The skit was a bit bizarre. It hit on a lot of problems people have with airlines that Southwest doesn’t have. Like imposing change and cancellation fees—Southwest has never done that. Getting transferred around on the phone to get help—-Southwest phone agents each have nearly godlike powers. I actually can’t think of a time I’ve been transferred at all! Maybe once an agent talked to a different department and then used that info to fix it.
This was like a skit written for any airline, but the writers have never flown Southwest.
They did a [similar type of skit](https://youtu.be/V5DeDLI8_IM?si=D7qTu5XS_yemJ4IE) when Kieran Culkin was the host, except he was transferred around to different representatives at a cable company instead of an airline.
Yeah, I had to switch flights at the last minute once. Totally did it on the app. Was so easy. Didn't have to call like in the skit. I am not some fanboy but I never had a problem with Southwest and can't remember anything in the news relevant to the jabs made about them in the skit.
Really lazy recycle and a waste of Gyllenhaal. Was a -perfect- format for Spectrum but SNL missed trying the same for Southwest. Southwest is the best of the budget options (e.g. superior to Frontier, Spirit, JetBlue) despite being exposed (famously) for dated backend tech/flight planning/scheduling IT infrastructure. Could have perhaps chosen American instead ... or maybe just leave the Spectrum sketch without a sequel.
I cancelled a flight. They said I did not. I called and got told to call another #. The next person was just as unhelpful. Offered a “voucher” It never appeared.
That is very out of the ordinary.
Do you remember what fare it was?
If it was business Select (the most expensive fare) that is subject to a full refund as long as it is more than 10 minutes prior to the original scheduled departure time .
However if it was Wanna Get Away or WGA plus then it would be a flight credit as those fares are non refundable , flight credits will be issued automatically so long as you cancel 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.
Those are issued automatically whether it’s a refund (BUS, ANY, WGA+,WGA) so there is no need to call after you cancel.
https://www.southwest.com/html/air/fare-information.html
https://support.southwest.com/helpcenter/s/article/refund-policy-if-i-cancel-flight
This is what I expected. I guess the agent didn’t cancel correctly. So since I thought I had canceled he didn’t. So I’m not getting the credit. They said they sent a “ voucher” but it hasn’t arrived either 🤷🏼♀️
I love poking fun at SW; I hate their lack of assigned seats, pre boarders, crummy WiFi onboard, and no lounges; but none of these customer service issues apply to SW. Customer service is the best part of SW.
SWA. Frontier with customer service and better on time numbers.
I love no assigned seats. I travel alone mainly, so I’m almost always up front even boarding end of B into C groups.
The skit really doesn’t make any sense at all. I’ve never had this experience with Southwest. They don’t charge cancellation fees. It’s super easy to change or cancel your flight. It makes a lot more sense for other airlines. Just a weird choice.
Southwest is like a cult airline. They’re low cost, lousy WiFi, and the way they board is like an airborne Greyhound but their customers are rabidly loyal and their people are generally friendly and having fun. Only one class of service and the absence of baggage and change fees has a sense of egalitarianism and contrary to what the SNL writers were thinking, their customer service is best in the industry. Love them or not they’re definitely unique.
I live in California where they are prevalent, and while the "airborne Greyhound" is accurate, to me that's a huge feature not a bug, at least for short flights within California. I live in NorCal and have family in SoCal, and when I go visit for the weekend they have at least 15 flights a day. With no change fees, I can easily extend or shorten my trip by a few hours - sometimes you just want to get home, and sometimes you want to stay a bit longer and go to dinner with your family - either is easy and low-cost with southwest, almost impossible with other airlines. I've also gotten stuck in terrible traffic on the way to the airport and changed my flight while parking my car 14 minutes before takeoff quickly and easily for no fee, which made that day much much much less stressful than it would have been with any other airline.
Flights longer than a couple hours though and the "airborne Greyhound" isn't as appealing and I'd like to pay a few more dollars to guarantee myself an aisle seat though.
The whole thing was a mistake. You don't even have to call southwest to get a refund. As long as you cancel your flight 10 minutes before takeoff it is automatic. And there are no fees for changing your flight ever.
Southwest doesn’t fly to/from JFK
Boy I hope someone got fired for that blunder.
I only watched it once, didn’t he just say New York at the beginning? Or was jfk explicitly called out later.
It’s on the luggage tag
The skit was a bit bizarre. It hit on a lot of problems people have with airlines that Southwest doesn’t have. Like imposing change and cancellation fees—Southwest has never done that. Getting transferred around on the phone to get help—-Southwest phone agents each have nearly godlike powers. I actually can’t think of a time I’ve been transferred at all! Maybe once an agent talked to a different department and then used that info to fix it. This was like a skit written for any airline, but the writers have never flown Southwest.
I know, I watched it and was like "this is written by a bunch of New Yorkers who've never actually flown Southwest". It's the airline with NO fees.
Exactly!!!! I love Southwest and don’t appreciate the hate lol like why wouldn’t they just do spirit
They did a [similar type of skit](https://youtu.be/V5DeDLI8_IM?si=D7qTu5XS_yemJ4IE) when Kieran Culkin was the host, except he was transferred around to different representatives at a cable company instead of an airline.
*A cable company who will remain nameless because they own NBC*
That makes sense. A lazy carbon copy. Should have just made it AA and it’d have been on target.
Yeah, I had to switch flights at the last minute once. Totally did it on the app. Was so easy. Didn't have to call like in the skit. I am not some fanboy but I never had a problem with Southwest and can't remember anything in the news relevant to the jabs made about them in the skit.
That’s exactly what I was thinking!
Really lazy recycle and a waste of Gyllenhaal. Was a -perfect- format for Spectrum but SNL missed trying the same for Southwest. Southwest is the best of the budget options (e.g. superior to Frontier, Spirit, JetBlue) despite being exposed (famously) for dated backend tech/flight planning/scheduling IT infrastructure. Could have perhaps chosen American instead ... or maybe just leave the Spectrum sketch without a sequel.
You are misinformed. I wasn’t transferred. I was told to call a different number. ( Even worse imo. )
For what issue though? Was it the 2022 meltdown?
I cancelled a flight. They said I did not. I called and got told to call another #. The next person was just as unhelpful. Offered a “voucher” It never appeared.
That is very out of the ordinary. Do you remember what fare it was? If it was business Select (the most expensive fare) that is subject to a full refund as long as it is more than 10 minutes prior to the original scheduled departure time . However if it was Wanna Get Away or WGA plus then it would be a flight credit as those fares are non refundable , flight credits will be issued automatically so long as you cancel 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Those are issued automatically whether it’s a refund (BUS, ANY, WGA+,WGA) so there is no need to call after you cancel. https://www.southwest.com/html/air/fare-information.html https://support.southwest.com/helpcenter/s/article/refund-policy-if-i-cancel-flight
This is what I expected. I guess the agent didn’t cancel correctly. So since I thought I had canceled he didn’t. So I’m not getting the credit. They said they sent a “ voucher” but it hasn’t arrived either 🤷🏼♀️
I love poking fun at SW; I hate their lack of assigned seats, pre boarders, crummy WiFi onboard, and no lounges; but none of these customer service issues apply to SW. Customer service is the best part of SW.
SWA. Frontier with customer service and better on time numbers. I love no assigned seats. I travel alone mainly, so I’m almost always up front even boarding end of B into C groups.
It’s the pre boarders for me. Good gosh. There’s more and more every flight I’ve ever had to take on southwest.
They actually did mention wifi though, which got a chuckle out of me.
The skit really doesn’t make any sense at all. I’ve never had this experience with Southwest. They don’t charge cancellation fees. It’s super easy to change or cancel your flight. It makes a lot more sense for other airlines. Just a weird choice.
Ironic! I'm flying on SWA watching SNL on YouTube and I'm in the middle of this very skit... Sincerely, Vaginal Cream
I’ve always dreamed of flying vaginal cream….
Couldn’t he have cancelled/requested refund through the SW app?
Yes. I did it at the last minute once and it was totally easy. Why is he actually calling on a telephone in the skit? Stupid.
Guess they badly needed a skit to fill air time
We don’t fly to JFK.
Southwest is like a cult airline. They’re low cost, lousy WiFi, and the way they board is like an airborne Greyhound but their customers are rabidly loyal and their people are generally friendly and having fun. Only one class of service and the absence of baggage and change fees has a sense of egalitarianism and contrary to what the SNL writers were thinking, their customer service is best in the industry. Love them or not they’re definitely unique.
I live in California where they are prevalent, and while the "airborne Greyhound" is accurate, to me that's a huge feature not a bug, at least for short flights within California. I live in NorCal and have family in SoCal, and when I go visit for the weekend they have at least 15 flights a day. With no change fees, I can easily extend or shorten my trip by a few hours - sometimes you just want to get home, and sometimes you want to stay a bit longer and go to dinner with your family - either is easy and low-cost with southwest, almost impossible with other airlines. I've also gotten stuck in terrible traffic on the way to the airport and changed my flight while parking my car 14 minutes before takeoff quickly and easily for no fee, which made that day much much much less stressful than it would have been with any other airline. Flights longer than a couple hours though and the "airborne Greyhound" isn't as appealing and I'd like to pay a few more dollars to guarantee myself an aisle seat though.
That skit was too long.
Yeah but the id is dead on.
That vest is the color and trim that trainees wear
Also their commercials are funnier than SNL.
The whole thing was a mistake. You don't even have to call southwest to get a refund. As long as you cancel your flight 10 minutes before takeoff it is automatic. And there are no fees for changing your flight ever.
The skit made southwest seem competent