I recently traveled with Southwest Airlines from Omaha to Phoenix on Flight #620 (Departed Omaha at 6:05 p.m. with arrival in Phoenix at 8:05 p.m.) on February 24, 2010. After arriving to my hotel room in Phoenix, I noticed that my luggage zipper was at the bottom versus the top of the bag – as I had packed and closed by luggage bag. Upon opening the bag I noticed that clothing was disheveled and that no TSA Notification Document was present in the bag. At that time, I noticed that my new Ray-Ban prescription sunglasses and case were missing. I double and triple checked my luggage and no sunglasses. I thought, gee - maybe I did leave them in the care - although I knew this was not the case. On my return from my trip, they were were not there and were obviously stolen by someone who had access to my luggage from time of checking in my baggage and picking it up in Phoenix. I travel a lot and this is the first time this has ever happened. I am very upset with the fact that my sunglasses were stolen and that I was unable to use these during my Arizona business trip and vacation. I immediately contacted Southwest Airlines on my return and they took a week to send me the paperwork. Then after waiting two weeks, I contacted them and they then denied receiving my complaint. so, I faxed it and then had to follow up a week later. southwest then denied the claim after two more contacts with no response because they want video proof!. I cannot believe that anyone can allow this to happen. The message is that no item is safe in a checked in bag with Southwest Airlines. Although bags fly free, you end up paying more to purchase items stolen by their employees! Shame on you Southwest!

I'd purchased a Southwest Airlines ticket on 3/10/2009 for $126.80 confirmation # JB27JW parts of the payment I used to pay for this ticket were: 1) a refund credit from confirmation# J4F677 for $63.00 2) a refund credit from confirmation # 225HYJ for $28.70 these two refund credits would be expired on 7/3/2009 if I don't use them 3) I also paid with my credit card for $35.10 for the totals of $126.80
On 5/22/2009 I called and cancelled the ticket since I couln't make the trip, I used $30 credit from $126.80 refund credit to pay for part of my niece's travel, so I still have $96.80 credit in my account, this amount would also be expired on 7/3/2009. I called Southwest Airlines the 1-800 number again around June the 20th, 2009 and asked if I could extend the $96.80 credit that would expired in July and were told by Southwest Airlines ticket representative that I would have a year from July 7/3/2009 to extend and I will need to pay $50 for extending the expired ticket, as always I believed what the representative told me as I
know in the past their policy for extending credit is always within a year and I've done this before so I wasn't worry. Last night I called the 1 -800 Southwest number to extend the credit since I will need another trip in April and can use the left over credit, after being on held for 30' the representative told me to call the Customer relation corporate number instead to extend my credit. I called the Customer relation 214-792-4223 this morning and was waited for almost one hour to get someone on the line.
This guy named Stewart told me all my credits were expired in July 09 and I had 6 months from the expired date to extend since this is Feb 11 all my credits were lost. I told him that not what I was told, I was told by Southwest ticket representative that I have a year from the expired date to extend, no matter what I'v tried to explain to him, he was rude and arrogant, he kept trying to hang up on me he told me that I was misinformed by Southwest representative and the case is closed he won't give me any credit back. I asked him I need to talk to a supervisor to get to the bottom of this matter since I didn't know they change the rule from a year credit extending to 6 months and didn't even notify me
even the Southwest 1-800 number people told me it's a year. He refused to transfer me to a supervisor, he said he is a supervisor and can't help me. I told him I'll report this incident to Channel 7 he said and I quoted " Go ahead and report to Channel 7, say hi to them for me"
THIS GUY IS A JERK!!! he shouldn't be representing Southwest Airlines at all, what kind a customer relation is this?

Based on my research this is not an isolated issue. Using a basic Google search I have found that there is someone else who has had a very similar experience with the same person at the LAS airport.

This incident happened on August 12, 2009. I flew from SWA Portland, Oregon to Las Vegas on 8/9/09. For my return trips I was booked on flight 1325, confirmation number NPRXIX from Las Vegas to Portland, Oregon on 8/12/09. Disabled with a back injury and mental disability (Recognized by the ADA) I was discriminated against and humiliated without regard to factual evidence. Had this happened in Oregon before flying to Vegas I would have had the choice to go home and not take the flight. Instead this happened where I would be stranded in Las Vegas with no idea of how I would get home to my underage daughter which caused extreme anxiety for me.

An attendant supervisor came up to me while I was seated in my wheelchair at the gate waiting for my flight with people on each side of me and across from me. I was not able to remember her name, but this happened at gate C5. She had short Dark hair and was thin. She asked if I had 2 tickets for my flight. I responded that yes, I had one for myself and my husband. She then said I needed to have 2 tickets for myself for the flight to Portland. I was baffled because I had never experienced this before. I didn't know what she was talking about. She said that it is the policy of Southwest that I purchase another seat. No explanation why, so I had to assume it had to do with my size. Of note, I was approached immediately after my husband had left my side to go purchase food at the airport. I explained that I fit in the seat just fine as I had flown from Portland, where I live, to Las Vegas without incident. She said that she was sorry I wasn't told before, but that I
would not be allowed on the plane without the purchase of an additional seat. At this point I started having trouble breathing and having an anxiety/panic attack. I called my advocate, a close family relative, to speak for me because I became unable to speak or breathe freely. My advocate explained to the supervisor that I have a mental disability and that she was advocating for me. The supervisor gave the same stonewalling to my advocate and returned the phone to me. As soon as I was off the phone the supervisor came back...even after being told that I had a mental disability she insisted on pushing me further. I informed her that she needed to stop and leave as I was having an anxiety/panic attack brought on by her judgments of me that were unfounded in fact. She persisted and I explained that she needed to leave again. All of this took place, not in a discreet and compassionate way as described on the SWA website, but rather with reckless abandon. She had no regard what so ever to my mental disability that she had been informed of by my advocate or that this was being handled in a very public manner. Finally after asking for the third time for her to leave she did. My husband returned after getting food to find me in tears unable to catch my breath. He went to talk to the supervisor who gave him the same rude and uncaring attitude. My husband asked to speak to her supervisor to which she replied she does not have a supervisor and there is no one above her. My advocate was on the phone with SWA customer service during this time explaining the issue and reiterating my mental disability and anxiety/panic attack. On the phone the agent stated that since my husband was sitting next to me this should not be an issue. They agreed to call the supervisor. They got back on the phone and agreed to have a different supervisor come over, but said that the persons name was Scott.

Razzy T arrived and with an expressionless face and a tone to his speech refused to listen to me at all. We again called my advocate to talk to him explaining that I needed him to talk to her instead of me. My advocate needed to speak for me due to the severity of my panic attack at this point. Razzy refused to talk to my advocate. Razzy refused to let me have the phone near him so that my advocate could hear what he was saying. Razzy repeated over and over that it was a judgment call that based their opinion that I needed a second seat. I again explained that I did not require a seat as the arm rest goes up and down just fine. Razzy continued on with no regard to the fact that I was having trouble breathing and in a full blown anxiety attack that is clear to everyone near me. I told him that I could not talk to him anymore due to my anxiety/panic attack. He continued on and still refused to talk to my advocate who I needed to speak for me due to my attack. I could
not breathe, I could not speak and I was falling apart in the middle of the airport, again with people all around me. Razzy would not leave. I repeated that I was done talking to him because he would not listen to me. My husband asked him to leave. In his same tone and expressionless face he repeated that I needed to purchase an additional seat. I informed him that he was discriminating against me based on disability. Especially when it was clear that he would not look at the evidence and refused to talk to my advocate. My advocate was necessary and on the phone with me during the entire conversation and heard everything Razzy T said. I simply had the phone up to my ear so that she could hear. Therefore, we do have a witness to the treatment I received. I kept telling Razzy to please talk to my advocate, he continued to refuse. It seemed to me that he did not want to resolve this matter in any way other than to force me to buy the 2nd seat. My husband repeated that Razzy needed to talk to my advocate. He didn't seem to want a witness to the mistreatment, but my advocate was able to hear the entire conversation and will attest to what she heard. The way I was treated was unlawful and unacceptable treatment in regards to my disability. I was in a wheelchair and clearly having an anxiety/panic attack. Not only the disregard for my mental disability, the fact that it was CLEAR that I was having an anxiety/panic attack, but also the humiliation of this being done in front of the entire waiting area. Nothing discreet about that at all. Finally he left me alone...in full hysterics and I couldn't breathe. This was now the worst anxiety/panic attack I have ever experienced in my life. I felt like I was going to die.

By the policy stated on the Southwest Airlines website, if the arm rest can go up and down it is NOT required to purchase a second seat. If SWA is going to have that as the definitive gauge then there needs to be a way to show that, not left up to the "judgment" of others. When it is left up to the judgment of others it creates a precarious situation allowing for discrimination and bias judgments. Especially when it turns out to only be manufactured in the agents head, as was this case and the previous case involving Razzy T and another passenger. Fitting between the armrests was not an issue. I got from PDX to Vegas without incident. I needed to get home to my underage daughter.

The plane started boarding and we had our preboarding slip and were escorted onto the plane. Razzy and the other supervisor were not around. I had hoped that the issue had been dropped and I could finally just return home. Once seated we took numerous pictures of me seated in the seat with the armrest down. Furthermore we took video of me seated moving the arm rest up and down without issue. Razzy told the gate attendant to then take me OFF the plane. The gate attendant, who was very nice explained Razzy had requested to speak with me and have me removed from the plane. We cooperated. I get to the ticket desk and Razzy does not say anything. I try to show him the pictures proving I fit in the seat. He refused to look at it. My husband tried to show him the picture. Razzy does everything NOT to look at the evidence. He refused to look at it always diverting his eyes. He made it clear that he made a decision and no matter what he was not going to listen or cooperate with us. How is this compassionate? Razzy then said again that I had to buy the 2nd seat. Razzy was clearly discriminating against me based on his own personal opinion, which was inaccurate based on the policy set forth by SWA of which we had proof.

Even after I had proof that I fit in the seat fine...the arm rest going up and down without issue. Razzy REFUSED to look at the evidence...People were getting on the plane at least as big as me with NO extra seat. This one man who was larger than me got off the flight that had just arrived...I talked to him and his wife. He was not required to buy an extra seat either. I was targeted and it was clear I was targeted. We have pictures of other "customers of size" with their permission who were NOT required to buy that extra seat. More and more evidence we had the less Razzy paid attention. Razzy REFUSED to look at the video and photo proof. Razzy refused to listen at all to me, my advocate or my husband. So I spent 7 hours in panic mode unable to remain calm...because of someone's opinion. 7 hours that turned into many more hours. Razzy admitted several times that it was based on a JUDGMENT call on his part. This was a judgment of discrimination. Razzy and the other supervisor pushed me over the edge with no regards to the fact that they were further contributing to a disabling panic attack. These anxiety/panic attacks are real and cause pronounced physical issues.

What happened to me was wrong, discriminatory and offensive. It was discrimination based on the personal opinion of 2 people who had no intention of listening to me. Not to mention that I was in a wheelchair...standard wheelchair and I fit in it just fine...they harassed me over and over even after I told them they needed to stop due to my having an anxiety/panic attack in the middle of an airport...This was the most traumatic experience of my life...and it was completely unnecessary. I was constantly harassed and with reckless abandon pushed into a disabling anxiety/panic attack that I was admitted to the hospital upon my return to Portland. Is this the kind of service that one should expect from SWA and it's employees?

We booked a later flight out of a different gate at LAS. I spent the entire time at the airport and the plane ride home in a full anxiety/panic attack and uncomfortable. I have never been so humiliated or treated with such blatant disrespect and disregard of my disabilities by ANYONE in my entire life. This was a clear reckless infliction of emotional distress and harassment that was completely uncalled for and not within the policies of SWA listed on the website.

This isn't about being asked to buy a second seat...if I didn't fit in one seat I would have understood. But I DID fit, exactly according to the guidelines on the SWA website. This isn't about whether or not they were right to approach me. Although I would say it is hard for SWA enforce a policy some of the time and expect people to accept it. Based on my research others have had this same experience with Razzy T. Clearly this is not an isolated issue. This is about the complete and utter disregard for my disabilities as they continued to harass and intimidate me in the middle of the airport and the lack of discretion and compassion in which this was handled. The blatant disregard for the unnecessary emotional distress caused by these 2 SWA supervisors. Not to mention the fact that they refused over and over to look at the factual evidence that would have resolved this matter. The fact that I fit in the seat. But instead I was removed from the plane to be further
humiliated and pushed further in my anxiety/panic attack to the point it was disabling. The thought of being stranded in Las Vegas and being unable to get home to my underage daughter was so overwhelming. I am a plus size women and I do take up ALL of the seat, but I do not need the room of more than one seat. My body STOPS at the area in between the 2 seats, thereby only needing ONE seat by your own policy. My bottom half is smaller than my upper half. But SWA policy clearly states that it doesn't matter if my shoulders take up 3 seats only if my hips do. When the issue escalated and we were given no options for going above the supervisor and their insistence on pushing the issue to the point of a disabling anxiety/panic attack it became a more serious issue. This never should have escalated to the level it did.

The way this was handled from start to finish was not within the "discreet" nature described on SWA's website. The mission statement on the SWA website states, "The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit." This is far from what I experienced with the supervisors on August 12, 2009. Furthermore, the constant harassment and humiliation over several hours by Razzy T and the other supervisor pushing me to the disabling point of a panic attack is not showing that SWA cares about it's customers.

On August 28, 2009 I received a response from John in customer service. No apology for the mistreatment I received, only stating that they were sorry with the inconsistency of the enforcement of the policy in Portland. Again, SWA can't "sometimes" enforce a policy and expect people to just accept it. I appreciate that my 2nd seat is being refunded, but this matter goes way beyond the 2nd seat purchase as you can see by the information above. (Note: I am still waiting for the credit to my account for this 2nd seat). The refund of the 2nd seat is not sufficient in this case. As a direct result of the behavior exhibited by these supervisors there is now a hospital bill, the prolonged reoccurring anxiety and psychological effects this has had and the suffering as a result of this experience.

Southwest airlines is great UNTIL there is a problem. When there is, FORGET about getting it resolved. I recently had my luggage lost on Southwest. My bag had medications and a few other things in it other than clothes. I was told, I should have had better sense than to check my bag with medicine in it and if I needed to get it filled, I should PAY to go to an emergency room and have a doctor see me to get the prescription filled. I was then basically called a liar about when i had called in and what was said. Their customer service is the worse I have ever seen. I know as soon as I get home, I will NEVER<NEVER fly SW again!!! They could care less about you if there is a proiblem. They even tried to say someone had stolen my bag instead of it going to the wrong place. Customer service is pathetic. I was aLSO TOLD THAT THEY WOULD ONLY REIMBURSE $50.00 FOR LOST LUGGAGE! WOW, that ALMOST pays for the bag. REALLY BAD COMPANY. they will fall fast and hard with this type of service.

I flew with Southwest Airlines last week. It was a direct flight and when I arrived to my destination I discovered that several items were missing from my bag.

My luggage was not damaged so I didn't even think to check the content before I arrived at my hotel.

The missing items were clothing and a bottle of perfume which was hidden inside the bag. I remember packing the items because several of them were gifts and I wrapped them.

I contacted the Southwest Airlines but they could not help me because "it was more than 4 hours since I arrived and my luggage didn't show any damage".

Next time I fly I am sealing my bag.