The one and only time I flew Southwest in 1999 I swore it would be my last time because I disliked the bording process so much.

I generally was happy with everything else.

I have not flown Southwest again and do not plan to unless they change the boarding process.

Thanks OO for the heads up on the on-line check in. Like I said, I still use them for NOLA. Have been doing the seperate reservations...that's a pain! :D

The big bummer about SWA for me is in Dallas, they fly out of Love Field. And due to some crazy rule somewhere, if you fly out of Love Field, you can only fly to one of the states touching Texas. Does anyone know what that is and if it will ever change?

Couldn't resist this one ! Flew SWA once.. didn't impress me but.... I think I have watched TV show "Airline" too many times. IS this real ? I have seen drunk and obnoxious people denied boarding but have also seen people that did not appear out of line at all denied boarding. Realizing they cannot show the entire conversation between passengers, you would think they would at least show the bit where they are doing something that justifies denied boarding. I know it is the 'small print' that says they can deny boarding but do not think I have ever seen or heard of other airlines doing this - at least not enough to have an entire TV show devoted to the subject ! The last time I saw it a woman was denied boarding because the agent at the gate overheard one girl say the "F" word to her friend - no other passengers in the jetway - the only person to hear the comment was the gate agent (and the girl was referring to something she had goofed up earelier in the day) Neither passengers were intoxicated either.

Highbay - I'm curious how you manage to avoid sitting next to that 400 lb. guy on other airlines? Is it just that you always are flying with someone and always get seats on the side of the aisle where there are only two? Traveling alone I don't think you can always count on being so fortunate, SWA or not! :) I think I sat next to him just a couple weeks ago on Independence.

Yes...I usually travel with another person. I know that doesn't guarantee that I won't have to sit next to the 400lb'er, but my odds are a little better!

Did your guy also raise the armrest between you? aaagggghhh!

Clarkboy must be a troll!! This is his only posting. Anyway, Gekko, we have Jet Blue here in So. Cal and in fact just used it to fly to NY. But I just don't think you can beat SWA's service and on-time record. Also, you can't beat their airfares. What other airline gives you the opportunity to fly one way for as low as $39 and has flights that go every hour or so. I use it mostly for short flights, to Phoenix, Las Vegas, Oakland but have also flown on longer trips. Printing your boarding pass on line definitely helps. I don't think you can avoid the 400 lb passenger on other airlines unless you are traveling with others.

I also live in SoCal, and I love Jet Blue and SWA. However, there are a lot of factors for which one I choose: price, where I'm going, and flight times. I wish I had the budget and schedule to make choices like "I'll never fly Southwest" but in my life, that wouldn't be practical.

Kath - The restriction of Love Field operation is known as the Wright Amendment, which is set in place when they decide to open DFW in the 1970's. It has been amended somewhat by the Shelby Amendment a couple of years ago, so now you can fly to KS, AL and MS, which do not touch TX.

It s not just you can't fly non-stop to airports outside the designated states, but you can't even buy a through ticket to those states. You have to hold two seperate reservations.

Also, the Shelby Amendment frees the restriction to planes with 56 seats or less. A few years back, Legend Airlines flew all first-class with DC-9. But AA did the same with their Fokker 100 and ran Legend out of business.

There have been many talks to get Southwest switch to DFW, or simply add flights there. Most recently, right after DL decides to dismantle their hub at DFW. But Southwest decides that a single Love Field operation is the most profitable to them, despite the Wright Amendment restriction. They are free to operate flights at DFW - they just don't want to.

Kath...The "buzz" about the Wright Amendment is that when former Congressman Jim right expires, so will the law.He apparently carried and still does a lot of clout in Texas.
rkkwan....My TA books my tickets LAX-DAL in one reservation...And last time I flew, they even checked my bags thru...From what I hear, Southwest really wants the Wright Amendment peeled back.

Thanks for the clarification Rkkwan and BB. Good to know if I ever need to travel to Kansas City or something.

Beachboi - I'm not surprised you can get baggage checked through. Most airlines, including Southwest, transfer bags on two tickets anyways.

But I didn't know one can get DAL to non-Wright/Shelby cities on the same ticket, TA or not. On www.southwest.com, once you click your "origin" as DAL, then the "destination" window only shows those non-stops to Wright/Shelby cities. And if you have LAX as origin, DAL isn't shown as a destination.

rk.....He's on Sabre(AA's system), and I have a direct link into it....I think for a long time it was totally seperate, but a few years ago it was made possible.The "pricing" still shows a DAL-AUS fare and then AUS-LAX fare, not a "thru" fare.He tried to explain it once, but I just couldnt follow the technical mumbo jumbo.

My DH travels many times each month, and often on SWA.

To solve the 'return-trip-laptop-only-no-printer' situation, I go online and print his boarding pass and then fax it to his hotel or store/business where he is scheduled to be first thing in the morning.

He ALWAYS gets in the A group, then arrives at the airport one hour prior to flight time and immediately gets in the 'A' line, which is usually small or non-existent when he arrives. Result? A good seat EVERY TIME.

And, regardless of which airline we fly, we never sit next to one another. Each of us takes a window seat and sleeps--we've brought our own pillows on board for AGES. Can't sleep? Ask your doctor--better living through modern chemistry.

I like to watch TV -- sports, movies, music -- when I fly. Fortunately, both JetBlue and Song offer personal televisions for all passengers.

Boo Hoo! Your post clarkboy sounds like a joke. If you want to sit next your wife/child that bad, fork out the money that you saved flying SWA and fly with another carrier. If you wanna whine and cry like your child, go post on the airlines board.

Have not flown SWA, but do not like their not giving seat assignments policy,,,Jetblue does it and Airtran too....Jetblue is My very fave airline!!!! Love the Terra blu chips and iced tea and the in flight TV,,,,,not a better airline anywhere.... Best flight attendants too IMO.

Double Boo Hoo! I love SWA, if not for them I'd be paying a lot more to fly back and forth to Sacramento! For a budget airline, I think they are pretty efficient.

if you go to Europe, don't ever fly Ryanair - SWA is luxury compared to it.

I do love Ryanair's fares - I did London to Dublin and return for $6.00 plus tax in 2000!

Actually I prefer SW over Alaska or United. SW gets me there on time. And if they don't it is because of a mechanical problem, which I sure want to get fixed before we depart. And the crew has always been great.