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Travel with Special Needs Passenger

aychyi
Explorer C

I traveled alone with my disabled son and gate agent refused pre-boarding even though we had requested that on the reservation. The gate agent told me since I was traveling with my disabled son, I could help him and no accommodations from Southwest.

 

The flight attendant was very rude while I helped my son. She told me that I was blocking the boarding. Instead of providing actual assistance, she fussed at us numerous times. Other passengers actually stepped forward and helped us. The flight attendant refused to tell me her first name. Based on my experience, this is not the airline to fly with if you have special needs passenger with you.

 

I filed a complaint over a week ago and no one from Southwest contacted me even though I had requested a call back on my complaint.

12 REPLIES 12

Re: Travel with Specail Needs Passenger

SWDigits
Aviator A

Something doesn't sound right.

 

Probably the fastest way to get a response from Southwest is through Twitter -- their Twitter handle and additional contact options, to include phone numbers, are available by clicking on the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of the forum pages.


Customer | Home airport DCA

Re: Travel with Specail Needs Passenger

aychyi
Explorer C

Thank you for the suggestion of Twitter. Whether Southwest decides to respond/handle my concern after filing over a week ago, it is good to let other families with special needs members know about our experience. I almost cried while the flight attendant fussed at us because I frantically tried to help my son so we could be out of the way.

 

I had informed the flight attendant that my son has disabilities, still the flight attendant told me to move my son next to me (we both took aisle seats for ease of getting up/out without bothering other passengers).

 

I advised the flight attendant that we first needed to get him off the seat (he was trapped with the seat belt and the backpack under the seat infront). No help from the flight attendant with that.

 

I would have very much appreciated some compassion ... another passenger observed the problem and discretely step forward to help us by showing the latch under the armrest to lift the armrest so my son could get up. Another passenger who had wanted to sit next to my son gently said "I can sit next to you instead ... your son did not need to get up right at this second".

 

In my complaint to Southwest, I told them the helpfulness and kindness was missing from the flight attendants. And to tell me that they do not need to give me their first name is amazing - while they wear name tag. My eyesight just is not good enough to see the small font ... Overall, a bad service attitude!

Re: Travel with Specail Needs Passenger

dfwskier
Aviator A

@aychyi wrote:
 

I filed a complaint over a week ago and no one from Southwest contacted me even though I had requested a call back on my complaint.


Sorry to hear of your bad experience.

 

How did you file your complaint? I've gotten almost immediate response when I complained.

As said earlier in the thread, you can contact the airline via twitter -- also via phone or e-mail.

 

 

https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Knowledge-Base/Submitting-a-Suggestion-and-or-Complaint/ta-...

Re: Travel with Specail Needs Passenger

aychyi
Explorer C

Hello! Thank you. Over a week ago, I filed a complaint at the link you provided. I had asked for a call back at the end of my written complaint. Other than a non-specific response of "we received your response and are looking into it", nothing else came back.

 

I called this morning and spoke to an agent at customer relation and gave her the reference number. She looked it up and told me it is being looked at and she is not sure when I will hear back. I told her that I had asked for a call back because I could not have fit all the details in the complaint (character limit). She said I would get an email response only.

 

I am looking into Twitter ... just thought as a customer, I should be able to file a complaint and receive a review/response ... There are other families with special needs passengers. Southwest needs to be sensitive and helpful if they wish to keep customers with special needs. Our experience with Southwest suggests this is not an area they pay attention to.

Re: Travel with Specail Needs Passenger

NicoleAshley
Employee
Employee
Solution

Hi @aychyi! I'm so sorry we let you and your son down when you requested preboarding. Due to the nature of your concern and the method in which you reached out, your service request would have been assigned to a Customer Advocacy Specialist in our Customer Relations Department, which can take a little longer. Feel free to reach out to Customer Relations in order to receive a status check. Twitter might be your quickest bet if you have an account. If not, give them a call at 1-855-234-4654. Thank you!

 

Nicole
Community Manager

Re: Travel with Specail Needs Passenger

aychyi
Explorer C

Hello! Thank you for reaching out to communicate. I had already called the Customer Relation number yesterday after filing a complaint over a week ago. I joined this forum after that because I felt Southwest was just ignoring me.

 

The agent at the Customer Relation simply told me it is being reviewed and she does not know when we would hear back and she also said I will only get an email response even though I had requested a phone call to provide full details.

 

The concerns are not just with pre-boarding ... it is more for after we boarded that we needed help, the flight attendant really went out of her way to put us on the spot. The fact the flight attendant chastised me while I frantically tried to help my son was wrong. I feel strongly for Southwest to adddress this and provide re-assurance other families with special needs passengers could have more compassionate handling.

Re: Travel with Specail Needs Passenger

NicoleAshley
Employee
Employee

@aychyi wrote:

Hello! Thank you for reaching out to communicate. I had already called the Customer Relation number yesterday after filing a complaint over a week ago. I joined this forum after that because I felt Southwest was just ignoring me.

 

The agent at the Customer Relation simply told me it is being reviewed and she does not know when we would hear back and she also said I will only get an email response even though I had requested a phone call to provide full details.

 

The concerns are not just with pre-boarding ... it is more for after we boarded that we needed help, the flight attendant really went out of her way to put us on the spot. The fact the flight attendant chastised me while I frantically tried to help my son was wrong. I feel strongly for Southwest to adddress this and provide re-assurance other families with special needs passengers could have more compassionate handling.


I'm sorry to hear that you didn't get the status clarification you needed. You might reach out to @Southwestair on Twitter to explain that you are trying to understand when you can expect your written response. Thanks!

Nicole
Community Manager

Re: Travel with Specail Needs Passenger

aychyi
Explorer C

@NicoleAshleyHi! Did you mark my posting as solved with a solution? Your response did not address my concerns. If you had marked it solved, please un-mark it because I still have not heard back from Southwest.

 

If I had checked that by accident, please advise how I can uncheck it. My concerns are still outstanding.

Re: Travel with Specail Needs Passenger

SWDigits
Aviator A

@aychyi wrote:

@NicoleAshleyHi! Did you mark my posting as solved with a solution? Your response did not address my concerns. If you had marked it solved, please un-mark it because I still have not heard back from Southwest.

 

If I had checked that by accident, please advise how I can uncheck it. My concerns are still outstanding.


I'm pretty sure it's marked as solved because, from a forum perspective, you have the information to get resolution.  You're still waiting for resolution but you have the information to get it, if that makes sense.


Customer | Home airport DCA