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

"can't seem to figure out flight schedules"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I won't get in to the fact that their flight attendants no longer seem to take care of passengers like they appreciate the fact that we have a choice and we choose to fly with them. Or that for a family of four it's quite expensive to fly and would be nice to be treated with friendliness. What I am writing about is the fact that they can't seem to figure out flight schedules before publishing them, resulting in my family losing an entire day during a vacation that folks save up for years for. Not their problem, because hey, they can get you on the same flight a day earlier. But what they won't do is pay for a condo reservation that was booked under the pretense that we would be staying that extra day, which is past the point of being refundable. Call customer service you ask? What a joke. After waiting on hold for over an hour, they direct you to the customer care line, where you get to wait on hold for over four hours just to be told the same thing. And, they aren't even willing to waive the additional cost to switch to a different SW flight! What a fun treat it was when my 64 year old mom who is travelling with us spoke to a Customer Care supervisor because she is so excited about her first trip to Hawaii with her grandkids, only to be met with someone that couldn't have cared less and was not empathetic or willing to help in the least. Just remember .. you have a choice when spending your hard earned dollars on an airline that won't sell you something that won't exist a month before your trip.
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLihue to St. Louis
Date FlownMay 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
5/10

"noticed a decrease in service"

(United States)

Not Verified | I am a loyal customer to Southwest Airlines but in the past few years I have noticed a decrease in service. Two weeks ago I flew to Birmingham and on the way back to Orlando my flight was delayed over three hours. Mechanical problems so I understood. Two weeks later and here I am stuck in Vegas my flight is being delayed over four hours. I got off a four hour flight just to find out that I have to sit here four hours before getting on my way to SFO where I have family waiting to drive me up north for my granddaughters wedding. I find it difficult to believe that both my trips with in two weeks just happen to have planes with mechanical or operational failure. Also ever time I reserve a flight it gets changed and they try to route me all over the place. I than have to go in and chose another flight. I realize this is an attempt to fill planes and run more efficiently but it getting old. I have over 200k of miles but I’m asking myself if sticking with SW is worth it. My SW credit card anniversary is in the spring and I may cancel the card and stop using this airline as I am old, travel is difficult enough without all this drama. Once was my favorite airline and the only one I would use.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteOrlando to San Francisco
Date FlownJuly 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"I will not fly Southwest again"

(United States)

Not Verified | My family and I bought Southwest tickets to fly to Mexico in December for my 50th birthday. Prior to flying my father contracted COVID and was also diagnosed with dementia. The hotels also put COVID restrictions into place. We called Southwest and cancelled our flights to which we were given "Travel Funds". Fast forward we are taking the family and going on a vacation in December, this year. We tried to book the flights using our travel funds and were told we can not due to them expiring in October. We called customer service and explained the situation and were rudely told we have to wait until they expire and then pay a $100/per ticket fee to reinstate them. We understand paying the fee and requested to pay it now to extend the date. We explained we can not wait until October to book the flights as flights are limited and are already nearly sold out. The customer service rep had zero compassion and stated there was nothing she could do that that was the policy. We asked to speak to a supervisor and were told only contact with them was through email. The email response we received only had a first name and stated there was absolutely nothing that could be done to try and resolve the problem. We called customer service again and once again explained the situation. We again said we would gladly pay the fee now and book the flights. The rep sternly responded that they are not able or willing to do anything to assist. That we would have to take our chances and wait until after October (IF they decide to take the fee and extend the funds!) or just lose all the money. They stated they gave 2 year extensions for travel plans changed due to covid, she then sarcastically stated that we did not fall in that time frame. COVID is out of our control, along with the medical problems of my father. We are not asking for a refund of the money or even asking to have a fee waived to extend the funds. I simply want to book a flight flying the same month I was going to previously! No compassion and no attempt at finding a solution!!! I will not fly Southwest again.
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLas Vegas to Cabo
Date FlownDecember 2020
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"so much disrespect"

(United States)

Not Verified | El Paso to Las Vegas. I have never in my life experienced so much disrespect from an airline. The entire flight. Everyone from El Paso to Phoenix to Las Vegas, Every. Single. One of them was rude and disrespectful. I also wear hearing aids. And every time I tried to get help hearing something they were the most unhelpful! Nasty attitudes!
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteEl Paso to Las Vegas
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

"Southwest still does not have a resolution"

(United States)

Trip Verified | Southwest wasted mine and my 2 kids day - 6 hours sitting in Dallas Love Airport. The original flight through Las Vegas was delayed, delayed and then delayed again which resulted in missing my connection. The flight was then rerouted through Denver - delayed, delayed, cancelled. The option given to me was get booked to another city and pay for a hotel in that city (my hotel rooms paid for in Spokane was not able to be utilized my myself and my family and would not be reimbursed) or I can go back home and return the next morning which I did. When I left Spokane and flew back, I was singled out by a Southwest Airlines gate attendant that my bag will not fit in the overhead. I was sitting with my extended family and was not flying out of that gate. In addition, I used this same bag that did fit in the overhead compartment on 2 different legs. She would not listen. I sat back down after measuring it confirming it was larger than was allowed - I did not check it at that point. She came back to me at my seat while I am sitting with family to continue her harassment even though I informed her I am not flying out of that gate. She ended up being that gate attendant so I checked the bag at that point. We boarded the plane (all the passengers) and were informed the plane had a fuel leak last night and was fixed. However, it was not completely repaired we had to deplane. We are going to miss our connection again. Plane was supposed to leave at 6.50 am. I sat here at 8.30 am and Southwest still does not have a resolution. Southwest airlines scheduling of their resources - whether it is personnel shortage or whatever is inexcusable. They have stolen 2 of my vacation days and I have to eat all of the costs and time affiliated with their incompetence. I will not fly Southwest Airlines again.
AircraftBoeing 737-700
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteDallas to Spokane via Las Vegas
Date FlownJuly 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"terrible customer service"

(United States)

Trip Verified | I will never fly Southwest again. I had the worst experience. I was stuck on the hot plane for over 2 hours with a 1 year old. We weren’t updated. Then after an hour of just sitting on the plane they explained they were having IT issues and we were going to be leaving soon. Fast forward another hour sitting on the freaking hot plane we finally left. While we were sitting on the plane the flight attendants told us to buy the WiFi for $8 or watch the free inflight movies (which weren’t even working). Then upon arrival to our destination we find our stroller was completely broken because they broke our axel. It was explained that it’s considered a fragile item so they don’t cover damages, but then I was told they throw other luggage on top of it (but it’s a fragile item so why would them do that?!). Another Southwest crew member told me next time to bring a cheap stroller so when it gets broken I won’t have to worry about it. I am so disappointed in southwest and there terrible customer service. I will never fly Southwest again.
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteDenver to St. Louis
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

"This airline treats its guests disrespectfully"

(United States)

Trip Verified | The planes are cramped, much smaller than Alaska for example. Flight attendants are rude, do not give you all of the information and do the bare minimum. They act like they’re herding cattle rather than doing customer service. Delayed flights on the first leg of the trip. When we arrived to the tarmac we sat on the plane for 45 mins (still sitting and waiting so who knows how much longer we will be here) waiting for a gate when there were easily 4 without a plane at them within my view from the window. The flight attendants then told the cabin “we are cleared to move to the gate please be seated with seatbelts on.” The plane moved all of 10 feet then we stopped and waited another 15 minutes with no communication from staff. The flight attendants were not helpful in this case. We finally into the gate we were originally planning to go into, so the original plan to find one was bogus. I ran to the next gate and barely made it. When I boarded the next plane, I asked the flight attendant if the flight was full, she said yes. I am now seated on the second flight and the plane is definitely not full (photo below of middle seats empty) We also just heard an announcement that the pilot is still on another flight, not yet landed and doesn’t know he’s going to Seattle (the current plane I'm sitting on). So I ran here, parched and didn’t get a beverage, to sit and wait for the pilot to land and come to this plane. The flight attendants are not truthful or forthcoming with customers. This airline treats its guests disrespectfully, things are not well organized and I won’t fly with them again. Southwest has let flight attendant standards go far too low. Not a respectable airline like Alaska or United.
AircraftBoeing 737-700
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteHouston Hobby to Seattle via Phoenix
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

"how far this flight company has fallen"

(United States)

Trip Verified | Back in the day, Southwest was the best airline to fly domestically in the states. I do not know what happened. This last trip has been the worst flight experience I have ever encountered. To start my trip, I booked my flights with a longer, 2 hour layover to ensure a slight delay would not hinder my travel. This still was not the case. Southwest changed the gate and plane in Norfolk, resulting in a delay. Next, we boarded and waited for over an hour to just get gas in the plane. Meanwhile, planes scheduled after mine were boarding and taking off, in the original gate my flight was supposed to be. Almost 2 hours later, we took off. I knew I was cutting my layover short at that point, but we were scheduled to arrive with just enough time to spare. I sprinted to my gate, to see my next flight's plane sitting there. The ramp to get on was still connected to the airplane, but no one was there to check me in. I frantically looked around for someone to help me, but no one was in the area. I had to watch my plane leave without me. I then got a text stating they had rescheduled me to the next day in the evening. I went and talked to a Southwest representative, who helped change my flight to earlier in the day, but would not offer any other flights to the surrounding airports in LA for the evening. I requested they compensate and put me in a hotel, as I now had to stay overnight. I was informed that they would not put me in a hotel because they were not responsible for me missing my flight. They blamed the flight control in Norfolk, instead of taking responsibility for being very unorganized, resulting in 9 people missing their flight (to Ontario; there were many more traveling to other places). I talked to another representative to see if I could get a better boarding position, as I had the boarding position B1 prior to them sending my plane off. They had given me C13, which is considerably worse. They would still not compensate me at all. I have been unable to talk to a customer service representative, but if this is how Southwest treats their customers now, I will not be back. I did my research during the extra time I had of sitting in the airport overnight, and apparently Southwest has the highest delayed flights percentage. Two years ago, this was unheard of. Their motto of "flying the friendly skies" does not uphold. Its a real shame how far this flight company has fallen.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteNorfolk to Ontario via Denver
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
2/10

"beyond disrespectful and unprofessional"

(United States)

Not Verified | Our worst mistake when flying our 12 yr. old grand daughter home was choosing to fly from BWI airport. If the security/TSA staff wasn't rude enough, when arriving at the gate to ask a question took the cake. I approached the ticket/boarding person at the gate to ask about help for my 12 yr. old grand daughter as she is flying unattended , for help putting carry on bag above the seat. I was told when booking this flight she would have assistance, however the person at the gate said she is 12 and doesn't qualify (although was told she did when booking). My anger stems from his opinion suggesting we should pack a lighter bag (not the problem, she's short), or that maybe I should have booked a flight with her. Rude and unwanted advise from a Southwest employee is beyond disrespectful and unprofessional!
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteBaltimore to Austin
Date FlownJuly 2021
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
1/10

"Flight delay 7 hours"

(United States)

Not Verified | Flight delay 7 hours. Said mechanical issue and plane was in Charleston. Did not keep us updated on the situation. Changed gates and 7 hours later we finally boarded. Landed in Denver and a gate was not available sat another 20 min. Don’t like Southwest anymore.
AircraftBoeing 737
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteSt. Louis to Denver
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