Why does Southwest prices now suck so bad???

JimboJones123

JimboJones123

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
For the past few years, we have been able to catch great flights not only to Central Florida but to other places as well. May it be the specials, or Feature Destination, or by Ding, we have gotten spoiled by $44 fares, $59 fares, heck even the $88 fares.

The past almost year or so now it's been REALLY hard to find rates anywhere near that. Dings are only Tues/Weds travel anymore for my city.

The "Feature Destinations" don't show a list of prices anymore. I can put in my city (Columbus) and I don't even get discounted rates anymore. I find it hard to find anything to Florida under $159 and many times under $189 (each way).

What happened to the friendly Southwest that would tell you that there were $69 days to Chicage. $94 to LA. This past year, I'm only finding things about double what I've been able to find the past 3-4 years.

Is this only me, or is Southwest losing its edge for the budget minded consumer.
 
mkt

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
Southwest hasn't lost the edge in keeping prices cheap... they've started to lose their fuel hedges and they're working with a devalued dollar.
 
KeithVH

KeithVH

Well-Known Member
mkt said:
Southwest hasn't lost the edge in keeping prices cheap... they've started to lose their fuel hedges and they're working with a devalued dollar.
Click to expand...


Not to mention grounding 41 planes (before gravity does) and facing millions in fines for improper maintenance.
 
Rob562

Rob562

Well-Known Member
It's all in the timing, I guess. I flew from Manchester to Orlando back in December for about $139 roundtrip, including taxes.

There are two reasons Southwest isn't offering as many discounts as before:
Either they can't because of fuel prices, or they don't need to because bookings are higher than before. Cheap airfare is meant to fill seats. If enough seats are filled with full-price passengers, there's less of a need for Southwest to offer discount fares.

And many of the discounts I have been seeing are very last-minute. (Like current airfare specials for April). I'm going down in September, and have been waiting for the schedule to be released past mid-August. The SWA website says that the new dates through late-October will be released next month. At that point I'll keep an eye on fares and book it when (if) they go donw.

-Rob
 
C

crawdaddy1819

New Member
the reason its getting so dam expensive is fuel for one, and its also spring break so its not gonna be too cheap anywhere you go. and many airlines right now are talking about mergers bc some r doing really bad but somewhat on the rebound like united and delta.....as long as fuel prices keep rising so will ticket prices...luckily i fly for free!
 
mkt

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
crawdaddy1819 said:
the reason its getting so dam expensive is fuel for one, and its also spring break so its not gonna be too cheap anywhere you go. and many airlines right now are talking about mergers bc some r doing really bad but somewhat on the rebound like united and delta.....as long as fuel prices keep rising so will ticket prices...luckily i fly for free!
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Fly for free? Not even taxes? ;)

Unless you're working, deadheading, or someone else is footing the bill, it's somewhat hard to fly for free
 
bayoumoon

bayoumoon

New Member
Nicole220 said:
Is it really that bad? This has me worried because we always fly Southwest...
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I wouldn't worry about the maintance issues. Southwest Airlines has the safest record, they have NEVER lost a passenger or employee due to an accident. I work in airfreight and use all the major airlines to ship cargo and Southwest has the best record.
 
mkt

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
crawdaddy1819 said:
i also wouldnt worry about it..its not like boeing airplanes are built like airbus's are...boeing is a much better company
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You sound like a flyboy. While I do have my Boeing preference, I've never had a bad encounter on any of the widebody 'busses (or the narrowbody ones really)
 
mkt

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
crawdaddy1819 said:
yea i am a pilot and i love every minute of it. my office view changes everyday well at least for 14 days out of the month....
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neat. My view changes about the same... but that comes from living on an island and being a mileage runner ;)
 
elizs77

elizs77

Active Member
When we flew in 2006, we were able to fly from RDU to MCO for $49 each way pp. For our May trip, it's $65 each way pp. Still not bad!!
 
elizs77

elizs77

Active Member
mkt said:
Fly for free? Not even taxes? ;)

Unless you're working, deadheading, or someone else is footing the bill, it's somewhat hard to fly for free
Click to expand...


I used to fly free growing up b/c my mom worked for US Airways. Had to fly standby, but it was still nice to go wherever. She left the airline 8 years ago, and maybe their policies have changed...
 
Nicole220

Nicole220

Well-Known Member
bayoumoon said:
I wouldn't worry about the maintance issues. Southwest Airlines has the safest record, they have NEVER lost a passenger or employee due to an accident. I work in airfreight and use all the major airlines to ship cargo and Southwest has the best record.
Click to expand...
Ah, good. Thanks for the replies everyone.

I hate flying, so I get freaked out when I hear stuff like that...
 
mousermerf

mousermerf

Account Suspended
JimboJones123 said:
For the past few years, we have been able to catch great flights not only to Central Florida but to other places as well. May it be the specials, or Feature Destination, or by Ding, we have gotten spoiled by $44 fares, $59 fares, heck even the $88 fares.

The past almost year or so now it's been REALLY hard to find rates anywhere near that. Dings are only Tues/Weds travel anymore for my city.

The "Feature Destinations" don't show a list of prices anymore. I can put in my city (Columbus) and I don't even get discounted rates anymore. I find it hard to find anything to Florida under $159 and many times under $189 (each way).

What happened to the friendly Southwest that would tell you that there were $69 days to Chicage. $94 to LA. This past year, I'm only finding things about double what I've been able to find the past 3-4 years.

Is this only me, or is Southwest losing its edge for the budget minded consumer.
Click to expand...

Umm.. do you know how to use their "shortcut to lower fares?"

All of April has flights from Columbus to Orlando for $78 each way.
 

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