This weekend I flew to Los Angeles, CA and my mom actually convinced me that I should post about this experience I had with Southwest Airlines. So, thanks mom!
A few things I like about Southwest:
- Cheaper fares than most other airlines
- You can check a bag for free (actually I think you can check two bags for free)
- You can kind of choose who you are sitting by/where you are sitting on the plane because the seats aren’t assigned… so unless you’re in the last boarding group you will have somewhat of an option
A few things I’ve disliked about Southwest in the past:
- I took a break from Southwest for almost a year because I had a long string of flights that were MAJORLY delayed and/or cancelled
- Having to check-in 24 hours before your flight is a bit obnoxious but necessary because it dictates your seating
- The unassigned seating makes the boarding of the plane (and even the check-in process) a little more frenzied than I love when I travel
However, recently I’ve taken a few Southwest flights and I’m happy to report that they were all on time! Additionally, the reason for this post is what happened to me last night…
I arrived at the airport an hour and 10 minutes before my flight. I was flying out of Burbank, CA into San Jose, CA. The Burbank airport is quite small so I never feel the need to get there super early. I went through security in 2 seconds per usual. And as I was walking to my own gate I passed a gate where the announcer right then mentioned 5 passengers who were missing and it was about to take off. It was another Southwest flight… so I decided, if I could get on this flight that takes off in 5 minutes, it will get me home at the time that my original flight is supposed to leave. So, I asked. I went up to the nearest Southwest desk and asked if I could get on that flight and she said, “sure!” I scanned my boarding pass and she verified my ID, and then I got on that plane. No additional fees. No issues with me switching. Not even a long conversation as to why I wanted to switch. It was SO EASY. Actually the captains even waved at me through the front windows as I was walking up the stairs to get on the plane… it was really cute!
So while I won’t say that’s always been my experience when trying to switch flights (even on Southwest), hats off to the Burbank airport’s Southwest team because I couldn’t have asked for an easier end to my fun-filled weekend. And I even got to sit in an exit row next to two nice gentlemen who shared their flight-purchasing-tips AND who told me some TV series I should check out.
What’s your favorite airline? Tell me your flight experiences!
