Why We Fly Southwest

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It’s 2:00 PM EDT. Right now Helaine and I should be taxiing to the gate at LAX on-board Southwest Flight 215, a one stop from Bradley to the coast.

Have they noticed we’re not on the plane?

A missing piece of paper would have kept us from completing all the tasks on our trip, so we canceled. We did it just before midnight for a 6:30 AM flight. The penalty for cancellation, zero!

This afternoon Helaine rebooked the trip, combining it with a trip to Arizona (Happy 100th Aunt Sue) already planned with tickets purchased. That meant changing more flights. The penalty for rebooking, zero!

Southwest didn’t refund our money. There is a limit to their largess. Instead it’s on account and available to use–100% of it.

While other airlines seem too upset to even deal with you as a passenger, Southwest seems genuinely glad to have our business.

I’m not quite sure I understand why Southwest’s fares aren’t part of the booking consortiums like Expedia and Travelocity? Because of that, most people don’t see Southwest’s fares (often higher until you factor in the baggage charges you aren’t paying) or even know where they fly.

Southwest has been a consumer friendly experience for as long as we’ve been flying them. Being loyal, flying Southwest almost exclusively and even using a Southwest credit card is our way of saying thanks.

Today Southwest said you’re welcome.