Southwest Airlines

✅ 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.

✅ 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.

✅ 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.

✅ 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.

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!

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.

✅ Trip Verified | Worst experience with Southwest, flown many times. arrived at the gate in Denver at boarding time, no plane. 40 minutes pass still waiting on plane to arrive, check with the gate agent, flight was diverted to Texas (the flight departed DAL on time) agent said weather, but she also said plane was low on fuel, so they had to refuel going back to TX . Flight was suppose to take off at 635pm MST, finally departed at 1135pm. No communication except text's stating flight was delayed. Then all hell broke loose as Southwest started cancelling 50% of their flights by 800pm, thousands in the airport, lines so long to rebook for other passengers. I was lucky the flight did take off 5 hours later then scheduled. Southwest you have to short of a turnaround on your aircraft, takes 1 flight to mess up your schedule. Word of warning, I knew flying after 3pm at any airport. and this happens. I always take a early morning flight, as the aircraft will depart as its at the gate overnight. What a disaster, will think twice about flying them again. I have never been so frustrated in my life.

✅ Trip Verified | First time I have ever written a review on an airline. Normally I don’t enjoy flying, but it’s generally tolerable whatever airline I have flown. This was by far the worst experience I have had on any airline. My pregnant wife and I were the last two to board and there were two seats left open on the plane on opposite ends. Frustrating but it was fine. As far as customer service, one of the flight attendants should find a different career. The only part of her job she seemed to enjoy was waking up people who had their mask slip below their nose. Long story short it appears they could care less about making the customers feel comfortable between packing flights to 100% capacity and unhappy flight attendants. I have heard nothing but great things in the past about southwest but maybe this airline changed the priorities after COVID.

✅ Trip Verified | I booked flights for a group of 23. How is it that you would not allow our transfer flight to Houston to wait 10-15 more minutes for us to get off the flight from Las Vegas to return home. If there would have been communication with the flight from Las Vegas - they could have allowed us 23 to get off to head to the gate for our connecting flight instead - all 23 of us are here in Dallas until 6am. Your staff informed us it was weather related and we could not be comp. To have 23 customers (diabetics, heart patients, expecting mother, etc. with no meds) here is sad with no food or drinks because everything is closed is unsatisfactory. We were the only ones on this flight that was going to IAH. Take better care of your customers. Not once was I advised via text message that the other delays were weather related. Yes, we did experience weather issues 30 minutes from arriving in Dallas. That would account for our flight arriving after 10pm, this information was provided by our pilot. So again, where is the communication break down?

Not Verified | With Southwest, we have had several delays. Excuses for these delays include: Missing pilots, mechanical problems, swapping planes, storms and we haven’t departed, so more excuses may be coming. Customer service does not exist with this airline. And they do not feel it necessary for an excuse for not talking to customer. No excuses needed in their minds.