Southwest Airlines Review

The other day we started on a three week odyssey to do some vacationing and to visit family and friends. The travelers were my honey, her father (87 and using a walker) and I. Our first leg was to get from Vancouver, WA to Kansas City, MO. A diligent search of the internet convinced us that Southwest was the way to go.  I used to fly a lot before I retired and always booked away from Southwest because of their cattle-car boarding policies. But since they had the only non-stops from Portland, OR to KC and were significantly cheaper we decided to try them.

We called to make sure we could get a wheelchair for Johnny and to see if we could bre-board him. The reservation agent was very friendly and helpful and we booked the three tickets. My honey needs a lot of support when we travel so her bag cost us an extra twenty-five dollars to load, but the overall boarding experience was with minimal hassle, Even getting through security was easier than I remembered. They let all three of us pre-board and we settled in for the three hour flight.

The flight left almost on time. The flight attendants had us laughing even before the engines started. The 737-700 left almost on time and we were treated to a selection of snacks and drinks on the way. The landing was uneventful even though the trip over the rockies was a little bumpy. Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful and we were much less tired on arrival than I remember from past flights. It seemed the seat pitch was a little better than on other cattle cars I had flown the last few years of my working life and the cabin was clean with the decor pleasant.

If I were still flying frequently for business I would still prefer the benefit of pre-booked seating, but for the casual trips I will likely take from now on, Southwest has my vote.They just seem to want my business more than some of their competitors.