Southwest or every other airline in the history of the world?

[Handcruser 2805]

Yeah if you’re not showing up with shades and a stick because you’re blind…..you’re doing it wrong. I get on first every time.

Sometimes I’ll get a wheel chair and roll on over if I forgot my stick.

[The Ace of Aces 5175]

I have a tale to tell.  

Was planned to fly AA home from DFW Sunday, departing at 6:42 pm. AA canceled the flight at 5:55 pm, citing weather. There was no weather in Dallas or here in PA, it had to be a crew time out issue due to the incoming plane from the west coast.  

Rebooked on a Monday at 11:20 am connecting through Charlotte (the direct flight home is that sole 6:42 pm flight and it’s always sold out so no dice getting on that). AA canceled that rebooked flight at 1:20 am Monday morning, I saw it on my phone at 7:15 am when I woke up.

I rebooked to a 5:37 pm flight through Chicago - which was cancelled at 3:30 pm.

If you’re keeping score, that’s three cancellations within 24 hours.  

AA had one flight available through the app to rebook before Thursday(!), and that was through Charlotte this morning (where storms were predicted and occurred) with a 28 minute connection. The Admiral Club was a worthless endeavor and crammed with others with canceled flights, and the phone delay was 7.5 hours when I called. 

I ended up buying an expensive as fuck ticket on Southwest at 11:50 pm last night leaving at 7:05 am, connecting through Chicago. 

I’m now home. And the connecting flight I had rebooked with AA was cancelled so I would’ve been stranded there. 

Thanks, Southwest. Fuck off, AA.

Chase will reimburse most the Southwest flight cost with its trip delay insurance too.

I’m now going to sleep for 18 straight hours.  

  

[closetohumping 17431]

5 hours ago, Handcruser said:

Yeah if you’re not showing up with shades and a stick because you’re blind…..you’re doing it wrong. I get on first every time.

Sometimes I’ll get a wheel chair and roll on over if I forgot my stick.

Lived in DC way back when.  Headed home at 5 and it was a mad house.  I found a lady in a wheelchair and said "folks she needs to get on the train."  Wheeled her in and of course I found a seat.

[closetohumping 17431]

11 hours ago, DaysOff said:

1. Any labor strike in this industry is essentially blessed by the government after years of stalemate by the company. When your contract becomes amenable, labor is required to show up for work under the conditions of the Railway Labor Act. Zero incentive for management to come to the table unless they want something from you. This isn't fucking Europe.

2. Nobody was furloughed. Three rounds of government cheese prevented that.

3. AA is a shitbag outfit run by an alcoholic. This is of management's doing.

Yea I know a flight attendant from Frontier.  She was gettin paid and not in a hurry to get back.

[DaysOff 7943]

Gary stepping down as CEO in 2022. Promoting an aggy as new CEO. 50 years was a pretty good run.

[RPM 26315]

I fly AA as a last resort. They killed Braniff. 

[The Ace of Aces 5175]

1 hour ago, RPM said:

I fly AA as a last resort. They killed Braniff. 

To be fair, Braniff’s horrific route planning post-deregulation was a bigger reason for their demise. That spaghetti of unprofitable, thin routes was idiotic - even at the time. 

[Chopper 17228]

The only reason AA flies is to make money off their credit card and ff points. They've been horribly managed for years and the clown from US Airways is just the latest imbecile to run that company.

[Your Mom 4805]

On 6/23/2021 at 10:55 AM, DaysOff said:

Gary stepping down as CEO in 2022. Promoting an aggy as new CEO. 50 years was a pretty good run.

I’m on a vacation and refuse to look at work stuff until I get back to work, but I saw a text announcing it. He wasn’t one of the guys most people thought would be next in line. Not because of any knock on him, he’s just not one of the big names. Didn’t know he’s an aggy. All I know is he’s been here since ‘88 and being a long term insider was important to most.  I’ve got things to bitch about Gary just like anyone else but even his harshest critics admit the guy knew how to make money and keep the profit sharing checks rolling. We just resumed contract negotiations and I’m sure it’ll  drag on a few more years anyway, but it’ll be interesting to see how the new guy handles stepping right into that.   

[Murfdogg21 4412]

On 6/23/2021 at 4:12 PM, Chopper said:

The only reason AA flies is to make money off their credit card and ff points. They've been horribly managed for years and the clown from US Airways is just the latest imbecile to run that company.

It’s like they took the worst genes from both AA and US Airways and made a retard airline baby. 

[Underdog 28543]

We had a bit of a rough go with SWA on our return flights home yesterday, what was supposed to be a 9hr trip total turned into 13hrs due to plane delays, plane issues, etc...   Do have to say was impressed how people just didn't immediately get up and grab their luggage out of the overhead like in the past, seemed most were pretty patient and orderly de-boarding the plane.

[Chopper 17228]

On 6/23/2021 at 3:12 PM, Chopper said:

The only reason AA flies is to make money off their credit card and ff points. They've been horribly managed for years and the clown from US Airways is just the latest imbecile to run that company.

Here's a recent article for anyone who gaf.

https://viewfromthewing.com/14-things-american-airlines-told-the-sec-about-the-aadvantage-frequent-flyer-program/

Quote

American makes money selling miles, not flying planes. The airline acknowledged that ‘net cash from operations’ of the frequent flyer program exceeded the airline’s pre-tax income for all of American in 2019. I’ve written for years that American Airlines is a credit card marketing company that flies planes.

This is the biggest benefit to new partnerships that increase the airline’s relevance in New York, Boston, and Bay Area financial centers and becoming more attractive to cardmember spend in those markets. They need to fly in order to have relevance to cardmembers, but the flying wasn’t making them money on its own.

 

[midtown 3345]

I flew Alaska Air for the first time this past week.   Really great experience. 

[Nueces River Rat 5537]

2 hours ago, Underdog said:

We had a bit of a rough go with SWA on our return flights home yesterday, what was supposed to be a 9hr trip total turned into 13hrs due to plane delays, plane issues, etc...   Do have to say was impressed how people just didn't immediately get up and grab their luggage out of the overhead like in the past, seemed most were pretty patient and orderly de-boarding the plane.

I hope by next summer the airlines get their stuff together as I'd like to go down to Cozumel and Cabo.  Seems to me instead of using the slowdown to refine things, most of the airlines just sat around,  took government aid  and did nothing. 

Edited June 25, 2021 by Nueces River Rat

[Underdog 28543]

We had an all male crew on our last leg, made it a bit awkward to flirt with the FAs.  

[After irth 1243]

51 minutes ago, Underdog said:

We had an all male crew on our last leg, made it a bit awkward to flirt with the FAs.  

Sometimes, you do what you gotta do.

Male FAs love me for some reason. Always get the best service. I guess I’m some kind of magnet. 

Whatever keeps the whiskey flowing, I say. 

[Chopper 17228]

52 minutes ago, After irth said:

Sometimes, you do what you gotta do.

Male FAs love me for some reason. Always get the best service. I guess I’m some kind of magnet. 

Whatever keeps the whiskey flowing, I say. 

Looking at the male FA with great disappointment is a losing move!

Source: life!

[Biff Tannen 45660]

5 hours ago, midtown said:

I flew Alaska Air for the first time this past week.   Really great experience. 

Yep. Also, I flew american for the first time in years last weekend. Fuck that. No more. I’ll take the southwest boarding procedure any day. American is just a cattle call where everyone funnels in as fast as possible to try and get overhead space. 

[After irth 1243]

Not necessarily a United fan by any means, but this is interesting news to read while AA and SWA are still trying to figure out the thumbs in their ass. 

https://airlinegeeks.com/2021/06/29/united-adding-inflight-entertainment-screens-onboard-new-jets-orders-270-aircraft/

[midtown 3345]

I'd like to know who is going to fly all those planes because the pilot shortage is real

[Carl Spackler 3479]

7 hours ago, midtown said:

I'd like to know who is going to fly all those planes because the pilot shortage is real

Very real.  Got held up coming and going on Southwest this past weekend due to pilot and first officer shortages.  Southwest let a bunch of its pilots either retire or take leave last year, and now the ones that are coming back to work have to put in training time before they're allowed back in the cockpit.  In the meantime, the qualified pilots are all flying right up to the very edge of permissible flight duty rules.  

[Orale 1087]

I flew Alaska Air for the first time this past week.   Really great experience. 

It's a good experience if you're not flying their economy for the poor section in which case they don't assign a seat until you're at the gate. They don't even let you pay for a desired seat if you're poor economy like most airlines do. It's my own fault for choosing the cheapest fares, but at least other airlines usually let economy poors like me pay extra for a better seat.

[South Austin 52431]

5 minutes ago, Orale said:

On 6/25/2021 at 11:41 AM, midtown said:

I flew Alaska Air for the first time this past week.   Really great experience. 

It's a good experience if you're not flying their economy for the poor section in which case they don't assign a seat until you're at the gate. They don't even let you pay for a desired seat if you're poor economy like most airlines do. It's my own fault for choosing the cheapest fares, but at least other airlines usually let economy poors like me pay extra for a better seat.

Hmm. I’m flying Alaska to Seattle with the poors and I got to choose my seats. Granted they’re toward the back of the plane.

[Nueces River Rat 5537]

7 hours ago, Carl Spackler said:

Very real.  Got held up coming and going on Southwest this past weekend due to pilot and first officer shortages.  Southwest let a bunch of its pilots either retire or take leave last year, and now the ones that are coming back to work have to put in training time before they're allowed back in the cockpit.  In the meantime, the qualified pilots are all flying right up to the very edge of permissible flight duty rules.  

The last sentence is not very comforting for sure and probably not exclusive to SWA.  Other airlines are just not being aggressive with their  flight schedules  so they don’t have to walk back and cancel. All the better reason to resume air travel next year if all possible. 

[South Austin 52431]

7 hours ago, Carl Spackler said:

Very real.  Got held up coming and going on Southwest this past weekend due to pilot and first officer shortages.  Southwest let a bunch of its pilots either retire or take leave last year, and now the ones that are coming back to work have to put in training time before they're allowed back in the cockpit.  In the meantime, the qualified pilots are all flying right up to the very edge of permissible flight duty rules.  

No problem flying SWA to Rosemary Beach in early June. Hope this shit doesn’t happen tomorrow. I have a 7am flight to NOLA.

[TommyGufano 6021]

As for the OP's question. Give me every other airlines system, provided you can get the unwashed masses to stay the fuck away from the gate until their group number is called

[Orale 1087]

Hmm. I’m flying Alaska to Seattle with the poors and I got to choose my seats. Granted they’re toward the back of the plane.

I live and travel from Hawaii so it might be different because of the large numbers of families traveling.

[midtown 3345]

45 minutes ago, Orale said:

On 6/25/2021 at 11:41 AM, midtown said:

I flew Alaska Air for the first time this past week.   Really great experience. 

It's a good experience if you're not flying their economy for the poor section in which case they don't assign a seat until you're at the gate. They don't even let you pay for a desired seat if you're poor economy like most airlines do. It's my own fault for choosing the cheapest fares, but at least other airlines usually let economy poors like me pay extra for a better seat.

Either you are confusing Alaska with another airline or things changed because it was every bit as assigned seating as any other major.  I paid $200 RT each and we got to choose our seats.  Granted it was a last min purchase so they weren't a lot of options for open seats.  

[Chewbacca 7765]

Fuck you, Southwest. Son's flight from Houston to Denver tonight just got canceled, ratfucking our holiday plans.

[Carl Spackler 3479]

That sucks. 

Saw lots of cancellations when I flew SWA last weekend, and was concerned on more than one occasion that my flight might get canceled rather than merely delayed.  Seems that SWA substantially overscheduled flights.  One has to wonder why the airline wasn't cognizant of the serious shortage of available flight officers.

[Your Mom 4805]

1 hour ago, Carl Spackler said:

One has to wonder why the airline wasn't cognizant of the serious shortage of available flight officers.

The pilots themselves are wondering the exact same thing. 

[South Austin 52431]

My SWA flights to and from New Orleans this past Fourth of July Weekend were fine.  I'm not a A-list badass, but I usually pay for Early Bird Check-In, and got in the A group each time and sat toward the front of the plane.  And no flight delays or other hitches.

But what is it lately with folks just innocently walking up to the gate attendant with a B or C boarding pass while the A group is boarding hoping to sneak in?  And some get indignant when told to wait their turn.  I don't recall seeing that occur so often as I did this weekend.

[Biff Tannen 45660]

7 hours ago, South Austin said:

My SWA flights to and from New Orleans this past Fourth of July Weekend were fine.  I'm not a A-list badass, but I usually pay for Early Bird Check-In, and got in the A group each time and sat toward the front of the plane.  And no flight delays or other hitches.

But what is it lately with folks just innocently walking up to the gate attendant with a B or C boarding pass while the A group is boarding hoping to sneak in?  And some get indignant when told to wait their turn.  I don't recall seeing that occur so often as I did this weekend.

In general, people have either a) forgotten how to fly like a human or b) have been emboldened to not give a fuck.  Had my AA flight back from Colorado delayed because dipshit woman "forgot" to wear her mask.  Flight crew had to get her overhead bag down and make her dig through it to find her mask.

[Francisco 2.0 32385]

Wife and I are flying SWA to Vegas (direct flights to and from) in a few weeks.  I've been keeping up with SWA's issues over the past 2 weeks or so.  Wife has been openly looking for tickets on another carrier.

I've talked her from the ledge, considering that our flights might not have any issues, and with a lack of connectors each way, that lessens the chance of having a problem.  Having said that, booking a trip in January seemed like a good idea at the time.  Hoping our 6 day trip goes off without a hitch.

 

 

Edited July 7, 2021 by Francisco 2.0

[Tailgate 3021]

21 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

Wife and I are flying SWA to Vegas (direct flights to and from) in a few weeks.  I've been keeping up with SWA's issues over the past 2 weeks or so.  Wife has been openly looking for tickets on another carrier.

I've talked her from the ledge, considering that our flights might not have any issues, and with a lack of connectors each way, that lessens the chance of having a problem.  Having said that, booking a trip in January seemed like a good idea at the time.  Hoping our 6 day trip goes off without a hitch.

 

 

In CA currently and flew from AUS to LAS Monday with no issue. Only bummer was the three-hour layover in LAS airport to CA. My return tomorrow had a four-hour layover at the LAS airport. I just booked a one way on Delta to get back earlier for my sisters birthday. I love going to Vegas...just not staying in the airport for layovers....even though the people watching is as good as any zoo.

[closetohumping 17431]

12 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

In general, people have either a) forgotten how to fly like a human or b) have been emboldened to not give a fuck.  Had my AA flight back from Colorado delayed because dipshit woman "forgot" to wear her mask.  Flight crew had to get her overhead bag down and make her dig through it to find her mask.

Yea saw a group of high school kids delay a Flight 7 hours because they refused to put on their masks.  Kids were from Charlotte.   No CR, I get this thing is winding down and #Merica but  if they’re requiring the masks and you decide to fly with said airline, put on your god damn masks

[Buzzrock 14901]

Wife and I are flying SWA to Vegas (direct flights to and from) in a few weeks.  I've been keeping up with SWA's issues over the past 2 weeks or so.  Wife has been openly looking for tickets on another carrier.
I've talked her from the ledge, considering that our flights might not have any issues, and with a lack of connectors each way, that lessens the chance of having a problem.  Having said that, booking a trip in January seemed like a good idea at the time.  Hoping our 6 day trip goes off without a hitch.
 
 

If you’re going to Vegas soon the flight might be the least of your issues.

[Buzzrock 14901]

1. Any labor strike in this industry is essentially blessed by the government after years of stalemate by the company. When your contract becomes amenable, labor is required to show up for work under the conditions of the Railway Labor Act. Zero incentive for management to come to the table unless they want something from you. This isn't fucking Europe.

2. Nobody was furloughed. Three rounds of government cheese prevented that.

3. AA is a shitbag outfit run by an alcoholic. This is of management's doing.

What do you mean? AA and United furloughed thousands. Delta cut 18,000. My company took a hit because we provide their HR software.

[DaysOff 7943]

Nope.

There were no INVOLUNTARY furloughs at any U.S. airline because they all accepted payroll support. Those were the terms. Staffing reductions were through voluntary separations or just plain being paid to sit at home for awhile.

[CooterBrown 18001]

On 6/22/2021 at 4:45 PM, Handcruser said:

Yeah if you’re not showing up with shades and a stick because you’re blind…..you’re doing it wrong. I get on first every time.

Sometimes I’ll get a wheel chair and roll on over if I forgot my stick.

You don't have to prove anything. Just ask at the ticket counter for a preboard pass due to health issues.

There was a dude on my weekly flight through Dallas that did this. He was pretty open about his scam. 

[Buzzrock 14901]

Nope.

There were no INVOLUNTARY furloughs at any U.S. airline because they all accepted payroll support. Those were the terms. Staffing reductions were through voluntary separations or just plain being paid to sit at home for awhile.

Ok maybe I don’t understand the definition of furlough.

[Da Fino 2772]

3 hours ago, closetohumping said:

Yea saw a group of high school kids delay a Flight 7 hours because they refused to put on their masks.  Kids were from Charlotte.   No CR, I get this thing is winding down and #Merica but  if they’re requiring the masks and you decide to fly with said airline, put on your god damn masks

How does that happen? Couldn't they have just removed them from the flight?

[Js1 85257]

4 hours ago, closetohumping said:

Yea saw a group of high school kids delay a Flight 7 hours because they refused to put on their masks.  Kids were from Charlotte.   No CR, I get this thing is winding down and #Merica but  if they’re requiring the masks and you decide to fly with said airline, put on your god damn masks

My vote has always been that you have 3 options:

• Wear it and shut the fuck up
• Don't wear it and enjoy finding a new way to your destination
• Offer to hold your breath for the whole flight in lieu of a mask - if you breathe, you get thrown off the plane mid-air. 

[Underdog 28543]

On 7/2/2021 at 4:07 PM, Your Mom said:

The pilots themselves are wondering the exact same thing. 

Saw a member of the flight crew help loading up luggage/cargo in Baltimore. 

[Underdog 28543]

22 hours ago, South Austin said:

My SWA flights to and from New Orleans this past Fourth of July Weekend were fine.  I'm not a A-list badass, but I usually pay for Early Bird Check-In, and got in the A group each time and sat toward the front of the plane.  And no flight delays or other hitches.

But what is it lately with folks just innocently walking up to the gate attendant with a B or C boarding pass while the A group is boarding hoping to sneak in?  And some get indignant when told to wait their turn.  I don't recall seeing that occur so often as I did this weekend.

Obligatory: 

[closetohumping 17431]

57 minutes ago, Js1 said:

My vote has always been that you have 3 options:

• Wear it and shut the fuck up
• Don't wear it and enjoy finding a new way to your destination
• Offer to hold your breath for the whole flight in lieu of a mask - if you breathe, you get thrown off the plane mid-air. 

If required to fly, wear the mask.  Pretty cut and dry.

[CooterBrown 18001]

Those kids/parents should be financially liable for incurred costs by the other passengers. 

[midtown 3345]

4 hours ago, Da Fino said:

How does that happen? Couldn't they have just removed them from the flight?

Este.  Are you telling me that had a 7 hour debate with these kids?   Shouldn't take more than about 15 mins to tell them to get off the plane. 

[TXSooner518 2438]

Those kids/parents should be financially liable for incurred costs by the other passengers. 

You misspelled “beaten into a bloody pulp.”

[Chewbacca 7765]

6 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

You don't have to prove anything. Just ask at the ticket counter for a preboard pass due to health issues.

There was a dude on my weekly flight through Dallas that did this. He was pretty open about his scam. 

Yeah, it's infuriating when you pay extra so you can be A1 and you 15 people board before you do.  SWA sucks at policing that.  They also suck at stopping people from saving seats.