SW recently sent me an email announcing a systemwide "friends fly free" promotion for travel booked by April 8 and occuring between April 2 and August 3. SUpposedly you buy one ticket at a Special discounted Fare and your friend gets a ticket for free.

I wasn't planning on traveling during this period (except for the convention and I've got a frequent flyer flight for that trip.) But I figured I should take a look in case I saw a fare too good to pass up.

Well what I found was pretty ugly. Every time I have flown on SW from Albany to Vegas I have had a rate that ranged from $189-$250 ROUNDTRIP. The rate currently being shown for this flight at the "discounted non-refundable fare" is $193 ONE WAY. But it is worse than that. Friends Fly Free doesn't apply to that fare. For Friends Fly Free you must pay the $250 ONE WAY FARE. This is actually $40 above the "advance purchase tickets" price.

But they are also promoting a special fare from Albany to Baltimore at the rate of $59 One Way. Only problem is that for as long as I SW has been in Albany the fare to Baltimore has been $46. AND IT STILL IS UNLESS YOU WANT THE SPECIAL DISCOUNT OF $59.

I have always said that SW offered awful customer service but great rates, now they trying to get rid of the one good thing they had.