Southwest Airlines in a nationwide meltdown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was posting from from Dallas airport yesterday. It appears my posts were deleted.

I was flying American and my first flight was late and I missed my connection. I was flying first class. Customer Service immediately booked me on a flight a few hours later. Again, first class. While the American agent was printing my boarding pass she got a message on her screen advising her to call someone. She called and was told my seat sold for an amount significantly higher than I paid (I used points). She immediately told me this when she hung up. Her supervisor arrived and was not happy I knew this.
So the supervisor told me to hurry to another terminal, and that he would put me first on the standby list to get on that flight. I did just that and I was eighth on the standby list and did not get on the flight.
So how it works you go from one flight to the next and try to get on from the standby list. However, you can only put yourself on one standby list so you end up being on the end because you are put on it after you get rejected from the last flight.
I did end up getting on a flight at 3 PM. I had a window seat on the exit aisle next to two extremely obese men. When I went to the restroom, I was talking to two flight attendants sitting in the jumpseat about this nightmare. They said, oh, you were the passenger in 2A. They ended up bringing me a double vodka and cranberry juice. It was very nice of them and I appreciated the gesture. I learned a lot yesterday.
The not funny part was when we got off the plane I saw the guy who was sitting next to me was carrying 2 cats in some cat carryon bag. I am highly allergic to cats. The good news is the sore throat, itchy ears and runny nose was not a sign that I was getting sick. It was cats on a plane.

How did they know your seat assignment on an earlier flight? Weird.

[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?

Rebook or plan on driving.

I absolutely would book a backup. I just flew AA and had to change our flight and there were no change fees even though I did not have refundable tickets. So, even with non refundable tix you’d get a credit but you could also book refundable if the price difference isn’t huge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any updates to when this will end? I’m supposed to fly out today and it’s showing on time…..but I’m terrified I won’t make it home on Friday especially since my flight is really late.

What time is your flight?

Check flightaware.com to see where your plane is right now.

You will need a plane, pilots, and flight attendants to fly. You can check on at least one of those now.

Good advice. The plane from the previous destination is in the air. It left on time. But our same flight yesterday was delayed 4.5 hours. My flight is at 1. Heading to airport soon.

Fingers crossed that they have a crew for you. Is the flight returning to the previous destination? Might even be the same crew if it’s not a long haul.

Good luck! May the odds be ever in your favor.

Thank you very much. The flight goes in a triangle. So bwi- my destination to Florida and back again.

Any luck, PP?

[Anonymous]

So they load up flights, no crew, kick off the passengers, then… the luggage and a whole new set of passengers plus THEIR luggage goes on a trip? Horrific.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So they load up flights, no crew, kick off the passengers, then… the luggage and a whole new set of passengers plus THEIR luggage goes on a trip? Horrific.

They fly the luggage because you don’t need crew for that. Just pilots. Their planes are flying just not with people on them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find the people defending this situation and blaming it on the travelers themselves to be mind boggling. I personally was not affected by it (one of the few SW flights that was not cancelled from my departing airport). However, it looked just terrible for others.

Probably someone who works in airline lobbying, a rightwing think tank opposed to regulation, or one of the “public affairs” firms hired by Southwest to shape public opinion. DC is full of these nasty ho’s with MBAs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the people defending this situation and blaming it on the travelers themselves to be mind boggling. I personally was not affected by it (one of the few SW flights that was not cancelled from my departing airport). However, it looked just terrible for others.

Probably someone who works in airline lobbying, a rightwing think tank opposed to regulation, or one of the “public affairs” firms hired by Southwest to shape public opinion. DC is full of these nasty ho’s with MBAs.

Nope don’t work in the industry at all, don’t work in PR, the opposite of right wing. Just a common sense adult.

[Anonymous]

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

Your lack of reading comprehension is laughable. What I and others are saying is that people knew there was a risk of substantial delays prior to leaving. And anyone with an ounce of common sense knows the domino effect that comes from winter flight delays. Yes their systems issues made things worse, but that was also a result of the storm and busy holiday travel.

It’s unfortunate, but a large majority of the people that chose to fly knowingly took a risk. That is part of travel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they load up flights, no crew, kick off the passengers, then… the luggage and a whole new set of passengers plus THEIR luggage goes on a trip? Horrific.

They fly the luggage because you don’t need crew for that. Just pilots. Their planes are flying just not with people on them.

Is that what they are doing? Do you have a source for that? I’ve been trying to find info on what their planned solution to the luggage problem is but haven’t seen any real plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they load up flights, no crew, kick off the passengers, then… the luggage and a whole new set of passengers plus THEIR luggage goes on a trip? Horrific.

They fly the luggage because you don’t need crew for that. Just pilots. Their planes are flying just not with people on them.

Is that what they are doing? Do you have a source for that? I’ve been trying to find info on what their planned solution to the luggage problem is but haven’t seen any real plan.

Yes and they are probably shipping bags on other airlines where they have air cargo capabilities.

[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?

Schools don't reopen on 1/3

My kid’s does.

[Anonymous]

Sign your company is working well

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sign your company is working well

Good for that guy!! I honestly find the bag fiasco worse than the cancellations. Especially since they are giving absolutely not hope of an ETA on bag recovery. (I'm not involved either way but if I had to chose between a cancelled flight and an indefinitely lost bag, I'd choose the flight.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was posting from from Dallas airport yesterday. It appears my posts were deleted.

I was flying American and my first flight was late and I missed my connection. I was flying first class. Customer Service immediately booked me on a flight a few hours later. Again, first class. While the American agent was printing my boarding pass she got a message on her screen advising her to call someone. She called and was told my seat sold for an amount significantly higher than I paid (I used points). She immediately told me this when she hung up. Her supervisor arrived and was not happy I knew this.
So the supervisor told me to hurry to another terminal, and that he would put me first on the standby list to get on that flight. I did just that and I was eighth on the standby list and did not get on the flight.
So how it works you go from one flight to the next and try to get on from the standby list. However, you can only put yourself on one standby list so you end up being on the end because you are put on it after you get rejected from the last flight.
I did end up getting on a flight at 3 PM. I had a window seat on the exit aisle next to two extremely obese men. When I went to the restroom, I was talking to two flight attendants sitting in the jumpseat about this nightmare. They said, oh, you were the passenger in 2A. They ended up bringing me a double vodka and cranberry juice. It was very nice of them and I appreciated the gesture. I learned a lot yesterday.
The not funny part was when we got off the plane I saw the guy who was sitting next to me was carrying 2 cats in some cat carryon bag. I am highly allergic to cats. The good news is the sore throat, itchy ears and runny nose was not a sign that I was getting sick. It was cats on a plane.

How did they know your seat assignment on an earlier flight? Weird.

They didn't. Her post is completely non-sensical and she wasn't even flying Southwest. Just another random poster who joins a thread to share an off-topic story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the people defending this situation and blaming it on the travelers themselves to be mind boggling. I personally was not affected by it (one of the few SW flights that was not cancelled from my departing airport). However, it looked just terrible for others.

Probably someone who works in airline lobbying, a rightwing think tank opposed to regulation, or one of the “public affairs” firms hired by Southwest to shape public opinion. DC is full of these nasty ho’s with MBAs.

Nope don’t work in the industry at all, don’t work in PR, the opposite of right wing. Just a common sense adult.

I’m sorry you are struggling right now but this isn’t the place.