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

[Aqua Buddha 14,582]

Another question.  Why don't some motherfuckers get some motherfucking TSA pre-check?  Last few times I've flown, the regular line is 30-60 minutes while there is literally no one in TSA.

[Chewbacca 7,767]

2 minutes ago, Aqua Buddha said:

Another question.  Why don't some motherfuckers get some motherfucking TSA pre-check?  Last few times I've flown, the regular line is 30-60 minutes while there is literally no one in TSA.

Who cares what the poors do?  I'd rather not have a 30 min precheck line.

[midtown 3,345]

The less people in pre the better. But I also don't wait in the pre line either thanks to clear

[Carl Spackler 3,479]

On 4/20/2022 at 7:47 PM, Hagbard Celine said:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34139659-post1.html

On Friday April 1 I was scheduled to fly from Jacksonville FL to New Orleans LA.

This was a flight with a connection in Nashville. There were no non-stop or direct flights. The Flight was 2 hours late leaving Jacksonville and when the plane arrived in Nashville I had missed my connection. The Customer Service people in the airport scheduled me on a flight leaving the next day Saturday at around 1:15 in the afternoon. I was not provided a hotel accommodations I was given 2 LUV vouchers totaling $300. I made hotel arrangements and paid for my dinner and lodging.

The Flight on Saturday was a direct flight going first to Austin then without a plan change to New Orleans. The Flight leaving Nashville was over 4 hours late departing. But that was OK as I would get home the same day. Upon landing in Austin the Flight Crew made the usual announcement that through passengers should remain in the seats for a count and we would be continuing on to New Orleans. As soon as the door to the plane was opened The Flight Attendants announced that all New Orleans passengers would need to deplane and speak to Customer Service. The New Orleans leg of the flight had been canceled. After spending some time waiting to speak to Customer Service I was rescheduled for the next morning with an early morning connecting flight through Dallas with a plane change to another flight going to New Orleans. I received a $200 LUV voucher but received neither accommodations nor assistance. I was able to locate a hotel at my own expense and had dinner.

However even before I could even have dinner I received a message that the flight from Dallas to New Orleans the next morning was canceled. My Rapid Rewards account was not updated and still showed me changing planes in Dallas, however the Flight Status on the website showed the flight as canceled. I tried to call Southwest Customer Service and was unable to get through to the A-List expedited service. The automated system kept insisting my Rapid Rewards Account Number was not recognized, even though that same number and my A-List status was shown on their website and on every boarding pass I had been issued. I was placed in the standard phone queue. I was warned wait time would be 120 minutes. I decided to wait in hopes of getting the matter resolved I held on the phone almost 2 and a half hours, not one ever picked up. I attempted to see what other flights were available from either Austin or Dallas. The website showed no flights available from Austin and only one flight was available from Dallas it was a direct flight in the evening with one stop in Austin.

After only a couple hours sleep Saturday Night (really Sunday morning) I got up early took the Hotel shuttle to the Austin Airport and went to the Southwest ticket counter. Fortunately there was no line at the Fly By Priority Counter. I explained my problem to the Ticket Agent and she called over a Supervisor or Manager, I’m not really sure which, who took over. They had decided that they would try to get me on a nonstop flight from Austin to New Orleans later in the morning, but that they needed to over ride the system to do it. They were eventually able to issue me a boarding pass and I was able to get a non-stop flight home 40 hours late after one missed connection, two canceled flights and two nights in hotels.

That person was probably reminding him/herself the entire time that driving time from Jacksonville to NO is only about 8 hours.  What a nightmare.

[gmr548 16,576]

Southwest can officially gargle my balls. This week they moved my flights for two separate summer trips. One not that big of a deal, but the other will eat into most of our first day of vacation.
Are other airlines adjusting summer flight times this far in advance?

SWA let’s you rebook when they move your flight. I suggest looking into that.

[Ag with kids 581]

1 hour ago, midtown said:

The less people in pre the better. But I also don't wait in the pre line either thanks to clear

Clear is the shit.  Especially in MCO.

TSA Pre and Gen Pop are both full.  Clear?  Just walk up, scan your eyes and you're past the TSA bouncer and putting your bag on the security conveyor belt.

In fact, every place that's had Clear that I've been in, the Clear line is non existent to get through to the conveyor belt.

NOW...TSA Pre DOES get you the don't take your shoes off shit AFTER clearing the TSA bouncer.  So I need to get it too, sometime.  But I think I have to drive to SA to do the interview, which would suck.

[wild_turkey 3,159]

NOW...TSA Pre DOES get you the don't take your shoes off shit AFTER clearing the TSA bouncer.  So I need to get it too, sometime.  But I think I have to drive to SA to do the interview, which would suck.

I just filled out my Global Entry renewal application and it looks like they have virtual interviews now. No idea how that will pan out because the application is pending and I can’t schedule the interview yet, but it did mention that possibility.

[6th Street 6,390]

7 hours ago, Ag with kids said:

Clear is the shit.  Especially in MCO.

TSA Pre and Gen Pop are both full.  Clear?  Just walk up, scan your eyes and you're past the TSA bouncer and putting your bag on the security conveyor belt.

In fact, every place that's had Clear that I've been in, the Clear line is non existent to get through to the conveyor belt.

NOW...TSA Pre DOES get you the don't take your shoes off shit AFTER clearing the TSA bouncer.  So I need to get it too, sometime.  But I think I have to drive to SA to do the interview, which would suck.

Clear line here in Denver is as long as TSA pre for some reason

[Herbie Hancock 7,344]

6 hours ago, 6th Street said:

Clear line here in Denver is as long as TSA pre for some reason

That’s because the Denver Airport is run by aggies. And the lizard people. But mostly aggies.

 

Seriously, I fly 6-8 times a year to and from Denver and every damn time is a clusterfuck. The last few times they’ve only had one of the terminal trains running, and it’s an absolute shit show waiting to board.

[Nueces River Rat 5,537]

1 hour ago, Herbie Hancock said:

That’s because the Denver Airport is run by aggies. And the lizard people. But mostly aggies.

 

Seriously, I fly 6-8 times a year to and from Denver and every damn time is a clusterfuck. The last few times they’ve only had one of the terminal trains running, and it’s an absolute shit show waiting to board.

And the rental car area is a complete clusterfuck too.   

[phdhorn 6,224]

16 hours ago, gmr548 said:

SWA let’s you rebook when they move your flight. I suggest looking into that.

You get 3 days after the schedule change.  After that, tough ta-ta's.

As for Denver airport, well sure, when you dedicate it to Satan, what else do you expect??

[phdhorn 6,224]

15 hours ago, Ag with kids said:

NOW...TSA Pre DOES get you the don't take your shoes off shit AFTER clearing the TSA bouncer.  So I need to get it too, sometime.  But I think I have to drive to SA to do the interview, which would suck.

You shouldn't have to drive to airports for pre-check (ONLY pre-check).  There are offices around AUS and SAN (not sure where you live) for that.  But if you're doing Global Entry too, then yeah, you almost always have to go to the airport (well at least pending e-interviews).  Pre-check wait time is usually nothing, you can schedule for a day or two later.  Global Entry is at least 2-3 months (but I encourage people to check daily for cancellations you can squeeze into with little notice).

[Ag with kids 581]

13 minutes ago, phdhorn said:

You shouldn't have to drive to airports for pre-check (ONLY pre-check).  There are offices around AUS and SAN (not sure where you live) for that.  But if you're doing Global Entry too, then yeah, you almost always have to go to the airport (well at least pending e-interviews).  Pre-check wait time is usually nothing, you can schedule for a day or two later.  Global Entry is at least 2-3 months (but I encourage people to check daily for cancellations you can squeeze into with little notice).

I wasn't thinking going to the airport (although I didn't know that about GE).  I live in Corpus, so it would be a 2 hr trip just to do the interview.  And I'd have to make sure my GF can schedule at the same time.  Kinda wish I'd done it when I lived in DFW but I was lazy.

[Js1 85,275]

31 minutes ago, phdhorn said:

You shouldn't have to drive to airports for pre-check (ONLY pre-check).  There are offices around AUS and SAN (not sure where you live) for that.  But if you're doing Global Entry too, then yeah, you almost always have to go to the airport (well at least pending e-interviews).  Pre-check wait time is usually nothing, you can schedule for a day or two later.  Global Entry is at least 2-3 months (but I encourage people to check daily for cancellations you can squeeze into with little notice).

Interview on Arrival for GE is great too. Did it when I got home from Cabo  and was going through immigration 

[phdhorn 6,224]

2 minutes ago, Ag with kids said:

I wasn't thinking going to the airport (although I didn't know that about GE).  I live in Corpus, so it would be a 2 hr trip just to do the interview.  And I'd have to make sure my GF can schedule at the same time.  Kinda wish I'd done it when I lived in DFW but I was lazy.

Ok.

Of course GE includes pre-check, but honestly, unless you're going overseas a lot, not sure GE is worth the wait at least for now.  GE is almost exclusively for coming back into the U.S. - it doesn't really do much for when you land overseas (with the notable exception of Ireland and for some reason Abu Dhabi).  However, since a lot of international traffic comes back in through JFK or MIA, it's well worth it (I saved a good 90 minutes in line with it coming back into MIA), especially at peak times.

Of course the best idea is if/when you travel overseas and come back throw in an extra hour or so between your next flight (i.e MIA-SAT) and you can do GE interview as part of going back through customs.  Very handy.

[Ag with kids 581]

18 minutes ago, phdhorn said:

Ok.

Of course GE includes pre-check, but honestly, unless you're going overseas a lot, not sure GE is worth the wait at least for now.  GE is almost exclusively for coming back into the U.S. - it doesn't really do much for when you land overseas (with the notable exception of Ireland and for some reason Abu Dhabi).  However, since a lot of international traffic comes back in through JFK or MIA, it's well worth it (I saved a good 90 minutes in line with it coming back into MIA), especially at peak times.

Of course the best idea is if/when you travel overseas and come back throw in an extra hour or so between your next flight (i.e MIA-SAT) and you can do GE interview as part of going back through customs.  Very handy.

We go to St Martin every year for Christmas and try to take at least one more international trip each year (Belize this year).  We go through MIA often.  And I know what you mean with GE - I see the lines I'm in and watch the GE people waltz right through.

Each year I swear I'm going to get it because of that.  Then, I forget and...now I'm back in MIA bitching to myself that I didn't do it.

And it's not cost.  I get Clear because my Amex pays for it.  I also could get credit for GE or Pre, too.

Edited April 23, 2022 by Ag with kids

[6th Street 6,390]

4 hours ago, Herbie Hancock said:

That’s because the Denver Airport is run by aggies. And the lizard people. But mostly aggies.

 

Seriously, I fly 6-8 times a year to and from Denver and every damn time is a clusterfuck. The last few times they’ve only had one of the terminal trains running, and it’s an absolute shit show waiting to board.

The whole airport design is awful. Routing everyone through the central hall and onto those trains is nonsensical. They are always down too

[Hagbard Celine 10,850]

Detached piers are proven to be the most efficient for metal movement and operational support.   Dallas and Houston (IAH) are lucky in a way in that the curb-to-plane model (circular satellites or circular terminals) were too entrenched before ATL proved piers are better for the airlines and worse for pax.  DEN's only problem is broken trains.   At least they have trains to break.  SLC rebuilt with piers but WITHOUT a train.   "if we kill the kettles before they can get to the gate, less than half have relatives who will remember or try to get a refund."

[C-Man 27,185]

Southwest can fuck right off this AM. Wife bought two tickets on direct flight on SW from Charleston to Dallas last fall. Supposed to leave at 8:30 or so and land back in Dallas around noon.

Found out a week or two ago that we were being rerouted through Nashville with a departure time of 6:40A. That meant a 4:15 wake-up call this morning.
We get to the airport and now have learned it’s now two stops instead of one. We are going Charlotte/Nashville/Pensacola/Dallas now.

We still land at the same time ultimately at Love but have added two stops to what was purchased as a non-stop flight.

“Welcome to the new Southwest,” the lady at the gate said. “We don’t like it either.”

Ridiculous.

[C-Man 27,185]

Adrian Quesada and Eric Burton on our flight to Nashville. Adrian was just sitting across from us in waiting area and I didn’t realize it.

[conVINCEd 21,469]

4 hours ago, C-Man said:

Southwest can fuck right off this AM. Wife bought two tickets on direct flight on SW from Charleston to Dallas last fall. Supposed to leave at 8:30 or so and land back in Dallas around noon.

Found out a week or two ago that we were being rerouted through Nashville with a departure time of 6:40A. That meant a 4:15 wake-up call this morning.
We get to the airport and now have learned it’s now two stops instead of one. We are going Charlotte/Nashville/Pensacola/Dallas now.

We still land at the same time ultimately at Love but have added two stops to what was purchased as a non-stop flight.

“Welcome to the new Southwest,” the lady at the gate said. “We don’t like it either.”

Ridiculous.

Could be worse.  I had a flight cancelled 30 minutes before takeoff and had $2k worth of football tickets in my pocket for the Dez catch game in Green Bay the next day.  Ended up going Dallas/New Orleans/Memphis/Minneapolis/Milwaukee.  Gate attendant told me that was the only way I was getting to Milwaukee in time.  Our group was coming from all over the country and they were a little distressed that the guy with the ticket’s didn’t make it to the hotel until after midnight.

[Chopper 17,230]

On 4/19/2022 at 12:38 PM, CooterBrown said:

What is up with prices to Denver?

Went to book a long weekend and SWA is charging $844 for an AUS>DEN round trip. What in the every living fuck?

Every other airline is around $500 also. 

 

 

I booked a rt from DEN to AUS a couple weeks ago on UA and it was less than 400. I checked SWA at the time and the price was comparable but only for the non-stops (so be sure to check the non-stop only box at the top). They wanted 800 for the privilege of stopping at LOV. Also AA now has a non-stop daily between DEN and AUS but it departs early AM out of DEN.

Edited April 25, 2022 by Chopper

[Chopper 17,230]

On 4/13/2022 at 8:53 AM, texasdago said:

Hey, what's it like flying Allegiant out of Austin?  Thinking of flying it to go to Asheville but does it suck as much as Spirit and other low-cost airlines.

I flew 'em a couple times between AUS and ABQ because they offered the only non-stop at the time. Felt and looked like an old Greyhound bus inside but I booked the aisle on the exit row and it was fine. If you book 'em and they happen to have a flight delay, you're screwed bc most routes are only once a day and maybe not even every day of the week. So if you go for it have a back-up plan in mind in case they have equipment problems or weather delays.

[Aqua Buddha 14,582]

Sad to see the decline of Southwest.  Everyone here remembers when their service was the best.  Sure, there was always the cattle call but they were slightly cheaper, employees were friendly, and everything ran on time.  Now, their point to point system doesn't work when just one node gets sideways.  I fly AA and their regional partners all the time and despite their many flaws, they mostly just fly back and forth between the hub and spokes.  Same with United and Delta, I assume.

[Gil Bang 25,915]

On 4/19/2022 at 1:20 PM, Your Mom said:

Demand is through the roof.  

As are fuel costs. 

[4th&Five 41,510]

Comparing some flights to San Diego in July and SW is more than double what Alaska is for direct.

[closetohumping 17,434]

46 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

As are fuel costs. 

Funny enough, I think that was SWA's secret sauce back in the day.  they purchased fuel ahead of time at a big discount.

[midtown 3,345]

Funny enough, I think that was SWA's secret sauce back in the day.  they purchased fuel ahead of time at a big discount.

That was my understanding of why they were able to underbid the majors for decades is that they did a great job of hedging their fuel costs for years and years

[Hagbard Celine 10,850]

9 hours ago, C-Man said:

bought two tickets on direct flight on SW ..... last fall

was this before or after the first week of october 21 ?

[Hagbard Celine 10,850]

4 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

Dallas/New Orleans/Memphis/Minneapolis/Milwaukee

are you *sure* that was a LUV routing in jan 2015 ?

[Hagbard Celine 10,850]

4 hours ago, Chopper said:

I flew 'em a couple times between AUS and ABQ because they offered the only non-stop at the time. Felt and looked like an old Greyhound bus inside but I booked the aisle on the exit row and it was fine. If you book 'em and they happen to have a flight delay, you're screwed bc most routes are only once a day and maybe not even every day of the week. So if you go for it have a back-up plan in mind in case they have equipment problems or weather delays.

actually, in the current environment, spirit and allegiant are "safer" than southwest in that you don't have to debate your choice, you simply execute the backup rather than get sucked in to a multi-night 8-segment hopscotch circling your final destination 8 hours away by car

combined with no interline agreements, southwest does not have the capacity or the route structure to provide any failover or irrop recovery period end of story

there is also zero way to protect your comms access with southwest (no paid F)

 

[conVINCEd 21,469]

8 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

are you *sure* that was a LUV routing in jan 2015 ?

It wasn’t LUV.  It was a combo of 3 different airlines out of DFW.  Some weird ass combo of full flights and cancellations.  I told them to just get me to Chicago and I’ll rent a fucking car and drive the rest of the way.  Couldn’t do that either.  I was told that was the only combo of flights that could get me to Milwaukee that day.  I found it difficult to believe as well.

Edited April 25, 2022 by conVINCEd

[Hagbard Celine 10,850]

PSA: buy allianz trip insurance every time it is offered to you

[gmr548 16,576]

4 hours ago, Aqua Buddha said:

Sad to see the decline of Southwest.  Everyone here remembers when their service was the best.  Sure, there was always the cattle call but they were slightly cheaper, employees were friendly, and everything ran on time.  Now, their point to point system doesn't work when just one node gets sideways.  I fly AA and their regional partners all the time and despite their many flaws, they mostly just fly back and forth between the hub and spokes.  Same with United and Delta, I assume.

With Southwest's issues the past two years, Delta really stands alone above everyone else in terms of simply getting where you need to go, on time, no bullshit.

[C-Man 27,185]

2 hours ago, Hagbard Celine said:

was this before or after the first week of october 21 ?

Not sure as the trip to Charleston/High Water was a Xmas gift from Mrs C-Man but if I were to hazard a guess, the tickets were bought post-10/21.

[The Ace of Aces 5,175]

3 hours ago, Hagbard Celine said:

PSA: buy allianz trip insurance every time it is offered to you

PSA: book with a card that has good travel insurance and save the money. 

[Ag with kids 581]

3 hours ago, Hagbard Celine said:

are you *sure* that was a LUV routing in jan 2015 ?

Well...LUV was able to skirt the Wright Amendment LONG before 2015.

I flew LUV from DAL to LAX and ONT back in the late 80s/early 90s.  Had to stop in one of the neighboring states on the way, but still made it there.

[Chewbacca 7,767]

18 minutes ago, The Ace of Aces said:

PSA: book with a card that has good travel insurance and save the money. 

Which cards do travel insurance?  

[Hagbard Celine 10,850]

41 minutes ago, Ag with kids said:

Well...LUV was able to skirt the Wright Amendment LONG before 2015.

I flew LUV from DAL to LAX and ONT back in the late 80s/early 90s.  Had to stop in one of the neighboring states on the way, but still made it there.

and if elephants had wings, they'd really be dangerous

[Ag with kids 581]

9 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

and if elephants had wings, they'd really be dangerous

Verdad

[Nueces River Rat 5,537]

Someone needs to go dig up Herb Kelleher….

[The Ace of Aces 5,175]

1 hour ago, Chewbacca said:

Which cards do travel insurance?  

My Chase Sapphire Reserved and AmEx Platinum both do. The Chase card has primary rental car insurance, too, 

[Nueces River Rat 5,537]

6 hours ago, closetohumping said:

Funny enough, I think that was SWA's secret sauce back in the day.  they purchased fuel ahead of time at a big discount.

https://southwest50.com/our-stories/the-southwest-jet-fuel-hedge-strategy/
 

Yep…they played the market real well in the 90s and early 2000s when most the of the airlines were trying to avoid bankruptcy and went on merger binge.    SWA buying fuel on the cheap before 9/11 really set themselves up well. 

[Chewbacca 7,767]

5 minutes ago, The Ace of Aces said:

My Chase Sapphire Reserved and AmEx Platinum both do. The Chase card has primary rental car insurance, too, 

Yeah, I knew about the rental car insurance.  Did not know about the travel insurance.  Gonna look into that for our Scotland trip.  Does it count as 'purchased with the card' if you used CSR points to book airfare?  

[Telegraph_it 3,357]

1 hour ago, Chewbacca said:

Which cards do travel insurance?  

Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Plat. 
 

My flight was “delayed” 14 hours and CSR reimbursed me $500 per ticket for hotel room and I think $100 for incidentals. 

[The Ace of Aces 5,175]

24 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

Yeah, I knew about the rental car insurance.  Did not know about the travel insurance.  Gonna look into that for our Scotland trip.  Does it count as 'purchased with the card' if you used CSR points to book airfare?  

I believe yes but it’ll be in the terms. I’ve had hundreds of dollars returned due to canceled flights, extended hotel needs, etc thanks to my CSR. 

[Gil Bang 25,915]

 

[gmr548 16,576]

6 hours ago, gmr548 said:

With Southwest's issues the past two years, Delta really stands alone above everyone else in terms of simply getting where you need to go, on time, no bullshit.

 

1 hour ago, Gil Bang said:

 

As I understand it, Delta also has the most generous bonus/profit share arrangement among airlines. These things and what I said above are likely not a coincidence.

[Borachio 416]

SW has changed my Omaha flights 3 times since I booked them in February after we started 11-0. 

You gotta believe!! 😄

[Gil Bang 25,915]