ComplaintsforSouthwest Airlines Company
Need to file a complaint?
BBB is here to help. We'll guide you through the process.
Complaint Details
Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. See details.
Initial Complaint
04/11/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I had a delayed flight on Friday April 5th from ******** to *******. The flight was delayed 7 hours and their only offered me $15 voucher for food and $300 flight credit for future use. Why would I want to fly with them again? I deserve better then that.Business response
04/11/2024
Attached is the response to BBB Complaint #********Initial Complaint
04/10/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
We booked a flight with Southwest airlines. Confimation 2LLTK9. Since the time we booked the flight, more and more has come to the surface regarding ****** planes. Specifically, Southwest had a ****** 737 Max * just days ago that lost an engine cover mid-flight. This is on the heels of another one losing a door plug. Needless to say, when I saw that my family of 6 is scheduled to fly on a ****** 737 Max * in May, we want to drive and not get on those flights. Southwest is only willing to give me a flight credit. I do not want a flight credit, I want a refund. Until the *** can get a handle on the ****** industry and airline mishaps lately, I'm not putting my family on a flight.Business response
04/17/2024
Attached is the response to BBB Complaint 21555228.Initial Complaint
04/09/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Customer Service Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
No response to conplaint#******** On a flight from ***** to *******. The seatbelt sign was on 34 minutes before we landed. My wife asked the flight attendant if my 5 year old daughter could use the restroom. The seatbelt sign has been on for awhile. The flight attendant said no. So my daughter did not use the restroom on the plane. However, the flight attendant allowed two adult passengers to get up and use the restroom when we were 20 minutes from landing.Initial Complaint
04/09/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I have a flight coming up next month i need to cancel, the website said i qould be allowed to upgrade my ticket and cancel for a full refund and when i called southwest to do so they denied allowing this even though is advertised on there website and apBusiness response
04/10/2024
BBB Complaint ******** was handled by email on 4/10/2024Initial Complaint
04/06/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Unanswered
Complaint Against Southwest Airlines and their Flight Attendants: Charity ********* ID: ****** Meinka ********* ID: ******* ***** ********* ID: ******* -I had called Southwest **************** multiple times to confirm that a Doctors Release Letter was the only Documentation required before I booked my flight. Why the airport staff at the gate had to call the supervisor to verify this and hold me up for my boarding turned out to be a huge problem. Why the information provided is so inconsistent? -Even if Southwest gate staff needed to make an additional Baby Boarding Pass, why didnt they allow me to board with my baby and non-English speaking nanny to get them situated first? Especially considering that not having a Baby Boarding Pass was not my mistake to begin with. Not to mention I had paid for early boarding. -According to Southwest policy and marketing scheme, passengers are free to choose where they are sitting, why did Southwest Flight Attendants ***** and ****** demanded and forced my nanny to sit in the back? Even after my nanny showed them our A4 and A5 Boarding Passes. -Why did I have to take my baby out of the secured and strapped baby backpack during taking-off, landing and taxiing? The baby holder was meant to hold the baby securely and safely during travel. They put my baby in danger, this is absolutely not acceptable to me. - What I would like to find out is why Boarding Pass is not required for the infant on Southwest Airline online travel guide, but Southwest gate agent made it a mandatory requirement for my infant child to board the plane? - Meinka spit into the water cups before she ****** them to us. - Why are passengers not able to have access to full disclosure in writing on Southwest Flight Policy when requested to perform a certain task? I have the right to know if a policy that seems wrong and dangerous to my child is truly the company policy. There are more to this story, but not enough space here.Initial Complaint
04/05/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Answered
Southwest refuses to refund for flight tickets booked in December of 2023. Since the date of booking, there have been multiple reports of a variety of failures on ****** airplanes, both operational and in-flight incidents, up to and including the date of the filing of this complaint. As Southwest Airlines utilizes only ****** airplanes, I have lost any and all confidence in maintaining my safety and my family's safety while on board a Southwest Airlines flight. My complaint is due to the fact that they are only willing to issue a credit for future use, while at the same time being unable guarantee the safety, within a reasonable standard, for my family and myself. Why would I ever choose to fly with them in the future? I have contacted my credit card company to refuse the charge previously made for this purchase.Business response
04/08/2024
Attached is the response to BBB Complaint ********.Initial Complaint
04/04/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
I cant travel no long due to my dad declining health i uploaded a drs letter received an email from ****** from Southwest on 4/3/2024 told me documentation would be acceptable if i sent the drs note. I can be reached at **********Business response
04/17/2024
BBB Complaint ******** was addressed by phone on 04/17/2024.Customer response
04/17/2024
I have reviewed the business response and accept this resolution.Initial Complaint
04/03/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
To whom it may concern, Per this email please review all attachments Im writing in reference to total chaos. Flight on time flight cancelled. Called sw at 204pm was told 710 pm from *** to pgh not available. When I clearly showed on my phone available then phone stated not available. Booked hotel to find out not refundable as we thought we had to wait until 4/4 to get on a flight that sw booked at their convenience. We all work so we needed to get back to *** asap. This is a lot to explain so please call me if there is confusion ** ******************* **********Business response
04/04/2024
Attached is the response to BBB Complaint 21527308Initial Complaint
04/02/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I was a victim of Southwest Airlines disruption of operations on 12/26/2022. My flight from ************ to ********** was cancelled. I was forced to buy an ******** Airlines ticket on 12/26/2022 for $221.60 and pay for food in *********** for $70.19. These purchased were approved and reimbursed by Southwest. The reimbursement check arrived in November, 2023 and unfortunately, was lost. I filed a claim with Southwest, #********, and on 12/4/2023, I received a text from Southwest representative *******************. He acknowledged the lost check and sated they couldn't void and reissue another check until after 30 days of the original check issue. I was instructed to follow up with the Refunds team on 12/21/2023 which I did. On 1/26/2024 I contacted Southwest and inquired how my case [number provided] request was going? They responded that due to the nature of the request, they had escalated it and would get back to me asap. On 2/26/2024 I requested a call back to discuss any difficulties regarding the reissuing of the check. My contact information was provided. To date, I have not heard anything else from Southwest Airlines.Business response
04/05/2024
Attached is the response to BBB Complaint ********Initial Complaint
04/02/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I bought plane tickets using my CC for me (*********************), my two children ******* and *** (my girlfriend is not the mother of ******* and ***), my girlfriend ************************* and her daughter *************************** (my girlfriend and I have a son ************************* under 2 years old that was free for this flight). Months later, without my consent, the tickets were cancelled by ****** and each individual person received credit in the form of a dollar value. I found out the flights were canceled because when I called Southwest to cancel these tickets around September 2023, I was told the flight had already been canceled a month prior. Without my consent again, ****** called Southwest and was somehow able to transfer or book different flights using my two children and my airline credits (again, these children are not her children). I found this out because when I called Southwest in November 2023 to book a flight, my credit balance was very low. The initial balance for ********************** and Myself was $171.13 each. After credit was taken from our balances we each had $22.66 left; taking $445.41 from me and my two children. I have contacted Southwest multiple times with case numbers of ********, ******** and ********. I also contacted Fliers rights and each times Southwest responds back telling me they are sorry my girlfriend stole my credit card which is not the issue here. I asked Southwest to have my credits transferred back to me and was told they cannot transfer credits from one person to another although my girlfriend had done this to me (the reason for me being in this situation), I am just looking to get the initial credits back to ********************** and myself.Business response
04/03/2024
Attached is the response to BBB Complaint 21519552Customer response
04/03/2024
I am rejecting this response because:
I do not think it is acceptable. An account was created initially not by me with Southwest but by *************************. She had the itinerary information from a flight she cancelled under me and my children, then using and separate account she made under her name took the credits from the account she made in my name, transferred the credits to her own account. This has nothing to do with my credit card company. This was fraudulent behavior through Southwest by *************************. My two young children and I were victims. Do you not agree? I feel my credits should be returned to me and my children. Allowing this kind of behavior on your behalf would be unethical from my point of view.
*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩
BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation.
Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of BBB Rating
Customer Complaints Summary
1,876 total complaints in the last 3 years.
1,363 complaints closed in the last 12 months.