Why I Luv Southwest Airlines

[Buckeyephan]

I usually fly Southwest but had to attend a funeral in a city where they don't have any non-stops. United was my best choice.

They offer a variety of options and I chose their basic economy. For this you get a seat of their choice and are permitted to put a carry on item under the seat. No overhead bin usage allowed. If you want to choose your seat and store something in the bin, that is an extra $30 each leg of the trip. If you are traveling with your family and want to sit together, that is $30 for each person. Each checked bag is $30. The flight out was completely full. We were also delayed over an hour because of equipment problems. They actually jump started the engines.

On the return trip, I paid $15 extra to choose an aisle seat and it was worth it. Only two people boarded after I did. On my way to the rear of the plane, I passed no fewer than 10 completely empty rows. That means there were at least 60 unused seats. When I neared my seat, the rows were completely filled.

On Southwest, the passengers would not have been packed together while so many seats were empty. We could all use the overhead bin and check two bags for free. Also, upon landing, I would have found an email with a Luv voucher for $100 and an apology for the delayed flight.

That's why I choose Southwest whenever possible.

[tophcfa]

We like southwest also, many great things about the airline. The only thing we don't like is the boarding process. We like to be able to book our seats when making a reservation and be done with it. I hate having to log on 24 hours before the flight and get our boarding number. How many times have I had to tell my golf partners I have to step aside and have them wait while I get on my I-Phone to be sure we get a decent boarding number? That is a pain in the A$$.

[Topspinmo]

Last time I flew SW you got boarding pass and could set anywhere except handicap up front. I like airlines that board the back section first and board forwards. That way you don’t have to climb or squeeze around people seating up and down the isles for most part.

[thelegges]

I love SW, but they stopped flying out of our airport. Our last 4 flights with SW was delayed by 3 to 8 hours. We don’t travel with luggage just an under seat. Since the change in airports SW has been $125 to $$300 more per other airlines, at the new airport. I have found every airline has problems on any given day.

[lanabanana73]

Southwest Airlines......How do I love thee......Let me count the ways.......

I love everything about Southwest and they have nonstop flights from my chosen airport several times/day. I have their CC and have used miles for every flight booked for years. I wouldn't even know how to pay $$ for a flight! Their customer service is top notch and they have humane employees. Can't say enough good about them!

[bonrich]

Always flew SW out of Buffalo, NY to Orlando, nonstop. Wasn't offered this year, so we flew for the first time JetBlue. Nonstop from Buffalo, comfortable seats, with plenty of leg room! Enjoyed the trip down this time, instead of being in cramped seating.

[paulat585]

Thanks for all this info. Will now consider SW. We usually use American due to air miles but they have their problems too.

[Madelaine Amee]

I have flown SW since we moved here, they have a lock on Manchester, NH to Orlando, so you really do not have too much choice! However, things have had to change. They used to fly two non stop flights, now the last time I tried them they had no non-stop flights which makes a three hour flight into maybe a six or seven hour flight.

I now fly Jet Blue into Logan, Boston and get the bus (every hour schedule) into NH where my kids pick me up. The cost on Jet Blue is way cheaper than SW too.

[spring_chicken]

We like southwest also, many great things about the airline. The only thing we don't like is the boarding process. We like to be able to book our seats when making a reservation and be done with it. I hate having to log on 24 hours before the flight and get our boarding number. How many times have I had to tell my golf partners I have to step aside and have them wait while I get on my I-Phone to be sure we get a decent boarding number? That is a pain in the A$$.

All you have to do is pay $15 for early bird check-in. Well worth it.

[jim1941]

They raised the early bird check in to $25 but it is worth it.....I got A56 last trip.....:o)

[tophcfa]

They raised the early bird check in to $25 but it is worth it.....I got A56 last trip.....:o)

We learned that B1 is better than A1 through A60. Once the A's board they let all the families with kids board before the B's (and there are always lots of kids going to Orlando/Disney). We have boarded with an A# thinking we got a great seat, only to find we were about to be surrounded by screaming kids with the one kid sitting right behind you kicking the back of your seat the whole flight. With a low B#, there are still plenty of aisle and window seats available to choose from and you can usually find a seat in a kid free zone and enjoy a much more peaceful flight.

[justjim]

We like southwest also, many great things about the airline. The only thing we don't like is the boarding process. We like to be able to book our seats when making a reservation and be done with it. I hate having to log on 24 hours before the flight and get our boarding number. How many times have I had to tell my golf partners I have to step aside and have them wait while I get on my I-Phone to be sure we get a decent boarding number? That is a pain in the A$$.

You are spot on about boarding on SW. It is a pain...

[bilcon]

We have flown SW for years, but things are changing. The latest scam is passengers who book one early bird and then save seats for the rest of their group. We also call it the miracle airline, because most of the wheel chair passengers boarding first, without having to show any doctors notes, are usually the first to run off the plane to get their luggage. A miracle!( I apologize to people who really need a wheel chair) We also don't like their pet policy. Too many dogs, cats etc on board and not in carriers. I love animals, but not in planes or restaurants. Nothing like watching a dog take a .... while eating. Time to stop the madness. Sorry, Just my opinion!

[Madelaine Amee]

We have flown SW for years, but things are changing. The latest scam is passengers who book one early bird and then save seats for the rest of their group. We also call it the miracle airline, because most of the wheel chair passengers boarding first, without having to show any doctors notes, are usually the first to run off the plane to get their luggage. A miracle!( I apologize to people who really need a wheel chair) We also don't like their pet policy. Too many dogs, cats etc on board and not in carriers. I love animals, but not in planes or restaurants. Nothing like watching a dog take a .... while eating. Time to stop the madness. Sorry, Just my opinion!

Yes, have to agree with you on this one. We have watched people leave their wheel chairs and come back loaded down with food and wait to be boarded first. The REAL PROBLEM with this is that the public lose respect and regard for the people who really do need to be in chairs to navigate through this world. But, there will always be nasty people who take advantage of the disadvantaged.

[spring_chicken]

They raised the early bird check in to $25 but it is worth it.....I got A56 last trip.....:o)

I did it 2 days ago for $15.

[New Englander]

I did it 2 days ago for $15.

You're right. They lowered the price.

[tophcfa]

I did it 2 days ago for $15.

What boarding # did you get? I am flying SW tomorrow to Orlando.

[Mudder]

We also LUV Southwest! All of the negative things people said I have observed, but for us flying to Providence the positives out weigh negatives. We watch all passengers in boarding area, decide who is coughing their head off, has hyper fidgety kids, who have dog and cat carriers, etc.....then we avoid sitting near them. Yes, I would love to always get an A boarding pass, but low Bs are perfect too. On our last flight the plane had brand new seats that were much roomier.

[JoMar]

We fly to smaller airports so our first choice is Allegiant....SW is our second. Aren't most airlines going to online check-in? Standing in line at ticket counters for seat assignments is a pain.....Allegiant also has Kiosk service for baggage check in which is quicker but assume other airlines do the same thing.

[retiredguy123]

I hate Southwest, and all other airlines. Why not just price each seat and sell them the way concert tickets are sold? I think the whole process is hogwash.

[Topspinmo]

IMO most boarding is pain in the &&&. Wouldn’t it make sence to board the back of the plane first, then the middle, then the front , an wheel chairs last. When seats are assigned. That way people not climbing over each other to get further back in the plane waiting on slow grabbers then need to get in there seats. Getting off no problem cause you have to wait form the plane to clear front to back. Boarding IMO should be the opposite. I don’t know why everybody in hurry board first and set in the cattle car waiting anyway.

[retiredguy123]

IMO most boarding is pain in the &&&. Wouldn’t it make sence to board the back of the plane first, then the middle, then the front , an wheel chairs last. When seats are assigned. That way people not climbing over each other to get further back in the plane waiting on slow grabbers then need to get in there seats. Getting off no problem cause you have to wait form the plane to clear front to back. Boarding IMO should be the opposite. I don’t know why everybody in hurry board first and set in the cattle car waiting anyway.
Boarding from the back first was the standard many years ago, except for first class. One problem was that those boarding first would use up all of the overhead bin space. So, those with front seats would try to board first, and the airline employees never enforced their own boarding rules. Boarding wheelchair travelers last would cause delays, especially if they have a window seat. But, no boarding plan will work if the airline does not enforce their own rules.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

What I don't like about air travel is the other passengers. The desk announces "Section D, board now!" with D being in the back. And who is first in line? People in Section C and B, because they know no one is going to challenge them and make them step aside, because they know if they make a fuss everyone will have to wait even longer, and the airline doesn't want that to happen. I also don't like the narrow seats on some of these planes, so narrow that me - who can fit snugly in that seat, has to feel scrunched and claustrophobic if an average sized quarterback sits next to me. Plus all the nickle and diming they do these days. If I want an aisle seat I have to pay extra. If I want more leg room I have to pay extra. If I want overhead I have to pay extra. If I want bottled water I have to pay extra. Coffee - extra. So what did I do last time on JetBlue? I ordered a glass of ice, no beverage. And just held it for awhile til the ice melted, and got free water out of it.

The only time I was on SouthWest, was awesome. We went to San Antonio, and our flight home was an emergency because my husband's mom died while we were away. Obviously we didn't have an obit, it happened only a few hours prior, and mom lived in Florida while we lived in Connecticut. But the folks at the desk were amazing. Our flight was overfull and delayed due to a storm, and they bumped us on the next flight out. They "had to" put us in First Class since those were the only seats available, and they hoped we didn't mind. As it turned out, our new flight got to our destination 20 minutes before the original flight was scheduled to arrive. Plus lunch. Plus first class. Plus a stiff drink for each of us. Plus a voucher for the next time we travelled.

[ColdNoMore]

What I don't like about air travel is the other passengers. The desk announces "Section D, board now!" with D being in the back. And who is first in line? People in Section C and B, because they know no one is going to challenge them and make them step aside, because they know if they make a fuss everyone will have to wait even longer, and the airline doesn't want that to happen. I also don't like the narrow seats on some of these planes, so narrow that me - who can fit snugly in that seat, has to feel scrunched and claustrophobic if an average sized quarterback sits next to me. Plus all the nickle and diming they do these days. If I want an aisle seat I have to pay extra. If I want more leg room I have to pay extra. If I want overhead I have to pay extra. If I want bottled water I have to pay extra. Coffee - extra. So what did I do last time on JetBlue? I ordered a glass of ice, no beverage. And just held it for awhile til the ice melted, and got free water out of it.

The only time I was on SouthWest, was awesome. We went to San Antonio, and our flight home was an emergency because my husband's mom died while we were away. Obviously we didn't have an obit, it happened only a few hours prior, and mom lived in Florida while we lived in Connecticut. But the folks at the desk were amazing. Our flight was overfull and delayed due to a storm, and they bumped us on the next flight out. They "had to" put us in First Class since those were the only seats available, and they hoped we didn't mind. As it turned out, our new flight got to our destination 20 minutes before the original flight was scheduled to arrive. Plus lunch. Plus first class. Plus a stiff drink for each of us. Plus a voucher for the next time we travelled.

You must have been on another airline...Southwest doesn't have a first class section.

Why You Can't Go First-Class on Southwest Airlines (https://www.tripsavvy.com/no-first-class-on-southwest-airlines-1861873)

Why You Can't Go First-Class on Southwest Airlines Flights

You'll never have to feel jealous walking past well-dressed passengers in the Southwest First Class section because there is none.


I personally love most everything about Southwest. :thumbup:

[dnobles]

All you have to do is pay $15 for early bird check-in. Well worth it.

$25.00 for early bird now Just book a July flight and was charged $25 each

[npwalters]

My 2 cents worth. I agree on Southwest and choose them when I can and the fare is close. The other airlines are just 1 tiny step above used car salesman.

[canyonblue]

$25.00 for early bird now Just book a July flight and was charged $25 each

Right from their website.....

*EarlyBird Check-In can be purchased at prices ranging from $15 - $25 one-way per passenger.

[Topspinmo]

Boarding from the back first was the standard many years ago, except for first class. One problem was that those boarding first would use up all of the overhead bin space. So, those with front seats would try to board first, and the airline employees never enforced their own boarding rules. Boarding wheelchair travelers last would cause delays, especially if they have a window seat. But, no boarding plan will work if the airline does not enforce their own rules.

There limit to how many and size of carry on luggage’s now. Not like in the 60s when you coUld bring And entire wardrobe on. I don’t see why boarding handicapped last would create delays, same mount time to seat them no matter when they board. I don’t feel sorry for anyone trying to board out of turn, rules are rules, without them chaos

[spring_chicken]

$25.00 for early bird now Just book a July flight and was charged $25 each

It ranges $15-25 depending on rewards status. Mine is $15.

[npwalters]

There limit to how many and size of carry on luggage’s now. Not like in the 60s when you coUld bring And entire wardrobe on. I don’t see why boarding handicapped last would create delays, same mount time to seat them no matter when they board. I don’t feel sorry for anyone trying to board out of turn, rules are rules, without them chaos

The problem with carry on bags is worse now than, say 15 years ago. Since the airlines (except Southwest) charge for checked bags many folks carry the maximum legal size carry on - usually a 21 inch bag. If it is a family of four , all four carry on board. The overhead is usually filled with what used to be checked bags.

[JoMar]

I hate Southwest, and all other airlines. Why not just price each seat and sell them the way concert tickets are sold? I think the whole process is hogwash.

Because the flying public demands it. Everyone seems to want a "cheaper" price and alacart selections. Deregulation opened competition and airlines take advantage as well as the passengers..just because you can afford the price, not everyone can and airlines know that is the market.

[tophcfa]

Right now SW is my favorite airline because I am at the gate and about to board a flight (a few minutes early) to Orlando. My shuttle should get to LSL by 9:00 tonight, can't wait to get there : ) I hear it's a little cool there, but it will be much warmer than the single didgit temperatures I woke up to this morning.

[retiredguy123]

Because the flying public demands it. Everyone seems to want a "cheaper" price and alacart selections. Deregulation opened competition and airlines take advantage as well as the passengers..just because you can afford the price, not everyone can and airlines know that is the market.
I get it. But, the airlines are putting their customers in competition with each other. Some are overcharged, and others are undercharged. I don't know another business that could get away with that, except car dealers. I also don't know how anyone can "luv" a business like that.

[leftyf]

SW is my favorite airline. During my working life, I flew between Detroit and Nashville at least once a week. On SW I always sat in the first 2-3 rows of seats. Just like First Class. I was always alone and never had any luggage so it made it a lot easier.

[Jdmiata]

The best thing about SW Air is that they do not charge a change or cancellation fee. They don’t refund the money but you have to use it within a year.

[ColdNoMore]

There's lots of reasons to 'LUV' Southwest...and this is a big one.

Southwest Airlines Newsroom (https://www.swamedia.com/pages/corporate-fact-sheet) (click here)

With 45 consecutive years of profitability...

[Avista]

Love Southwest. Like boarding too. We fly them whenever possible.