Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves customers stranded
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Re: Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves customers stranded
#2It feels like SouthWest has been at the center of every scheduling disaster in the US over the past few years.
Even if it’s out of their control (many of the issues were within their control), it seems Southwest fails way worse than every other US airline.
Re: Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves customers stranded
#3I have a Southwest flight on Friday I am now very nervous about. For the first time ever I bought a fully refundable flight as a backup option through American Airlines. Looks like Southwest might allow free cancellations too so I might ditch that flight entirely to avoid undue travel headaches. Either way, I don’t ever remember a worst traveling season than this.
Re: Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves customers stranded
#4From the article:
> If you've been left in the lurch and your efforts to reach a customer service agent are going nowhere, the founder of Scott's Cheap Flights suggests trying an international number.
> "The main hotline for US airlines will be clogged with other passengers getting rebooked. To get through to an agent quickly, call any one of the airline's dozens of international offices" Scott Keyes said.
> "Agents can handle your reservation just like US-based ones can, but there's virtually no wait to get through."
Re: Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves customers stranded
#5I have a Southwest flight on Friday I am now very nervous about. For the first time ever I bought a fully refundable flight as a backup option through American Airlines. Looks like Southwest might allow free cancellations too so I might ditch that flight entirely to avoid undue travel headaches. Either way, I don’t ever remember a worst traveling season than this.
> I don’t ever remember a worst traveling season than this
Even during COVID?
Re: Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves customers stranded
#6https://old.reddit.com/r/SouthwestAirlines/comments/zw32yt/p...
(From another HN posting at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34145303)
Re: Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves customers stranded
#7There's an unsubstantiated rumor that 120 Southwest ramp agents walked off the job at Denver International Airport after the VP of operations out of Dallas sent a demanding (and possibly unreasonable) memo to the Denver staff banning sick time without a doctors note and requiring mandatory overtime.
https://twitter.com/AtSouthwest/status/1606543397996855296
If true, it could account for a majority of SW's cancellations over the past few days and it could continue for the foreseeable future.
Re: Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves customers stranded
#8I have a Southwest flight on Friday I am now very nervous about. For the first time ever I bought a fully refundable flight as a backup option through American Airlines. Looks like Southwest might allow free cancellations too so I might ditch that flight entirely to avoid undue travel headaches. Either way, I don’t ever remember a worst traveling season than this.
Southwest has always allowed free cancellations, up to 10 minutes before boarding— that was one of its main selling points. You (normally) get the money as flight credit, however.
Re: Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves customers stranded
#9It feels like SouthWest has been at the center of every scheduling disaster in the US over the past few years. Even if it’s out of their control (many of the issues were within their control), it seems Southwest fails way worse than every other US airline.
That period also included a massive expansion of Southwest’s footprint— something like 18 cities. I fly a lot and never had much trouble with them until this last week. United and American have been far worse for me in terms of delays and cancellations, not to mention their disgruntled staffs.
Re: Massive Southwest Airlines disruption leaves customers stranded
#10It feels like SouthWest has been at the center of every scheduling disaster in the US over the past few years. Even if it’s out of their control (many of the issues were within their control), it seems Southwest fails way worse than every other US airline.
I've flown Southwest dozens of times. While I like their lower costs it's pretty easy to see where they are cutting costs with operations. In "normal" conditions their cost cutting is just functional. In any sort of exceptional situation their entire system fall apart.