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So Southwest Airlines wants my feedback? Here you go …

August 18, 2008

It’s been months — years, actually — since an airline asked for my opinion about a flight. They probably know better. So when Southwest Airlines sent me an email asking for my feedback, I just couldn’t resist.

We were thrilled to have you on a recent Southwest Airlines flight. We would appreciate your feedback in order to make your next Southwest Experience even better.

Please click the link below to take a short survey. Thank you for your time and your business! LUV, Your Friends at Southwest Airlines.

I have an even better idea. Instead of filling out the survey, why not post something about my flight to my blog?

So let’s get the bad news out of the way first. My flight from Los Angeles to Orlando was delayed because of a problem with the plane’s landing gear. While we boarded, they announced the glitch and marched us off the plane.

Southwest also managed to lose one of my checked bags — the one with all of my kids’ car seats in them. How it managed to do that on a direct flight is beyond me.

But here’s the good news (and this is what makes Southwest such a terrific airline). The airline offered lots of updates to the delayed passengers and most importantly, it was honest. The promised 20-minute delay really ended up being only 20 minutes. We made up that time on the way to our first stop in Nashville, Tenn., and everyone made their planned connections.

And what happened when we discovered our missing bag? Well, I still can hardly believe it.

The Southwest agents in Orlando were apologetic and helped us process our claim. They were friendly. When’s the last time you dealt with a friendly airline employee? One of them even gave my one-year-old daughter a Mickey Mouse balloon while we waited.

(I know what you’re thinking — they knew who I was. Nope. The ticket was under Kari’s last name.)

The agents gave us a loaner car seat so we could get home. It was nicer than the one we had. They promised to deliver our bag by noon the next day. We had it by 10 a.m.

So to my friends at Southwest, let me say this: you can lose my luggage anytime. I hope you don’t, but if you do, I know you’ll care enough to deliver it to me ASAP.

And by the way, thanks for telling the truth about your delay and not keeping me on the plane.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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15 comments

  • Aaron

    Kudos to Southwest, hence why I prefer to fly them.

    I once had a delayed bag, it came that evening. Though on my last trip with them, my hardshell suitcase was treated with less than the utmost dignity it deserved and was a bit smashed in when I got home.

    Off to the Southwest baggage office I went with it. They took a quick look, agreed that it was them, processed the paperwork, and then brought out a new suitcase and said if I wanted we could swap bags, they take my banged up one, I get a brand new one. Wasn’t a tough decision.

  • Zelda Rose

    This is why I fly Southwest when possible-service by people who care about their customers. So far, I’ve only had a bag lost once. It was on a Southwest flight, and not only did they get it back to me sooner than promised, they delivered it to my house, over 100 miles away.

    That we have to comment about good service says something about how truly bad the other airlines are…

  • http://www.blogsouthwest.com Paula Berg

    Good morning, Christopher – I had intended to respond to you yesterday, but got caught up in a few meetings…my apologies. Of course, I am so sorry to hear about your delayed flight and bags, but thrilled to hear that our Employees were able to make the best of the situation! We always say that our People are what make the difference, and now you know first hand what we mean!

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us…I’ll make sure that our MCO Team sees your kind words.

    Paula Berg
    Southwest Airlines

  • Joe Farrell

    So, if YOUR ticket was in Kari’s last name . . . how did you get on the plane? Doesn’t TSA now require matching state issued ID along with the boarding pass with the name on it?

  • Christopher Elliott

    The ticket she made the claim under was in her name. I’m sorry if that wasn’t clear. Of course, I had a ticket under my own name.

  • Liz

    While I agree with the poster who said it’s sad that we have to make a big deal about good service because the average is so poor, this and my own recent experience with Northwest illustrate why airline employees are the key to customer service & satisfaction.

    Northwest made a mess of my return flight home from Europe when they changed the time on their London-Seattle flight but didn’t bother to change the Rome-London portion before it. So I was landing at Heathrow at 3:20pm, while my flight to Seattle departed at 1:50pm. I called Northwest’s Reservation center and in less than 10 minutes they had re-booked my flights home to exactly what I requested (changing Rome to Florence and London to Amsterdam).

    If airlines truly want to stay in business, they need to look to improving employee morale and remembering what their core business is: customer service. Southwest does this, and while I have yet to fly them (most of my flights are international), they are always my first choice when looking for domestic flights for the rest of my family.

  • http://www.ffocus.org Robert Johnson

    All most customers want is the truth. It’s not a hard concept unless of course a major airline.

    Most people understand that in ANY business transaction sometimes things will go wrong. This is where the true measure of the Management Team shines or fades.

    Poor Companies don’t respond
    Mediocre Companies blame everyone else
    Good Companies apologize and promise to be better and offer a feebie
    Great companies not only respond but deliver on their post “event”actions

    This more than fuel hedges is what seperates Southwest from the others. They manage customer expectations and more often than not deliver on their promises or at worst advise you that problems exist.

    Isn’t it sad that we sing Southwest’s praises simply because they are honest?

  • Valencia

    AA delivered my delayed luggage to the resort where I was staying this summer. Two of the customer service agents were very friendly and informative. According to what I’ve heard in the past, I consider myself lucky.

    I was a little shocked when the agents told me that the software used to track luggage updates every three hours. Wow.

  • Eric Rosenberg

    My wife and I currently are observing a self-imposed moratorium on flying. I won’t give Delta, United, American, USAir, Jet Blue, Continental, or ANY airline a single dollar until they step up and start treating my business as valuable. Without customers, the airlines make no money – no matter how many fees and surcharges they impose.

    Our one exception is Southwest Airlines. I will fly Southwest with very little complaint because I’ve always felt appreciated by its employees. The training their employees receive must be spectacular, because I can’t remember a single incident where I’ve witnessed a Southwest passenger going ballistic at the gate due to employee or airline incompetence.

    Granted, even Southwest has a few bad apples, such as the flight attendants who embarrassed Setara Qassim and Kyla Ebbert for their attire (which is ridiculous considering the revealing outfits of the prostitutes who fly from BUR or LAX to Las Vegas every Friday afternoon, and whom I’ve never seen scolded or ordered to cover up).

    But for the most part, Southwest has gone from “no-frills cheap bottom-of-the-barrel” airlines to “no-frills fairly-priced top-of-the-heap” airlines. Why the other airlines don’t seem able to duplicate Southwest’s customer service and overall product is beyond me.

    And until the other airlines do, I ain’t flying ‘em! I’m not going to take the chance of being arrested because a flight attendant is having a bad day and doesn’t like my tone of voice when I ask her for the fifth time to please bring me a cup of $2.00 water.

  • Stephanie

    My family has ALWAYS flown Southwest when we could. My fiance and I are even making a special trip to Kansas City just to use them for our honeymoon (they, unfortunately, don’t fly out of Des Moines where our wedding will be). I used to get really annoyed at my parents for making me get into a car for three hours just to get to the airport and get on a plane for another four hours, but now I understand why.

    Southwest’s customer service has always been good. Comparatively speaking, nowadays it’s excellent. Which is kind of sad, because they haven’t really done anything different in the last five years. It’s just everyone else around them has gone so far down the toilet that it makes them look that much better by comparison.

  • Brad

    This is exactly whiy Southwest continues to make a profit in a struggling, and dying industry. Other airline companies should take a moment to read this, and understand why their business model isn’t working: they lie, cheat, steal, nickel and dime you, and provide lousy customer service.

    Southwest, on the other hand, goes out of its way to provide a positive lasting impression on its customers – what a novel concept!!

  • Tiffany

    I usually fly southwest (use to fly twice a week now a bit less) and generally have no complaints I have to say my experience today was appalling. We were on a flight from Tucson to LAX and were greeted by the most RUDE flight crew I have ever in my many many flights experienced. One gentleman staff member actually got on the intercom and said when I ask for your garbage and tray tables up give me your garbage and put your tray tables up, we don’t have time for this. HOLY COW really? I understand a need for safety and getting things done but I believe there is a right way and a wrong way to do this and deal with people who are non-compliant. The whole flight was this way and the majority of the crew was this way. Thank goodness it was only an hour flight and I pity the poor people headed to Iowa after we got off the plane.

  • Glenda Napolitan

    Lost luggage flight 565 from Indy to MDW. I saw both my bags come off the plane in Indy, never to arrive in MDW. Going to the 4th day without any bags being found. I even offered, if they fly me to Indy, I will check the baggage area myself. Offer declined by Southwest. I still have hopes that my bags and new clothes, as well as other items be returned. So far-nope.

  • Glenda Napolitan X Friend

    She is a scammer, always has been. If there is a dollar to be made she is going to do it. Don’t believe all you hear by her. Make sure that you ask for receipts for all the NEW clothes. This is a scam believe me. Chris

  • Kimberly Clark

    paid for business class seating ended up sitting in the back of the plane not told open seating will never pay for business class again since you sit where ever you want, very disappointed with the seating other than that nice flight

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