San Antonio woman flies Southwest and plans for new policy change. She gets put on standby anyway: ‘I would never fly with southwest airlines again’
Southwest Airlines’ new booking and baggage policies haven’t struck a chord with regular customers. At least, that’s what TikToker Leslie (@leslieapproved) said in a video that’s garnered 357,000 views.
Leslie mentioned in her video that the recent changes have made flying Southwest “more stressful” for regulars. Based on her video, it seems that her recent experience with the carrier may even force her to switch airlines entirely.
How Southwest’s new policies affect customers
Leslie explained in her video that she booked her flight with Southwest almost a full month in advance. She also told her viewers that she “ know[s] to check in exactly 24 hours for the best possible outcome.”
Despite this, she ended up in the C boarding group and on the standby list for a flight she paid for. Three hours before her flight, she got a notification that she got a “confirmed middle seat” for the flight. Clearly unhappy with the placement, she then tried to book a seat somewhere else while paying a fee.
When she tried to book one seat, though, it immediately got purchased by another passenger. She had to pick a completely different spot.
When she got to the airport, she realized that she was in group one. But it didn’t come with any notable perks.
“[It] Felt like any other airline,” she said. “Now you still have your pre boards. I was in group one, assuming because I was in the fifth row, but it doesn’t come with any perks. You’re not in first class, you don’t get any extra snacks. I didn’t even get the pretzels that I really liked during the boarding process.”
On the plane, she noticed multiple other customers trying to switch their seats with other people. “ This could be because they were only notified of their confirmed seating arrangement three hours prior, and there was very little options to purchase [another seat],” Leslie said.
Commenters add their thoughts
Leslie finished her video by asking for her commenters’ thoughts on the change. “As for me, I think this is where they lose me as a customer,” she said.
Viewers happily chimed in, expressing dissatisfaction with Southwest’s recent changes while emphasizing other airlines’ perks and amenities.
“Southwest lost me as a customer when they decided to become like every other airline. Why stick with them when I can get the same level of service with another airline?” one commenter said.
Another replied, adding that “the airlines [with] similar pricing now (Delta, United) have BETTER service and NICER planes… Southwest was only appealing because of the perks and being a step above spirit/ frontier… they literally have nothing to offer now.”
Leslie confirmed that “If you book the most basic/ economic fare, you don’t get a seat assigned til possibly [hours] before the flight. (Which is what I had, the basic fare) If you book the second best option $$, you should be able to choose your seats and have a confirmed flight with no issues!”
So, for any future customers considering Southwest, it’s worth looking into the differences between the basic fare and other premium packages in comparison to other airlines.
@leslieapproved SWA day one experience Are you a fan of open seating or assigned? #swa #southwestairlines #travel #fyyyy #airlines ♬ Airplane Mode – Outer Circle
The Mary Sue reached out to Southwest Airlines via email and Leslie via TikTok direct message for comment.
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