My Perception My Reality

I have always admired Southwest Arilines. I am a big fan of their ads. And their business model. And their corporate culture.

I was seriously impressed when they had referrees combing the tailgate parties at the Cowboy Classic at JerryWorld throwing “flags” with jagtags on them with special offers. I scrapped the crowd to get 8 of them. 8. And NONE of them work. Tried both the text response (as printed on the flags) and QR code. What I thought was genius left me so disappointed. What a bust.

And after this last travel experience with the Dallas darling, I have to ask, is the bloom off the rose?

I have flown Southwest Airlines on only a rare occasion mainly because my miles are locked in on “that” airline that controls DFW. When we were planning this magical spur of the moment trip to be on the Martha Stewart show in NYC, being fiscally responsible was key. We found that connecting flights on Southwest Airlines was the most economical. In fact we chose them over other airlines because they’re, well, Southwest. What the school of airline travel hardknocks taught us though, is that its only the economical choice IF you don’t factor in the hotel room you’ll have to purchase when they strand you in Saint Louis at 11 p.m. at night.

Here’s what happened: Returning home amped up about our mad adventure, we learned at Newark airport that our flight was delayed but don’t worry, they were holding the plane since there were so many of us and we’d make our connection.

Then we were given a later take off time. Still holding the plane.

Then we were regiven the earlier take off time. Possibly still holding the plane, won’t know until it actually is airborne from Baltimore.

Then we were told the bad news. Not holding the plane in Saint Louis for our connection. Our options were to stay in NYC and redo everything in the morning, or stay over in Saint Louis.

Here’s where I go off the hook. I am admittedly not happy about the delay, but whatever. I can roll with a delay. Those things happen. I am even okay with an overnight layover.  I planned for a slow start tomorrow anyway — but when they informed us that we had to pay for our own hotel or “wait” in the airport for our flight that wasn’t leaving until 7 a.m. the next morning, I really felt taken advantage of.

I was in serious disbelief. They told us for an hour and a half that they were holding a plane for us because it was being held in Baltimore for mechanical issues. That’s an hour and a half I could have been working on a different route home. So much for that empty promise of holding the plane. When the official word then changed to “air traffic control issues,” I knew something was up. In other words, not a Southwest Airline’s problem, take it up with air traffic control.  The counter girl even braggadociosly added that Newark airport is tops in the country for air traffic control delays. Um really? This legitimizes this particular moment for me?

I asked to be put on another airline, “We are not affiliated with any other airlines.”

I asked to be refouted, “There’s nothing to put you on.”

I asked for hotel vouchers, “It’s not our fault.”

I asked for their twitter handle, “I have no idea.” The counter girl next to the focus of my elevated conversation pipes in with, “Twitter?! I don’t know how to Twitter! Ha! I don’t know!” And continues to cackle about the absurdity of my last question.

Basically we were told that it was a supplier issue (supplier being air traffic control) and not the airline’s issue. It’s not like as passengers, we have a manufacturer’s warranty to take it up with. Southwest, in my opinion, this is a cost of doing business. You left 20 people on that flight in St Louis to fend for themselves.

Or did they?

There was no gate agent meeting us in Saint Louis. However, a small handful of passengers sought out another counter person who happily handed them one each of a stack of pink slips granting a $59 stay at local hotels. We learned this standing in line for our 7 a.m. flight THE NEXT DAY – because all of our boarding passes were together and we recognized each other from the hotel. Like we wouldn’t talk with each other after a bad experience? What really stung was the memory of checking into our $184 room next to the flight crew who just signed a notebook and walked in for free. Not that I expect them to pay, but the timing was not ideal for two steaming ladies who were ticked off about spending roughly $1.63 per minute of shut eye that was not their fault. Then we found out SOME of the passengers got the coupon. WTH.

I’ll admit to becoming a hater and took my rant to the interwebs, tweeting the unfolding injustice on Twitter. I was curious if the stories of @southwestair responding were true. I did get two responses that evening. One an acknowledgment, let me see if there’s anything I can do. Another, recognizing my frustration and again checking into it.

The next morning came another couple tweets from Southwest. Apparently they were going to try to make it right and offered $200 travel vouchers for each of us, promising to send the via email. This subsided my initiated tweets, but I was still getting friend comments about no #luv. Not that I was excited about flying Southwest Airlines again, but I do have a trip next month that I haven’t booked which I would consider using it for. I can justify the hotel bill as a pay it forward travel investment. That is, if this allusive voucher ever comes. That was more than 24 hours ago and neither of us have received our consolation prize.

So I’m just sayin’ let the buyer beware. Southwest, has a great ad agency and do a lot of things right when it comes to air travel, but this was a major financial fail. As I relive this amazing day with all my family and friends — both real and virtual, put it in my scrapbook, tell my kid about it,  scratch it off my bucket list, it will always be tainted with that ridiculousness that you put us through. And that’s just sad.

Update: Upon posting this, @southwestair messaged me that the voucher takes 5 days to arrive. I hate to be the squeeky wheel gets the grease, but looks like they may come through. And as Martha says, “That’s a good thing.”

2nd Update: I just received my travel voucher as promised. Should I give them another shot?

 

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