Southwest is Horrible

[captainkidd]

OK, so, for our July trip, our fare for 5 of us went down a total of $700.00. So, I have a $700 credit. We decided to go down in September to Universal for the weekend. The total of the flight is $1,547 for the 5 of us. So, total with credits should be $847 right? Nope. I couldn't do it online, so I called and have been talking with them for over an hour trying to get this resolved. They're telling me they can't apply the credit even though it's the exact same 5 people flying. Makes absolutely no sense at all. They're telling me they'll have to book separate one way reservations for each person, and even then, it's still coming up more than it should.

This is ridiculous. An hour I've been on the phone with them. Simple solution - Get a supervisor on the phone, turn my credits into a gift card, and let me use that.

 

[nolatron]

Our flight home last week was delayed 4 hours because "our" plane was delayed in Baltimore. I just don't buy that the nations largest airline can't get another plane to one of it's busiest airports to avoid a 4 hour delay.

And like said in your thread about that, there's not a single airline that has "extra" planes (and flight crew) just sitting on the tarmac at every airport as backups. It's a waste of assets that could otherwise be generating revenue on flights.

It's rare that an airline can simply 'get another plane' when the scheduled plane can't make the departure time.

 

[mkt]

Our flight home last week was delayed 4 hours because "our" plane was delayed in Baltimore. I just don't buy that the nations largest airline can't get another plane to one of it's busiest airports to avoid a 4 hour delay.

That'd be Delta Airlines actually, not Southwest.

Did they specify why the flight was delayed? If the reason is anything other than maintenance, the airline has no reason to deploy another plane from its fleet. Beyond that, it is extremely naive to think that they could get another plane there in less time than the delay. Unless a full crew and plane are ready to go nearby, you are talking about a 2 hour standard time to get a crew to a base, plus however long it takes to fuel and prep the plane; and then they have to fly the plane to the destination.

Now, with Baltimore and Southwest Airlines, you scratch some of that time off, since that is a base for them. The odds of there being crew members available on short notice are higher than say, Jacksonville; however, the plane is still an issue. It isn't like a car, where you can just get in and go. Procedures have to be followed, checklists completed, and flight plans filed: at the bare minimum.

So yes, a 4 hour delay sucks. But do you seriously think that getting another plane there is as easy as just saying so?

 

[thewhitequeen]

SW always used to be. The excuse that the credit is tied to the name not the reservation is bullocks in this case. It's the exact same 5 people flying.

I still like SW for the no baggage fees and the no change fees, but the past couple of times I've flown them, there have just been too many issues. Delays, credit problems, rude customer service.

Our flight home last week was delayed 4 hours because "our" plane was delayed in Baltimore. I just don't buy that the nations largest airline can't get another plane to one of it's busiest airports to avoid a 4 hour delay.

The last time we flew Southwest DH got stuck in the backwards seat, not even sure they have them anymore. The idea of riding backwards actually made me nauseas. :lol: My kids really like the tvs on Jetblue and the service, knock on wood, has always been fine.

I'm not a fan of any airline, they all stink, it's just they're a little bit better than super sucky. I think the airport you fly out of has a lot to do with that though.

 

[Hakunamatata]

SW always used to be. The excuse that the credit is tied to the name not the reservation is bullocks in this case. It's the exact same 5 people flying.

I still like SW for the no baggage fees and the no change fees, but the past couple of times I've flown them, there have just been too many issues. Delays, credit problems, rude customer service.

Our flight home last week was delayed 4 hours because "our" plane was delayed in Baltimore. I just don't buy that the nations largest airline can't get another plane to one of it's busiest airports to avoid a 4 hour delay.

When you fly, you will be delayed. It's just a matter of when. Four hours is nothing.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Knock on wood, but...

I've never had a delay of more than about 15-30 minutes on Southwest, regardless of where I'm flying.

On-time departures is one of the things they brag about- it's why they board the way they do and whatnot.

Now, Delta on the other hand...I've never arrived or departed on time with them!

 

[captainkidd]

Did they specify why the flight was delayed? If the reason is anything other than maintenance, the airline has no reason to deploy another plane from its fleet.

Not a word. All we do know is the weather in Baltimore was just fine.

Weather problems happen. Of course, nothing can be done about that. However, no other airlines (that we saw) had any delays to that area.

To me, that's a maintenance issue and one they should fix for waiting passengers.

 

[captainkidd]

So yes, a 4 hour delay sucks. But do you seriously think that getting another plane there is as easy as just saying so?

Of course not. However, when it comes right down to it, it should be. Is it an expense? Sure, but what the hell - People have to get to where they're going when they're supposed to.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Of course not. However, when it comes right down to it, it should be. Is it an expense? Sure, but what the hell - People have to get to where they're going when they're supposed to.

If you travel by air with the expectation of arriving on time you are setting yourself up for disappointment. If airlines ran a business model of double the size of the fleet that they needed the cost to travel by air would be astronomical.

 

[captainkidd]

If you travel by air with the expectation of arriving on time you are setting yourself up for disappointment. If airlines ran a business model of double the size of the fleet that they needed the cost to travel by air would be astronomical.

I know. It's not realistic. I'm still just venting at this point.

I just don't understand why it's only SW I always have delays with.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I know. It's not realistic. I'm still just venting at this point.

I just don't understand why it's only SW I always have delays with.

I think SW biggest issue for delays are during the spring storm seasons. SW is predominately a central US carrier with a bit of business on either coast. They also do more segmented flights. You put these together and you have the potential for delays.

I fly at least two round trips a month on SW. Mostly central US, but over to Phoenix some. In the last year I don't recall being delayed more than a couple of hours. That was when the tornados were hitting Birmingam an that storm system had air travel messed up everywhere.

One thing I always do to keep things in perspective is compare my overall flight time with what it would have taken to drive. If I make it flying in the same time or less as driving I don't have a problem.

There is one thing that does bother me, and it's just not SW, is having to return to the gate after we have taxid to the runway because some sensor went off. Guess it's better than the roof coming off in flight though.....

 

[DisneyJoe]

There is one thing that does bother me, and it's just not SW, is having to return to the gate after we have taxid to the runway because some sensor went off.

The maintenance crews and their equipment are back near the gate.

 

[thewhitequeen]

One thing I've always learned flying out of MCO is that chances are very high you'll be delayed due to the weather. We were delayed one year on Delta but had to sit on the tarmac for 3 hours and that wasn't fun at all.

I'd prefer if they were going to delay a plane if they did it while sitting IN the airport. I was going out of my mind sitting in the plane seat.