Southwest Airlines

Customer Reviews

4 star Skytrax Rating
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Seat Comfort 12345
Staff Service 12345
Value for Money 12345
Customer rating from 1815 reviews
4/10
4 star Skytrax Rating
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2/10

"She outright refused to do anything"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I have liked flying Southwest until this trip. Our first suitcase came out open, yes unzipped along with many others where you could see the clothing inside, and ours was also cut in an 'L' shape. I left my husband and daughter while I went to file a claim. No one was in the baggage service area and when I went to enter to call out another SW employee told me not to enter. Showed this SW employee my issue and she told me to wait the lady would 'know' I was there. I asked how she would know as this person had not notified anyone, there was no doorbell or cameras. She replied the lady would just know. A psychic I guess. While waiting my daughter called hysterical as her lacrosse sticks had not come out with her teammates and the conveyor belt had stopped. When we found it that person was rude as well and stated all sticks come out at over-sized baggage and we should have known that. Guess they forgot to tell our team as all the rest of the lacrosse sticks in lacrosse stick bags like hers did and have never before or again come out in over-sized baggage. Hers was the only stick bag to come out at over-sized luggage and only that one time. When the baggage service lady finally showed up, the two SW employees had to converse first about how I was waiting and not happy, making me wait even longer. When she did finally come over she refused, not once, but several times to fill out a ticket on my issue. She said open and cut luggage was not a valid claim. She outright refused to do anything. It gets better folks, I called SW and was being on hold a very long time. Finally, someone gets on the phone listens to my issues and than proceeded to tell me the people were not SW employees, but employees of BWI and I had to make a claim with BWI. When I pointed out all the employees I was calling about all wore SW uniforms she proceeded to enter my complaint about their rude customer service, but told me I had to do my own for the luggage. I did per her instructions. SW responded to the rude complainant with a letter stating they were sorry I was inconvenienced with a delay in my flight and offered me a SW credit. The luggage complaint they noted as complete without any letter, conversation, funds for new luggage or anything. I filed another complaint to comment on this incorrect form letter and the luggage issue to hear nothing from SW as it is now September with no reply.
AircraftSW WN2303
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteTampa to Baltimore
Date FlownJuly 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"had left my phone on the plane"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I trusted Southwest until a flight from Love Field to BWI September 16 2021 arriving 11:15 PM. Within five minutes of deplaning I realized I had left my phone on the plane. Unfortunately I had left the secure area so I could not return to Gate A 10 where the plane was located. I was directed by Southwest personnel to go to the baggage claim office to receive assistance. The three workers at baggage claim were admittedly dealing with a disgruntled employee and stated they could not help me at the time because they were "too busy". In fact the supervisor reprimanded me for leaving the phone on the plane and claimed it was my own fault for being so stupid. Despite resistance I insisted that a missing item claim be filed at the office before I departed the airport. I waited at baggage claim until 2:00 AM when an employee reportedly searched the plane only to find no cell phone. When I obtained access to my computer at 3:00 AM that morning I searched FIND MY PHONE, to discover my phone located at the Southwest baggage claim. I returned to the Southwest baggage claim the next morning and I showed them on my computer where my phone was located according to FIND MY PHONE. They told me they did not have my phone and that they could not help me. I then went to the police. They accompanied me to the SOUTHWEST baggage claim. He told me to stay outside the office and push my phone to ring on the FIND MY PHONE app, which I did. The police came out of the office and told me that my phone was in the office. When I went into the office to get my phone one employee verbally attacked me with comments such as "you were the irresponsible one who lost your phone" . Furthermore they justified themselves that their job was baggage claim, not lost and found? They would not verify to me where or when the phone had been found.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteDallas to Baltimore
Date FlownSeptember 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"cancelled 2 of my flights"

(United States)

Not Verified | Southwest cancelled 2 of my flights in the last month just hours prior to the flight leaving. They blame it on weather. United had no trouble taking us as we had to pay through the nose to fly last minute. I used to sing their praises, not any more. Cost me a small fortune. Cancelling their credit card and never flying them again. Use them if you don't need to get where you are on time or when you want. Hopefully the competition will put them out of business.
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteDenver to Chicago
Date FlownSeptember 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
2/10

"What's the point of paying premium money"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I flew with my 11 year old who is on the spectrum takes ADHD medicine and has anxiety! When a gate attendant allowed us to pre-board, another one, right at the time of entry said we shouldn't be pre-boarding and kind of implied that we are abusing the pre-boarding option! Second time from Seattle to Nashville I bought 3 premium tickets and was among the first 5 to board, then I was told that I am carrying more luggage on myself and should consolidate between my son, my mother, who has shoulder pain! What's the point of paying premium money when you have to take their hassle.
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteNashville to Seattle
Date FlownJuly 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"they have clearly gone way downhill"

(United States)

Not Verified | Terrible. Flew my daughter home for a very short visit. Allowed over an hour between connecting flights. Flight out of Portland was delayed over an hour, and instead of holding the connecting flight for 10 minutes, they made everyone take another flight. Now my daughter has to take two more flights to get here, and will be arriving five hours (maybe) late! That's if the other flights are on time! This has happened too many times with Southwest. I have always loved them, but they have clearly gone way downhill. You can no longer count on leaving or arriving when scheduled. I am canceling my credit card with SW and going to a different airline.
AircraftBoeing 737
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypePremium Economy
RoutePortland, OR to San Antonio, TX via Las Vegas
Date FlownSeptember 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"would not let me on the plane"

(United States)

Trip Verified | My flight was supposed to leave out of Gate 12 at 7:40 PM flying tonight from San Diego to Reno. At exactly 710 my flight had not boarded and I went to see what the matter was. Apparently they change the gate to a separate terminal without notifying me. I ran to gate eight and made it there by 7:30 PM on the dot plane was already boarded and they would not let me on the plane. Southwest reps did not display any compassion nor help me find a solution. I feel Southwest could’ve done a better job at resolving the matter. Especially since I arrived at The gate a full 10 minutes before it was even supposed to leave. not fair.
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteSan Diego to Reno
Date FlownSeptember 2021
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
5/10

"it’s not fair to us loyal customers"

(United States)

Not Verified | I have flown SW for over 10 years faithfully. This trip from Aruba on 9-5-21 was the worst flight attendants ever. None of them looked like they wanted to be at work yesterday. The plane wasn’t even full and they only offered drinks once on a four hour flight. I’m also amazed how many people get early boarding since most of the huge adults walked down the jet way without assistance. As someone who always pays extra to get a A seating assignment it’s not fair to us loyal customers. Do you even have documents from their MD with the reason they need to board before those who pay extra! They should have a MD excuse to get on early, these people were all in one group, knew everyone and traveled together. So can I use my BMI of 2 over normal as a reason to get on first in the front 5 rows? Or maybe my A1C level is slightly elevated or that I have to take Lipitor because my cholesterol is high. A passenger had to notify a flight attendant that someone sitting in an aisle seat wasn’t wearing his mask after she walked past him! Seriously? Something needs to done to those passengers who are lying about their need to board before those who pay extra for early bird seating. Medical need to board early should have to be presented at the gate before they board prior those loyal customers earned a companion pass prior to covid!
AircraftBoeing 737
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteAruba to Pittsburgh via Baltimore
Date FlownSeptember 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
1/10

"Forget every positive experience"

(United States)

Trip Verified | Forget every positive experience about the Old Southwest, and erase those high reviews. Those days are over, and it's the end of an era. They should change their name to Scrubwest airline, because there is a high percentage your flight this Fall is going to get scrubbed. It will either get canceled, or they will move it to a new time that is often impossible to meet. If you complain by email, they will offer you $150 on another flight. Southwest apparently thinks "buying out" customers will work, completely ignores the reality that many of us have only specific times to fly. Plus, that future flight will probably just be canceled too, so what's the point? The brand name has been destroyed. A web search with a timeline of August 2021 or September 2021 will confirm I'm not alone in this experience, and that it's now common to many Southwest fliers.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteCorpus Christi to New Orleans via Houston
Date FlownAugust 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"worse experience flying"

(United States)

Not Verified | I will never be flying on Southwest again! They forgot to fuel the aircraft my first flight so that delayed me 2 hours which then made me miss my other flight, so instead of giving me the next closest flight. They give me the last flight out. Then when I got into that flight which they already messed all of my plans for the day because I was supposed to land @ 10 now I’m still at the airport all day, the flight I’m about to board has something wrong with the plane so I’m now delayed again, I have a hotel room booked which is pointless know because I won’t be there till 2 am. Overall worse experience flying in my life & I’ve been flying for years. Seats are terrible as well. Do not book this airline, front desk workers are terrible at their job as well!
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RoutePittsburgh to San Antonio
Date FlownSeptember 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"not getting refunded the additional charge"

(United States)

Trip Verified | My family and I had a flight booked for $949.90. The flight was scheduled to leave early Monday morning. We discovered it was cancelled around 3am Monday morning. We tried to schedule a different flight from Albany to Orlando but the next flight wasn’t until Wednesday, meaning we would miss 1/3rd of our prepaid Disney vacation. We called southwests customer service but there was a 2 hour wait. We ultimately booked a flight out of Hartford, CT to Orlando. This flight cost $2,844.90 nearly $2000 more than the initial flight. We had to have a family member drive us to Hartford to get the flight. While driving to Hartford we called the southwest customer service number back. I explained the situation and expected them to say they would quickly refund the $2,844.90. To my surprise the person told me I had two options. 1- she could only refund the $949.90 (the cost of the initial flight and I would have to pay the $2,844.90, meaning the vacation would cost me nearly $2000 more than I budgeted or 2- she could book the next flight from Albany to Orlando, two days later (causing my family to miss two days of our prepaid vacation). I asked if I could speak with a supervisor but she said she is a supervisor and she could not refund the $2,844.90. I told her I planned a vacation with my young family a long time ago and the plane having technical difficulties wasn’t my fault, and I had to have a family member take the day off work to drive me to Hartford. She said my only other option was to send a message to the customer service department which would be responded to within 10 days. I told her it was unacceptable, I have to spend time on my family vacation putting in the complaint and not knowing if I’m being charged an additional $2000! After about two weeks I got an email, after asking for a call, and was told I’m not getting refunded the additional charge. Vacation cost $2000 more than expected.
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteAlbany to Orlando,
Date FlownAugust 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no