Southwest Airlines

The Aviation Consumer Protection Dept lists 39,000+ baggage complaints against SW Airlines in October alone. This would include lost luggage and PILFERING from CHECKED luggage. It has been 6 weeks since I too wrote to SW regarding several complaints and I don’t usually complain. First, the new seating protocol was not followed …. it’s a joke actually. The attendant at the gate did not enforce it. Therefore, those of us that actually listened and waited for our assigned boarding numbers to be called were last on the plane and had lousy seats and unable to sit with our partners. We had 30-34 in the “B”‘s … 26 people boarded the plane, out of numeric order, ahead of us, when they should have been behind us in line.

Also, somewhere between Las Vegas and Baltimore, someone opened my checked suitcase and stole items out of it. SW blames TSA and TSA blames SW. Neither take responsibility for it, leaving me, the passenger, a victim not only of theft by some thief hired by the airline, but by the airline itself in that they just don’t care that they have hired thieves and do absolutely nothing to correct the situation. It is not about money it’s about justice. The last time I looked, stealing was against the law, punishable by jail time. I did not know that the government allows airlines to have their own laws regarding theft. It will keep happening to unsuspecting passengers as long as SW Airlines enable these thieves to have access to our checked luggage without suffering any repercussions.

It has been 6 weeks since I wrote to SW. I am still waiting for a response from them. They are great when you have no issues … cheapest flights, etc. but you better hope you never have a problem because if you do the airline that say they care, are lying. There is no one to speak to personally with regard to your issue … they plan it that way because they JUST DO NOT CARE.

I fly SW once every month or two. While no airline (or fly attendant) is perfect, they do a good job of staying consistent and being helpful if I have a problem. Also, the baggage handling jobs are contracted out (as with every airline) and industry-wide they suggestthat you do not leave valuable belongings in your checked baggage.

I have a hard time believing Southwest can or should absolve themselves completely of issues related to baggage handling. If I am Southwest and my valued customers are experiencing issues with lost and pilfered luggage with alarming frequency (as evidenced by the Travel Consumer Report), then that is a big problem! It needs to be addressed, whether the baggage handlers are Southwest employees or prisoners on parole. Baggage handling is an important function of Southwest’s operation, and they should be accountable.

I would agree that although it is a sad situation when a “cleaner” or other employee could not be trusted to return a lost item, I do not feel as though the liability is with the airline. I was taught that when I lose something, it is my responsibility. Nobody else left the ipod on the plane, period!
As far as the rude flight attendant if you receive poor service from an employee at a restaurant, does that reflect on the restaurant? YES! But, should you shoot yourself in the foot to spite the employee? NO! You should write a letter to the company regarding the employee, and continue to fly with the airline that you love. Many of the employees of that company might want to strangle that girl for your treatment. Do not punish them for one person’s stupidity.

On October 24, 2008 I went to the LAX Airport Southwest Airline earlier morning at 4:30 a.m. I gave my one baggage to Southwest Airline baggage security place at 5:20 a.m. When I flew to North California from Lax Airport and picked up my baggage in North California. I was a total of shock that my some things were stolen from LAX Airport Southwest Airline baggage place when I arrvied to North California from LAX Airport Southwest Airline. I did try to call to LAX Police department as they said that I should file a complaint against LAX Southwest Airpline for stealing of baggage things as they said that it will take to process this complaint case within 1 to 3 months along with LAPD detectives who can investigate all detailed informations that mean I still lost some of my valuable things which it cost me over $700.00. I really need your helps to find out who will pay me for a new medical orthorpic shoe of my foot surgery. LAX Southwest baggage employee who stole my medical orthorpic shoe when I flew to North California. I can’t afford any new medical orthorpic shoe at this time. I’m a victim of this some losses from LAX Southwest Airline… What shall I do?

I am writing this letter in hopes that Southwest will try harder to avoid the circumstances that we passengers have had to endure over our Christmas holiday vacation from Spokane Washington International airport. On dec 28th 2008 at 6:30 am we checked our bags curbside with the southwest skycap and that was the last time we saw ANY of our luggage. One bag was a large blue roller upright bag and the other 3 were large black roller bags ( Small, Medium and large in size ) one of the black bags were considered a garment bag that folded in half and had a digital “ scale” on the top for weight. The other two had light brown edges. One of the black bags ( med ) one also had a broken wheel. When went to check our bags in the first thing out of the skycaps mouth was : “We work on tips here“ and if you don’t have a tip that we had to go and stand in the southwest line inside the terminal. Caught off guard by his remark we went inside and waited in line for 20 minutes because we didn’t have any cash on us for a tip. After standing in line for 20 minutes we decided to ask a Southwest employee who was walking by “ jay “ if we had to stand in the long line even though we had printed our boarding passes the night before. He told us to go back outside to the southwest skycap that they do take tips but it wasn’t required to check our bags in at curbside, that they are employed by southwest. When we went back outside the guy said “ oh, so you changed your mind about giving us a tip “ and that’s when I responded that I didn’t have any cash and if I did I would tip them but I didn’t see the reason we should have to stand in that line and plus my daughter was feeling ill. The guy was VERY rude and said that tips make their jobs easier and we the passengers hire them to take our bags. The whole time he was tagging our bags he kept on and on about how tips help even after I told him we REALLY didn’t have any cash. He took our bags and put them behind the counter and said sarcastically “ yeah…thanks for doing business with us and don’t worry we will take care of your bags “. We knew when loading on the airplane that if something was going to happen to our bags that those men were to blame. To our “ surprise “ when we landed from our direct flight from Spokane to Oakland at 10:15 am our bags ( All 4 ) were missing. These bags had ALL our x-mas gifts in them for our family and for our 3 year old daughter. We had ALL our clothes ( minus the clothes we had on our back ), daughters seizure medications, Jewelry, 2 bags of expensive make-up, 10 pair of shoes and other expensive and sentimental valuables. We are heart broken about this and sick to our stomach because all of these things we can not replace…these items and gifts are not replaceable. Try telling your 3 year old what has happened to all their gifts and clothes. Not a good way to end a vacation or spend your new Years. We filed a loss report for our luggage and only once did southwest call to give us the status of our bags. We had to call daily. Everyone we have spoke to seems un interested in our loss and says “ well this does happen a lot “. We could see 1 or 2 bags missing but all 4. That’s 170lbs of our valuables on a direct 2 hour flight with good weather…explain how this happens? We would always choose southwest when we would fly….never again. Our families, friends and coworkers have now sworn off your airlines in fear of this happening to them. We do plan on taking further action against southwest and the skycaps due to our loss and our family lawyer is investigating all areas. We are disappointed in ourselves for picking the “ cheap “ airlines to try and save a buck but now we know why you offer such the low fares . Your new slogan should be “ Come fly with us…we’ll take care of your bags “. We feel as a family we should be compensated for all of our losses and heartache..why shouldn’t we be?

Sad Christmas Passengers,

Ryan obermeyer

Payton Obermeyer and

Carli Goewey

1. I booked 2 tickets on Southwest (Tucson – NYC) on 5/13/08 for travel 7/28/08, at a total cost of about $1300. Unfortunately, I had to cancel the trip when I was informed that I would be going to the Middle East. I immediately contacted SW and they said they would hold onto the credit for the full $1300, and assured me that I could rebook any time within a year with no penalty.
2. I called SW reservations on 2/3/09 (today) to book travel on 7/17/09 (Tucson – Tampa) for a military / hospital meeting. I was told no, I can’t use the credit, since I would not be travelling by 5/13/09, the one year anniversary of buying the tickets. I stated that I was told I had to travel within 1 year of the first reservations, which I was doing. They said no, it’s one year from when I bought the tickets.
3. I then called SW Customer Relations and told them the same story. They also said no, I can’t buy the tickets. I offered to pay (as on other airlines) a $100-300 per ticket exchange fee, they said no. They helpfully said I can travel any time before 5/13/09, but I said my meeting in Tampa was in July, not May. They said “well, it looks like you can’t go”. I was flabbergasted !!!
4. They finally said that I have to wait until 5/14/09, the day the $1300 credit expires (one year and one day after the tickets were issued), and then I may, if I call back and ask, be able to use the credit . I said they probably wouldn’t have any seats left by then (about 60 days before I wanted to fly), and they said “probably not, but that’s the rule”. They also said it wasn’t a given that I would get my credit, if I waited until the credit expired.
5. Do you have any idea they have such a strange rule? Is there any way I can book these tickets before the seats are all gone?
6. I fly about once a month, usually on American, and never have had this problem before. If Southwest is treating customers like this nowadays because they can, I really don’t know if I should be using Southwest any more. I know everybody loves their cheap fares, but I guess you get what you pay for, if you have a problem.

I am certainly glad I looked at your site before proceeding with the apparently futile efforts of contacting anyone at Southwest directly.

As many others I had to deal with a rude and overly aggressive flight attendant on my flight from Austin to Baltimore on Feb. 24th 2009. The attendant’s name is Brandy Zaychuk. The attendants were placing obviously over sized bags that should have been checked in the overhead bins. I got upset when Brandy placed a large suitcase on my new $300 cashmere coat and asked for my coat. When I stated my frustration of the bags not being checked and the concern of damage to my coat, Brandy became resentful and accused me of being rude. From there Brandy tried to escalate the confrontation.

I asked another stewardess to make sure I had no further exchanges with Brandy. I was not going to take this further, but Brandy had several passengers around me…the ones with the over sized bags she helped…write statements. Another stewardess wanted my name as a “witness”. At this point I declined and asked if I was going to be arrested on leaving the plane. I also asked the second stewardess what the problem was and to please tell me what they thought I had done. She could not respond.

I also have flown Southwest for years. This is my first complaint. It’s a shame the company doesn’t address sincere complaints and concerns as on the three other legs of my trip, the service, care, and courtesy shown toward passengers were commendable. It is interesting to note that the stewardesses on the other flights asked passengers to hold coats and place them on top of luggage so the coats would not be soiled or damaged. People that don’t like people should not be stewardesses. Southwest should address their rogue workers so the public does not have to endure uncalled for abuse!!!

I cried all the way home. I misplaced my ipod touch just last night and they called someone to go check to see if they could find it. The woman called back and said she didn’t find it. I was the very last passenger off the flight so the only thing that comes to my mind (I wish it didn’t, but it does) is that one of the flight attendants got it or the cleaning people. Sad, b/c i rode on the train back to the baggage claim with the whole flight crew, so if they found it they had the chance to do the right thing, and I called the cleaning lady and she said “sorry, no one turned anything in”…I called the Airport lost and found and sure enough they had an ipod touch but it wasn’t mine. I hate thinking the worst, but what else can I do, what am i supposed to do when no one else will think that there is a POSSIBILITY that one of them might have taken something worth over $400.00.

Extremely Sad in Colorado.

Jennifer, Jonathan, Micah, and Caleb

My husband surprised me for 40th birthday with a trip to Disney! We left on Saturday, January 10, 2009. Direct (no stops) flight to Orlando. Needless to say, we NEVER got our bags. How do you lose two bags on a direct, non-stop flight? SW gave us $50 per person to buy things. It resulted in shopping @ Walmart wearing $5.00 t-shirts, socks & underwear that was never washed. I wore the same pants for 5 days. We had big plans of going to shows, and nice dinners & wound up eating fast food and back in our room by 7pm each night. I have wrote Jim Rupel the VP of customer relations 2 letters and no response. I did get a voucher for $378 (price of our airfare) that I literally wouldn’t wipe my ass with. Myself and everyone I know will NEVER fly them again. I did get two checks last week (3 months later) that were depreciated. How can you depreciate someone’s things? I have to go buy all new things at FULL price. What I don’t get is the nickel and diming that they do. I will not stop until I get the price of the trip paid for, $1800.00. I could have “roughed” it in my backyard for free! I am not asking for my spending money down there, but my trip and 40th birthday was ruined by Southwest and they need to take accountability! Flyers beware…. Southwest is cheap, but you get what you pay for!!

I was injured on SW flight 2740 flight from Chicago Midway to Las Vegas on
> August 10th. As the plane landed in Las Vegas a fellow passenger attempted
> to remove an oversized and over stuffed piece of luggage from the overhead
> bin and dropped it on my head as I was still seated in my seat
> causing me great pain as well as a lump on my head. When loading this plane
> in Chicago my wife and I observed this passenger and a flight attendant make
> several attempts to load this luggage in the overhead bin. I was
> transported via ambulance to Desert Springs Hospital where several tests
> were administered. I was diagnosed with a head injury and a sprained neck.
> I spent most of my vacation recuperating in my hotel room. I was promised
> by 2 SouthWest airlines supervisors who made reports on the plane that they
> would send me copies of the reports. I was treated by my personal doctor
> upon returning home. I made numerous phone calls to SouthWest as well as a
> letter to Mary Mortensen, Supervisor, Customer Claims Administration Finance
> Dept.Tele 214-792-4387. I received a letter stating she was sorry for my
> injury and that all reports are considered internal documents and cannot be
> released. She also encouraged us to travel with SouthWest again soon and
> that my family’s patronage is very important to them. I’m no sure how
> important our patronage is. I feel that SouthWest should accept some
> responsibility for allowing this passenger ,who was one on the last
> passengers to enter the plane with an obvious oversized, oversized piece of
> luggage and helping her to place it in the overhead bin.
>

Flying out of MDW midway to phx on stand by then plane goest to San Jose Ca. Never got on any SW planes that day out of MDW. Spent the night at a hotel in MDW> Flew another airlines next day no problems. Problem is We showd up at phx SW claims baggage and not luggage one piece. INSTEAD bunch of excuses no one returned phone calls, SW made up peoples names allways making up lies and giving us the run around. I cant believe that an airline can loose a piece of luggage. Thus I cant believe an airline would have employees with no respect no care ect to find or give the right answers with concern!

PLEASE DO NOT CUT ANY MORE FLIGHTS. PLEASE DO NOT LAY OFF ANY WORKERS PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ANY CUTS.

I was also hit by someones overstuffed hard case piece of luggage. My head has ached for now over a week. I had my wristed X-rayed and have a chipped bone and slight fracture. I have heard nothing from Southwest and wasn’t treated the way you would think after being hurt while sitting in your seat waiting for the rest of the people to board. I was taken off the airplane and evaluated by the paramedics. Blood pressure a couple of questions and all they can really do is take me to the hospital if I wanted to. I was in SanDiego and live in IL. It was bad enough getting home at 2 am because now I wasn’t on a direct flight home. This to me is insane!!!!!! Everyone needs to be warned of this.