CB Airlines and Air Travel Southwest Airlines Complaints #2-21

Southwest Airlines Reviews and Complaints

Southwest Airlines review: Assigned seating & traveling with minor children

Julie Hamilton331 of US

Aug 09, 2026 6:17 pm UTC

Verified customer

Featured review

I am writing to express my disappointment with Southwest Airlines regarding the seating assignments for my upcoming flight, WN176 from Denver to Minneapolis on August 10, 2026.

I am traveling as the only adult with my three grandchildren, ages 12, 9, and 8. Our original seat assignments were 6E, 7E, 8E, and 7F. While I was seated next to my 9-year-old grandchild in Row 7, my 8-year-old grandchild was assigned a middle seat by herself in another row.

What makes this particularly frustrating is that I am a Rapid Rewards credit card holder and understood that one of my card benefits would allow me to select available standard seats beginning 48 hours before departure. I checked at that time and could see available standard seats, but I was unable to use the benefit to select seats that would appropriately accommodate the children traveling with me.

I contacted Southwest hoping the situation could be addressed before we arrived at the airport. I was told that Southwest would not make any seating changes in advance and that I would need to wait until we reached the airport and ask a gate agent for assistance.

I was not comfortable waiting until the airport and simply hoping the situation could be resolved. As the only adult traveling with three children, particularly an 8-year-old, I needed to know before arriving at the airport that the children would be seated together and that I would be nearby.

As a result, I spent an additional $124 to correct the situation myself. I purchased three seats together in the same row so that my grandchildren could sit together, and I purchased another middle seat for myself across the aisle and one row forward. While this still does not place me directly with the children, it allows them to sit together and keeps me close enough to assist them if needed.

I find it extremely disappointing that I had to pay an additional $124 to obtain a reasonable seating arrangement for three minor children traveling with one adult. I also don't believe passengers should have to wait until they reach the gate and rely on other passengers potentially being asked to give up seats they selected when the situation could have been addressed in advance.

I have flown Southwest in the past and carry a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card, but this experience has significantly changed my opinion of the airline. The seating benefit associated with the credit card was one of the reasons I valued having the card, and this experience has made that benefit feel useless.

I am not writing to request compensation. I am writing because I believe Southwest needs to hear how its current seating policies affect families and grandparents traveling with children. Unfortunately, based on this experience, I do not plan to choose Southwest for future travel.

I would appreciate a formal response explaining Southwest's policy and why there was no way to address this situation in advance without requiring me to pay an additional $124 to ensure a reasonable seating arrangement for the children traveling in my care.

Desired outcome: Now that Southwest has implemented assigned seating, I request that they make a more reasonable accommodation for families traveling together that allows them to choose standard seating together prior to arrival at the gate.

Confidential Information Hidden: This section contains confidential information visible to verified Southwest Airlines representatives only. If you are affiliated with Southwest Airlines, please claim your business to access these details.

0 comments

Add a comment

Southwest Airlines - items stolen out of luggage. 18

Resolved

Southwest Airlines - baggage lost 6

Southwest Airlines - airtran cancellation charges 39

Southwest Airlines - refund money credit from last year 2

Resolved

Southwest Airlines - open seating - not 3

Southwest Airlines - Delayed/canceled flights

Southwest Airlines - luggage service 1

Southwest Airlines - wn5384 boi to geg

Southwest Airlines - Horrible Experience with Southwest Airlines: Racial Slurs and Unhelpful Flight Attendants

Southwest Airlines - Unreliable and Unhelpful: My Terrible Experience with Southwest Airlines

View all Southwest Airlines reviews and complaints

Southwest Airlines Contacts

Southwest Airlines phone numbers

800 007 8684

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling 800 007 8684 phone number 1 1 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling 800 007 8684 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling 800 007 8684 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling 800 007 8684 phone number

100%
Confidence score

Belize

800 012 1916

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling 800 012 1916 phone number 2 2 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling 800 012 1916 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling 800 012 1916 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling 800 012 1916 phone number

100%
Confidence score

Costa Rica

+1 (800) 751-9039

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 751-9039 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 751-9039 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 751-9039 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 751-9039 phone number

Dominican Republic

+1 (844) 670-7914

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (844) 670-7914 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (844) 670-7914 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (844) 670-7914 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (844) 670-7914 phone number

Grand Cayman

+1 (800) 425-8130

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 425-8130 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 425-8130 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 425-8130 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 425-8130 phone number

Jamaica

+1 (800) 083-1179

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 083-1179 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 083-1179 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 083-1179 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 083-1179 phone number

Mexico

+1 (800) 826-6667

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 826-6667 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 826-6667 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 826-6667 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 826-6667 phone number

Spanish

+297 588 2900

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +297 588 2900 phone number 1 1 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +297 588 2900 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +297 588 2900 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +297 588 2900 phone number

100%
Confidence score

Aruba

+1 (800) 243-8372

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 243-8372 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 243-8372 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 243-8372 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 243-8372 phone number

Southwest Vacations

+1 (888) 850-3958

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 850-3958 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 850-3958 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 850-3958 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 850-3958 phone number

Existing Hotel Reservations

+1 (866) 938-1297

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (866) 938-1297 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (866) 938-1297 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (866) 938-1297 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (866) 938-1297 phone number

Existing Hotel Reservations (Spanish

+1 (888) 792-8747

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 792-8747 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 792-8747 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 792-8747 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 792-8747 phone number

Automated Flight Information

+1 (800) 445-5764

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 445-5764 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 445-5764 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 445-5764 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 445-5764 phone number

Rapid Rewards Customer Service

+1 (800) 435-9792

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 435-9792 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 435-9792 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 435-9792 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (800) 435-9792 phone number

Customer Service

+1 (855) 234-4654

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (855) 234-4654 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (855) 234-4654 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (855) 234-4654 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (855) 234-4654 phone number

Customer Service

+1 (888) 202-1024

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 202-1024 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 202-1024 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 202-1024 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (888) 202-1024 phone number

After Your Trip

+1 (855) 202-3403

Click up if you have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (855) 202-3403 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (855) 202-3403 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (855) 202-3403 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Southwest Airlines by calling +1 (855) 202-3403 phone number

Baggage

More phone numbers

Southwest Airlines emails

enquiry@southwest.com

100%
Confidence score: 100%

Support

Southwest Airlines address

P.O. Box 36647-1CR, Dallas, Texas, 75235, United States

Southwest Airlines social media
Checked and verified by Nick This contact information is personally checked and verified by the ComplaintsBoard representative. Learn more

Aug 10, 2026
View all Southwest Airlines contacts