Another seat saving hassle and why I hate flying WN
Feb 9, 2015, 4:45 pm
#482
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Platinum, Starwood Gold, National Executive
Posts: 67
Another Southwest Seating Issue/hassle
So in December I was flying from LAS-PDX with my brother, my 80+ year old mother in a wheelchair and my husband who has artificial knees. My mother walks with a cane (when not in the wheelchair) and my husband needs extra room during flight or else his knees lock up. He is handicapped in that he has a placard but does not appear so. This means he tries to sit in the bulkhead as he is not allowed to sit in the exit row as he is a pre-boarder.
Since the previous flight was deplaning, I had my mother's wheelchair off to the side so as not to be in the way of the deplaning passengers. The gate agent called for pre-board and I pushed my mother's chair to the podium. The agent insists on taking the 2 people standing directly in front of her (who were not in wheelchairs) as that is where pre board was to line up.
So I gave the wheelchair to my brother and got on first with my husband. Of course the couple took 2 of the bulkhead seats. One was an aisle and the other was the window across the aisle from their partner.
I figured fine - I would get the 2 and 2. I set my water bottle down in the vacant aisle seat and proceed to going about to get the other seats. The woman then gets up from the other aisle and moves my water bottle and sits down in that aisle seat. I look at her in disbelief and say - you've now split my party. In her defense I don't think she realized I had a party of 4. She tells me that she didn't know whose water bottle it was - I said it was mine.
So then she moves to the middle seat next to her husband. Which is great - works for me. I sit down in the aisle seat. The Jerk FA then comes over to me (who has NO idea what has transpired and why) then accuses me of hassling the woman out of her seat and starts lecturing me about WN's open seating policy. I was sick (literally) and just worn out. At this point, my mother has been pushed down the jetway and is standing with her cane behind the Jerk while he continues to lecture me. I looked at him and asked - can my mother sit down? After more lecture he finally moves and lets the rest of our party sit down.
Next thing you know, a gate supervisor has come down to talk to us about WN's open seating policy and is now determining whether or not we are going to be allowed to fly today. I couldn't believe it. Obviously the Jerk had complained and wanted us off the plane. I just looked at her and said - we are good. I felt bad because she was directing her lecture at my husband and I was the one who had handled the seating.
This manager then goes over to the couple and apologizes to them because they were not able to select the seats they wanted in accordance with WN's open seating policy. Fine, we think we are done. NOPE. Supervisor comes back and demands my husbands ID for her records. He bit his tongue and handed it over as he knew we'd get kicked off if he didn't.
To say we were unhappy with WN is an understatement. My brother said to me - With all you know how to do, you have to fight to get those seats and you still have problems.
The problem with WN is there is no way of guaranteeing bulkhead or exit row - no matter if you pay or pre-board. With my husbands knees, its a crapshoot every time and he is in enough pain already.
So coming back from PDX-LAS, I now knew where to line up. I had my mothers wheelchair 2nd in line behind 1 other wheelchair. STILL not good enough. They take the first wheelchair down and then the gate agent has the woman behind me who has a surgical mask on go in front of us - the explanation was - I have to let her on first. WHY???? I didn't dare open my mouth after what happened on my outbound flight.
The thing that is clear to me is that WN's staff just seem to be on power trips and there is no consistency as to how pre-board is handled.
I will limit my use of WN as much as I can in the future when flying with my husband or my mother as I don't want to be subject to the whims of whatever the WN staff decides to do that day.
I am writing this post 6 weeks after the fact because WN has the Unmitigated GALL to come out with an advertising campaign demanding loyalty from its customers. COUNT ME OUT!!!
Since the previous flight was deplaning, I had my mother's wheelchair off to the side so as not to be in the way of the deplaning passengers. The gate agent called for pre-board and I pushed my mother's chair to the podium. The agent insists on taking the 2 people standing directly in front of her (who were not in wheelchairs) as that is where pre board was to line up.
So I gave the wheelchair to my brother and got on first with my husband. Of course the couple took 2 of the bulkhead seats. One was an aisle and the other was the window across the aisle from their partner.
I figured fine - I would get the 2 and 2. I set my water bottle down in the vacant aisle seat and proceed to going about to get the other seats. The woman then gets up from the other aisle and moves my water bottle and sits down in that aisle seat. I look at her in disbelief and say - you've now split my party. In her defense I don't think she realized I had a party of 4. She tells me that she didn't know whose water bottle it was - I said it was mine.
So then she moves to the middle seat next to her husband. Which is great - works for me. I sit down in the aisle seat. The Jerk FA then comes over to me (who has NO idea what has transpired and why) then accuses me of hassling the woman out of her seat and starts lecturing me about WN's open seating policy. I was sick (literally) and just worn out. At this point, my mother has been pushed down the jetway and is standing with her cane behind the Jerk while he continues to lecture me. I looked at him and asked - can my mother sit down? After more lecture he finally moves and lets the rest of our party sit down.
Next thing you know, a gate supervisor has come down to talk to us about WN's open seating policy and is now determining whether or not we are going to be allowed to fly today. I couldn't believe it. Obviously the Jerk had complained and wanted us off the plane. I just looked at her and said - we are good. I felt bad because she was directing her lecture at my husband and I was the one who had handled the seating.
This manager then goes over to the couple and apologizes to them because they were not able to select the seats they wanted in accordance with WN's open seating policy. Fine, we think we are done. NOPE. Supervisor comes back and demands my husbands ID for her records. He bit his tongue and handed it over as he knew we'd get kicked off if he didn't.
To say we were unhappy with WN is an understatement. My brother said to me - With all you know how to do, you have to fight to get those seats and you still have problems.
The problem with WN is there is no way of guaranteeing bulkhead or exit row - no matter if you pay or pre-board. With my husbands knees, its a crapshoot every time and he is in enough pain already.
So coming back from PDX-LAS, I now knew where to line up. I had my mothers wheelchair 2nd in line behind 1 other wheelchair. STILL not good enough. They take the first wheelchair down and then the gate agent has the woman behind me who has a surgical mask on go in front of us - the explanation was - I have to let her on first. WHY???? I didn't dare open my mouth after what happened on my outbound flight.
The thing that is clear to me is that WN's staff just seem to be on power trips and there is no consistency as to how pre-board is handled.
I will limit my use of WN as much as I can in the future when flying with my husband or my mother as I don't want to be subject to the whims of whatever the WN staff decides to do that day.
I am writing this post 6 weeks after the fact because WN has the Unmitigated GALL to come out with an advertising campaign demanding loyalty from its customers. COUNT ME OUT!!!
Feb 9, 2015, 5:01 pm
#483
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MCI
Programs: CBP Global Entry, WN A-List Preferred, WN Companion Pass
Posts: 2,007
So in December I was flying from LAS-PDX with my brother, my 80+ year old mother in a wheelchair and my husband who has artificial knees. My mother walks with a cane (when not in the wheelchair) and my husband needs extra room during flight or else his knees lock up. He is handicapped in that he has a placard but does not appear so. This means he tries to sit in the bulkhead as he is not allowed to sit in the exit row as he is a pre-boarder.
Since the previous flight was deplaning, I had my mother's wheelchair off to the side so as not to be in the way of the deplaning passengers. The gate agent called for pre-board and I pushed my mother's chair to the podium. The agent insists on taking the 2 people standing directly in front of her (who were not in wheelchairs) as that is where pre board was to line up.
So I gave the wheelchair to my brother and got on first with my husband. Of course the couple took 2 of the bulkhead seats. One was an aisle and the other was the window across the aisle from their partner.
I figured fine - I would get the 2 and 2. I set my water bottle down in the vacant aisle seat and proceed to going about to get the other seats. The woman then gets up from the other aisle and moves my water bottle and sits down in that aisle seat. I look at her in disbelief and say - you've now split my party. In her defense I don't think she realized I had a party of 4. She tells me that she didn't know whose water bottle it was - I said it was mine.
So then she moves to the middle seat next to her husband. Which is great - works for me. I sit down in the aisle seat. The Jerk FA then comes over to me (who has NO idea what has transpired and why) then accuses me of hassling the woman out of her seat and starts lecturing me about WN's open seating policy. I was sick (literally) and just worn out. At this point, my mother has been pushed down the jetway and is standing with her cane behind the Jerk while he continues to lecture me. I looked at him and asked - can my mother sit down? After more lecture he finally moves and lets the rest of our party sit down.
Next thing you know, a gate supervisor has come down to talk to us about WN's open seating policy and is now determining whether or not we are going to be allowed to fly today. I couldn't believe it. Obviously the Jerk had complained and wanted us off the plane. I just looked at her and said - we are good. I felt bad because she was directing her lecture at my husband and I was the one who had handled the seating.
This manager then goes over to the couple and apologizes to them because they were not able to select the seats they wanted in accordance with WN's open seating policy. Fine, we think we are done. NOPE. Supervisor comes back and demands my husbands ID for her records. He bit his tongue and handed it over as he knew we'd get kicked off if he didn't.
To say we were unhappy with WN is an understatement. My brother said to me - With all you know how to do, you have to fight to get those seats and you still have problems.
The problem with WN is there is no way of guaranteeing bulkhead or exit row - no matter if you pay or pre-board. With my husbands knees, its a crapshoot every time and he is in enough pain already.
So coming back from PDX-LAS, I now knew where to line up. I had my mothers wheelchair 2nd in line behind 1 other wheelchair. STILL not good enough. They take the first wheelchair down and then the gate agent has the woman behind me who has a surgical mask on go in front of us - the explanation was - I have to let her on first. WHY???? I didn't dare open my mouth after what happened on my outbound flight.
The thing that is clear to me is that WN's staff just seem to be on power trips and there is no consistency as to how pre-board is handled.
I will limit my use of WN as much as I can in the future when flying with my husband or my mother as I don't want to be subject to the whims of whatever the WN staff decides to do that day.
I am writing this post 6 weeks after the fact because WN has the Unmitigated GALL to come out with an advertising campaign demanding loyalty from its customers. COUNT ME OUT!!!
Since the previous flight was deplaning, I had my mother's wheelchair off to the side so as not to be in the way of the deplaning passengers. The gate agent called for pre-board and I pushed my mother's chair to the podium. The agent insists on taking the 2 people standing directly in front of her (who were not in wheelchairs) as that is where pre board was to line up.
So I gave the wheelchair to my brother and got on first with my husband. Of course the couple took 2 of the bulkhead seats. One was an aisle and the other was the window across the aisle from their partner.
I figured fine - I would get the 2 and 2. I set my water bottle down in the vacant aisle seat and proceed to going about to get the other seats. The woman then gets up from the other aisle and moves my water bottle and sits down in that aisle seat. I look at her in disbelief and say - you've now split my party. In her defense I don't think she realized I had a party of 4. She tells me that she didn't know whose water bottle it was - I said it was mine.
So then she moves to the middle seat next to her husband. Which is great - works for me. I sit down in the aisle seat. The Jerk FA then comes over to me (who has NO idea what has transpired and why) then accuses me of hassling the woman out of her seat and starts lecturing me about WN's open seating policy. I was sick (literally) and just worn out. At this point, my mother has been pushed down the jetway and is standing with her cane behind the Jerk while he continues to lecture me. I looked at him and asked - can my mother sit down? After more lecture he finally moves and lets the rest of our party sit down.
Next thing you know, a gate supervisor has come down to talk to us about WN's open seating policy and is now determining whether or not we are going to be allowed to fly today. I couldn't believe it. Obviously the Jerk had complained and wanted us off the plane. I just looked at her and said - we are good. I felt bad because she was directing her lecture at my husband and I was the one who had handled the seating.
This manager then goes over to the couple and apologizes to them because they were not able to select the seats they wanted in accordance with WN's open seating policy. Fine, we think we are done. NOPE. Supervisor comes back and demands my husbands ID for her records. He bit his tongue and handed it over as he knew we'd get kicked off if he didn't.
To say we were unhappy with WN is an understatement. My brother said to me - With all you know how to do, you have to fight to get those seats and you still have problems.
The problem with WN is there is no way of guaranteeing bulkhead or exit row - no matter if you pay or pre-board. With my husbands knees, its a crapshoot every time and he is in enough pain already.
So coming back from PDX-LAS, I now knew where to line up. I had my mothers wheelchair 2nd in line behind 1 other wheelchair. STILL not good enough. They take the first wheelchair down and then the gate agent has the woman behind me who has a surgical mask on go in front of us - the explanation was - I have to let her on first. WHY???? I didn't dare open my mouth after what happened on my outbound flight.
The thing that is clear to me is that WN's staff just seem to be on power trips and there is no consistency as to how pre-board is handled.
I will limit my use of WN as much as I can in the future when flying with my husband or my mother as I don't want to be subject to the whims of whatever the WN staff decides to do that day.
I am writing this post 6 weeks after the fact because WN has the Unmitigated GALL to come out with an advertising campaign demanding loyalty from its customers. COUNT ME OUT!!!
Satire
Feb 9, 2015, 5:29 pm
#485
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Platinum, Starwood Gold, National Executive
Posts: 67
Feb 10, 2015, 6:38 am
#488
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: HOU
Programs: WN CP, A+, UA Sil, MR Amb LTP, Hyatt Plat, HH Dia, National EE
Posts: 466
Feb 10, 2015, 6:58 am
#489
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,193
LAtraveler1:
A serious suggestion, not meant to be nasty: I think this is a case where you should patronize another airline that can guarantee the kind of seat you want.
I also think you should write a very pointed letter to WN Customer Service and slam the WN employees involved. Cut down the length a lot, though.
A serious suggestion, not meant to be nasty: I think this is a case where you should patronize another airline that can guarantee the kind of seat you want.
I also think you should write a very pointed letter to WN Customer Service and slam the WN employees involved. Cut down the length a lot, though.
Feb 10, 2015, 8:32 am
#490
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
LAtraveler1:
A serious suggestion, not meant to be nasty: I think this is a case where you should patronize another airline that can guarantee the kind of seat you want.
I also think you should write a very pointed letter to WN Customer Service and slam the WN employees involved. Cut down the length a lot, though.
A serious suggestion, not meant to be nasty: I think this is a case where you should patronize another airline that can guarantee the kind of seat you want.
I also think you should write a very pointed letter to WN Customer Service and slam the WN employees involved. Cut down the length a lot, though.
If PDX is a regular trip, then maybe try AS, since (in my limited experience) they treat non-elites less-bad than the legacies.
Otherwise, WN is probably still your best bet in that at least you have a *chance* at a decent seat, and the limited room you get in a regular Southwest seat is often better than the legacies' back-of-economy seats that non-elites occupy.
Also...as a non-elite on a legacy...you could easily end up with 4 scattered middle seats that are assigned to you after other passengers are already boarding. Or maybe the wheelchair would get you one aisle and one middle on a legacy, but you'd have to find some way to access a human via phone or at an airport before your flight to get it assigned. (No status? Have fun on waiting on hold...)
Presumably with the wheelchair on WN, that would not happen. You'd get 4 together. They just might not be bulkhead.
In other words, that's a longwinded way of saying "It could be worse."
Feb 10, 2015, 10:21 am
#492
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 349
So in December I was flying from LAS-PDX with my brother, my 80+ year old mother in a wheelchair and my husband who has artificial knees. My mother walks with a cane (when not in the wheelchair) and my husband needs extra room during flight or else his knees lock up. He is handicapped in that he has a placard but does not appear so. This means he tries to sit in the bulkhead as he is not allowed to sit in the exit row as he is a pre-boarder.
Since the previous flight was deplaning, I had my mother's wheelchair off to the side so as not to be in the way of the deplaning passengers. The gate agent called for pre-board and I pushed my mother's chair to the podium. The agent insists on taking the 2 people standing directly in front of her (who were not in wheelchairs) as that is where pre board was to line up.
So I gave the wheelchair to my brother and got on first with my husband. Of course the couple took 2 of the bulkhead seats. One was an aisle and the other was the window across the aisle from their partner.
I figured fine - I would get the 2 and 2. I set my water bottle down in the vacant aisle seat and proceed to going about to get the other seats. The woman then gets up from the other aisle and moves my water bottle and sits down in that aisle seat. I look at her in disbelief and say - you've now split my party. In her defense I don't think she realized I had a party of 4. She tells me that she didn't know whose water bottle it was - I said it was mine.
So then she moves to the middle seat next to her husband. Which is great - works for me. I sit down in the aisle seat. The Jerk FA then comes over to me (who has NO idea what has transpired and why) then accuses me of hassling the woman out of her seat and starts lecturing me about WN's open seating policy. I was sick (literally) and just worn out. At this point, my mother has been pushed down the jetway and is standing with her cane behind the Jerk while he continues to lecture me. I looked at him and asked - can my mother sit down? After more lecture he finally moves and lets the rest of our party sit down.
Next thing you know, a gate supervisor has come down to talk to us about WN's open seating policy and is now determining whether or not we are going to be allowed to fly today. I couldn't believe it. Obviously the Jerk had complained and wanted us off the plane. I just looked at her and said - we are good. I felt bad because she was directing her lecture at my husband and I was the one who had handled the seating.
This manager then goes over to the couple and apologizes to them because they were not able to select the seats they wanted in accordance with WN's open seating policy. Fine, we think we are done. NOPE. Supervisor comes back and demands my husbands ID for her records. He bit his tongue and handed it over as he knew we'd get kicked off if he didn't.
To say we were unhappy with WN is an understatement. My brother said to me - With all you know how to do, you have to fight to get those seats and you still have problems.
The problem with WN is there is no way of guaranteeing bulkhead or exit row - no matter if you pay or pre-board. With my husbands knees, its a crapshoot every time and he is in enough pain already.
So coming back from PDX-LAS, I now knew where to line up. I had my mothers wheelchair 2nd in line behind 1 other wheelchair. STILL not good enough. They take the first wheelchair down and then the gate agent has the woman behind me who has a surgical mask on go in front of us - the explanation was - I have to let her on first. WHY???? I didn't dare open my mouth after what happened on my outbound flight.
The thing that is clear to me is that WN's staff just seem to be on power trips and there is no consistency as to how pre-board is handled.
I will limit my use of WN as much as I can in the future when flying with my husband or my mother as I don't want to be subject to the whims of whatever the WN staff decides to do that day.
I am writing this post 6 weeks after the fact because WN has the Unmitigated GALL to come out with an advertising campaign demanding loyalty from its customers. COUNT ME OUT!!!
Since the previous flight was deplaning, I had my mother's wheelchair off to the side so as not to be in the way of the deplaning passengers. The gate agent called for pre-board and I pushed my mother's chair to the podium. The agent insists on taking the 2 people standing directly in front of her (who were not in wheelchairs) as that is where pre board was to line up.
So I gave the wheelchair to my brother and got on first with my husband. Of course the couple took 2 of the bulkhead seats. One was an aisle and the other was the window across the aisle from their partner.
I figured fine - I would get the 2 and 2. I set my water bottle down in the vacant aisle seat and proceed to going about to get the other seats. The woman then gets up from the other aisle and moves my water bottle and sits down in that aisle seat. I look at her in disbelief and say - you've now split my party. In her defense I don't think she realized I had a party of 4. She tells me that she didn't know whose water bottle it was - I said it was mine.
So then she moves to the middle seat next to her husband. Which is great - works for me. I sit down in the aisle seat. The Jerk FA then comes over to me (who has NO idea what has transpired and why) then accuses me of hassling the woman out of her seat and starts lecturing me about WN's open seating policy. I was sick (literally) and just worn out. At this point, my mother has been pushed down the jetway and is standing with her cane behind the Jerk while he continues to lecture me. I looked at him and asked - can my mother sit down? After more lecture he finally moves and lets the rest of our party sit down.
Next thing you know, a gate supervisor has come down to talk to us about WN's open seating policy and is now determining whether or not we are going to be allowed to fly today. I couldn't believe it. Obviously the Jerk had complained and wanted us off the plane. I just looked at her and said - we are good. I felt bad because she was directing her lecture at my husband and I was the one who had handled the seating.
This manager then goes over to the couple and apologizes to them because they were not able to select the seats they wanted in accordance with WN's open seating policy. Fine, we think we are done. NOPE. Supervisor comes back and demands my husbands ID for her records. He bit his tongue and handed it over as he knew we'd get kicked off if he didn't.
To say we were unhappy with WN is an understatement. My brother said to me - With all you know how to do, you have to fight to get those seats and you still have problems.
The problem with WN is there is no way of guaranteeing bulkhead or exit row - no matter if you pay or pre-board. With my husbands knees, its a crapshoot every time and he is in enough pain already.
So coming back from PDX-LAS, I now knew where to line up. I had my mothers wheelchair 2nd in line behind 1 other wheelchair. STILL not good enough. They take the first wheelchair down and then the gate agent has the woman behind me who has a surgical mask on go in front of us - the explanation was - I have to let her on first. WHY???? I didn't dare open my mouth after what happened on my outbound flight.
The thing that is clear to me is that WN's staff just seem to be on power trips and there is no consistency as to how pre-board is handled.
I will limit my use of WN as much as I can in the future when flying with my husband or my mother as I don't want to be subject to the whims of whatever the WN staff decides to do that day.
I am writing this post 6 weeks after the fact because WN has the Unmitigated GALL to come out with an advertising campaign demanding loyalty from its customers. COUNT ME OUT!!!
Also, why do you have the belief that your mother and husband should be boarding before other people that have disabilities as well? Do you want to go through a process of trying to determine who is "more" handicapped?
Feb 10, 2015, 11:18 am
#493
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Platinum, Starwood Gold, National Executive
Posts: 67
LAtraveler1:
A serious suggestion, not meant to be nasty: I think this is a case where you should patronize another airline that can guarantee the kind of seat you want.
I also think you should write a very pointed letter to WN Customer Service and slam the WN employees involved. Cut down the length a lot, though.
A serious suggestion, not meant to be nasty: I think this is a case where you should patronize another airline that can guarantee the kind of seat you want.
I also think you should write a very pointed letter to WN Customer Service and slam the WN employees involved. Cut down the length a lot, though.
As to writing WN - unfortunately I don't have the names of the "customer" service people involved and so even if they were inclined to follow up (which I have serious doubts) it would be unlikely that anything really could be done. If I had asked for their names, I am sure we would have been kicked off.
As to other people who just want to take shots at me and have no sympathy for my situation - I decline to get into a race to the gutter. I had an extremely poor experience with WN on my mother's birthday (didn't mention that tidbit in my last writing) and chose to share.
You have your opinion and I have mine. We will leave it at that.
Feb 10, 2015, 11:25 am
#494
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
Feb 10, 2015, 11:29 am
#495
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 210
My guess is that... scratch that. It's glaringly obvious that you either embellished the story or omitted a few key facts to justify your unjust anger towards Southwest. Don't play the victim... we aren't buying it. I seriously doubt you'll receive sympathy from those of us that know better.