tell me what the Southwest experience is like

[laurajetter]

My DH and I will be taking Southwest Airlines to WDW this coming weekend for the first time, mainly because we wanted to save some money. It wasn't until recently though that I started hearing that sometimes they do fun things during the flight, for instance play games, or sing the safety instructions. I read an article about the founder having a great sense of humor. I was never knew any of this, so now I'm really looking forward to our flight! I remember seeing a plane painted like Shamu which I thought was really funny.

Have any of you experienced some of these goofy things and if so, what were they? Is it something that is sporadic or can we expect that every flight will probably have joking around of some kind?

-Laura

 

[jimmiej]

The head flight attendant on our June '04 trip from MCO to Austin was hilarious! A couple of examples:

"If your traveling with small children today...I'm sorry!"

When the plane touched down in Austin, she yelled out, "Whoa big fellow, whoa!!!"

She had us ROTFLOL the whole trip!

 

[gigi1313]

we, too, have experienced good humored flight attendants... they make the flight fun... on our way home from mco we had a brand new flight attendant, and to celebrate her first flight, the other fa's on the plane popped bottles of champagne and offered mimosa's to all passengers over 21 (for free)

another sang a fun song about love & marriage and southwest and low fares... it was cute... my kids loved it (and the fa had a GREAT voice)

when they did the spiel about the oxygen masks, they tell those travelling w/small children to secure their own first and then the child's, and looked at me and said "for those of you travelling with more than one small child [which i was], decide now which one you like better!" everyone chuckled (except dd who asked who's i would do first, hers or her brother's!)

some find southwest's lack of assigned seating a hassle... we have never had a problem and have only had enjoyable flights!

 

[HappyMommy2]

We've flown Southwest many times (it's our carrier of choice), and in our experience, "funniness" to some degree happens on about 75% of the flights. It's not a big deal. It has generally been just a couple of funny comments over the intercom from the crew, as the previous poster described. Sometimes they announce couples who are celebrating an anniversary, returning from military deployment, etc. and everyone claps and the crew will make some funny appropriate comment. All in all, the flights don't seem to be much different to me than flights on other airlines--maybe just a little more of a lighthearted attitude on the part of the crew. I'm glad, since I'm afraid if I were tired I'd get a little irritated if there was a lot of loud joking or game-playing going on throughout the flight. We've never had that happen. It has always been enjoyable and low-key.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

We haven't experienced a lot of humor and fun on our trips. Just a cute little jingle at the end of the trip or something similar. But we enjoying traveling with them because so far they have always been really nice and accomodating and we love the savings on money...just more to spend when we get there.

 

[Esmerelda]

We had a captain one time that was singing the blues and playing a harmonica...we thought it was simply a recording until he started coughing!! LOL...then we realized it was truly our captain! The crews aboard our planes have been super. Our group is constantly laughing anyhow so we fit right in. We've had flight attendants play trivia type games with the passengers and that's always fun and helps pass the time.

I can honestly say I've never had a bad SW flight ever! (and I've flown them alot) I've never had trouble sitting with anyone...even if I didn't get an "A" pass anyhow (darn it all.... There are so many posts on here where folks obsess with the getting on the plane first and I could care less....just so me and my boys get a seat...we are happy!

I will say that the only thing you get are a drink and some peanuts so we always bring our own snacks or eat in the airport just prior to boarding and that workds just fine for us.


have a great trip!
Esmerelda

 

[dreams91]

I do like their sense of humor, however I won't fly the "cattle call" airline again. I hate the lack of assigned seating and the lines that form just to get a seat. So in order to get a seat next to someone you are flying with, you too have to stand in the long line waiting for your "A" "B" or "C" rows.

Personally, I'd rather have assigned seating without the jokes at a little more cost.

I hope you like it though.

 

[inkkognito]

We've had some humor on ATA too, including a singing flight attendant (never a harmonica playing captain tho'!).
Barb

 

[Chicago526]

I've only flown them twice, and both flights were an hour long or less, so no fun and games. In fact, one of the flights the FA's raced through all anouncements to the point that I couldn't understand what she was saying!

But the all the SW staff were nice, and they got me safely from point A to B, so that's all I can ask for!

I too, would rather pay a bit more for seat assignments. SW only flies from Midway, and I'm much closer to O'Hare, so that's another factor. Plus I find that SW fares (at least in the markets that I fly all the time) aren't any better than UA (except for last minute bookings). So to me, it isn't worth it. But a lot of people on the Dis love 'em, so I'm sure you'll have a great trip!

 

[KerriL]

On one of the flights we took to MCO, the flight attendents gave each side of the aircraft a roll of toilet paper to pass to the back of the aircraft in a race. They said that the first side to get the roll to the back of the plane intact would get off the plane first.
Of course the FA's were kidding, but that didn't stop the winning side from gripping when they all weren't allowed to get off first!
Kerri