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4.4 2513 Reviews

Southwest Airlines Complaints Summary

41 Resolved
379 Unresolved
Our verdict: With Southwest Airlines's very poor resolution rate, careful consideration is needed. Research their service comprehensively, and read up on how they handle customer disputes. If you face issues, be prepared for potential challenges in obtaining resolutions and explore other service providers as backups.
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Southwest Airlines reviews & complaints 428

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Newest Southwest Airlines reviews & complaints

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9:34 pm EDT

Southwest Airlines baggage checked by security

I arrived from St Louis to Tampa flight 1982 today. I'm unpacking and the idiots who checked my bag tossed everything around, opening packages and tossing the contents on top of the clothes to include contact lens cleaner that I placed in a one gallon zip lock bag and was left open and spilled all over our clothes. The TSA lock was not re secured on our luggage the employees were to lazy to do this correctly.

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4:07 am EDT

Southwest Airlines overweight baggage.

I was traveled with Southwest Airline on July 12, 2017 from Baltimore to Denver. I have two boxes of my personal use stuff. After got weight, each of them over weight about two more pounds. I had weighted them at home with my home weight scale, all of them less then 50lbs. It must has differents with my home weight scale and airport weight scale.
I had pay $75 each because all of them over weight. it is kink of suffer for me to pay it.

Why airline set up weight limit don't have toralences? That is my thoughts at the time.

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3:19 pm EDT
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Southwest Airlines theft from luggage

I flew into BWI on Thurs., 6/29/17. When I reached my destination and unpacked, I realized I was missing my electric hair dryer/hair straightener. I was sure I packed it but would make sure when I returned home on Sat., 7/8/17. It wasn't at my home.

Someone from Southwest, at Fort Lauderdale Airport has to have taken it from my bag. I don't expect any payment for this item, even though it was rather expensive. I just want FLL to be aware of this.

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6:16 am EDT
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Southwest Airlines luggage / baggage

I flew Southwest from Orange County California and was scheduled go to Providence. But there were mechanical delays so I would not make my transfer in Chicago and thus they changed my flight to another connection. When I got to the place to board I checked with the desk one more time and they informed me that the new added on third stop to get me to Providence had been cancelled. So they again changed my flight and routed me to Boston. The lady at the desk made a call down to baggage to change their destination. At that point I was skeptical they would make it. I arrived in Boston and had no luggage. That is all fine and dandy but I was fully expecting my luggage to be dropped off in the middle of the night by a porter after it arrived. Instead I didn't get my bags until two days later. They had arrived in Providence at 11 pm that first night. But did not get delivered to me till two more days. And there was no offer for reimbursement for even a tooth brush. I had to wear the same cloths for two days while going to scheduled events. When I called to complain the woman offered no compensation. When I asked what I am supposed to do for cloths she stated that I was home so I should be fine. I had to correct her and let her know I was in a rental property.
Delta lost my suit case recently after a flight back from Spain and it took two days to get but they sent me a $100 gift card so I really wasn't too burdened cause I was able to pick up some stuff to use.
I am just irritated. Don't get me wrong at least at Southwest I could talk to a person. Delta left me sitting on hold for over an hour at one point. The systems need work... June 26 20017; SW baggage issue. [protected]

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10:02 pm EDT
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Southwest Airlines flight delayed for two days

Coming off a Carnival cruise ship in Norfolk Va. There was bad weather on the east coast.BWI, Newark and New York Airports were closed Monday afternoon and our flight was cancelled. We were told to go from our gate all the way back to the ticket counter. We were in line for over an hour and a half with people who were getting tickets for other flights that were not Cancelled. Then one of Southwest employees start asking people without luggage in if they had checked bags(did not say why) just ask for their names.
When I ask why, he said you are not going anywhere until Wednesday (the 21th). There was no apology, no I'm sorry about the inconvenience no suggestion of what to do or where to go. There was three people in my party, and it cost of an additional 700.00 dollars for those two days. I only fly Southwest, I am a RR member [protected] as is my wife [protected].
I understand about the weather Monday night (the 19th) and not being able to go out until Tuesday or even Wednesday, but what I'm most disappointed in is the lack of communication and not even the offer oa food voucher or a suggestion of where to go or what to do.

Sincerely
Sylvester Patton
727 Brentwood Ave
Youngstown, Ohio 44511
[protected]@yahoo.com

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6:11 am EDT

Southwest Airlines last minute cancellation by airlines

My wife and I were scheduled to fly out of BuffaloNY, fri mar 31 at 6:10 am.
At the ticket counter we were told the flight was cancelled, and were willing to rebook us on a 5:45 pm flight that evening.
Since we going just for 3 days, this would have shortened our trip by a day, considering we had a two hour drive to get to our final destination.
Well we received our refund the next day, but to save an already costly weekend trip, We decided to book a flight leaving Buffalo at 7:25 on JetBlue.
This is another complaint altogether, bu we ended up paying over $500 over the cost of the original ticket through southwest.
I contacted the customer service desk that morning and said there is nothing we can do to compensate the difference.
Now remind you I DIDNT cancel the reservation, Southwest did.
I understand circumstances arise, but We had to spend a portion of our trip money just to save this trip.
I REFUSE TO FLY SOUTHWEST AGAIN!

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7:32 am EST
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Southwest Airlines baggage items missing

I traveled with my husband & a group of friends to Jamaica on your airline on Sunday, January 22. We had one stop in Orlando, FL before reaching our destination. Once at resort, I unpacked my one checked bag & realized that my Clinique Happy perfume & a trucker baseball hat were not inside. I didn't place a claim because my husband thought I may have mistakenly left it at home.

We returned to the states late on Thursday, January 26. Since then I have looked EVERYWHERE & as I thought, they weren't there. My items had been packed for my trip & NEVER made it with my other items.

I look forward to hearing from Southwest regarding my missing items soon.

Thank you,
Tangela C. Lane

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2:14 am EST

Southwest Airlines online booking system and customer service

I attempted to book a summer flight and the system told me there was an error when I tried again I was charged twice but not booked on the flight. I attempted to book a flight for July 18th departing from Vegas to go to Rochester NY through the online iotion upon purchase there was a an error message that appeared I thought it was something I did wrong so I checked and tried again the next error message stated that there werent enough funds I checked my account and noticed Southwest had two pending transactions. After seeing this I called and was told there was nothing that could be done except to wait for the funds to clear my account and try to book again. I explained with great frustration that I did not want tot loose the price of the flight I asked to speak with a manager named Nikki who then put me on hold for thirty mintues andtold me my only option becuase she could not see my payments was to call customer relations the next day. I explained how unfair and pointless this was and she said she understood but could do nothing. I offered to fax and or email the proof that I was charged twice andshe said this was not an option.

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10:18 am EST

Southwest Airlines delayed flight

I was booked on a fight from San Diego to Houston to BWI today. I got notification of a delay. Putting me in Houston at 2:25 pm the same time as my connecting flight 2:25 pm. So I changed my flight, fifteen minutes later the delay was updated and I could of made my original flight. Called all seats were booked plus I would of had to pay an additional fee? No fault of mine. I guess I am really upset because I was offered no information if I had kept my flight to Houston but missed my connection. Would you have offered to get me on another flight? I travel Southwest ALWAYS. I just wish there was more offered to me. I think I should be due a refund of some sort because I am now returning late and have to miss work.
Michelle Warner
Conf # BV7XSM
Original flight # 1768
New flight # 1125

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8:00 am EST
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Southwest Airlines piece to car seat is missing to connect the straps and hold them in place

I want to pursue a claim with southwest airlines for losing the piece to my car seat during my flight with them. My claim number [protected]. I need to know if southwest airlines is going to replace my corset this is an urgent matter I use the corset everyday. I was told by two different southwest employee's that southwest will cover the damages to my property. When I called customer service they told me other wise.

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6:52 am EDT

Southwest Airlines luggage

I was flying with Southwest Airlines back in March and one of my suitcases was lost. I argued with them for a long time trying to get some information regarding the missing luggage and they promised they'll find it. It is now late August and they still haven't found anything. Is it so hard to do that? My suitcase couldn't just disappear!
It seems like these guys really don't care and I really doubt that I'll get my things back. I'm going to report these guys.

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8:05 pm EDT

Southwest Airlines unethical behaviour and misguidance

Hello,

I am Rapid rewards member of southwest with #[protected]. I fly frequently with southwest. Despite being a consistent flyer with their airlines, I was not provided valid information during trip cancellation and refund inquiry conversation.

Me and my husband booked two tickets with SouthWest from SEA to SDN in December 2015 by calling up SouthWest customer care. The Air confirmation is R8NZAK. We booked using the voucher(expiry: 3/29/2016) partially for the fare and the rest through credit card, but canceled the trip on 12/25/2015. The customer executive I spoke to while canceling the ticket informed me that I could use up the ticket fare to book the trip anytime within next 1 year i.e December 2016. While I was booking my trip to SAN in March 2016, I was told that I can't use the cancelled trip ticket fare for travel beyond 3/29/2016 and can call them up after March 2016 to get the entire fare as voucher. This was new to my knowledge and I was not informed by the customer executive of this while cancelling the tickets in December 2015! When I called up the customer care again (4/5/2016), I got to know that only 240$ will be provided as voucher while 200$ is not available as the expiry date has past. I was not informed by the customer executive of the March expiry of booked fare while canceling tickets. And for the second time, when I spoke to the customer executive in March 2016, I was told that I can get the entire fare 442$ as voucher, was not told of 200$ to be deducted. In this whole transaction and process, I was totally misguided and not provided the entire information regarding the expiry date of ticket fare to be used and the fees to be deducted. Now I am in loss of 200$ due to the misinformation from southwest customer care. I would not have cancelled my trip if they had informed me of the fare expiry in March 2015. The southwest customer executives were misguiding me and my husband when we spoke to them after raising the complaint on their website. I have attached the mail acknowledgements from southwest after raising the complaints three times. The customer executives gave contradicting statements and answers regarding the expiry and refund amount every time I spoke to them. I am given the voucher for $242 now but the remaining $200 is not being refunded with the reason of March 2015 expiry. However, the March 2015 expiry was completely hidden to me by the executive I spoke to during the cancellation. I would like to get back the remaining ticket fare - $200 from southwest. I am in loss today only due to their customer unfriendly and misguiding process.

I look forward to hear from the team and receive the total fare amount.

Thanks,
Pratheeksha Devegowda

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6:49 pm EST
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Southwest Airlines one of baggage claim employees houston hobby

The incident occurred 11/24/2016 on my flight returning from Ft.Lauderdale at 6:50 pm. but more than a few incidents regarding this employee has happened. I don`t know what his name is exactly but he is the only midget that works in the baggage claim area. I would just like to say that he is very rude, unhelpful to say the least and if he doesn`t like his job he should go find another one. My husband and I fly frequently and every time that we arrive home to Houston and he is working the desk and we ask a question his tone is rude and so is his response. For such a little person he has a big chip on his shoulder. I am just letting you know that enough is enough and the next time I ask him a question and he answers me rudely again he will get what he gives. For someone who is working a customer service desk he has NO idea what he is doing. It`s his job to help people and if he doesn`t want to go find a different job. Then I let him try to make a complaint against me.

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8:27 am EST
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Southwest Airlines baggage claim

On dec 16th I flew back to Chicago midway from Lax airport, I checked my luggage 2 of them and, I left from Lax at 4pm and got into Chicago at 10 pm I did all my Christmas shopping In California, one of my bags was very large, so I filled it with gifts and had expensive clothing, when I arrived home and open my bags all the gifts and my expensive clothing was stolen I reported to baggage claim and I called TSA they cannot do anything but take a claim! Unreal *800 dollars worth of gift and clothing was taken and southwest decide to do there Christmas shopping in our bags I am furious for my LOSS, Sarah Bitton

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11:06 am EDT
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Southwest Airlines damaged bag

Returned home from Tampa to Indy sat sept 12 on flight 1660. After waiting over 20 minutes for the bags to be taken off aircraft I received my luggage ripped and no longer usable. I have called every number on file for Southwest and continue to get the run around! Bottom line my bag was destroyed I want it replaced and NO one is willing to help! I plan to show photos of my damaged bag to every social media online and make sure Southwest gets a bad name for it! Theres no excuse for the condition my bag was left in!

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4:48 am EDT

Southwest Airlines they haven't posted our tickets

The company www.southwest.com scammed us for large sum of money. We ordered three tickets from them, but the seller promised to send these tickets by post. We waited 3 weeks and received nothing. We urgently needed these tickets, but the company ignored our emails and questions. It was really bad and unprofessional from their side.

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10:59 pm EST
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Southwest Airlines stolen personal item

My wife & I just returned from a visit (Nov 2 - 8th) to Sandals Whitehouse Resort in Jamaica. We departed Montego Bay/Sangster Intl for Atlanta on Southwest #1183 at 3:00 PM.

From Atlanta, we were on SW #3093 to Columbus, OH at 9:05 PM.m
Upon arrival to our home we proceeded to opened our luggage & immediately noticed that our zipper was not in the location (top) where we intentionally placed the zipper on all of our luggage. It became immediately obvious that the piece containing my wife's newly purchased diamond necklace (SKU 286146*48, Loc./ID Cntry 210CA TH, Description 18KY Neck D.26 SSteel BK C) from 'Columbian Emeralds' for $1, 615.50 plus $ 99.98 Protection Plan at the gift shop at Sansals Whitehouse Resort had been stolen after we left the hotel. The nice boxes used to contain the necklace were almost destroyed and lying on top of the contents vs. toward the bottom as packed. We Also checked for a TSA Notification Document and found none! We know the theft had to take place after departing the resort due to the fact that we always had a line of sight on our luggage while at the resort.

We searched 'each' piece of clothing along with the interior of the luggage 'four' times without locating the diamond necklace. At this time my wife broke into tears and hasn't stopped. The necklace was my wife's 28th wedding anniversary gift.

We have contacted our attorney as a fail safe. We were advised that he has worked cases similar to ours where his research/investigations established that it is not uncommon for airport personnel to X-ray luggage looking for metal objects. Subsequently the personnel removed the object. He is willing to litigate our case if our claim is disallowed. We pray this will not be necessary.

I am going to attempt to attach photos of the destroyed boxes in support of our claim. We will also obtain an affidavit signed by friends present while packing. Also attempting to attach a copy of our receipt.

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12:26 am EST
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Southwest Airlines Rip off

I book flights a month at a time for my husband. This flight was booked at the beginning of February. The departure was for Wednesday 26 from Houston. Business took him to another city, so I called to cancel the departing portion of the flight. To my surprise, I received an email from Southwest stating "No Show". I called the customer relations department who stated that I needed to prove that I called to cancel the flight. I was quite upset since we spend thousands of dollars every year with Southwest since Hurricane Katrina. I was trying to check my husband in for the returning portion of the flight scheduled for Sunday, March 2, which has not arrived yet. I discovered they not only canceled the departing ticket but the return as well.
My husband flies every week with this airline. Apparently, they state that if the customer does not show for a portion of the flight, the entire ticket is forfeited. In my opinion, this should be illegal. You are taking money for something that has not occurred yet. You took the money for the returning flight that is not scheduled to leave until Mar. 2 @ 10:20. This is theft. I am not sure if there is any governance to such madness, but if there isn't there should be. Who regulates these tricks of the airlines to steal money from customers? Ripped Off! They cancel flights and steal money!

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3:52 pm EDT
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Southwest Airlines 2 stolen bags

I am suing southwest airlines on the basis of the following and I recommend anyone who has the same or similar problem to do so immediately:

In reference to the events that occurred and resulted from flight 2690 (Las to sfo) on 07/21/2013 involving two plaintiffs, lipscomb and lipscomb; southwest airlines company (Swa) intentionally wronged them by taking and possibly retaining their baggage. Swa alleges no wrong doing by its adhesion contract, the contract of carriage (Coc) , however, contract law and the coc proves otherwise. The baggage polices in swa’s coc are unconscionable. Swa’s failure to disclose one or more material facts regarding the coc, swa’s gross negligence and swa’s breach of contract caused permanent damage to the lives of the plaintiffs. This caused their vacation to be completely ruined, in addition to grand larceny theft, identity theft, pain and suffering, expenditures and loss of wages. Swa is fully liable and responsible. Any defense of swa through the coc should be rendered unenforceable by the court. Return of their property, subsequent damages, attorney’s fees and/or court costs should be awarded as sought to the plaintiffs.
One element of a valid contract is the free consent of both parties to acknowledge the contract and accept to perform it. Both parties must be in full capacity to form a contract so fundamental decisions can be made and equal bargaining power can exist.
Neither plaintiff was issued a current copy of swa’s coc. Only (1) out-dated insert entitled & lsquo;swa’s notice of incorporated terms’ (Snit) was issued to the plaintiffs and even it was cleverly stapled behind their tickets. Upon later review of the insert, it seemed to summarize some generic concepts similar to the coc but it was far from being informational and situation-specific enough for the plaintiffs to have made an informed decision. The insert asserts that swa has some accountability, however it fails to clarify how much accountability for items such as electronics, irreplaceable and/or high-value items, collector’s items and etc: & ldquo;there are limits on liability for loss, damage to or delayed delivery of passenger baggage, including, fragile, perishable and certain other irreplaceable and/or high-value goods or contents, as specified in the contract of carriage. & rdquo; the insert does not state swa doesn’t cover these aforementioned items.
On the other hand, the coc states swa & ldquo;assumes no responsibility for and will not be liable for money;…computers and other electronic equipment;…fragile or perishable items; irreplaceable…;and similar valuables contained in carryon or checked baggage. & rdquo; essentially, the coc is stating swa doesn’t cover these same aforementioned items. This is a huge discrepancy. And this is critical information that was not disclosed in swa’s notice of incorporated terms.
Again as previously mentioned, the coc allows swa to have zero responsibility for high-value items consistently present in carryon baggage, while at the same time this contract allows for them to have some limited liability at their discretion for & ldquo;loss of, damage to, or delay in delivery of checked or carryon baggage and/or its contents…” in this particular emergent case of the plaintiffs, the only way they would have properly obtained access to fully review the coc was after rendering their baggage to the flight attendant. At that point it would have been too late. The current and complete copy of the coc is only available online or request by us mail. Furthermore, the coc defines & lsquo;checked baggage’ to mean & ldquo;baggage of which carrier takes sole custody and for which carrier has issued a baggage claim check and affixed a baggage tag. & rdquo; it does not seem right for swa to take sole custody of baggage and not expect for the passenger to hold them liable for it and its contents. With an outdated insert and the absence of vital information there is no enforceable defense for the defendant.
Furthermore, swa, its servants, and agents never disclosed any material facts of the coc pertaining to duffel bags and transport thereof to the plaintiffs. Prior to rendering their bags, the plaintiffs attempted to place their bags under their seats, inside the cabins and etc. As they had done on all of their previous flights. Unfortunately, the flight attendant determined their efforts would render safety issues in the event of an emergency. The flight attendant demanded their bags be gate-checked (Rendered and checked to the flight attendant for transport).
The flight attendant did not verify if they had assistive devices (I. E. Prescription eye-glasses or medication) or high-value items in their duffel bags. One of the plaintiffs voluntarily informed the flight attendant that 2 of the 3 bags were fragile. These 2 bags happen to be the bags that are still missing to this day. The only statement the plaintiffs ever heard regarding their bags after boarding flight 2690 was that the plane would not take off until this matter of checking-in their bags was resolved. This was announced over the intercom for everyone on the plane to hear. Would anyone really volunteer the time to say they had medication or prescription glasses in their bags and rummage around trying to find these items-especially since it was made obvious they were delaying the entire plane from being on schedule? Again they were never asked so they didn’t tell.
Besides, they would be home in less than an hour with all of their bags and belongings. Or so they believed.
The plaintiffs reluctantly rendered all 3 of their carryon bags to the flight attendant in attempt to follow swa’s insistence of safety and to avoid further flight delays. The flight attendant took their bags and returned with 3 baggage claim checks: [protected], [protected] and [protected] for them to later claim their bags. Each of these & ldquo;checks” or bag tags had barcodes appearing that swa scans them to track the gate-checked bags. After the plaintiffs rendered their bags, the same stocky (200 lb to 230 lb) , clean-shaven, short dark-brown hair, white male c flight attendant with blue/green eyes and glasses was unusually nice to them for the remainder of the flight.
Let it be clearly stated, at the time of surrender; the plaintiffs were misled, lacked material information contained in the coc and/or rendered their bags under pressure, undue influence, distress or misunderstanding.
Swa flight attendants should be trained and fully knowledgeable of the baggage polices/check-in procedures for baggage outlined in their current coc. These agents should reinforce the information relayed in the coc with each passenger who is required to surrender/gate-check their bag. No reasonable or informed person (I. E. The plaintiffs) would ever agree to render their uninsured personal belongings (Laptops, a tablet, camera, 9-in-1 portable dvd/tv player, irreplaceable sentimental items, collector’s items and etc. ) to swa, its servants or agents if they knew swa did not cover the partial or full value of these items. Or that swa could not guarantee the delivery of the gate-checked bag on that passenger’s particular flight. When the general scope of swa’s baggage polices is applied to this particular situation, the coc seems intentionally vague and disconnected. When the specific scope of swa’s baggage polices is applied to this particular situation, it becomes quite obvious the contract is only in favor of swa as it attempts to & ldquo;legally” remove their obvious liability to carryon bags containing high-value items. If it can somehow be concluded that swa legally does not cover certain high-value items based on their coc and their notice of incorporated terms; then why does swa gate-check baggage containing such items knowing these items could be somehow damaged, lost, delayed or stolen by internal/external personnel?
Finally, this was the first time either plaintiffs have experienced an ordeal of lost luggage.
Ideally, it seems this type of contract should have been signed and dated by both parties and copies thereof should have been issued to each of them as verification of receipt/acknowledgement of swa’s coc.
“ [swa] achieved record revenues of 17.1 billion in 2012, nearly tripling the revenue over the last decade. Other highlights of the performance section include [swa’s] 40th consecutive years of profitability (A feat unmatched in the us aviation industry) ; the addition of swa service to two new states (Georgia and iowa) and six new airports; as well as details of our superb operations, such as achieving 83.1 percent ontime performance and recording the best baggage handling in our history. & rdquo; this is an excerpt from swa’s one report for july 2013 in a magazine on flight 885 (Bwi to las). Having read such an article, the plaintiffs were pre-assured of swa’s overall commitment to customer satisfaction, customer service and prudence in baggage handling. However, when the plaintiffs arrived to their final destination, lax, they discovered none of their baggage claim checks reflected in swa’s baggage systems for lax, sfo or las. What happened? Within moments, the plaintiffs proceeded with filing a & lsquo;lost/delayed report receipt’ with swa to find their bags. The plaintiffs were only able to retrieve 1 of the 3 missing bags (Tag: [protected]) , which arrived on flight 3850 approximately 9 hours after they landed in lax. This & ldquo;found” bag had one of the plaintiff’s name on it. The other 2 bags only had both plaintiff’s names inside the bags. That is unless the flight attendant & ldquo;affixed a baggage tag” to each of the appropriate bags and followed protocol as required in swa’s coc: & ldquo;each piece of baggage tendered to carrier must have a current identification tag or label with the passenger’s name, address, and telephone number. & rdquo; none-the-less, when this & ldquo;found” bag was inspected by one of the plaintiffs, it had an additional and completely different tag on it labeled with the flight number 1812. Neither flight 1812 nor 3850 was apart of the itinerary for the plaintiffs. Why was this bag on 2 different flights unaffiliated with the itinerary for the plaintiffs? The coc states & ldquo; [swa] will only accept baggage for transportation on a flight on which the passenger is transported [and swa] will only accept baggage for transportation if it and its contents can withstand ordinary handling, and if its weight, size and character render it suitable for transportation on the particular aircraft on which it is to be carried, unless the passenger agrees to assume the risk of checking the baggage and the carrier conditionally accepts it pursuant to section 7. H. & rdquo;
Furthermore, the bag that was found was missing a collector’s item (Bases load nes) , which belonged to one of the plaintiffs since early childhood. Additionally, this bag was damaged on the inside beyond ordinary handling, whereas it had been in mint condition prior to being gate-checked with the flight attendant.
Again, the plaintiffs were never issued swa’s coc and they did not have the necessary information to help them make fundamental decisions regarding whether or not to release their bags to the flight attendant to be gate-checked. With this in mind, they could never have agreed to assume the risk of checking their baggage despite swa’s acceptance of their bags. The flight attendant had a duty to the plaintiffs to exercise the proper protocol for checking baggage (I. E. Making sure the plaintiffs bags were properly labeled with the plaintiff’s information (Name, phone number, address) and affixing them with swa’s tags, verifying the appropriate relationship between the plaintiffs (Strangers, siblings, friends etc. ) , verifying the final destination for the bags and etc. ). He was also responsible for ensuring their fragile bags were suitable for ordinary handling and that the plaintiffs understood their assumption of risk to gate-check their bags. The flight attendant was responsible for keeping the bags on the same flight as the plaintiffs.
Furthermore, based on the ambiguity derived by swa’s coc and swa’s admission of negligence in baggage handling, it also seems swa neglected their overall duty in this matter. The plaintiffs received an email on 08/19/13 stating the following: & ldquo;we do not currently have a scanned baggage tracking system because all of the systems we have analyzed and tested for scanning and tracking luggage are too costly for our business model that stresses low fares and quick turnaround times. Therefore, our baggage tracking system allows each airport to perform bag searches for & ldquo;like” bags and contents. We are reviewing additional options in this regard with the hopes that we can implement a system that will benefit our customers while still allowing us to focus on low costs. We currently include bar codes on our bag tags in anticipation of future tracking systems. & rdquo; the expectations set in swa’s magazine and the assumptions made when one receives a swa baggage claim check overtly conflict with this email. Perhaps this fact should be stated on the actual bag tag.
Apparently, swa completely trusts their employees and doesn’t feel the need to pursue proper checking of baggage.
Since 07/21/13, the plaintiffs have repeatedly asked swa to review camera footage, collaborate with airport police, interview the flight attendants, baggage handlers and etc. To help manually research the whereabouts of their lost bags and so their bags with all of their personal belongings can be returned to them without further incident. Perhaps swa really profits by opening the door for organized terrorist crime and internal theft to take place right in front of our noses at the airport. This seems similar to the & lsquo;bait and switch’ concept. Surprisingly, swa refuses to do any research beyond computer traces for the missing bags. Swa has even told the plaintiffs that there is no airline access to the security cameras at the airports. It is questionable why swa doesn’t have access to the security cameras. If this is true, why refuse to collaborate with the entity that does have access to locate their bags? Swa stated the flight attendant last seen with their bags was interviewed; however, no information about the flight attendant can be released-including badge number or employee number. These bags contained high-value items: clothing, collector’s items, assistive devices (Prescription eye-glasses and medication) , irreplaceable sentiments, their social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, addresses, checks, tax statements, bank statements, pictures, military documents and many more identity specifics related to the plaintiffs.
According to transunion:

• identity theft is the fastest growing crime in america.
• the number of identity theft incidents has reached 9.9 million a year, according to the federal trade commission.
• every minute about 19 people fall victim to identity theft.
• it takes the average victim an estimated $500 and 30 hours to resolve each identity theft crime.
• studies have shown that it’s becoming more common for the ones stealing your identity to be those closest to you. One study found 32% of identity theft victims discovered a family member or relative was responsible for stealing their identity. That same study found 18% were victimized by a friend, neighbor or in-home employee.
• most cases of identity theft can be resolved if they are caught early.
• financial institutions & ndash; like banks and creditors & ndash; usually only hold the victim responsible for the first $50 of fraudulent charges.
• only 28% of identity theft cases involve credit or financial fraud. Phone, utility, bank and employment fraud make up another 50% of cases.

Please note again, most cases of identity theft can be resolved if they are caught early. It is unacceptable for swa to not manually investigate the matter-especially to prevent further injury caused to the plaintiffs.
Gary kelly, chairman, president and ceo of swa, & ldquo;received a note from a customer who traveled with us from houston to dallas. She was about to deplane after landing at love field when she notice that the small sapphire dangle from one of her earrings was missing. As she was looking for it, one of our flight attendants took notice and immediately started helping her search for the missing gem, to no avail. Our flight attendant took the customer’s contact information incase the sapphire turned up later. Sure enough, it showed up the following day. Our employee called the customer to let her know she had found it and she even personally delivered the earring to the customer that day. & rdquo;
The plaintiffs are missing much more than a small sapphire dangle. If a small piece of jewelry can be found, then certainly so can their bags. Or at least a valid explanation can be given as to what happened to their bags and why swa made so many negligent acts. Surely, swa doesn’t make distinctions in their level of customer service from passenger to passenger. If so, then they are practicing discrimination, which is another lawsuit altogether.
Weeks after being unsuccessful, swa continued to place computer traces on these bags. How can you expect to find missing bags using computer traces when the baggage claim check numbers for those bags were never entered or scanned into the system since the date of the incident? After the central baggage department conducted 1 week of traces, they gave up, closed the case and paid one plaintiff $472.00 and the other $1, 554.00 for their losses. These amounts are not nearly enough for replacement of the items that are replaceable (2 laptops, tablet, 9-in-1 portable dvd/tv player, camera etc. ). For those items that can’t be replaced (Sentimental items, photographs, identity etc. ) , how can you truly put a value on them? Neither the snit nor coc examines swa’s liability for identity theft. The only statement that may be applicable to swa’s true liability in this situation is as follows: & ldquo; [swa] is not liable for the loss, delay or damage to unchecked baggage, including personal items, unless damage to such baggage or items resulted from [swa’s] fault or that of its servants or agents. & rdquo; it can be argued the missing bags are unchecked bags because there was no identification tag or label (Passenger’s name, address and telephone number) affixed to the bags and the bag tag/bag checks were never scanned into swa’s system.
Finally, this & ldquo;reimbursement” does not cover the pain & suffering, time/expense for their research, loss of wages, court costs etc. , which both plaintiffs have encountered as a result of 07/21/13. This goes beyond a regular mistake. Swa intentionally made their contract unconscionable and they are purposely making it difficult for the plaintiffs to recover their bags. It is easier for swa to be 100% negligent than to be 100% prudent and accountable for its actions.
The legal dictionary defines breach of contract as failing to perform in any term of a contract, written or oral, without a legitimate legal excuse. Southwest airlines has no legitimate legal excuse for its gross negligence or why the bags still remain missing.In theory, if there was a contract between the plaintiffs and swa, then it should be enforced against swa. Per the coc & ldquo;liability for destruction, loss or damage to checked baggage is limited to events that took place onboard the aircraft or while the baggage was under the control of [swa] . & rdquo; however, swa is assuming no liability and no responsibility for their actions, its servants or agents thereof. The plaintiffs were on flight 2690 because flight 885 (Bwi to las) was late landing to las. This caused them and many other passengers aboard that flight to miss their connecting flights from las. Swa rescheduled the plaintiffs for the next available flight, which was the following day, flight 2690 (Las to sfo) and flight 47 (Sfo to lax). It appears 2690 may have been overbooked, since there was no room on the plane for the plaintiffs to store their bags.
According to the coc, & ldquo; [swa] may, in its sole discretion, refuse to transport, or may remove from an aircraft at any point, any passenger in any of the circumstances listed below. The fare of any passenger denied transportation or removed from carrier’s aircraft en route under the provisions of this article will be refunded in accordance with article 9 of this contract of carriage. The sole recourse of any passenger refused transportation or removed en route will be the recovery of the refund value of the unused portion of his ticket.
(1) safety. Whenever such action is necessary, with or without notice, for reasons of aviation safety. & rdquo;
This lawsuit could have been adverted, if swa followed the coc. If no alternative flight could be found for the plaintiffs to carry their bags on the plane, the best decision swa could have made in this event was to refuse to transport the plaintiffs due to safety and refunded the unused portion of their tickets.
A breach of contract also involves such serious violations as the failure to deliver a promised asset. The coc does not place guarantees on anything pertaining to the transport of passengers and their belongings. However, when the swa flight attendant forcibly made the plaintiffs surrender their carry-on bags, it can be inferred there was a promise to deliver these bags to the correct destination, which was lax. Even if the destination was incorrect, such as being delivered to sfo, these bags should have still made it to a proper swa location.
Since the time of the disappearance of their bags, the plaintiffs have driven back to las, sfo and lax to hopefully retrieve their belongings. No one, including, swa, its servants, agents, airport police, other airline personnel and etc. Can recall anything matching the description of their bags or the contents of those bags. To add to the hardship of the plaintiffs, swa does not care to manually investigate and find their bags. Without the appropriate labels and tracking, their bags could be anywhere. Their bags could be forever lost through internal theft or external theft happening at swa. Or these bags could be misplaced in swa’s main warehouse for lost luggage, known as the central baggage station in dallas, tx, waiting to be auctioned, sold or destroyed. The time for swa to act was the day of the event.
Unless proven otherwise, the plaintiffs have ruled out the possibility of external theft. However, this does not negate the fact that identity protection measures had and must be enforced because of the events that have occurred. And it does not rule out the possibility of organized crime and terrorism.
Additionally, if swa looses baggage to this capacity and doesn’t care to manually investigate these matters with higher forces (I. E. The police, fbi etc. ) ; american safety and public welfare will be dramatically ruined because of the possibilities of terrorism, organized crime and internal theft that can easily take place at the airport. The only reason why swa hasn’t fixed their system is because no one has made them change their ways. No one will make them change their ways unless someone of higher power does.
Regardless of the defense, swa’s failure to disclose one or more material facts regarding the coc, its gross negligence and breach of contract forever altered the lives of the plaintiffs, in addition to, completely ruining their vacation. Swa is liable and responsible. Swa needs to return their property or provide an explanation as to where the whereabouts of their property; pay for the subsequent damages: grand larceny theft, identity theft, pain & suffering, lost of wages and expenses, attorney’s fees and/or court costs as sought by the plaintiffs.

Gary c. Kelly
President and chief executive officer
Gary. [protected]@wnco.com

Jim ruppel
Vice president, customer relations & rapid rewards
Jim. [protected]@wnco.com

Teresa laraba
Senior vice president, customers
Teresa. [protected]@wnco.com

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Southwest Airlines rude stewardess

This incident occurred on Air Tran flight #1 traveling from Cancun (12:50pm) to BWI. I entered the flight after a long restful week vacation to have to deal with a very rude stewardess name Erika. Not only did she gave a very nasty disposition when i asked for cream and sugar for my husband's coffee, but she constantly walked up and down the aisle hitting my arm and shoulder (she is larger than the average stewardess, and instead of walking down the aisle sideways, she switch her humongous hips down the aisle hitting several passengers on the flight. I was sitting in a buck head seat. There was no reason for her to constantly hit my arm and shoulder but only to attempt to aggravate me. I am a handicap individual with a neck, shoulder, and arm injury. At no time this did this stewardess pardon and/or apologize, or even check to see if I was okay after she hit me.

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Southwest Airlines Customer Reviews Overview

Southwest Airlines, accessible at southwest.com, is a major U.S. airline offering a range of domestic and international flights. They provide point-to-point service with a focus on low fares, a no-charge policy for changing flights, and a baggage allowance for two checked pieces. Southwest operates a fleet primarily composed of Boeing aircraft and has a frequent flyer program called Rapid Rewards. Their service includes options for early boarding and automatic check-in for an additional fee.

Southwest Airlines In-depth Review

In summary, Southwest Airlines offers a competitive and friendly service that stands out in the airline industry. With a user-friendly booking process and a strong commitment to customer service, they provide a comfortable in-flight experience and a generous baggage policy. Their loyalty program is attractive for frequent flyers, and they have taken responsible steps towards COVID-19 safety and environmental sustainability. While there are some areas for improvement, overall, customer satisfaction is high.

Company Overview

  1. Brief History: Southwest Airlines, founded in 1967, has grown to become a major airline known for its low-cost fares.
  2. Mission and Values: They focus on customer service, with a mission to connect people to what's important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel.
  3. Industry Standing: Southwest is known for its large domestic network and is one of the largest low-cost carriers in the world.

Booking Process

  1. Website Navigation: The website is simple to use, with clear options for booking, checking in, and managing flights.
  2. Mobile App Usability: Their mobile app is convenient, allowing for easy booking and check-in on the go.
  3. Pricing Transparency: Prices are displayed upfront, with no hidden fees, which is very much appreciated.
  4. Payment Options: Multiple payment options are available, making the booking process flexible.

Flight Options

  1. Destinations Served: They offer an extensive network within the United States and some international destinations.
  2. Frequency of Flights: Flights are frequent, providing good options for travelers.
  3. Types of Fares: There are three fare types - Wanna Get Away, Anytime, and Business Select, each with different benefits and flexibility.

Customer Service

  1. Responsiveness: Customer service is generally responsive and helpful.
  2. Problem Resolution: Issues are usually resolved in a timely manner, though experiences can vary.
  3. Multilingual Support: They provide support in multiple languages, which is very helpful for non-English speakers.

In-Flight Experience

  1. Seat Comfort and Legroom: Seats are comfortable with adequate legroom for a budget airline.
  2. Cleanliness and Hygiene: Planes are kept clean, and hygiene standards are maintained.
  3. In-Flight Entertainment: Free in-flight entertainment is available, which is a nice touch.
  4. Food and Beverage Options: Limited food and beverage options, but they are satisfactory for short flights.

Baggage Policy

  1. Carry-on Allowance: One personal item and one carry-on bag are allowed for free.
  2. Checked Baggage Fees: First two checked bags are free, which is a significant advantage over many competitors.
  3. Handling of Lost/Delayed Baggage: They handle lost or delayed baggage with care, though it can sometimes take time to resolve.

Loyalty Program

  1. Rapid Rewards Program Benefits: The program offers flexible redemption options and no blackout dates.
  2. Ease of Earning and Redeeming Points: Points are easy to earn and redeem, making it a user-friendly program.
  3. Partner Offers and Perks: There are various partner offers and perks that add value to the program.

Check-in and Boarding

  1. Online Check-in Process: Online check-in is straightforward and can be done 24 hours before the flight.
  2. Boarding Procedure: The boarding process is unique with open seating, which can be confusing for first-time flyers but allows for quick boarding.
  3. Punctuality of Flights: They have a good track record for on-time flights.

COVID-19 Measures

  1. Safety Protocols: They have implemented enhanced cleaning and safety protocols.
  2. Flexibility in Booking/Rescheduling: They offer flexibility in booking and rescheduling, which is reassuring during uncertain times.
  3. Health Measures Onboard: Masks and sanitization measures are in place to ensure passenger safety.

Environmental and Social Responsibility

  1. Sustainability Initiatives: They have initiatives to reduce their environmental impact, such as fuel-efficient aircraft.
  2. Community Engagement: Southwest is involved in community outreach and charitable activities.

Customer Reviews and Testimonials

  1. Positive Feedback: Many customers appreciate the free checked bags and friendly service.
  2. Criticisms and Complaints: Some complaints are about the open seating arrangement and occasional delays.
  3. Overall Customer Satisfaction: Generally, customers are satisfied with their Southwest experience.

Conclusion

  1. Summary of Pros and Cons: Pros include free checked bags, friendly service, and a good loyalty program. Cons are the open seating policy and limited international destinations.
  2. Recommendations for Different Types of Travelers: Southwest is great for budget-conscious travelers and those looking for domestic flights. Business travelers may appreciate the Business Select fare.
  3. Final Verdict: Southwest Airlines is a solid choice for domestic travel with a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction and value.
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