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Thanks For A Terrible Anniversary Flight

Shawnwilson101
Explorer C

Started in ONT to MDW, plane was literally freezing - with multiple customers complaining and shivering for 4 hours. Response from attendant: “Yeah not sure what happened”. 

 

Returning from MDW to ONT, Gate attendant made a physically aggressive gesture/comment to my wife at the gate. Then, we booked at non-stop flight that had to stop in another state to refuel (no weather/airport issues). 

 

I fly SW almost every other week - what is happening to this company?

7 REPLIES 7

Re: Thanks For A Terrible Anniversary Flight

CareforNOLA
Frequent Flyer A

@Shawnwilson101,

i am sorry for this group of problems.  It sounds like a very unusual situation which hopefully would not happen again.  If you write to customer service about the gate agent, they may be able to offer something to help resolve the situation.  That sounds very unusual, but the gate attendant may have been having a bad day or they might even be new to the company.  

 

I hope you will give the company another chance, and I certainly hope this combo of issues will never happen to you again.

Re: Thanks For A Terrible Anniversary Flight

Passenger1C
Aviator C

This is the exact reason why I always carry a sweatshirt in my carry-on. 

 

As for the aggressive gesture by the gate agent, what was it and what caused it? This behavior does not sound like the typical interactions I have had with SWA. 


SWA Passenger, Community Champion

Re: Thanks For A Terrible Anniversary Flight

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@Passenger1C wrote:

This is the exact reason why I always carry a sweatshirt in my carry-on. By chance did you ask the FA for a blanket?  If not that’s always another option. 

 

FYI: Southwest doesn't have blankets.

 

 

Re: Thanks For A Terrible Anniversary Flight

rtbarron
Frequent Flyer A

@Shawnwilson101 wrote:

non-stop flight that had to stop in another state to refuel (no weather/airport issues). 

 


By any chance are you on Southwest 5730 that diverted to Albuquerque or 323 (yesterday) that diverted to Kansas City? Both of those flights diverted due to enroute weather.
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Re: Thanks For A Terrible Anniversary Flight

bec102896
Aviator A

@Shawnwilson101 

 

Sorry to hear you had had a bad experience. I would suggest you reach out to southwest on Twitter in a DM or call customer relations at 855-234-4654 to discuss your experience and they can look in to your flight complaints 

 

hope this helps

Blake

Re: Thanks For A Terrible Anniversary Flight

dfwskier
Aviator A

Sorry to hear about your bad experience.

 

SW likely didn't know about the overcooling issue before departure. Maybe it did. Either way SW likely would have had to make a decision. 1) If the plane had already departed, either return to ONT

to fix the problem or divert to another airport to fix the problem. .or. 2) If SW knew of the problem before departure,

either delay the departure  to fix the problem or if it could not fix the problem, cancel the flight. Either way, you would have either faced delays or a cancellation.  Would that option felt better to you?

 

So the decision that SW made was to continue with the flight because there was no safety issue.

 

I've flown a lot, and have run in to "cold" airplanes on virtually every airline that I've flown: American, Delta, United, Continental, et all. It just happens sometimes. As another person suggested, it  makes sense to carry a long sleeved "something" you can slip on in case you run in to the issue. I Do.

 

Another suggestion would be to make sure that the air vent above you is in the off position. Since your seat mates were also likely cold, suggesting they close their vents might be appropriate. Also making a suggestion that the flight attendant make a general anouncement to everyone on the plane that it would help the overcolling event if everyone closed their air vents. I have been on flights where that request was made.

 

 

As to the "aggressive" gate agent, as another person asked, I'm also interested in what he/she did.

Hopefully, you got the agents name. Also, as other have suggested, perhaps a call to customer relations is in order.

 

Normally, SW employees are far more curteous than employees of other airlines. Maybe your gate agent was having a bad day. In any case, if the agent did something aggressive to you, that is something that should not have happened.

Re: Thanks For A Terrible Anniversary Flight

elijahbrantley
Aviator A

I would take that over an August flight out of LGA with no AC any day (another airline). Unfortunately, it is a tough situation; I would rather be cold than be delayed. 

 

As for the flight attendant interaction; that sound very unlike a SW employee. As other have said, I would encourage you to store your thoughts directly with the airline. 

-A List, Companion Pass holder