Lessons from Southwest Airlines' online ticket reservation

Head in a hole.
Lesson #1: Even when there are no seats available on a flight, they will book you for it anyway.

Lesson #2: Of course, that means they'll make you pay for it as well. WHEN THERE ARE NO AVAILABLE SEATS ON THE STUPID FLIGHT. AND I DIDN'T EVEN CLICK ON THE PURCHASE BUTTON BECAUSE IT SAID I COULDN'T BUY A SEAT THAT WASN'T AVAILABLE.

Lesson #3: Breathe, and speak calmly to the Southwest Airlines representative. It is not their fault when computers make stupid human errors.

Lesson #4: Although, it IS their fault when they themselves make stupid human errors.

Lesson #5: "Peak travel season" means spring break, any of the summer months, any of the two months on either end of the summer months, November, and December. So that leaves January. Which is also a "peak travel season" because all the Snow Birds depart for warmer climates.

Lesson #6: Dude, when is that high speed rail line going to be in operation?

Lesson #7: And yet, until that time with high speed rail will be available, I'm still going to fly Southwest. Cheap tickets for cheap service, I suppose. Can't Singapore Air have US domestic flights? Or even Cathay?

Lesson #8: Thank you Southwest for letting me cancel a non-refundable ticket within 24 hours of purchasing! The lesson here is to do things ASAP - no procrastinating or else I would have paid $900 for a single roundtrip to D.C.