ATA/Southwest Reacommodation

[DVCBob2]

Can anyone share their experiences with the ATA/Southwest reacommodation. About a week ago we were offered a Southwest flight, however it appears that many ATA customers are not being reacomodated and are being given refunds. Our trip is in less than a week so a refund was not an option for us. Based on conversations with Southwest it appears that we will be flying stand-by.

We have never flown Southwest before, however based on our experience so far I do not believe we will be flying with them again. The general attitude from several different representatives at Southwest is that we are lucky to have a flight with them and that if we are not happy with that flight we can cancel.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Based on conversations with Southwest it appears that we will be flying stand-by.

Have you been given a specific flight date, time, and flight number? If so, you have a confirmed ticket, not a standby ticket.

Southwest does not have assigned seating. But that's not the same as standby.

 

[DVCBob2]

From what Southwest has told us no seat is guaranteed and that if the flight is over booked someone will be bumped. Based on the fact that we have been reacommadated from an ATA flight we believe we will be the first to go. Also based on the fact that we will not be able to check in until we get to the airport, we may be one of the last passengers to check in. I know that with Southwest you are able to check in online but because we have been switched over from ATA this option is not available to us. This is our first time flying Southwest so we are not familair with their business practices.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

From what Southwest has told us no seat is guaranteed and that if the flight is over booked someone will be bumped.

A seat is never guaranteed on any airline. However, most carriers in the United States pre-assign seats -- but those seat assignments aren't guaranteed. Southwest doesn't assign seats, not even on the boarding pass. You board in groups, and you pick any seat you want. You get into an earlier group if you check in earlier, either at the airport or online.

Bumping can happen on any airline. Involuntary bumping is very rare on any airline. Voluntary bumping is more common. If too many people with confirmed tickets show up, there are almost always enough people to accept the travel vouchers that are offered to volunteers.

Don't worry. You'll get on the flight.

Southwest is a fine airline. And there's no worry about Southwest going out of business. They make money year after year.

 

[inkkognito]

Good luck to you! I have a lot of sympathy for your situation because we were almost in it ourselves. We flew ATA an average of twice a month for ages, but thankfully we stopped buying any more tickets when things started going haywire. Sure enough, they pulled the plug on the direct Orlando flights. We will be flying Southwest several times over the next two months; it will be my first experience to them, and I am not looking forward to the "cattle call." But oh well, at least they'll get you to Orlando!
Barb

 

[BCV23]

Does anyone know if ATA flights for this month out of South Bend>Indy>MCO are being cancelled?

How far in advance were you contacted DVCBob2?

Thanks!

 

[DVCBob2]

We were contacted last week regarding both of our scheduled ATA flights (Feb 17 & Spring Break). They offered us the reacommadated flight or a refund. Take it or leave it!

Barb:

Have enjoyed reading your posts in the past. We have been looking for a post from you concerning ATA as we knew that you also flew with them quite often. We were hopeing that you would have some input before we left.

Horace:

I hope you are right. We rescheduled this trip from last fall when we had to cancel due to one of the hurricanes.

 

[BCV23]

Thank you for the quick answer, Bob.

Although I don't like the unassigned seats on their flights,in our limited experience with Southwest I really like most of their policies and the people are great. Sort of like the good old days of flying without the perks. I'm sure Horace is right.

 

[CarolA]

I am not sure what else they can do. They offered you to reaccomodate you on a flight or give you a refund. Those are the options when anyone changes a flight.
It doesn't sound to me like you are on "stand by".

When you check in is not always the predicator of 'involuntary bumping' as long as you meet the requirements of the airline. For example on DL I think it is something like 30 minutes. If you don't meet that your seat can be GONE!

I have never had an attitude problem with anyone on SW and I can't say that for ANY other airline I have flown (and it is a LONG list LOL!)

 

[DVCBob2]

"I am not sure what else they can do. They offered you to reaccomodate you on a flight or give you a refund. Those are the options when anyone changes a flight."

True. However they offered us flights that were not even close in departure times to what we originally had and went from non-stop flights to connecting flights. Now I know some will say that we should be happy that they offered us anything, which is the same attitude that Southwest shares. But Southwest is currently selling non-stop flights with similar flight times to what we had originally booked and will not consider putting us on those flights. So there actually is another option available that they will not consider. What is also frustrating is that they have told us that the flight we will be leaving on will be full and that is how the bumping conversation came up, the other flight that mirrors our original flight is not full as they are currently still selling tickets for it.

 

[DVCBob2]

Another funny thing I forgot to mention.

In a prior phone call with Southwest my DW asked about the airlines policy if a flight is oversold. The representative said "Southwest does not overbook flights". My wife said have you ever watched "Airline". The representative said no and emphatically stated that Southwest does not overbook flights.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

But Southwest is currently selling non-stop flights with similar flight times to what we had originally booked and will not consider putting us on those flights. So there actually is another option available that they will not consider. What is also frustrating is that they have told us that the flight we will be leaving on will be full and that is how the bumping conversation came up, the other flight that mirrors our original flight is not full as they are currently still selling tickets for it.

I understand your frustration. I would be disappointed too. You bought tickets on ATA in good faith, with the understanding that you would be on nonstop flights at times that suited your needs. You probably bought discounted tickets for under $250 RT each.

Then ATA cut their service in an attempt to survive financially. ATA no longer flies nonstop between MDW and MCO. Southwest is squeezing ATA's passenger load into their schedule, but the results will be less than ideal for many customers.

Airlines operate aircraft with various fares for the same kind of seats. Southwest has only one class of seating, but different prices. Through sophisticated computer models, Southwest predicts how many seats can be sold at various unrestricted, restricted, and promotional prices -- and they have a controlled amount of inventory for the cheaper fares, so that they can sell higher priced, unrestricted tickets to passengers for whom those are more appropriate (typically business travelers who book at the last minute and need flexibility to change their flight times). Such a pricing model allows Southwest to make money and survive.

So, it's likely that Southwest is sold out of the discount fare category, even if there are still some available seats (probably full-fare, unrestricted seats) on the nonstop.

It's not Southwest's fault that ATA expanded too quickly and got themselves into a financial mess. Southwest has no obligtion to damage their revenue on flights where they're carrying passengers who were originally booked on ATA.

Now, having said that, you could still ask to speak to a supervisor at Southwest. In you can make a clear case why your current Southwest flights get you into Orlando too late or force you to leave Chicago too early, a Southwest supervisor might be able to release inventory on another flight. But that could still be a 1-stop or a connection, not the nonstop that you would prefer.

 

[DVCBob2]

Horace, thank you for your reply. You appear to be very knowledgeable on this topic and your detailed commentary is appreciated.

I understand that the situation we are in today is a result of ATA's rapid expansion and that Southwest has no real obligation to me as a customer. As loyal ATA customers (4) who used to fly with them 3-5 times a year it seems like a missed oppurtunity for Southwest to attract our business in the future. Based on our interaction with Southwest to this point we did not even consider them this weekend when we booked flights from Chicago to LAX for this August. I realize Southwest's fares are not published for this time frame yet but the option of using them was not even a consideration. That being said, I am sure that the loss of our business will not have an overall negative impact on their bottom line.

We have made several attempts to speak with a supervisor at Southwest and the response has been "they will tell you the same thing I am telling you" and our request has been denied.

Thanks again for your comments.

 

[sgtdisney]

Unfortunately, this is what happens when an airline pulls out of a city or goes out of business entirely. Your tickets were purchased with ATA. Southwest is under no obligation to accept those reservations, but is trying to help them and you out. I know you know all this.

Even though Southwest has a code share agreement with ATA and is trying to help ATA with their passengers there is only so much that they can do. As you said it is only a week away. Southwest does overbook, as do all the airlines, so in such a little amount of time it is very difficult for them to accomodate you on a reserved basis, much less on a 'premium' non-stop flight. It is really unfortunate and sad, and I can empathize with you at this point. It is really unnerving not to have a guaranteed reservation and have to accept the 'left overs' in terms of a flight schedule. But Southwest can't bump someone off of a flight that has paid them directly to accomodate the passengers from another airline, they just can't.

Many times when an airline does this (goes under or leaves a city) who doesn't have a code share arrangement, the passengers are stranded with no options but to buy a seat on another airline and accept a refund. I know it doesn't help your situation, but at least SWA is trying to accomodate you where they can. It doesn't make it any easier for you though, I know.

 

[DVCBob2]

Thanks Sarge.

"Southwest is under no obligation to accept those reservations, but is trying to help them and you out."

While I acknowledge that Southwest is under no obligation to do anything for us I don't think the actions they are taking are out of the goodness of their heart.

The source of our frustration is that we started calling ATA & Southwest back in December about the changes that would be taking place and were assured every step of the way, time and time again, that everything would be OK and that everyone would be accommadated. Also back in December we were not offered the option of a refund. Only at a week before the flight were we offered the option of a refund. Clearly when there was no other option available. If I were a Southwest shareholder I would admire them for a sound business plan, but I am not. I can only asssume that others were given the same assurances and clearly these promises have not been kept.

 

[CarolA]

Before you worry about what you see on "Airline" remember that the show is about problems. You never see the majority of flights that take off on time and are NOT over booked, don't have drunk passengers etc....

I can recall VERY few overbooked SW flights. I can recall lots of overbooked DL and AA flights LOL!

 

[DVCBob2]

Carol

I agree. There will always be problems. They should only be judged on how they deal with and or fix those problems.

Regarding overbooking. I did not mean to imply that Southwest consistently overbooks flights. I only found it funny that a representative would adamantly state that they do not overbook flights when the television show clearly shows that they do.

 

[inkkognito]

The other thing about "Airline" is that a lot of it is somewhat staged. It's real situations, but I have personally witnessed the filming at Midway, and they take those situations and proceed in a staged way (not sure how to explain what I mean, but let's just say that people ham it up and act a certain way when they are on camera).

I'm surprised that their c/s reps. are copping an attitude, but maybe they're tired of the ATA customers calling them. It's a shame, as they do indeed have a big opportunity to win over new customers right now. We are going to be flying them four times over the next two months, and if they treat us right, we'll stick with them. It reminds me of the declining days of ATA, when it had turned into "Lame Duck" air and their attitudes went out the window. Most of the flight attendants were still great, but a few of them and a lot of the gate agents really turned nasty. It made me sad to see what had been a good airline go downhill like that.

Barb

 

[dislvr75]

Just today I received an email from ATA/Southwest Accomodations department. They said that our flight on ATA from MDW-MCO had been re-booked on a similar Southwest flight, and it asked for me to call Southwest and confirm my plans.

Well, too late for that. Over a month ago, when I was searching online I noticed that there WERE no more non-stop flights from Midway to Orlando on ATA. They were all scheduled to stop in Indy. Since we were holding non-stop tickets on ATA I called and asked if there had been a change in the routes. They told me no.

This whole thing since back in August when this whole thing started, this ATA affair has not set well with me. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to get out and I did. We received a full refund and are scheduled to fly on another airline. I may have been willing to give Southwest a try but it seemed risky, I was ticked off that no one had notified us that our flights no longer existed and traveling with two younger kids, we didn't like the cattle call idea.

SO, strangely enough they did not have a record of our refund. Guess the files shared with ATA were not accurate. I advised her that we had changed our plans and she thanked me so that the seats could be opened up for other passengers.

It's been a month since I got my refund, exactly when did they plan to tell me that my flight no longer existed?

The sooner I could wash my hands of ATA the better, and I am SO glad that I did!

 

[sgtdisney]

It is unfortunate that this is happening to people who had booked (and paid!)for tickets already on ATA. I really used to enjoy flying with ATA but after a terrible experience with lost luggage early in 2004 I decided they were done and switched to trying Spirit who I have had great luck with so far.

Usually when an airline goes under or completely pulls out of a market it is quick, not any less painful, but people pretty much know what they have to do. The last few months ATA has slowly been abandoning Chicago and hasn't been conveying that to their customers. They are in survival mode right now, and it doesn't sound like they are doing a very good job of servicing their customer.

I am in no ways a big Southwest fan, but I can understand where they are at too. Trying to squeeze people from ATA into their already booked flights isn't easy. You'd think that there would have to be a better way of doing business but it doesn't seem like ATA knows what they are doing and from the sounds of the last post they aren't even communicating very well with Southwest. Usually the demise of an airline is quick, but ATAs is like a slow torturous death. Kind of sad.