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'. The airlines also advertises that it provides curveside checking for all passengers at all its contact airports. These two factors were totally lacking when I used Southwest to fly from Harlingen, TX to Norfolk, VA on May 13, 2008.

In order to travel, I always request a wheelchair since I am physically disabled to walk great distances. There was no curveside checking service, no wheelchair assistance or friendly staff at the airport. I had to take a taxi to the airport and the driver was not willing to assist me in obtaining a wheelchair. Weakly, I managed to walk into the airport with my heavy luggage and check to see if some airline or airport staff was available to assist me. I found no one available. I somehow managed to get to the checking counter, where I was rudely treated and charged an extra $173 for a ticket that I purchased back in February, 2008. I booked the flight using senior fair rates.

When the counter help looked at my ID, she said that I couldn't fly at that rate since I was not 65. When I booked the flight I was not informed that I had to be 65 to fly at senior faires. So I was charged the extra fee. All this time, I am standing, waiting for a wheelchair.

On the flight home, the flight attendants were not friendly, warm, or helpful in assisting the public with their seats or handling of heavy baggage up into the above seat compartments. Both the attendants were female and only interested in their looks--I watched both look at themselves in the crew cabin's door mirror. There was a preschool child on this flight and they didn't pay him much attention either. I saw one of the attendants take a small alcohol bottle out of the kitchen drawer and back further into the kitchen to take a drink. This event occurred on Flight 37 out of Houston, TX on May 19th, 2008.

When I got to my parents, I called Southwest about the fee issue and they refused to assist me in settling this matter. They just said that I should air my complaint in writing to their Dallas, TX office. So I am about to write them about this and protest my issue in the hopes that this issue can be resolved on the company level. If not, I am reporting them to the FAA. Can you help me with matter or at least allow it to be aired so others will be wise not to use this airline.

I am an 18 year old female. I was going to visit my father in Germany. I was flying on my own for the first time and it was an international flight. I was scheduled to fly from O'hare to Detriot, then Detriot to Frankfurt. I was given an hour and a half between my two flights. I checked in my bags three hours early and gave myself an hour and a half to make my way to the gate. After checking in I checked my flight to make sure it was arriving on time. Everything was set. I said my goodbyes and went through security to my gate. That only took 20 minutes. In that 20 minutes they delayed my flight. I understand these things happen. I went to the counter at the gate and asked if I would be given enough time to board my other flight with the delays. I was told no and she TRIED to rebook me.
I'm not an airline personel. But I believe that you should call the airline and ask if they have another seat avialable. The women did not do that. She procedded to book me for every flight she thought she could get me on. I was told 5 different locations that I would travel to first. They told me my luggage would be taken care of, I would be bumped to first class on my first flight, and I was to have a nice day.

Not too bad so far. I didn't mind changing flights and the upgrade was very nice. I was finally at my correct gate. when our time to board came and passed I was worried. I politely went to the counter and asked again if i would have enough time to board my next flight. I was ignored and recieved an over the shoulder "yea." I figured they would know best and that I was just worried, being it my first time to fly by myself.

I was on a flight to New York's Kennedy airport where I would transfer to my Frankfurt international Flight. We had taken off to late. We landed and I was only given 20 minutes to find my gate and board before it was to take off.

Problem two, we didn't get to our gate for 17 minutes. We were stuck on the plane on the landing strip. I also noticed that my ticket gave no gate number, nor a terminal number. It gave me a flight number, that's it. I politely asked someone where my gate was. I was told that they had already boarded and that it was half way across the airport. If I wanted to catch my flight I should better run. So that's what I did. I sprinted half way across the airport with a carry on bag.

When I made it to my gate I asked the man if I could still get on the flight. He told me no it was getting ready to take off now, and that I should have shown up on time. I started to cry. I had no idea what to do. I tried to show him my ticket that said I was supposed to be on that flight, he told me I was not even in the computer. I continued to cry and he yelled at me to stop yelling at him. I was so confused. I calmed down and told him I had just gotten off one of their airlines flights! I was not late the plane was. He told me that he could do nothing about my luggage but to get on the plane.

I got off my plane hoping for my luggage to be there so I could go to the room and sleep. It was not there. The women apparently forgot to change my luggage from the first flight she booked me. My luggage was in Paris France.

I was not booked on my own flight, only the others that she tried to put me on. But my luggage was to be on every other flight.

I do not trust southwest to fly me anymore. THe only way I would book with them again is if I had several hours in between flights that way if one was delayed i would still be safe to take the flight.

Southwest is rude, and unorganized. It was the worst flying experience I've ever had.

While boarding a recent flight from Las Vegas to Burbank (3/27/08, Flight #2702) I recognized an old friend and sat down next to him in seat 3D near the front of the aircraft. During the pre-flight routine before takeoff we chatted quietly as the one of the female crew staff (Jan) was giving the required safety presentation. Halfway through her delivery she came up to me and asked me to not talk because it was disturbing her. I was totally surprised by this action for several reasons: (1) my conversation with my friend was in a low and moderate tone, and (2) three other men directly across the aisle from me were also talking to each other, as were a number of other passengers in the immediate area of the cabin. As far as I'm concerned this crew member's actions were totally out of line and uncalled for. Why she fixated on me is a total mystery, but I can assure you her actions did not go unnoticed by other passengers who looked at her and shock their heads in disbelief. Maybe "Jan" was having a bad day, may be she's just wired tight; either way if customer service is a priority with SWA I would highly recommend that they consider bringing this young lady in for some remedial training on how to handle passengers who are doing nothing more than having a conversation in their seats.

Southwest Airlines lost my luggage and then sent out rude letters to me calling me a lier and saying that I lied about losing my luggage because I had lost luggage on another carrier.

WARNING!!! SOUTHWEST AIRLINES (a/k/a Southworst sometimes flying cattle car or sardine can) IS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE WORST AIRLINE ON PLANET EARTH!

I was booked on SWA #455 from LAX to ABQ (non-stop, mind you) leaving LAX at 8:10 PM on Sunday 7/22/07, arriving at 10:40 PM on Sunday 7/22/07. I checked two bags at 4:15 PM after standing in line approximately one hour. Then, I stood in the TSA line for another 20 minutes to have my checked bags inspected and passed off to Southwest's fine, highly educated, and absolutely honest baggage handlers.

When I arrived at ABQ and went to the appointed carrousel to pick up my luggage, I was delighted to see my large bag already in the holding area outside of SWA's baggage office (a/k/a a closet). I picked it up without anyone confirming whether it was my bag or not. No SWA personnel were there. I later determined that SWA forwarded the larger bag on an earlier flight.

Then, I noted the second bag (a very expensive Dakota duffle bag) was not in the holding area. I naturally expected it to be coming out with Flight 455 baggage. It didn't.

The Dakota bag cost me $325. Its contents included many personal documents with information that, in the wrong hands, could be used to steal the identities of a number of persons. The Dakota bag also contained an 80 DVD zipper case, nearly full of high end late movies - something anyone would steal if not watched. I estimate the cost of the DVD's to be not less that $1200.

Yes, I must admit, I was an idiot for packing such items! But, give me a break - a non-stop from LAX to ABQ -- how could such a bag possibly get lost? It did BECAUSE A SOUTHWEST AIRLINES BAGGAGE HANDLER STOLE IT JUST FOR THE DVDS.

I am now advised by Southwest that they have "suspended the search for my bag." Note - SWA does not scan in baggage, and therefore has no way to track baggage. They simply lie to the public about this.

Having made claim for the lost luggage, I am offered $30 for my trouble.

I offer this word of warning: never fly southwest airlines.

It hires thieves and drug addicts as baggage handlers.

It lies ever time one of its agents opens his or her mouth.

It is the filthiest airline in the world. I have less gum stuck to my suit pants after riding the nyc subway.

Southwest airlines has absolutely no commitment to customer satisfaction. It is often lauded for making a profit with cheap fares. That's like saying a loan shark makes good money from poor people who cannot qualify for an ordinary loan.

Southwest has the very wrong idea that a cute song by 18 year old flight
Attendant is what customers want. Swa's flight attendants could not recognize a fire if their own hair were ablaze!

I simply wanted to be safely transported from los angeles to albuquerque, without having the airline employees steal my baggage and its contents which were worth in excess of five times the cost of the ticket.

By the way, be sure to shower after flying -to get rid of the texas ticks that plague the plane.