Writing this blog on a Southwest flight from Phoenix to San Fransisco today.  I have a business trip to meet some co-workers that I have worked with for over two years but have never met in person.  Don’t you love this modern day an age, globalization is a reality and people need to realize it won’t go away.  Now my closest co-workers are actually located in Minneapolis, San Fransisco and I only have a handful that work with me in person in Tempe, Arizona.  I have actually only been to San Fransisco once before for a work related purpose where I worked 24 hours straight in a downtown office working on an infrastructure release.  I only used my hotel room for a few hours and flew back the next day.  This time I am in town for 2 days, and will try to hit a few downtown restaurants, I love tasting various cuisine from different cities.  So this blog is to discuss my impressions and opinions with Southwest Airlines, as well as discuss flights in general.

Southwest Airlines is one of the only profitable airlines in this economy due to their very creative and efficient marketing strategy and operations.  They do employ this very well, and their “Wanna Get Away” fares are unbeatable by any stretch of the imagination.  Seriously, where can you get fares for $64 dollars one way anymore?  It is actually cheaper to fly than to drive between Arizona and California now with gas prices high, if you are traveling alone.  If you are traveling with four people, then one vehicle and gas are cheaper than 4 round trip tickets + a rental when you arrive.  Southwest has good rates, a very fast online check in.  I was able to check in 24 hours ahead of my flight and actually print out my boarding pass at home.

Phoenix actually has a really good airport despite what people say, compared to Denver, LAX, Orlando, JFK it is very fast and easy to get in through security and to your terminal.  The boarding with Southwest is a little bit of a pain, they give you a Group (A, B or C) and a number (1 – 60) and you stand in line with your group and board in order.  This is a little chaotic, but I still miss reserved specific seating.  I don’t like having to scour for a seat, and when you are unlucky enough to travel with a family and be late to get your boarding passes, you get a C boarding group and there are no seats together, you are stuck to sit in one row, while your family sits in other rows.  You always get an A class if you check in online 24 hours ahead, but you are most likely going to be B or C group if you check in within 2 hours before the flight.

Southwest is friendly, they always give drinks and snacks.  They do provide some 100 calorie pack products by Kraft, which are a nice change from the generic peanuts and pretzels.  They are fast and attentive to getting drinks, but I nodded off when I got on board and they didn’t wake me for my beverage, so I had to call the hostess and ask if it was too late.  Fortunately they still brought me a beverage and I was able to quench my thirst.

In general I like Southwest Airlines as long as one thing is true:
You do not have any checked baggage.

Woe be to the traveler who checks baggage at Southwest Airlines, because I have checked baggage on five of the last seven flights and have had problems with baggage every single time.  Though fortunately the worst incident was when my friend’s bag never arrived and had been shipped on a later flight.  Fortunately the bag wasn’t lost though, it just didn’t make it through inspection in time to make the flight.  Southwest is late getting bags out of the plane and onto the terminal often, and bags are often haphazardly treated, most of my luggage has collected damage including fabric rips, tears and scuffs from being man handled through the Southwest baggage area’s.

For airplanes in general the most common is true,

1. This day an age it is a myth that electronic equipment interferes with the airplane equipment.  Let people work on their laptops and listen to their ipod’s right after everyone is boarded and the plane takes off.  Don’t wait until ascent is completed, this wastes time.
2. Seats that tilt back are designed to annoy the hell out of anyone using a laptop, my screen is being forced to be shut a little by someone in front of me leaning back, now my screen is at a bad viewing angle and I can barely read what I am typing.
3. For people who don’t have ipods, or music devices, I liked when some airlines offer headsets and have jacks for you to listen to default music stations inside the plane.  Or even television sets embedded in the back of each seat so someone can watch some generic TV, CNN or anything just to pass the time.  I bore easily and like to keep myself busy with something to do, I listen to audiobooks on the plane as I am doing now while typing this blog for publication later.

I am listening to Duma Key by Stephen King and 39 Chapters into the book, and I don’t need to keep saying over and over again how incredible he is as an author and how I like just about every book he has ever published.

I will write a post later about the restaurant I eat at for dinner.

In summary for this post if you take anything away, come away with this information:

Southwest Airlines has the cheapest plane tickets out of anyone that I have ever seen.

Check In online the day before if you are able to, even if you are checking bags you can get an A group ticket so you don’t have to wait to board with B or C groups.

If you have to have a carry on, make sure your luggage is sturdy (hard case, or thick fabric) because it will suffer wear and tear.

Insure your luggage, and keep it well closed and possible with an approved lock.  Make sure you leave plenty of time on arrival, as your bags will take a while to get unloaded from the plane, and may not show up on your flight if you checked in within 1 1/2 hours of your flight.

Fly safe everyone and get the best deals possible

-Dragon Blogger

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