RateItAll: The Opinion Network

I just flew SW Business Select from PHX to ONT. The crew was very friendly and the plane was clean and on time each way. The seating by section thing is great. You just book online, check in on line (the day before) and then get in your spot. No pushing, shoving or crowding - very civilized. I think the folks who have a problem with this are the ones who arrive late and try to push you out of the way with their luggage when the general boarding call announcement is made. I'd just as soon have them fly another airline.

They do have cheaper flights, but unless you live in or near a big city, forget it, because Southwest doesn't serve your airport.

I hate flying SW but from Austin to las Vegas there's no other direct flights. Usually it's just uncomfortable but my last flight was made more so by a rude gay bleach blonde male stewardess. Sitting on an exit row I didn't notice him giving his safety speech since I had headphones on. He caught my eye and I removed them and said "What ?" He proceded to inform me he could have me removed ! Minutes later he scolded me for having my straw hat on the floor between my feet and not under the seat in front of me. Like it was going to become a deadly missle, what a jerk ! The folks around me laughed behind his back and branded me a troublemaker for the rest of the flight.

The media say southwest is great.................If you are a college student or some one has died its fine..............otherwise its a stinking cattle car....no frills....the reason no one complains is beacause they offer nothing but a seat..What to complain about..Its called I DONT CARE AIRWAYS...............And i think BUSH has something to to with them....just like 911

Most people like or hate this airline,i'm in between thier fares to most markets are about the same as any other airline,you just have to shop around,however they do offer short haul routes that are very cheap.The only thing that I would say negative is that if you fly from the east coast to west,be prepared and bring a good book,and check in online early 24 hours in advance so you can get a seat of your choice. you will be deplaning and reboarding several times.

I asked about family seating on a flight to Orlando. The gate attendant had a snicker on her face, and said my daughter had to be 4, or else, we were not eligible for family seating. Got on the plane. Took an aisle seat, and the overhead bin was filled with pillows. Shoved them aside, and put my carryon in the bin. Was yelled at by a flight attendant skulking behind me. Watch this same attendants rude instructions on opening the door. I paid attention even though I was behind the exit row. Guess what I was in an exit area. The rude attendant asked me if I could open the door. I said "I can pull down the handle, ma'am" in an equally rude voice back. I though Northwest was the pits until I flew on Southwest. Southwest is a cattle hauler. Don't get me started on Spirit. That's another cattle hauler.

For all of you family travelers, Don't Fly Southwest. I watched as families were seperated because of Southwest's open seating plan. Pay the extra $20 and go with another airline to get assigned seating. If there aren't any open seats your 5 year old will sit by themselves, or your wife will be forced to sit next to a stranger even though you spent you hard earned money to buy a ticket for a short vacation....Don't fly Southwest until they stop this crazy open seating policy.

i dont have very many problems with them and thier prices are pretty good!
bad customer servise though.

First of all SW really is a horrible company if you have any problems with customer relations they either have you write to them which takes months! or they TRY to help you and then deny everything you ask for. If your flights get delayed or cancelled be prepared they will not help you at all for the night, its your problem. The rapid rewards program is horrible and they only allow for 5 or 6 seats on a plane with RR which are almost always sold out! No one at the reservation centers know what they are talking about, they give you no information. The reservation centers and the airport and NEVER on the same page. They treat you like crap. Baggage is always lost and there service is getting worse and worse. PS lookout for their fares online they will do anything to screw you over by making those "cheap" fares only good on certain days or amount of money spent previously. i strongly advise against flying SW they are horrible and will end up going down sooner or later.

Always lose luggage, always late, always poor service. I have travelled with Southwest a number of times now and they are what they are ... a budget airline. I don't have a problem with that but when they lose your luggage on 3 straight trips and are downright rude about it, it's time to tell it like it is. These guys just aren't worth the aggrevation. They are recommending getting to the airport 2 hours before domestic flights. Give me a break. Avoid at all costs!

A big thanks to Southwest Airlines who came out to a marketing event and raffled off a pair of round trip tickets to those who signed up for their business frequent flyer program. We'll, I won. Woohoo. Went to Vegas with my wife for a romantic getaway. Not so romantic when they lose your luggage. I mean everything. They were kind enough to let us spend a whole 50 dollars while we were there to get the "necessities".
The real kicker though. Because they gave us the tickets as a gift, they will only cover 450.00 of our losses. Basically, the price of one of our bags (which was samsonite "spinner") WAS a very nice wedding gift.
Thanks Soutwest. Great way o treat a guest. Nobody at my company will ever fly Southwest Airlines again.

I used Southwest for my trip to Sacramento from Philly and it was a mess (both ways). While going, I got booted out from the flight with the explanation that we should be at boarding gate 10 mins prior to the departure (my wife was still on the flight). I pointed out the airport watch to that attendent and there was still 14 mins left for the flight!! After realizing that they screwed up, they agreed to put us together on a different flight. (we didnt wanted to travel separately and our original flight was full). Now instead of 1 stop, we had to stop twice before we reached Sacramento and when we reached SMF, one of our bags was missing.

While returning, there was a storm in california and all the flights were delayed. We managed to reach the airport 1 hour 15 mins prior to departure. We had to check in our luggage (we had our boarding passes printed online) and it took us 2 hrs to do that. There was madness at the airport, power was down and airport was running on back up power. The monitors were not accurate and the staff didnt handle the situation well. So our flight now was leaving at 2:45 PM instead of 12:20 PM and when we checked in our bags it was 1:10 PM. When we reached the gate, the airline crew told us they dont have a gate for our flight yet, so we need to "hang around". After half an hour, we were called and put on a different flight (via Las vegas instead of Phoenix). I asked specifically about our bags and the crew told me they will do best to re-route them. We finally reached Philly at 1 AM (4 hrs late) and guess what, we again didnt get one of our bags!

Now the actual fun begins, they refused to deliver the bag because it seems it was "Late Checked". I had to raise my tone to explain that we were not late, the airport was a mess and al the flights were delayed or were cancelled.

This is my first and last Southwest experience. Will never fly again with them.

I have flown on Southwest 23 one ways in the last 24 months with really no problems. I have always chosen Southwest because of the seating policy. I would check in right at 24 hours prior and everytime get A boarding. But now with their new boarding... all business customers automatically get A boarding and anyone who has flown 36 one ways in a 24 month period. Since then, the 3 times I have flown since, I have had 1 B boarding and 2 C boarding. And even though I like to sit at the rear of the plane, I still didn't get the seat I was looking for which is always a window. They tell me I have to fly 13 more one ways before Feb 2008 to get the A boarding!! The only reason why I have stayed with Southwest is for the way they board, but that's gone now. I would feel bad for the family of 4 or 5 getting B or C boarding and not being able to sit even close to each other. There are much better airlines out there, such has Jet Blue with very competitive pricing and sometimes even cheaper, and they have Direct TV on every seat back, and you can pick your own seats at booking. It's just too bad that a simple, stupid change like this is going to lose them a bunch of customers. I have flown with them over 100 roundtrips in the last 5 years and now another airlines is going to get that business.

They sort of didn't suck so bad but lately they really suck. I am taking my business and trying other carriers. Spirit is kind of bare bones but I fly that sometimes, and I dicsovered Frontier and use them whenever I can. It's not that hard to find other carriers if you venture out and try.

The thing that got me off Southwest was when they would not allow Board First to continue operating. Also now the thing where families with little children can't board first anymore - I don't think it's fair. I am a single business traveler, but it really wasn't so bad if the people with little kids got on first. Get them out of the way first. Just helps me decide where NOT to sit! Not anymore. Goodbye Southwest! Toodles!

For all of its problems, I would have to say I still get the best experience with SW. Usually on time. Book online. No penalties. Easier to book awards. I sense it may be getting worse, but for now it is my go to airline. Be sure to load DING! And get the cheapest flights that dont get advertised otherwise.

My issues are with customer service which I believe are the worst. Since they don't care about my business, then I will be taking it elsewhere.

SW sucks eggs. Their flight crews have god complexes and think they can bump people for any reason (pre flight cocktails, and now how people DRESS!). http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=1fa99fcf-7c33-4411-afb7-9ef4bee9809f&f=05&fg=rss

They are what they are. They fly to a very good amount of cities, and manage to keep their prices low. I don't mind the unreserved seating like other people. During this latest holiday season I did have an issue when I was put on our flight, but my wife and infant son were put on standby because she couldn't check in at the baggage check, but had to go to the gate to check in with an infant. My requests to talk with a manager weren't met. Things worked out when I spoke loud enough for those around us to notice, and a lady gave up her seat to my wife. That was a drawback of the unreserved seating situation, but my family and I have traveled Southwest a lot over the last 10 years with no other problems.

Plain and simple: Southwest Airlines suck. Its a bait and switch, cattle hauling bus. Beware of "direct flights" with these clowns. I recently flew from Sacramento, California to Dallas. My ticket plainly stated a one stop-change planes deal. It said nothing about a stop in Amarillo Texas. When i asked why Amarillo, the idiot behind the counter said that is what a "direct flight" is. Now being a commercial pilot myself, thats not what a direct flight is.
My return flight was a total disaster. Leaving Dallas we were 4 hours late due to weather (which i totally understand) but once again, my ticket stated a one stop deal- Phoenix then Sacramento. When i looked at the board it stated a stop in El Paso. El Paso? Thats not what's on my ticket! By the time we finally did roll into Phoenix it was 11pm at night and all departing flights were done for the day. I had to get a hotel and then take the first (and only) available flight at 6am. Now i totally understand weather delays/ cancellations...thats a safety thing. BUT the added stops and not telling passengers ahead of time is what infuriates me. Had i would have known about these little detours i would have never booked a flight on that airline. Why should going from a major city to another less that half a country away take 2 or even 3 stops? Why not tell people up front that that's what its going to take? My mistake was not taking another major carrier that was non stop. I could have done the same trip with American Airlines non-stop for 30 extra bucks ( and probably got a meal with it) AND got assigned seating to boot. Bottom line is Southwest Airlines is a bottom feeder. They bait and switch to make the general public THINK they are getting a good deal when in reality they would be better off looking somewhere else. My advise- ask before you travel on this cattle hauler exactly how many stops it will take (they will try and lie to you) and what options you will have in case that flight cancels. You may not get the answer you are expecting. If Southwest was a little more honest then they might not have the crowds of sheep lining up at the A B or C lines.

I try to fly SWA whenever possible. Find the crews to be friendlier and sometimes just plain funny. Makes up for the long security lines getting into the airport.

I FLEW ON THIS AIRLINE FROM FLORIDA TO MARRYLAND AND I INJOY THE FLIGHT VERY MUCH.

I worked for SouthWest Airlines for about 3 months. That was enough. The company's thinly vieled "positive attitude" barely hides a lot of ticked off employees. As far as flying on them there are so many negatives it's hard to know where to start. 1.) Lack of Technilogical expertise and NO email contact page on their website. In the day and age of the internet - this is absolutely unforgivable. They lost 3.5 stars on this lack of being up-to-date with their technology. There is no excuse for SWA not having an email, web contact form. Who writes paper letters and uses snailmail anymore? No One - except SWA. ugh! 2.) Also along with a serious lack of decent technology - Their reservation system is horrid. It might possibly be the worst reservation system that's ever been designed. (But judging from their lack of email contacts - understandable due to a lack of technology expertise.) Many of the cities they fly from - they don't even list all of the destination cities they serve. For example, I live in Denver - so if you go to try and book a flight from Denver to St. Louis - IMPOSSIBLE. Their interactive map shows them flying right over St. Louis from Denver. So you have to go through the painstakingly difficult procedure of manually booking a flight to Chicago first, then from Chicago manually booking another flight to ST. Louis and then do all the same for the return portion of your trip. Unbelievably dumb. And they price everything out in one way segments - so it looks cheap initially and then they F you in the A at the end. Why even tell the customer all that crap - if you don't fly direct to St. Louis - then book me on a flight automatically from Den to STL - save me the horrid details of where you do or don't go and give me a final price. 3.) Cattle Call boarding - hidieous. OH MY GOD - you can get to the airport 5 hours in advance - you still have just as little chance of getting a decent seat as the guy that walks up 2 minutes before boarding. This process sucks so bad it has created a giant sucking sound right out of Texas! 4.) Frequent Flyer program that is a slap in the face. Their awards expire quickly and you don't get much in return. 5.) The whole Love Field Wright Amendment deal. It used to be that Southwest told all their employees not to talk about the Wright Amendment because in reality - it let Southwest have an advantage at Love Field in Texas - No other airline cared to deal with the restrictions put on that air field. (Flying from Love field only let you flying to bordering states of Texas - no others). Now I see that SWA is trying to get the Wright Amendment repealed. hah! Guess they've finally realized how dumb it was. Oh sure - it let them get a foothold at that airport - but for the customer service employees it was miserable. Customer - "I want to fly from Chicago to Dallas", Rep - "I'm sorry mam - we don't fly to Texas. Customer - "WTF are you talking about? You're based in TEXAS for God's sake!" - Rep - "Sorry I can't help you" - Customer - "Screw you people" - Rep - " Well, maybe if you flew to Arkansas first - THEN you get take another flight from there to Texas" - Customer - (looking befuddled walks away to another airline counter). dumb policy. Finally, your airlines generally make 90% of their revenue from their top 10% of their customers. Customers who fly this often are undoubtably business customers - and not having first class for your top customers is dumb. Instead stick your top 10% of your customers next to some smelly guy in the back, next to the engine with all the noise. As a customer service rep - I remember these frequent flyers spending hours at my gate trying to jockey for the best seats on the plane (exit row aisles). What a waste of time and a poor experience for your customers to endure. To coin someone else's phrase - Southworst sums it up very well.

Pros: Excellent low fares, nice leather seats, freindly staff, several destinations Cons: Worst frequent flyer program - miles expire quickly (after 1 year I believe)! Miles really don't add up compared to other frequent flyer programs (I rank Alaska Airlines program the best). I use Southwest primarily for the $39 one-way fares (if choosing to go to other cities during vacations).

I used to hear about Southwest being zany and different, but they've been quiet in the media recently, as JetBlue has had the newest innovative presence. But I just flew Southwest and I enjoyed it. They went to leather seats to compete with JetBlue, and their flight attendants were my favorite yet. Young, spunky attendants who joke around with you. I hit on this on girl Jacqueline (sort of aggressively because I had been drinking), and she asked me if I was a member of the mile-high club. I said no, and she suggested I meet her in the back bathroom in 5 minutes. I said ok, expecting a joke but I went anyway, and there was a fat guy with his shirt off waiting for me. Anything for a laugh at my expense I guess.

Southwest is perfect in every regard. They only fly one type of plane -- Boeing 737s. I heard a horror story of one of the other airlines having a plane that none of the maintenance crew knew anything about or even had any maintenance documentation on. The cabins are clean and the seats are all leather. Compare to other airlines with cloth seats splotched with odd-looking stains. I also like the concept of being awarded for being an early bird. I know I can get an A Boarding Pass (It's even easier now that you can log online after midnight to get your boarding pass). With other stupid airlines, I book weeks in advance and still get stuck in a middle seat between 2 fat dudes with gas. Southwest has an impeccable safety record, yet don't torture you with bombastic 1-hour safety briefs like Untied Airlines. They've taken the ill-fated People's Express concept and made it work.

Off the charts if I could rate it that way. I love Southwest Airlines. They are a great company that have revolutionized the airline industry. Friendly, funny employees, affordable prices...a great product in general. They're doing something right...one of the very few airlines to turn a profit in the post 9/11 world.

Not a fan of this airline. I only fly them because they're cheap. Although the flight attendants are nice I just don't understand their cattle call seating arrangement. Want a decent seat? Better get to the airport 3 hours early. I always seem to get stuck with a lot of connections on this airline too.

The best. Read up on their start and how they developed their busines model! Interesting reading and a lesson for many of us in business. Great philosophy and management means quality from top to bottom. This is Southwest Airlines. Please quick messing with your colors thouhg -- keep your jets in the 70s and 80s colors --

Good news: Great fares within CA (lower than major carriers). Bad news: Terrible fares from CA (higher than major carriers) to anywhere east of Vegas. Good news: They turn planes around quickly, resulting in less delays. Bad news: The planes are often really messy and disgusting as a result. Standing in line for a half-hour to board sucks, as does needing to show up an hour early to get overhead bin space, as does its reputation as the airline of choice for shady characters (check out the A&E series Airline for details), but Southwest does come in handy sometimes.

Consistantly cheap, safe (never an accident in 30 years of service), friendly and on time...what more could you ask for?

No ticket change fees unlike other airlines, friendly employees, above-average legroom, frequent schedules, and good reliablity. No-frills, but great for short flights!

They are decent, not great. You definitely get what you pay for. I agree with others...I HATE the whole cattle call boarding procedure!

This airline is the living embodiment of the coy philosophy: Get In, Sit Down, Shut Up, Hold On. I remember a flight when an attendant said, Here are the instructions for using your oxygen mask. After you stop screaming... I like Southwest because the fares are not very high and the crews pride themselves on a relaxed professionalism with a friendly attitude. The seats are a little small if you are fat or seated next to a plump passenger; but the short-hauls I prefer on this airline do not make that a forbidding condition. Worth looking up whenever you shop for fares.

Just plane common sense

they get you there for cheap and on-time. thats all want!

Great business model, and much better managed than the traditional giants. I love being able to fly direct instead of having a half day's vacation wasted both ways by silly layovers and long delays. Southwest has pioneered flying convenience at reasonable prices, eliminating all the greedy pricing games that competitors have long played.

Southwest has to be the worst of the worst. Horrible lines at every turn, their cattle call seating is a pain in the you-know-what, their flights are unreliable and ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS overbooked. Unfortunately, they have some killer deals on airfare....but at what a price! THE WORST air travel I have ever used every single time I have been forced to use them. I try to avoid at all cost!

Good prices. . .I wouldn't take a flight longer than 2 hours. . .above-average customer service. I am surprised to read the other reviews because I have flown Southwest several times and never had a delayed flight. I like the cattle-call seating. . .it makes people hurry up and get in line. Their baggage-handlers put a big hole in my suitcase but they replaced it no charge. . .I was satisfied. All-in-all, a good no-frills airline.

The fares are low and you certainly get what you pay for. I fly them if I have to, but only on short flights. They have long lines and are often delayed.

I'm being generous. The cattle call thing REALLY annoys me, and it's just about as stupid as changing planes in Minneapolis in January. I pretty much avoid anything-west.

Joke-cracking flight attendants are the bomb!!! Maybe poor choice of words in today's world, but you know what I mean. If you will be flying only 2 hours or less to your destination, Southwest is definitely the way to go. They lost my luggage once, but they did eventually find it and return it to me. One other my flight landed in fog as thick as pea soup. But generally my dozen or so flights with Southwest have been pleasant.

Always have great promotions and discounts and very friendly service. If they fly into the city where I am going to, I fly with them.

The BEST airline I have EVER and WILL EVER fly on. From Nashville to New Orleans, the crew was fantastic. Very upbeat, quick, efficient, friendly, and everything else! No delays!

Cheap fares sometimes, but you get what you pay for. Make sure you have an entire day for traveling since you will probably need to make several stops along the way. Reminded me of a greyhound bus or amtrak in the sky.

Southwest is the only airline (that I have found) that will take child alone. My 8 year old daughter flies to California from Kansas City twice a year. I can always count on the security taking ALL percausions when she travels. A steweredess is assigned to her from the moment she climbs on the plane until she reaches her destination. Granted she has to be on a straight through flight. It is an extra $50 or so for her travel this way but it is worth every penny. If I had to do go w/ her, it would cost me time lost from my job plus an extra $300 for my ticket. Her ticket this summer was a measley $218 round trip. As for the food, I just pack her a Lunchable and a Capri Sun and off she goes. They give her coloring books and she has got to visit the cockpit once. The way they work their security w/ this is she has to wear a tag w/ the name, address and phone # of 2 people that can be contacted when she lands (if need be). They have to have proper ID before she allowed to go w/ that person. My parents picked her up this year and even though she came off the plane rushing to the them and giving them huge hugs, my parents still had to present ID's. Very please w/ this airline.

Flying on SW is a horrible experience. They do not treat passengers with any respect.

I have a story of which I think the audience would be interested to learn. My four year old daughter and my 21 year old niece experienced the worst travel conditions anyone can expect going to Nairobi Kenya. There were no apologies made and to make matters worse the compesensation was like an insult to them. I would really like to let the public know what kind of treatment they might receive if they fly Southwest airlines and especially those travelling with small children. i hope I can reach someone who is willing to tell my story to the public. I am not in search of fame or publicity I just want the public to be well informed. Thanking for taking the time to listen. i have already e-mail the airline several times and informed them I would be contacting you if the issue was not resolved but as of yet my daughter has not gotten any form of compensation even as we speak. I hope to be hearing from you soon. If you would prefer I would be willing to send you the whole story through the e-mail and you can broadcast it as you see fit. Yours sincerely, Julia.

I love Southwest for it's great deals, at least in California. Every time I fly within California, Southwest has given me the best prices. Even if you buy your ticket at the last minute, you save $$. Also, the service during the flight is great, people are courteous and they try to accommodate your needs as much as possible.

I have flown Southwest many times and have been impresssed with their customer relations and on time performances. I have never had a bad flight. However, I gave them a rating of 4 because waiting for the luggage takes longer than the flight itself.

I like Southwest's friendly and casual atmosphere. I like the singing and the jokes the flight attendents tell. It's a good atmosphere to the uptight airlines with premier status patrons.

Crappy leg room. No seat reservations is a major drawback. Every flight seems packed to the brim, if not overbooked. Low quality, stingy food.

If the prices weren't so cheap, I would probably not fly Southwest anymore. The flights are always crowded, they often have delays, and they don't offer any meals. The flight attendents are usually pretty funny, but other than that, the flights are usually an epic experience.

Economical, but all in all, no worth it. Long lines are to be expected so get there early, really early. Forget about overhead bin space if you're not super early. The unassigned seating policy will mean that the 120 people who get there 5 hours before you will board first and everything you have will get checked.

I've been on the Southwest e-mail list for years, but it was only recently that I flew them for the first time. My flight was delayed for over an hour and the atmosphere was reminiscent of a public bus. Despite this, I think I got what I paid for; a super-cheap flight that got me to where I wanted to go.

Definitely get what you pay for. Southwest isn't luxury but they give you want you want which is decent service, on time flights, no frills but they get the job done. They certainly are a no nonsense efficient operation.

Sure a Southwest flight can be a cattle car, but you always know what to expect, they are usually ontime or very close to it, the Rapid Rewards program is great, and the employees are always friendly.

SW Airlines is a very good airline. It has suitable prices, and is good w/their customers.