misty and trent sent a message to Gary C. Kelly- chief executive officer and chairman of Southwest Airlines-Email address that said:
Good Evening Sir,
I hope this email finds you and finds you well. I write to you personally about the experience we are currently having with southwest airlines. Please excuse me for typing the whole story, but it has been 4 days and still we have not heard from anyone from your company.
In february 2016, we purchased 2 roundtrip tickets for our 2 daughters ages 14 and 12 to travel to L.A. to visit family in July 2016. As time grew closer we had to change the flight to a week later with extra cost which wasn't a problem for us at the time. As time grew closer you can imagine how excited 2 young girls would be having their first once in a lifetime adventure without their parents.
The day of July 20, we went over their itinerary a million times with them. We arrived at RDU airport at 3:45 p.m. and everything was backed up due to a computer glitch. The kids made it to the gate where we had to wait behind the gate with no visual because of security purposes. After 4 hours the girls were told that there was no way they could fly out that evening due to their connecting flight in chicago would have already departed before they got there. As they started to cry the customer service rep booked them on the first flight the next morning to las vegas to switch flights to get to L.A. Still a little bummed, we came home and looked at the bright side, they were still going and really wouldnt have missed much of what they had planned.
At 4:15 a.m. on July 21, we headed back to RDU, and as they were getting ready to board, they were told they had to check in at the desk first. When they went back to the desk the customer service rep said that she was sorry and that they were pulled off the flight due to being unaccompanied minors. Here came the tears again and the anger for us parents. We asked why it was all of a sudden. Where was the phone call. Why was it okay the day before? She tried to tell us we could come back at 7:00 p.m. on July 22 to try that flight, but could not guarantee that they would get on. We explained that there were plans set for them, and by waiting a whole other day without a guarantee would not be acceptable, she gave us a number to call for reimbursement. We could not believe what was going on, such shock and disappointment, along with the emotions from our kids. It was a really tough, heartbreaking situation. I honestly believe they were booted because the flight became overbooked because of all the chaos of cancelations from your system going down.
When we got back home we called the customer service # she had given us and sat on hold for 2 hrs and 20 minutes when that customer service rep said the only way to get refunds was to email. We asked about their luggage since that was the only thing that we were told made it to L.A. and she gave us a different # for that. It has been 4 days and 5 messages have been left by us inquiring about their luggage daily and still no call back. I have sent daily emails to southwest customer service and still the only response we get is the automated one saying someone will get back to us in 48 hours. It is passed 48 hours. Family members of ours who were so distraught over what our girls experienced went to twitter and they got a response right away. Saying they would refund us and give us 2 50% off vouchers for airfare scheduled between certain dates. These are kids, they have school to attend to. The original plans took months to plan before tickets were even bought to coordinate everybodys schedule. The dates they provided wouldn't work for us. And why would they even discuss this with our brothers and moms, and dads who did not even have this experience with your company, when they haven't even contacted us. This is a serious issue.
There is no compensation for tears, or heartbreak I understand that. But there needs to be something done to justify this horrible experience. We do not fly at all. We chose southwest airlines for your outstanding reviews and statements about catering to unaccompanied minors while we researched what air travel we would use. Congratulations for proving your own statements wrong. I can't say we will ever choose to fly southwest again alone or as a family. probably would not even recommend at this point. I am well aware of things happening beyond our control but it is how we make up for them when they do happen that puts us above the rest.
We just want to feel acknowledged, and it is not yet happened. Not only was their flight not honored, we had to pay tolls 4 times, drive an hour each way for 2 days, and not get reimbursed for universal tickets we bought in advance for one of their activities in LA.
We hope our message is heard
Misty and Trent
you can find all of the history of the changes with that I imagine. thank you for your time
