the strongly worded email i just sent to Southwest Airlines

This was my second travel experience with Southwest Airlines, and I am certain it will be my last.

I left straight from work on Thursday to make it to the airport for my flight at 8:20PM. I had previously scheduled a car service to take me to that airport (at a cost of $38). I had received a text message that said my flight was delayed until 9PM, but because I had already scheduled the car, I decided to go ahead and be early for boarding. When I got to the airport I checked the departures board and as expected it indicated a delayed flight. I checked in and left my checked bag with security and over the course of the next 2 hours I received 3 additional text messages alerting me that my flight was now delayed until 9:50PM, the 9:30PM, then 11:50PM. Finally I received a text message that said that my flight was cancelled.

My complaint is that after waiting in line until 11PM to speak to an agent about rescheduling my flight I was told that the first available flight to Chicago was not until Sunday. The wedding I was supposed to attend was on Saturday, so the option presented was not acceptable. I asked if Southwest would provide me with a seat on a competitor's flight, and was told no. The only offer for recompensation made was to provide hotel vouchers until I could be put on a flight. Clearly as a New York resident, I don't need to wait in a hotel for a new flight.

My weekend was already ruined, and after all was said and done, I had spend more than $90 on transportation to and from the airport and on dinner (that I would not have otherwise needed). My expectation was that Southwest would provide me a way to honor the ticket that I had purchased and get me to Chicago. Failing this, due to weather or mechanical problems (there was never an excuse given for the cancellation) it would be my expectation that Southwest would recompensate me for my expenses and I would have been delighted if a future travel credit had been offered to make up for my lost time, and for ruining my weekend.

Basically Southwest failed to honor the ticket I had purchased, and then left me stranded at the airport. That is the story I am left with and unless something changes, that will be the last story I have to tell people about my experience. Southwest claims that the service they provide is "not like the other guys," and as far as I can tell that is true, because with the "other guys" I would have made it to Chicago without too much trouble.