Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Insufferable about surveys: Southwest Airlines Edition.

RantWoman recently flew a round trip set of flights between Seattle and Louisville via Denver on Southwest. RantWoman also just got done completing a survey that arrived in her email right after the going to legs of her trip. RantWoman lost patience with questions about some details and lack of questions about other points. So here for the world to appreciate are some supplementary comments.


RantWoman is not crazy about open seating, but someone else was doing the booking and paying the bill. RantWoman made it work. It wasn't until segment 4 the final segment before home that RantWoman realized she is tall and should just grab a seat on the bulkhead whenever possible.


Note: RantWoman is one of those stubborn legally blind travelers who is not crazy about "Meet and Assist" and who does not use any of the available by smartphone apps some rely on for wayfinding help. RantWoman is fine with the "Ask a human" algorithm, fine with exercise, and generally energized by her capacity to survive things like TSA lines. Scratch that. RantWoman is tired of taking off her shoes. If RantWoman is going to wind up flying more, RantWoman may have to look into TSA precheck.


RantWoman comments:


Staffing at ticket counters: 

RantWoman was travelling at non-peak hours. Staffing was basically fine.


Cleanliness:

No problems serious enough for RantWoman to detect them.


Airport lobby on departure:  departure was early afternoon. Short lines. There was some kiosk that was supposed to help RantWoman check her suitcase. RantWoman's frustration threshold for such devices is pretty low and was grateful for a very courteous human at the counter.


Care of devices:

Seatac departure gate: RantWoman was thrilled to find outlets to charge her phone in the seats in the departure concourse.


Denver to Louisville: right near RantWoman's departure gate there were two tables with seats and outlets sufficient to charge about 8 devices. RantWoman was thrilled to have a place to sit and to charge one device.


Denver to Seattle, coming home: different concourse. RantWoman asked multiple people about options and finally found a wall outlet on a pillar near the departure gate with no place to sit nearby and an overhead voice telling travelers not to leave anything unattended. Frownie face!


Flight crews:

On one segment there was a flight attendant who made references several times to drinking--during the safety message. RantWoman found herself thinking "get off this plane and into treatment." RantWoman found it a little easier to tolerate the pilot saying "Welcome to Bourbon city" when the plane arrived.


When the last leg of the trip plane landed in Seattle everyone deplaned at the South Terminal. RantWoman would not in the least have minded a little more orientation from the flight crew--and better signage--than was provided. RantWoman needed to use the restroom and knew she would need the train to baggage claim. A clump of other perplexed travelers collected as we meandered through a number of very poorly marked hallways tried various elevator options and finally found the train. 


By the time RantWoman collected her suitcase, it was too late for light rail. The cab ride home was pure comfort and courtesy and worth every penny.


Sec Pete on Infrastructure

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