Now that there are 2 SWA threads, I don't know where to post anymore!
Just wanted to share an annoying, but funny-after-the-fact story:
On our most recent return flight DEN-EWR, I misread our departure time thinking it was a 1/2 hour later than it actually was, which we only realized once we saw the schedule board in the airport. We ran to checkin, and because there was only 45 minutes till our flight, they couldn't guarantee us that our bags would get on the plane. If they couldn't, they would send them on the next day's flight (which meant returning to EWR the next day to get our bags). The other option was to try to bring our bags on the plane, since they were just a drop bigger than carry-on size. We were debating back and forth and just decided to bring the bags with us. So, we run to security with 2 suitcases and 3 carry-ons hanging onto our shoulders, a la Home Alone, just to realize all our liquids were in our suitcases. As we wait on the security line, we started going through our bags, collecting all our liquids into a plastic shopping bag. We, unfortunately, toss it all into the trash as we go through security.
Anyone familiar with DEN knows that after security you have to take a train to the terminals. Of course, SWA is in the last terminal. We
just caught the train as the doors were closing. Phew. Just as we were coming to terms with the fact that we were not likely going to be able sit together on the plane, as we were definitely going to be the last people getting on the plane (unless something was delayed, which we were hoping for), my wife had a great idea - we would just ask at the gate to have our bags put under the plane! They'll know the plane is full and don't want to waste time, so they would just throw them under and our bags would come with us without having to awkwardly shove these huge things into the overhead. We get off the train, run up the stairs with all our bags and down the terminal to our gate. We get there with 8 minutes till the flight and no one's boarding anymore, just the lonely gate agent waiting to close up. We made it! We hand over our boarding passes, he scans them and tells us that... we're not checked in.
We go to the customer service desk and find out that 10 minutes before flights, unboarded seats are released to any standby passengers. We were crushed. We thought we made it, but we didn't. We couldn't believe that policy, although I guess it goes hand-in-hand with being able to cancel a ticket up to 10 minutes before departure. They offer to get us the 1 last seat going to EWR and 1 seat going to PHL, but we were not about to split up. The next flight wouldn't be till the morning and as compensation, SWA gave us each $50 vouchers, so hey, that was kinda cool.
As we head out the airport to go back to my in-laws, I realized that we threw out our liquids for no reason because we would be able to check our bags normally when we came back to the airport in the morning. So, I had my wife wait on the side while I got back in the security line. I got to the agent, showed my old and new boarding passes, explained that I missed my flight and just wanted to get my liquids out of the garbage can behind her, which I recognized was the one I threw the shopping bag into. She looked at me like I was crazy (maybe I am) and said, "You want to go through the garbage for your liquids?" Next thing I know, I have a TSA escort to the garbage can 5 feet away, I grab my bag which was right on top and am led out of security. With the CP, our trip cost $15, and with the $100 in vouchers, we actually made $85 by visiting my in-laws for Shabbos. Win!
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