get in trouble as well. If that was going to cause an issue.
During the conversation on what was needed to justify a complimentary drink and I wanted to pay for this drink and I wasn't able to pay by card she said... "Im sorry if alcohol is all you ever drink in your life." Literally that is what she said. I said, "Wait what?" She said she was just playing after that. I said, "Susan I'm done talking to you." Flight 3262 from GEG to Las Vegas.
Don't get me wrong, I love Southwest... This is just a 1 off with the flight attendant. Their cancellation policy on if you can't make a flight and other perks are awesome. I was thinking about getting their credit card for the flight mileage and whatnot. I'll probably still fly with them but wow, For an employee to tell a person "i'm sorry if alcohol is all you ever drink in your life" is absolutely out of the ordinary.
Reviewed Nov. 2, 2019
Yesterday I flew Southwest airlines for the first time in years. I travel extensively for work and usually am booked by my company on a different airline. This experience has made the decision as to if I will ever fly them again and the answer is a resounding NO. While in the boarding area the gate agent was frantically speaking over the loudspeaker about how she needed checked bags to balance out the weight in the belly of the plane. She proceeded to repeat that she was severely underweight. I travel quite a bit and have never heard this type of frantic announcement. It immediately caused a panic in the passengers waiting.
I went up to her and gladly checked my bag but politely asked what they planned to do if they didn't get enough bags to balance the weight. She immediately responded in a defensive manner about the fact that I obviously didn't know about weight and balances. I could really care less. I just want to have a safe trip. The other passengers were talking about this for the entire flight. It was so unnerving and unnecessary. I will never fly this airline again.
Reviewed Oct. 22, 2019
We arrived at ATL airport 2hrs and 20min prior to our departure time of 8:50am, which is more than standard for a domestic flight from ATL to PHL. We made it to the gate (running, out of breath, exhausted) at exactly 8:42am; the plane was clearly visible, still sitting on the tarmac. The two Southwest representatives at the gate, could not (or would not) help my party of TEN board the flight. They cited “policy” and that the plane had already been “weighed.” The Atlanta airport, TSA, and Southwest’s bag check were all to blame for our delay and the SW representatives should have recognized that our boarding passes had been printed 2hrs ago IN THE AIRPORT and that excessive wait times beyond what are reasonable were the only reasons we were not at the gate 10min prior to take off instead of 8min.
We were not in restaurants or bars. We were standing in ridiculous lines. Taking trains. Running up escalators. Pushing through crowds. And no, it was not a holiday weekend. No one paged us. No one cared. No one considered that a large family with small children was rushing through the airport. They sent us $75 vouchers for our trouble. Our trouble included rebooking on a 3:30pm flight TO DC that finally took off at 5:30pm, then a 3hr drive from DC to PHL to get our bags.
Rest assured that my husband, my children, and I will never fly Southwest again. For the plane to be sitting next to us, 8min prior to departure, without letting us board when the wait times through the airport were in excess of 2hrs, is reprehensible. SW and the big heart on its planes should be ashamed. I sincerely hope they did not have standby passengers for that AM flight because I hope SW lost money that day. We obviously took 10 other seats on another flight and also got our car service from Washington DC to Philadelphia covered by Southwest ($500). Not exactly a financially responsible business plan nor in the best interest of the passengers. Good thing the 8:50am flight left on time though.
I also contacted TSA about the situation. Their initial email states to arrive 2hrs prior to departure (um, yeah, I know I’ve flied dozens of times) but the response to my complaint, interestingly but not surprisingly, says 3hrs. So the new standard, TSA, is arrive THREE HOURS prior to take off for a domestic flight? How about international flights—24hrs? Give me a break.
Reviewed Oct. 18, 2019
I called in Southwest customer service to make sure that my known traveler is on file, and spoke to Josh. He wasn't very much that nice and friendly by the tone of his voice, and I take him as a RUDE SOUTHWEST employee. Seems like by the tone of his voice, he is NOT liking his job at all. I always had good experiences with customer service before, but not this time. I don't like it at all...
Reviewed Oct. 15, 2019
I scheduled a flight in May for my Sept. trip. Originally from Orlando. Hurricane was bearing down on Florida Orlando airport was due to close because of the storm. My tix were bought and paid for in May. 400$ round trip for 2. At the very last minute BEFORE the airport closed I switched my flight to Tampa. So I wouldn't miss my trip. Southwest charged me an ADDITIONAL 400$ for the same distance flight that they cancelled 4 hours later when they closed the Orlando airport. Been a Southwest customer many many years. I will definitely be looking at my options and do what it takes to NEVER use Southwest again.
Reviewed Oct. 14, 2019
My husband and I were planning travel last fall to visit family in California. I suffered a severe back injury which required a long surgery and rehab. Having received the medical go ahead to travel, I attempted to rebook. It seems the window to rebook is about to close and we will lose $100 per ticket. This is satisfactory. Unfortunately, we have to wait for the expiration date and apply for a voucher which will take 30 days to issue. This delay will make it impossible to secure a reasonable rate, as it will be a last minute fare - if it even is made available prior to our travel date. I was hoping for consideration as the circumstances of this issue was clearly out of my control. Please consider the request to apply the ticket funds so we can make our intended trip. Best regards, Heidi.
Reviewed Oct. 2, 2019
I purchased 2 tickets 8/2/18 to Ft Myers. Had to cancel due to medical issues. They reimburse me for 1 ticket and I explained I would use the other the following year which they said was valid. Just tried 9/30/19. That ticket wasn't valid and also because I didn't make the trip in question I lost 13000 in points. News flash I was never told I would ever lose my points and your rep told me I had 1 year to use my voucher, which I thought from travel date that was 1/11/19. Big surprise screwed out of flight and points. Customer service was useless so even though I've been a loyal customer for 15 years I'll be changing airlines.
Reviewed Sept. 4, 2019
Was stuck in Orlando as Hurricane Dorian was approaching during our Disney trip with 3 kids. Customer Service was excellent! They helped change our flight several times with no hesitations. They understood we had 3 kids that needed to get back to school. They made a bad situation much better. Can't thank them enough. Nice to see a for-profit company really care about its customers. Thank you!
Reviewed Aug. 31, 2019
Cancelled flight during Labor Day weekend with a weather in Dallas reason. Flight leaves Omaha at 6:55PM and reaches Dallas after 8:30PM. Weather condition completely cleared in DFW area before 5:30PM and all flights in the DFW area were normally operated. This is purely operational tactic they have used. It’s really horrible to play this trick inconveniencing hundreds of passengers traveling during holiday weekend.
Reviewed Aug. 30, 2019
On August 22 flight #2421 was over 20 minutes late arriving at Mccarran International Airport in Las Vegas. This caused the flight to leave Las Vegas over 50 minutes late thus jeopardizing our connection flight #1296 in Nashville, TN. The flight attendants then said they will hold the plane in Nashville until we arrive there. However we paid for the early bird check in because Southwest doesn't assign seats for their passengers. In order for you and your family members to sit together you have to purchase the early bird check in which assures you a place in line within the first 60 people. This does NOT work if your flight is delayed coming in and your connecting flight already boards everyone even the people who didn't pay for the early bird check in. So you get screwed and lose your place in line which you paid for.
So when they boarded us onto flight #1296 and we tell the flight attendant that we paid for the early bird check in. The flight attendant says, "Well we waited 20 minutes for your flight to get in." How is that the passengers' fault that the flight go in late? So they tell us to sit in the only available seats which are center seats not even in the same row. Also to make matters worse the seats are sandwiched in between 2 larger than normal sized people. So I had to squeeze between 2 large people and my husband got to sit next to a 350lbs man who was partially in his seat so much so that he had to lay his tray table down to lean on it for the entire flight. Did the flight attendants care??? Of course not because they herd people like cattle on these airplanes, they don't care if your flight is uncomfortable.
The flight lasted 1 hour and 23 minutes to Orlando. When we got home. I called Southwest Customer Service and the only thing they said they can do from their end is to refund us the $12.50 each that we paid for the early bird check in. They said to call their Customer Relations Department at 1-855-234-4654 option #5. On 8/30/19 I call Customer Relations and explain to the representative the situation and the terrible experience and she said she can only refund us $50 each in travel vouchers towards another Southwest flight.
So this airline company takes your money, gives you a terrible flight experience and only gives you $50 each for your unsatisfactory experience due to their flights not keeping on schedule. I told the representative if Southwest assigned seats in the first place it would not have been a problem because no one would have sat in someone else's seat. We pay for the early bird boarding to get within the first 60 people on a plane so parties can sit together. Looking back in hindsight my husband and I should have walked off the plane and asked to be put on another plane where we would be able to board within the early bird boarding and not lose our place in line. I doubt if I will ever book another trip with Southwest Airlines. Greed runs their business.

Reviewed Aug. 30, 2019
We upgraded our boarding passes for $40 to A so we could sit together. Keep in mind our tickets were already $$450 each which is high for FTL to ROC. Our original had me boarding B and the husband C. Really? Then we board and some jerk who was late with a pre-boarding pass complained were we sat because we were A and did not have pre-boarding pass. The airline allowed us on and called general boarding. The crew member basically sided with the jerk and had a terrible personality...never smiling once. Made us feel like we did something wrong. Last time we fly SW.
Reviewed Aug. 24, 2019
I book wrong flight from Dallas to Ft Lauderdale, it should have been to Orlando. We are going on a cruise boarding at Port Canaveral. Didn't realize this until 2 days before my departure! I was in panic mode, blood pressure rising, I looked at my wife and said "I screwed up". So I called Southwest Airlines and April ** answer the phone with a very sweet voice, I said I made a boo-boo, I explained I booked wrong flight, the first thing she said, "Let's see if we can fix this." She ask me for time I needed to be at ship. After checking her compute she said, "I can get you on a flight to Orlando, your arrival time would be 11 am." I said YES and then she book our return flight back home.
April ** represents what Southwest is all about "Caring for their customers". I know this may not seem like a big deal to most people, but image if it were YOU, this was HUGE mistake and April ** corrected it. She is amazing, very friendly and cared about helping me. Southwest you have a very special person representing your company. I always fly Southwest out of Lovefield, less hassle than DFW and because of great caring people like April ** - I am a loyal Southwest customer. I highly recommend this airline. A+/5 star airline!
Reviewed Aug. 13, 2019
An "Unaccompanied Minor" (UM) flying Southwest between Orlando FL (MCO) and Washington DC (DCA) is an experienced thief of iPhones! She was sitting in front of me and stole my iPhone out of my Underseat Carry-On that was placed under her seat. The SW Flight Attendant (FA) yelled at me when I told her that the UM had stolen my iPhone. The FA snapped at me: "She is a UM!" and "I escorted her off the plane and she had nothing with her!" Despite the fact that the UM was carrying a backpack and wearing a jacket with pockets, the FA did nothing to help me locate the UM who was handed over to the UM's grandparents at the DCA airport.
Instead the FA told me to file a Lost Report online at Southwest.com. At DCA, I filed a Grand Larceny Police Report with the DCA Police and then tracked my iPhone (Find My iPhone) to the UM's Grandparents' house in Stafford VA. The Stafford Sheriff recovered my iPhone the next morning but my iPhone was vandalized:
1) NEW Passcode was set up and the Police had to call the Grandparents to get the new code;2) All my data, including Photos and Apps, was wiped/cleaned out;
3) My OtterBox case was broken/cracked;
4) My Business Card taped to the back of the Otter Case was ripped off;
5) My decorative sticker on the back of the Otter Case was ripped off;
6) My unique Charm (from Japan) hanging from the iPhone was gone;
7) Now, the battery is not holding a charge.
This UM Thief (5ft female with brown curly hair) is experienced and should be banned from flying all SW Flights because she will steal again from us. I hold SW liable because they are responsible for: 1) escorting the UM on/ off the plane; and 2) being respectful to Passengers who are trying to alert the FAs that a crime has been committed instead of treating the Passenger like a crazy lying accuser of an "innocent" child. After 22 days, I received a NON-Response from Southwest: "I’m sorry for your frustration with the situation, and I understand that you feel we could have done more to address the circumstances. With that in mind, while privacy precludes us from sharing with Customers the details of any internal follow-up conducted with Employees, rest assured that we’ve shared acopy of your email with the appropriate Leaders for their awareness."
Reviewed Aug. 8, 2019
I am not one to leave scathing reviews for a product or experience, but after what I have endured recently with Southwest Airlines, and receiving a tough **, “sucks for you” email from their customer service team, Oh I am leaving a scathing review. After running a Spartan race with my younger brother in Aspen in memory of mother who passed away from colon cancer, I needed to get back to Seattle that evening, as I had recently started a new job that I love, I had a large project starting Monday I couldn’t miss due to airline neglect.
As I am en route to Denver from Aspen I receive a text message from Southwest telling me that my flight will be delayed 2 hours, placing me into Seattle at 2am. This irritates me not only because I have to work at 7am the next day, but because I also have to drive home an additional 2 hours from the airport, but I decide I will give Southwest the benefit of the doubt and continue with this flight. I make the executive decision to just book a hotel in Seattle so I can rest and catch an early ferry the next morning. Well about an hour later, I receive yet another text message from Southwest telling me that my flight will be delayed yet another hour putting me into Seattle at 3am, and home at 5am. I am livid, anxious, and angry, so I decide to book another flight with an alternative airline.
Now at this point I can’t cancel the hotel because it’s within 24 hours, and I have incurred the additional expense of booking with a dependable airline within an hour of the flight’s departure. That night I called Southwest to cancel the eternally postponed flight and express my frustration. The customer service representative was unsympathetic, and just went through the motions as she cancelled the flight.
The following morning, I write a complaint to Southwest expressing my disappointment with their consistent delays every time myself, or family (My niece flew with them in February, and that flight too was delayed an additional two hours causing us to miss the connecting flight) flies with them. This morning I receive a response from them stating in not so many words, “We are sorry we were unable to get you to your destination on time or at all, however we needed to fix our piece of ** planes so they don’t crash, and we won’t offer you any compensation for your troubles, have a nice day.”
Now this doesn’t sit well with me because it is not my fault at all that their planes suck and need constant maintenance! I purchased a product and expect that product to be delivered as promised, and when promised. Not late or never!! Southwest I am more than disappointed in you and your customer service. I can promise you that I won’t be flying with you, recommending you, and will be telling others not to fly with you, because you don’t care. Makes me really sad!!
Reviewed Aug. 8, 2019
I'm stuck in LAS waiting for a connection to LAX that keeps getting delayed. We will now get in after the rental car company closes and lose our deposit. All told we are out $200 because of this. I talked to supervisor Maria ** and she was rude, sarcastic, and unprofessional. She laughed in my face when I started crying. She told me they'd do nothing for me and tried to cover her nametag from me. She should be fired and I should be compensated $200.
Reviewed July 29, 2019
After waiting several months for Southwest to open their fall schedule, I booked my flight from Tampa to Newark as soon as they opened booking in May. At the end of July, I received an email notice that they were no longer flying into Newark. Since my flight was booked for Thanksgiving week, all the special fares from other airlines were gone. Now I’m paying double for a ticket. Southwest offered no compensation for this breach of our contract. They would only change my flight to another airport or refund my money without interest. Southwest is not an airline to be trusted.
Reviewed July 27, 2019
I am so over Southwest Airlines! My 3 daughters have flown Southwest airlines for 9 years as unaccompanied minors (all together). I booked 2 flights to come in to Denver International today, one unaccompanied 9 year old from Sacramento and my 13 year old (old enough to fly by herself per SWA policy) from San Antonio. My mother (70) arrived at Sacramento airport and arrived at my daughters terminal to wait for her plane to board. She was called to the counter and informed that they would not allow my daughter to board the plane due potential hazardous weather. If the plane was diverted to SLC my 9 year old wouldn’t be able to secure a hotel room. Very true and I am thankful they think about her safety. My issue, this weather statement was released by SWA headquarters this morning (her flight was scheduled to leave at 345pm).
Neither my mother nor myself were notified by phone or text (as SWA claims they do) until they arrived at my daughter gate and my mother was told. When my mother called from her cell phone and informed me I asked to speak with the person at the counter to get clarification of the situation. I was angry and agitated as I deliberately scheduled my daughters getting in close to the same time and day to keep from having to make multiple 4 hour round trip drives to Denver. As the agent wasn’t helpful I asked to speak with a manger. A women named Michelle came to the phone. Before she addressed me I could hear her say "why does she want to talk to me, I am not going to help her".... She never addressed me other than saying it was policy and nothing she could do.
I did argue but never cussed nor yelled on the phone but more spoke in an authoritative manner as she continued to speak over me and tell me she didn't have my phone number to contact me regarding her not being able to fly. I told her that I gave my mother's # and my number plus two back up numbers as the ticket agent required when booking the flight. She then told me "I better watch it or she will make sure my daughter never flies Southwest again..." (not looking like we will anyway) So new flight got booked and guess what!?! I instantly got a text telling me my daughters flight had been changed to a new date and time! (Remember they didn't have or numbers!) I called SWA's 1-800 # to file a complaint. Was transferred to a reservations manager who told me there was nothing she could do, client relations was closed at 430 CST and would open until Monday then she hung up on me.
So even more angry I looked up customer relations 1-800# to see (by the way not on SWA.com had to get or off of some unaffiliated website...that's convenient!?!) Guess what! They weren't closed! Talked to a guy who told me he could not investigate the incident until the flight took place, and then it would take a week at best to get ahold of me! Hmm ok. that's nice! I then asked for clarification on what hazardous weather as nothing is showing up on NOAA.gov, only Denver was under a air quality warning. The guy says "well ma'am I'm going to assume you are not a trained meteorologist are you?" (Smarty pants.... that's professional!) Before I lost my cool I gave him my contact information and hung up. Now remember my 13 year old is still flying in from San Antonio at 930pm tonight. Her flight was delayed an hour due to hazardous weather.
My ex husband and I received texts saying her flight had been delayed, as most people do they left later for the airport.... When they arrived they found that the flight had been changed back to original time and her plane departed in 20 minutes.... We never received a text saying her flight had been changed back to the original departure. This means her luggage won’t make it on the plane until the next flight which is tomorrow! So to say the least I am so unhappy with the quality of customer care SWA provides. Thinking about it my 9 year old can’t fly because she can't secure a hotel room if her flight was diverted, but I guess SWA is under the impression a 13 year old can?!? SWA you need to invest some money into customer service training and communication with your customers and take a look at your policies.
I am not a complainer. In fact out of the 100's of flights my children have taken in the last 9 years I have complained one other time when an SWA agent boarding my daughter made her cry because she didn't know my mother's last name.... she was 6! She just knows her as "Grandma Diane". That agent yelled at her and said, "If you don't get it right you're not leaving." (A 6 year old excited for her summer vacation and getting to see her grandmother and grandfather that she only sees once a year!) Some may ask why did we continue to use SWA, because I'm under the general philosophy that every industry has a few bad apples... but the majority of people are good. Now I am questioning if those who work for SWA are just overworked, underpaid, badly trained staff members who work for a company who doesn't have a clue! End Rant here.
Reviewed July 26, 2019
My parents purchased airline tickets for us for Christmas so we could attend my brother's wedding in Jamaica. The nightmare started when we arrived at the Nashville airport. The agent took an hour and a half to check in our party of ten. Security was so busy and we barely made our first flight. Upon arriving to Hobby airport in Houston to catch our connecting flight we find out that somehow my ticket is not the same time as the rest of my party that includes my MINOR children (14 and 5). Come to find out when my parents booked our tickets, mine was rejected so they had to call customer service to remedy the issue. The rep was supposed to put me on the exact same flights as everyone else. So this error was theirs. The kind gentleman scanning tickets said if I did not have any bags checked under me then I can change.
The nice lady at the desk was trying to hard to help me. She verified that I did not have bags checked under me, that they were all under the rest of my party. She called her supervisor over to help and he was SO RUDE!! He said that my dad booked me on another flight to save money, when in a actuality it cost more! He then proceeded to say that my kids would be fine with the grandparents and that I would just have to get on the next flight. I was livid! It gets better.
My children and my father were detained in customs because they did not have a letter stating it was ok for my kids to travel with them. My dad somehow convinced the customs agent to let them go with him. Then my dad so graciously waited another 3+ hours in the Sandals lounge in the airport waiting on me to arrive. To ice the cake, my party was not able to check into the resort because the room was in my name. I have had nothing but positive experiences with Southwest up until this trip. They have burnt me for the last and only time.
Reviewed July 25, 2019
I have flown on SW for many, many years and for the first time I needed to cancel a flight. I went on the website and cancelled it and a LARGE message across the top of my screen said "TRIP CANCELLED". I then went into my account to make sure the travel funds were available for a future trip and saw that they were. So imagine my surprise when on the evening of the day I was supposed to travel I got an email from SW stating that I did not cancel my trip and all travel funds were forfeited!!!
I wrote a letter to the CEO, VP or Customer Relations, and the Customer relations department telling them what happened and got another email this morning telling me they were still refusing to give me my travel funds! This is a measly $300 to SW, like picking up a penny to them, but a lot of money for my husband and I who are retired and on a fixed income. Shame, shame, shame, on Southwest for thinking they are perfect and couldn't possibly have had a glitch in THEIR system!!! Unfortunately they pretty much have a monopoly on affordable flights so I guess I'm stuck with them but I won't be smiling and IF I have another choice I will choose another airline for my trips.
Reviewed July 22, 2019
My grandson is currently flying from Sacramento to Tampa. He just turned 12 so I was told I could not pay for assistance for him but that he had to fly on a flight that did not deplane. This makes sense to me for the child's safety. My grandson ended up having 3 delays and had to change planes twice and he was confused about where to go and said he had no help from the crew. He sounded scared. So I called the airport police at LAX and they found him and were wonderful. The officer even called me to make sure he was safe.
Fast forward to the next delay in Dallas. My grandson called me again asking if he could call the police to help him again. I asked him to try and find an agent first and hand the phone to him/her and tell him his grandmother says it is an emergency that she talk to him/her, so he did. The agent said he would keep an eye on him. So, next the plane was delayed for the third time and he will get into Tampa 5 hours late in the dark. His father has been sitting at the airport for hours worried. There was no communication from SW for the entire day. They never informed us of anything. There were times we could not get a hold of my grandson because his phone was dead and he had to find a charger. These rules about deplaning are in place for a reason and then SW just does not follow them and that is negligent.
Reviewed July 16, 2019
It all started when I boarded the airplane. The flight attendants were just flat out rude! They didn’t go over the procedures until about 5min after takeoff... And we could not understand what she was saying. Then the pilot was either trying to scare or end our lives! I’ve never been so scared in my life! I just knew at any moment the plane was going down. Not to mention the landing was horrible - hit the ground super hard, shaking from side to side and swerving. That was my first and last time flying Southwest.
Reviewed July 6, 2019
I know better than to choose Southwest, but somehow I did. The customer service was horrid. My 11 year old son was flying by himself. He checked no bags. The ticketing agent wouldn’t let me go with him over to the plane and help him make sure he knew where to go. She also wouldn’t let me use my KTN for him to go through TSA Pre, though when I travel with him on other airlines he gets to go through TSA Pre because I do. He’s too young and isn’t eligible for TSA Pre yet. The ticketing agent was rude and weirdly aggressive. I’m definitely never flying this joke of an airline again. If it were just me I’d have no issue, but to do this to an 11 year old is unconscionable. Especially when it was so busy and my son already was nervous and confused. I almost walked over to one of the better airlines and just purchased him a new plane ticket. You definitely get what you pay for with this sad excuse for an airline.
Reviewed July 5, 2019
I had a flight from Jamaica to Chicago Midway with my wife and three small children. My two year old was not feeling well. Carrie, the flight attendant was very helpful and seemed genuinely happy to get me through a couple tough situations. The passenger next to me was blind. Carrie helped him get his customers paperwork squared away and had people at the gate waiting to get him to a connecting flight. She is a great person.
Reviewed July 3, 2019
I didn't think that was possible to lose a luggage on a direct flight from San Antonio to Orlando. Family of 4 arrived in Orlando and found out luggage lost. Southwest customer service and luggage desk absolutely clueless and unhelpful. Most frustrating part, Southwest didn't have a clue where our luggage might be. Southwest tagged our luggage and when we asked them how come luggage was lost, Southwest admitted that they do not scan luggage. IF you don't scan it you don't know where the luggage is. This is obviously a serious security issue and absolutely unacceptable that our luggage is simply floating somewhere at an airport or an airplane unaccounted for. So much for security and safety.
Reviewed June 25, 2019
It's been a very long time since I have experienced such a rude and uncaring employee as I did this past Saturday (June 22nd) at the Southwest counter in the Nashville International Airport location. My son and I arrived at the airport and had to visit the full service area because of a flight delay. We received a minimal greeting as we stepped up to the counter and the agent was extremely curt with her responses. She barely explained what options were available to get us back home and I had to suggest airports that were near the original destination.
When asked about reimbursements for either a ride sharing service to our house or for a hotel night to fly the next day, her only response was "No". Not, "I'm sorry we don't do that" or at least splitting the cost, she could only say "No" in a very uncaring and rude manner, with a completely stone cold look. When I asked why she wouldn't do anything, her reply was the flight is delayed because of weather and it wasn't Southwest's fault or their problem. Translated to English: It's YOUR fault and YOUR problem.
I was completely shocked at her attitude, it really took me by surprise. Here's the Southwest mission statement: "The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit." Obviously these are just words and have no meaning in the real world. To really make a point and drive the stake through our hearts, Southwest completely destroyed one of our bags and we had a $60 ride home. (We did receive compensation for the destroyed bag and a toiletry bag inside so I guess that's a small victory against corporate greed.)
I know Southwest is the low cost airline but this is beyond being a bunch of penny pinchers. There is no excuse for the treatment I received and the absolutely callous attitude of their employee. I'm not a regular traveler but I've flown on Southwest several times and had good experiences. I like saving money but it will be worth spending a few dollars more not to ever do business with them again.
Reviewed June 24, 2019
I received a text message the morning of my flight from LAX to Denver stating it was canceled. Went to the airport and they placed me on a flight to Denver where the flight was delayed for 2 hours. After being in Denver for 6 hours, I walked on the plane and the blonde stewardess turned her head and didn't greet me coming on or getting off. I was not offered a snack or anything to drink...just poor customer service.
Reviewed June 23, 2019
Today I had a flight to Burbank from Denver at 2:10PM. At 8:55AM I received a message from Southwest stating that my flight was canceled and to rebook. NO other options were provided me and ALL SW flights to ALL Southern California locations including San Diego were SOLD OUT. Evidently SW has NO AIRLINE RELATIONSHIPS and could not book me on another airline. Conclusion is I had to cancel my flight with the only alternative being DELTA at $ 1,950. I've flown SW for 35 years but once is all it takes. Cut up the credit card and stay away from Southwest Airlines. I am afraid to use miles now for pleasure not knowing if either leg will get canceled and me being stranded somewhere or not going at all. Horrific customer service!
Reviewed June 22, 2019
Not happy with the delay in our returning flight. Southwest held up our late night flight waiting for three passengers to arrive from another flight which had been delayed. The significant added delay results in a later drive home, well past our intended travel plans. I assumed that if passengers were late, with their plane not arriving until after the scheduled take-off, they would be rescheduled, not hold the entire flight back. Punctuality is important. If I cannot depend on an airline to keep to a reasonable schedule, I will find a different airline. The plane was supposed to be in the air by now, and we are still waiting.
Reviewed June 20, 2019
I was heading to SF from Orange County on Southwest Airlines. I got up early for the flight. As I lined up with other passengers to board the flight, we were suddenly told the flight was cancelled, without any explanation. We were left to scramble for another Southwest flight without any help from Southwest attendant. No compensation were given. I read from different leading newspapers, that Southwest has been cancelling flight without warning and doing last minutes. My gut feeling is that they are trying to increase profit by taking advantage of the customers. By cancelling flights last minutes, the passenger has no time to get a refund and is forced to give in and scramble to pack into their other flights which might not go to desired destination the customer had paid for. This way they would save fuel money. It is too bad the federal government don't have stronger law to protect the customer from airline taking advantage from customers.
It is for this reason, I have stopped flying with Southwest, because you just don't know what will happen when you book a flight with them. Also as a company, Southwest has changed, they are more about bottom line and had no problem screwing their customers over. I looked at how much I have spend flying with Southwest throughout the years ($30,000 to $50,000) and how I and other royal Southwest customers are treated, it has been very disappointing.
Reviewed June 20, 2019
All of a sudden, this is like traveling from Istanbul to Jakarta. No plane I take from Dallas Love leaves on schedule, and often not at all. Their schedules are clearly BS when made each day. Their employees fail the “old Southwest culture;” they’re rude, inefficient and don’t take care of their clients or their equipment. I am trying to move to another airlines permanently, costing them my own 40 round-trip flights per year. They won’t miss me, I know. A nasty freaking experience is what you can expect from this has-been airlines.
Flight scheduled for Wed., 8:50P. Flight cancels, as is usual, three hours before go time. The flight I can get on has two connections (to replace my non-stop). I risk the final connection due to their tardy arrivals, of course. And, I do miss the final connection due to late flights. No hotel offered in place of the night I spend in the airport, and why? They’d go broke giving away hotel rooms! “Suckwest AIRLINES...let us use your money for a while before you ask for a refund!”
Reviewed June 16, 2019
To all ** flyers who gave Southwest 1 star and up review rating, you guys are morons! Flight delayed 2 hrs to destination. And another 2 hrs delay on return. Open seats are ** catered to all the self centered **. My 9 years old was splitted up from my spouse and me. Guess what? 9 years does not seem to qualify family boarding! But it's against the law due to the fact it's a minor needs adult supervision! ** Southwest customer service offered to cancel my flight to refund my tickets. How do I fly back home? Solution that does not make sense!
I have not flew Southwest for over 20 years, this is my most regretted decision to choose Southwest again. This will be my last time. When I spend my money on air ticket I expect seat entitlement not seat lottery. It also took an elderly and a ** stewards to serve drinks and snacks not until at last 30 mins of 3 hour flight! No thanks Southwest. There are airlines much better deserve my business. All all the ** dumb self centered ** who supported Southwest, may your journey be a hell one!
Reviewed June 10, 2019
Dallas Love is fine. The SW employees are absolutely terrible here. Flew in from Tulsa after our original connection had been cancelled so the desk attendant there gave us "extra time boarding" so my work companion and I could sit together. Boarded in Tulsa fine. Tried to board at Dallas Love with the same boarding pass note and was told I was absolutely not able to board with extra time and because of the tornadoes, flights were delayed so basically, too ** bad. No sorry for the confusion, no apologies for cancellations or delays. Just awful. All before our flight was delayed, yet again, for another "first officer" who couldn't fly because of FAA regulations. Sloppy, sloppy Southwest. I was ready to write a glowing review of your customer service out of Tulsa.
Reviewed June 9, 2019
I'd expect this if they were truly still a low cost airline but they rescheduled both my outgoing and incoming flights and never notified me. Lost direct flights and gained 2 stop flights. Never again.
Reviewed June 9, 2019
What's not to love about Southwest? They are on time and always have kind, genuinely helpful staff. I have never had a poor experience - likely due to the employees actually being the owners. No change fees, no baggage fees - no hidden fees that all the other airlines have!
Reviewed June 6, 2019
I travel from San Juan to Florida and back, this free seating does not work for large groups of families traveling with children between the ages of 9-15 because young people can be seated away from their parents. It happened to me and because they were minors they did not take me out of the line of the emergency exit, and my 13 year old girl was far from me, I had to excuse that they would at least sit her near her brother. I do not recommend Southwest because the prices are not different from other airlines that if you have a reserved seat and with large groups of family accommodate us together. Otherwise good treatment and good cleaning. The entertainment good.
Reviewed June 6, 2019
Always late, full of lame lies and b.s.excuses as to why. The last 6 months flying them for both personal and business has been horrible. Never again. Tonight got notice flight was 1 hour late, 30 minutes later notified on time with a gate change. Then just before boarding were told 'plane was too heavy', found a plane just landing, changed gates again.... Waited for it unload. Guess what? Leaving an hour late!! Good thing I have carry on luggage.
Southwest Airlines Company Information
- Company Name:
- Southwest Airlines
- Year Founded:
- 1967
- Address:
- 2702 Love Field Dr.
- City:
- Dallas
- State/Province:
- TX
- Postal Code:
- 75235
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- www.southwest.com
