Fortunately, back when I was traveling a lot for work I mostly managed to avoid SWA. But they had the contract for travel from KC to Orlando, a trip I did 3-4 times a year for several years. I hated that flight in particular. So there I am having gone on-line at the earliest possible moment to sign in and snag an A zone pass. Get to the airport way too early to get at the head of the A zone queue. Eventually the loading process starts, usually with families traveling with small kids. Almost everyone traveling to Orlando is family with small kids. So there go the family of 17 (parents, kids, grandparents, cousins, etc) getting special priveleges. And then another family or 7. And then a family of 5. And then a family of 12… Being in the A zone meant I got my choice of middle seats.
I cannot imagine any scenario that would involve me voluntary traveling on SWA. I had several opportunities for “free” vouchers for roundtrip travel anywhere in their system which I passed up with no hesitation. But the inadequacies of SWA and their idiotic policies aside, I agree with many here who think the passenger overreacted. As did the gate agent. stan On Jul 24, 2014, at 5:24 PM, Igor Roshchin <[email protected]> wrote: > > Ken, > > I've never had elite status with the SWA, so I don't know their rules. > United and American Airlines both allow extending that privelege to your > companion(S?): relative/friend/colleague. How many? I don't remember. > I know that some priveleges (e.g. choosing priveleged seat) > can be extended only to one companion. But with the priority boarding it > might be for up-to 4-5 people. > In any case, I've never had a problem bringing two people with me, > using my status. More over, I've seen my colleague taking three > with him (some very high AAdvantage status, flying on LAN). > > It typically costs airlines nothing, so, such an attitude over such a > small detail is WEIRD. > > Yes, I know that in the confrontation game that is inflicted > by most airlines constantly tightening existing and inventing new > rules, (this feeling of a confrontation from the airline is especially > apparent when anything starts deviating from normal, i.e. flight delays, > cancellations, etc.), > some passengers may have a short fuse and become unreasonable. > > But "Tweet as a threat"??? Threat of the world learning about that > agent's attitude? > What I was glad to see that the story received a good resonance, and > hopefully other agents would be more thoughtful about their actions, > regardless of their mood. > > > Bob, > I hear you, and agree, that often, one can avoid a confrontation > and discharge growing tension. > When I am traveling, I am usually trying to be in the up-lifting mood, > and greet people with a smile. > (In most cases, I am afraid to make compliments to women, especially > of a comparable or younger ages about their appearance, as that can > be taken a wrong way, but I am happy to thank for being helpful when > that happens, especially when the person does some thoughtful work.) > > However, every time I see one of such "little lords" enjoying their > small power over other people, it bothers me. In those cases, > I usually wish these "little lords"' actions would backfire at them. > It looks like it finally backfired in this case. > > Cheers, > > Igor > > > > Bob Sullivan Thu, 24 Jul 2014 12:39:07 -0700 > > Southwest is a lot like taking the bus. Quicker, but not much of a ride. > Early on with Southwest out of Midway in Chicago, > I watched the guy in front of me at the front counter have a bad > experience. > The agent was a short, thin black woman and mad as a hornet. > She had her hair tightly wrapped in a head full of corn-rows. > Looking to defuse any potential situations, I told her I liked her > corn-rows. > She went from peeved to BEAMING, and couldn't have been more pleased. > Sometimes the customer has to manage the agent. > Regards, Bob S. > > > > On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 1:23 PM, Ken Waller <[email protected]> > wrote: >> The full story I heard was that he was a member of Southwest's >> 'elite/premium' group of flyers which afforded him flying privileges. >> He >> wanted the rest of his family to be afforded similar privileges on >> this >> particular flight, which the agent refused to do. The agent stated >> he/she >> took the tweet as a threat. >> >> I was a member of several airline's premium flyer groups and on some >> occasions family members were allowed similar privileges when flying >> with me >> - and on some flights they weren't. IIRC, the rules of the clubs >> stated >> these privilidges were only for the member. >> >> I've run into exceptional gate agents and I've run into some real >> jerks. >> >> Kenneth Waller >> http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/kennethwaller >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Igor Roshchin" <[email protected]> >> Subject: OT - And didn't like how photographers were treated? >> >> >>> >>> >>> Southwest Airlines removed a passenger and his family from the plane >>> after he tweeted his opinion about the rude gate agent. >>> >>> >>> http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/07/22/family-asked-to-leave-sw-plane-after-tweet/ >>> >>> >>> Just earlier this year, I've experienced a comparably rude agent and >>> flight attendant with United Express (ExpressJet) in Houston (IAH). >>> >>> Igor >> >> >> > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
