Transport - Southwest Airlines Review
- Michael
- Mar 31, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 9, 2020
Highly recommend
5*
Over our entire trip we flew with numerous different airline companies and Southwest was the best of the lot. It was not even a one-off lucky trip that we took but we made multiple journey's (6 in total) within the U.S with Southwest.
Tickets were always priced at the same amount as competitors, yet Southwest was the only airline offering free checked baggage (2 per person!) meaning for our travels, with a suitcase each, for myself and my partner price-wise this airline was by far the best option. Their app is very useful for check-in and keeping updated on flight status, gate changes etc. Online check-in was a breeze, we never paid for priority-boarding/early-bird; Southwest operate a 'open-seating' policy so the earlier you check-in, the earlier you board and the more choice you have, however on all but one flight we managed to find two seats together despite being lower B group (just ensure you check-in quickly when it opens online 24 hours prior to departure).
The seats always looked clean, although having been on two continuing flights (where you remain on board), it was evident that they didn't do too much cleaning between services which could be improved (though hopefully given the virus pandemic they have increased their cleaning standards). Check-in physically at the airports was also simple with the self-serve kiosks, and we didn't once have to wait in a line. Overall, I think 5 out of 6 of our flights departed and arrived almost exactly on time. I had one cancelled flight but this was due to the airport closing as a result of inclement weather, and through the Southwest app I managed to contact a customer representative and still get to my destination later in the day on a different flight once the fog had cleared and the airport was open again. The app is a stand out feature of the airline as despite not having TV's on-board, the app, when connected to their WiFi, allows free access to fantastic in-flight entertainment and even some live TV channels! (Ensure you download the app before departure). Internet browsing itself is $8 for the flight, but the movies and TV are all completely free and you do not need to actually purchase the WiFi to access them. In addition, they also provide a complimentary drink and snacks on any type of flight i.e. it isn't just restricted to long haul, which we warmly welcomed.
Finally, the staff were always friendly and cheerful and happy to assist with any queries. If I return to the U.S I would undoubtedly fly with Southwest again where possible.
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