Southwest has recovered from their catastrophic meltdown that caused thousands of stranded passengers and missing bags. They have resumed normal operations making us wonder if flights are operating at full capacity. Leaving many wondering, is Southwest Airlines reliable to fly? We will be reviewing Southwest Airlines onboard their 737-800 from Hartford (BDL) to Nashville (BNA) with a connection in Baltimore (BWI).
Booking
Southwest has a very simple booking platform. We booked our flight with one ticket on Rapid Rewards while paying a full fare on the other. Southwest Airlines does not book with third party travel websites which in turn keeps costs down and simplifies the process. When checking in things got a bit perplexing. My fiancé and I have A List through Southwest status matching. When we received our boarding passes we were in two separate boarding groups, I was in Group C while he was in Group A. We called Southwest Airlines reservations where they answered almost immediately but were unable to fix the issue. They instead told us to board together.
Check in & Boarding
Southwest Airlines is located in Terminal A at Hartford Bradley International Airport (BDL). There are multiple Southwest kiosks in the ticketing area where we printed and self tagged our bags. After that we simply handed them over to the agent at the counter, presented our IDs and we were off to the gate. In the early morning hours the TSA security lanes at Bradley were long so it is best to allow some extra time to clear the lines. Thanks to having TSA Pre we bypassed the winding lines.
Southwest Airlines does not have assigned seating instead seating is first come first serve. Instead groups are assigned on boarding passes going from A-C. As my fiancé was in A-group my plan was to tell the agent our group separation and board together. I was told I had to wait while he boarded, no big deal. After A group was military and young children followed by A-List Preferred and A-List. Our particular flight had a large group of families in this group which slightly slowed down the boarding process. In Baltimore the process was slightly different with A-List members boarding after military members but before families with young children. Our Boeing 737-800 began to fill up quickly with almost all of the 175 seats became full. Our second flight to Nashville was just as full.
Onboard Product
Seats on Southwest 737-800s have 32-33 In. of seat pitch and 17in. wide seats. Exit row seats have some more legroom with some drawbacks such as limited recline and age limits (age 15). Our first leg we sat in row 11A and 11B. Our second leg was in the exit row 15B. If your traveling as a couple this seat may be preferred as there are only 2 seats on either side of the row as opposed to 3. Taller passengers may appreciate the almost unlimited legroom in 16A and 16F as there is a missing seat in front. Currently there are no power ports aboard the 737-800s however Southwest has announced they will be retrofitting some aircraft with power outlets. Inflight entertainment is available via Wi-Fi streaming. This feature is complimentary and includes live tv and some movies and tv shows. There is a cool inflight map providing live flight information, including connecting flight times and gates. Internet can be purchased for $8.00. However texting is free of charge.
Snack & Beverage Options
After rocketing out of Bradley International we soon reached cruising altitude. Due to the short flight and weather there was no snack service. On Baltimore to Nashville leg Southwest offered a full service. The cabin crew took our order and then delivered our beverage selection as opposed to using a bulky cart. Coke products, coffee, teas and juices are complimentary. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased. Our snack option consisted of a snack mix which was handed out shortly after takeoff.
How is Southwest Airlines after the meltdown?
The majority of employees we interacted with were cheerful despite the difficult past few weeks. Our first flight departed on time while our second flight was delayed by 12 minutes due to a last minute gate and aircraft swap. However, we still landed 15 minutes early. Other than the little hiccup during boarding, Southwest Airlines met all of the our basic expectations. They were able to get us and our bags to Nashville safely. Despite the slight delay we were able to make some time up in the air. Southwest Airlines seems to have resumed normal operations with many flights departing with full loads from what we could see. In our personal opinions, Southwest Airlines is back to normal and fine to fly on in light of their meltdown.
