Southwest Airlines in a nationwide meltdown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read all the posts, but hope that Southwest can recover from this debacle. They are the only airline that allows a change without a fee and probably the only airline that does not impose a luggage charge.

This is part of the problem, their lower cost model means they don’t have the infrastructure the bigger airlines have. It worked right up until it broke.

[Anonymous]

SWA had great tickets sales in the fall and early December. It’s travelers who bought them are at fault. Right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read all the posts, but hope that Southwest can recover from this debacle. They are the only airline that allows a change without a fee and probably the only airline that does not impose a luggage charge.

They will be just fine. They are the largest domestic US airline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read all the posts, but hope that Southwest can recover from this debacle. They are the only airline that allows a change without a fee and probably the only airline that does not impose a luggage charge.

This is part of the problem, their lower cost model means they don’t have the infrastructure the bigger airlines have. It worked right up until it broke.

SWA's net income for Q3 2022 (just 3 months) was $277 million. This was what they made after they paid for everything. There is no excuse for their infrastructure issues. Its not because they give free checked bags.

https://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2022/10-27-2022-114539343

[Anonymous]

I am in Florida with return Southwest tickets on 1/2 to DC. Do you think I should rebook now on another airline? I need to be back to work and my kids in school on 1/3. What would you do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read all the posts, but hope that Southwest can recover from this debacle. They are the only airline that allows a change without a fee and probably the only airline that does not impose a luggage charge.

This is part of the problem, their lower cost model means they don’t have the infrastructure the bigger airlines have. It worked right up until it broke.

SWA's net income for Q3 2022 (just 3 months) was $277 million. This was what they made after they paid for everything. There is no excuse for their infrastructure issues. Its not because they give free checked bags.

https://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2022/10-27-2022-114539343

They should be reinvesting every cent of profit into infrastructure upgrades, but that’s really not that much money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read all the posts, but hope that Southwest can recover from this debacle. They are the only airline that allows a change without a fee and probably the only airline that does not impose a luggage charge.

This is part of the problem, their lower cost model means they don’t have the infrastructure the bigger airlines have. It worked right up until it broke.

SWA's net income for Q3 2022 (just 3 months) was $277 million. This was what they made after they paid for everything. There is no excuse for their infrastructure issues. Its not because they give free checked bags.

https://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2022/10-27-2022-114539343

They should be reinvesting every cent of profit into infrastructure upgrades, but that’s really not that much money.

A billion dollars a year of pure profit isn't that much money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want trains.

I want high-speed, reliable trains, that go everywhere, on time.

Heck, if we’re the Best Country In The World, these trains should be solar powered, have 5G connectivity, have cars with pet compartments so people can bring their dogs, and have both kid-friendly and kid-free cars. And while we’re at it, give the crew & railway workers paid sick leave.

Why can’t we have nice things?

I currently live in Europe and regularly travel across the continent. At least 25% of my trains over the past 6 months have been canceled /severely delayed due to labor strikes or maintenance issues. On the trains that actually are running they are often filthy, half the time the advertised wifi doesn’t work and the snack cars are closed due to staffing shortages. The grass isn’t really greener.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read all the posts, but hope that Southwest can recover from this debacle. They are the only airline that allows a change without a fee and probably the only airline that does not impose a luggage charge.

This is part of the problem, their lower cost model means they don’t have the infrastructure the bigger airlines have. It worked right up until it broke.

SWA's net income for Q3 2022 (just 3 months) was $277 million. This was what they made after they paid for everything. There is no excuse for their infrastructure issues. Its not because they give free checked bags.

https://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2022/10-27-2022-114539343

They should be reinvesting every cent of profit into infrastructure upgrades, but that’s really not that much money.

A billion dollars a year of pure profit isn't that much money?

Sorry - read that as annual. Yeah, no excuse. They absolutely should have been upgrading their systems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in Florida with return Southwest tickets on 1/2 to DC. Do you think I should rebook now on another airline? I need to be back to work and my kids in school on 1/3. What would you do?

I would not rebook. Things will probably be fine in five days. Also your kids don't HAVE to be back. Nothing bad will happen if they miss school, especially that day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are several ways in which the FU is different from normal weather delays:

1) SWA software collapse. We were sitting in BWI for hours watching a slow motion disaster. One flight attendant was stuck somewhere. They found a replacement flight attendant. They were then on the phone for hours trying to reach someone at SWA to update the crew record to put the replacement attendant on. As my teenager said, she could write the code to automate that in a day. It’s ridiculous that they did not have software to handle this.

2) we were on a flight with tickets purchased months ago. No weather issues, no crew issues, no mechanical issues. They bumped my children from that flight to accommodate A list preferred people from other flights that had been cancelled. I e never heard of an airline bumping passengers just because they want to accommodate other passengers. Ironically, my husband and I are A list preferred (so did not get bumped but couldn’t leave our kids standing in the airport). I thought this policy was absolutely outrageous and I’ve never heard of that happening before. They also rank the stand by list by whether you have status so there was no way for the kids to get off stand by.

3) also oddly they loaded our luggage even though we had been bumped from the flight hours before the plane took off. Most airlines have the capacity to pull luggage in that circumstance — I assume this is another failing of the SW software. I thought there was an FAA rule that the luggage couldn’t fly if the person wasn’t checked in for the flight.

What did you ulitmately do PP? Your situation is especially maddening because your flight actually took off.

We just came home but I’m upset about our luggage which they sent to our destination and I has been sitting at the carousel for days now. (Some nice lady there sent us a picture of one bag! But we have no way to get it of course). There is stuff in there the kids need for school plus Christmas presents they got that are now sold out, etc. im seeing people online saying it will be a month or two before we get our stuff. I just don’t know whether to go out and buy whole new wardrobes for everyone. Unfortunately we were going to a cold weather destination so it’s all our winter stuff in the bags.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are several ways in which the FU is different from normal weather delays:

1) SWA software collapse. We were sitting in BWI for hours watching a slow motion disaster. One flight attendant was stuck somewhere. They found a replacement flight attendant. They were then on the phone for hours trying to reach someone at SWA to update the crew record to put the replacement attendant on. As my teenager said, she could write the code to automate that in a day. It’s ridiculous that they did not have software to handle this.

2) we were on a flight with tickets purchased months ago. No weather issues, no crew issues, no mechanical issues. They bumped my children from that flight to accommodate A list preferred people from other flights that had been cancelled. I e never heard of an airline bumping passengers just because they want to accommodate other passengers. Ironically, my husband and I are A list preferred (so did not get bumped but couldn’t leave our kids standing in the airport). I thought this policy was absolutely outrageous and I’ve never heard of that happening before. They also rank the stand by list by whether you have status so there was no way for the kids to get off stand by.

3) also oddly they loaded our luggage even though we had been bumped from the flight hours before the plane took off. Most airlines have the capacity to pull luggage in that circumstance — I assume this is another failing of the SW software. I thought there was an FAA rule that the luggage couldn’t fly if the person wasn’t checked in for the flight.

What did you ulitmately do PP? Your situation is especially maddening because your flight actually took off.

We just came home but I’m upset about our luggage which they sent to our destination and I has been sitting at the carousel for days now. (Some nice lady there sent us a picture of one bag! But we have no way to get it of course). There is stuff in there the kids need for school plus Christmas presents they got that are now sold out, etc. im seeing people online saying it will be a month or two before we get our stuff. I just don’t know whether to go out and buy whole new wardrobes for everyone. Unfortunately we were going to a cold weather destination so it’s all our winter stuff in the bags.

Gosh, that stinks. That is even more frustrating (to me) than a cancelled trip. I mean that sincerely - what a hassle. I'm sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in Florida with return Southwest tickets on 1/2 to DC. Do you think I should rebook now on another airline? I need to be back to work and my kids in school on 1/3. What would you do?

I would not rebook. Things will probably be fine in five days. Also your kids don't HAVE to be back. Nothing bad will happen if they miss school, especially that day.

+1. I wouldn't give it another thought for at least several more days and go enjoy my vacation. Its finally getting warm in FL again! Check back in sometime on the 1st.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in Florida with return Southwest tickets on 1/2 to DC. Do you think I should rebook now on another airline? I need to be back to work and my kids in school on 1/3. What would you do?

Rebook or plan on driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are several ways in which the FU is different from normal weather delays:

1) SWA software collapse. We were sitting in BWI for hours watching a slow motion disaster. One flight attendant was stuck somewhere. They found a replacement flight attendant. They were then on the phone for hours trying to reach someone at SWA to update the crew record to put the replacement attendant on. As my teenager said, she could write the code to automate that in a day. It’s ridiculous that they did not have software to handle this.

2) we were on a flight with tickets purchased months ago. No weather issues, no crew issues, no mechanical issues. They bumped my children from that flight to accommodate A list preferred people from other flights that had been cancelled. I e never heard of an airline bumping passengers just because they want to accommodate other passengers. Ironically, my husband and I are A list preferred (so did not get bumped but couldn’t leave our kids standing in the airport). I thought this policy was absolutely outrageous and I’ve never heard of that happening before. They also rank the stand by list by whether you have status so there was no way for the kids to get off stand by.

3) also oddly they loaded our luggage even though we had been bumped from the flight hours before the plane took off. Most airlines have the capacity to pull luggage in that circumstance — I assume this is another failing of the SW software. I thought there was an FAA rule that the luggage couldn’t fly if the person wasn’t checked in for the flight.

What did you ulitmately do PP? Your situation is especially maddening because your flight actually took off.

We just came home but I’m upset about our luggage which they sent to our destination and I has been sitting at the carousel for days now. (Some nice lady there sent us a picture of one bag! But we have no way to get it of course). There is stuff in there the kids need for school plus Christmas presents they got that are now sold out, etc. im seeing people online saying it will be a month or two before we get our stuff. I just don’t know whether to go out and buy whole new wardrobes for everyone. Unfortunately we were going to a cold weather destination so it’s all our winter stuff in the bags.

Your entire winter wardrobe is in those bags?