Great SWA Service
By: Marshall Starkes
Some guy on another forum got to ragging on those who fly carriers like SWA as being "bargain hunters" who "like to be treated like garbage." This was my response and I figured I'd share it here as well.
Southwest isn't first class by any stretch as far as amenities are concerned on their AC or anything like that, but I've yet to have anything but first class service from their employees.
For instance, three weeks ago, I had to fly home to KSAN from where I currently live (KSMF) for a department interview and return the same day. Interview went well and got over earlier than I expected so I met up with and old friend and had lunch. I got to the airport about 4 hours early (being from SD and raised there for 25 years I've seen it all and done it all) and walked up to the gate that my iPhone app advised that I'd be leaving from.
I walk up and just want to confirm that what the app states is the correct gate for my departure in a few hours. Lorena who is working the gate (4) checks my ticket and had a quick look of shock when she saw how early I was for my flight, I told her I know that it's weird but I was a local and had nothing else to do and was fine waiting.
She pulls up the flights to Sacramento in the computer and says that there's a flight leaving to Sacramento in 5 minutes from Gate 2... Now at this point, anyone who has ever flown out of SAN knows that it's a small airport and the internal layout of terminal 1 is antiquated to say the least. Gates 1 and 2 are at the very east end of the terminal downstairs and through a different TSA checkpoint than the one I just went through and I told her it's fine and that I wouldn't have time to make it through screening again to make it in time. Lorena says it's no problem and that she'll try to have someone escort me and I figure it'll get me home earlier so what the heck, go for it.
After about 5 phone calls to the other desks looking for Jim to do the escort, she can't get a hold of him and I figure it's a lost cause. A second later, Jim just happens to pop up at the desk as he was running by. Lorena talks to him about doing an escort, and from the looks of him he's already had a heck of a day and is still in the middle of doing a bunch of stuff.
Jim is completely professional and apologizes and just says he can't do it right now as he is indeed in the middle of 5 different issues while the other staff members are on break. No problem, I was ready to wait it out anyway, I thank them and head to sit down. Right before I sit down I hear "Sir, let's go, we're gonna have to move it to make that flight!" Oooooof course, the day that I wear flip flops.
We cruise back downstairs and I figure he's going to take me through the terminal and past the other TSA screening point... Nope, one swipe of his access card and we're now out on the apron dodging baggage trucks as they shoot over to the two other 737's that are boarding and into the side door of the other part of the terminal and into the gate where I managed to catch the flight and get back to KSMF early.
So I've now:
1. Paid less than those people not on the "bus full of bargain hunters."
2. Used the money I saved to take a good friend out to lunch that I haven't seen in a year.
3. Experienced above and beyond fantastic customer service when they didn't have to multiple times and had every excuse not to.
4. Got back 3 hours earlier than I originally planned. (Spent part of it e-mailing SWA customer service to make sure Lorena and Jim get the recognition they deserve).
SWA has won a customer for good, I may not have those extra inches for my knees, but low prices and great crews will keep me happy on that bus as I'd rather use my money to see friends or enjoy life than have to use it to get there.
Southwest isn't first class by any stretch as far as amenities are concerned on their AC or anything like that, but I've yet to have anything but first class service from their employees.
For instance, three weeks ago, I had to fly home to KSAN from where I currently live (KSMF) for a department interview and return the same day. Interview went well and got over earlier than I expected so I met up with and old friend and had lunch. I got to the airport about 4 hours early (being from SD and raised there for 25 years I've seen it all and done it all) and walked up to the gate that my iPhone app advised that I'd be leaving from.
I walk up and just want to confirm that what the app states is the correct gate for my departure in a few hours. Lorena who is working the gate (4) checks my ticket and had a quick look of shock when she saw how early I was for my flight, I told her I know that it's weird but I was a local and had nothing else to do and was fine waiting.
She pulls up the flights to Sacramento in the computer and says that there's a flight leaving to Sacramento in 5 minutes from Gate 2... Now at this point, anyone who has ever flown out of SAN knows that it's a small airport and the internal layout of terminal 1 is antiquated to say the least. Gates 1 and 2 are at the very east end of the terminal downstairs and through a different TSA checkpoint than the one I just went through and I told her it's fine and that I wouldn't have time to make it through screening again to make it in time. Lorena says it's no problem and that she'll try to have someone escort me and I figure it'll get me home earlier so what the heck, go for it.
After about 5 phone calls to the other desks looking for Jim to do the escort, she can't get a hold of him and I figure it's a lost cause. A second later, Jim just happens to pop up at the desk as he was running by. Lorena talks to him about doing an escort, and from the looks of him he's already had a heck of a day and is still in the middle of doing a bunch of stuff.
Jim is completely professional and apologizes and just says he can't do it right now as he is indeed in the middle of 5 different issues while the other staff members are on break. No problem, I was ready to wait it out anyway, I thank them and head to sit down. Right before I sit down I hear "Sir, let's go, we're gonna have to move it to make that flight!" Oooooof course, the day that I wear flip flops.
We cruise back downstairs and I figure he's going to take me through the terminal and past the other TSA screening point... Nope, one swipe of his access card and we're now out on the apron dodging baggage trucks as they shoot over to the two other 737's that are boarding and into the side door of the other part of the terminal and into the gate where I managed to catch the flight and get back to KSMF early.
So I've now:
1. Paid less than those people not on the "bus full of bargain hunters."
2. Used the money I saved to take a good friend out to lunch that I haven't seen in a year.
3. Experienced above and beyond fantastic customer service when they didn't have to multiple times and had every excuse not to.
4. Got back 3 hours earlier than I originally planned. (Spent part of it e-mailing SWA customer service to make sure Lorena and Jim get the recognition they deserve).
SWA has won a customer for good, I may not have those extra inches for my knees, but low prices and great crews will keep me happy on that bus as I'd rather use my money to see friends or enjoy life than have to use it to get there.
