[vcasap]

I travel frequently (mostly by Continental) and first I thought it is me only experiencing significant pain in my ear on a Southwest flight from Oakland to Houston. I inquired with fellow passengers and they complained the same. I thought it may be this flight only. Next day morning, there was blood in my throat mucus but I took it easy thinking of it as one time affair.

I experienced the same air pressure/ear pain issue on a Southwest flight from Houston to San Francisco after two months. In between, I flew using Continental & US Airways - No issue what so ever. My family flew from Houston to Los Angeles - all members of family HAD significant ear pains. My colleague flew from Oakland to San Diego on Southwest - Same issue..i inquired with him and he immediately said, his ears pained a lot. He said fellow passengers complained about the same. Our coach flew from Houston to Tempa - he & his wife were in pain when they landed because of ear problems experienced on Southwest flight. This all happened in last two (2) months.

It is not me...It is many people facing the same issue on Southwest flights. We fly on other airlines such as Continental and no issue. I thought about it and finally decided to write to FAA as it seems to be a cabin pressure/cabin seals related issue in most of Southwest planes. It is not only me..there seem to be many people. I decided not to fly Southwest at all. It doesn't seem to be good from in flight issues perspective.

[MLH]

I have same concern. I have flown JAL, Delta, Continental, and many other airlines. Southwest flights recently were "killing" my ears. I mean really painful and I was chewing gum and yawning to relieve the pain and try to pop my ears.

The only thing I do remember is the other flights on other airlines were not on 737's. I just figured the reason was the old 737's SW uses are not as good at quickly equalizing cabin pressure during altitude changes because of their age.

[onthe101]

I came across this website while trying to learn if other airline passengers experience ear pain from cabin pressure. Of course my interested is due to my own immediate symptoms. I fly frequently and when possible take Horizon (Alaska Airlines) to and from my destination; it's the only commercial airline that uses STS which is only a few miles from my home. Otherwise I need to leave from SFO, 100 miles away. I've had no problems on other airlines, but severe ear pain on Horizon when we land at STS. I've communicated with Alaska Airlines about this in the past and they state there are no other complaints. The problem doesn't arise every time and never occurs when I'm outbound and land at my destination, ususally LAX or LAS. But happens frequently on Horizon when I'm returning and the plane makes the steep landing into STS.