Detroit & SWA questions

[YayDisney!]

We are looking at airfare for a June trip. Right now, Southwest has the best deals, but does not have any nonstop flights offered during our preferred travel week. We are not against connecting flights, we just prefer the nonstops and have always flown nonstop for the past 7 years. We have little to no experience with SWA - I flew just once in January (nonstop to Orlando) and didn't need to make any changes. Our questions are:

1. Does Southwest typically wait to add their nonstop flights to the schedule? Is it possible they just haven't added them yet for June?
2. If we were to go ahead and purchase the current flights (with connections), then SWA opened up a nonstop flight for the same cost, would we be able to make the change without penalty?

I appreciate any help on this matter. We are not used to making changes for any flights. We are just smitten by the $59 flights offered and would gladly fly with connections, but if a nonstop opened up for the same cost, we would prefer that option.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

I'm not a SW expert, but we are flying them this weekend. I would say a $59 non-stop will be rare. The lowest I saw was our return flight which is non-stop at $129. The non-stop there was like $149+, it's currently $245.

But yes, if they opened up a non-stop you can change w/o penalty.

 

[jodifla]

That's a schedule change for SW. They've always offered nonstops before from DTW to MCO. We just flew it last month, in fact.

I'm not sure why they took away the nonstops. They always had enough to fill up the plane, and they have a fair amount of competition on that route.

 

[YayDisney!]

That's a schedule change for SW. They've always offered nonstops before from DTW to MCO. We just flew it last month, in fact.

I'm not sure why they took away the nonstops. They always had enough to fill up the plane, and they have a fair amount of competition on that route.

That's exactly what I thought. I also just flew their nonstop last month - for $59 each way. It was perfect. I guess we'll just keep an eye on it. We may go ahead and purchase the connection flights because dollar for dollar SWA is still the least expensive since there is no seat cost or baggage cost.

Thank you!!

 

[YayDisney!]

I'm not a SW expert, but we are flying them this weekend. I would say a $59 non-stop will be rare. The lowest I saw was our return flight which is non-stop at $129. The non-stop there was like $149+, it's currently $245.

But yes, if they opened up a non-stop you can change w/o penalty.

Thank you for your help. I flew their nonstop to MCO last month for $59 each way. Guess I caught it at the right time! Thank you for the information about changing flights. That makes it a little easier to book now.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm not sure why they took away the nonstops. They always had enough to fill up the plane, and they have a fair amount of competition on that route.

I noticed that they got rid of it a little while ago, but I forget when it was dropped, or when the drop was effective. I'm guessing in reaction to the recent quarterly announcement of a loss, followed by a plan to cut capacity.

I think they dropped this particular route in part because they had competition on it from two other LCCs: AirTran and Spirit. Plus, Northwest was able to price competitively as well. All three had more direct flights each day. Most of the time I'm pricing flights for myself on DTW-MCO, Southwest has been more expensive than the competition, even allowing for an extra $30 for one round-trip bag per person, and had less convenient times for its NS service.

 

[Pinnie]

I flew next to a deadheading SWA pilot yesterday from BNA to DTW. SWA is making some cutbacks in DTW. They also are adding Minneapolis in March.

SWA is now all cashless on board, so if you desire to buy a drink, bring a credit card. Yesterday they were very specific about boarding ONLY parents and children...no extended family at MCO. In addition, they were very strict about the 2 bag rule, even at BNA with only 78 pax on board.

pinnie

 

[antmaril]

I am flying non-stop to Orlando from Detroit in early March. $59 outbound and $99 return, which isn't bad. However, I heard a rumor that SW was eliminating their Detroit/Orlando non-stops.

 

[YachtandBeachy]

I would check out Spirit airlines, they offer coupons all the time that make their flights dirt cheap. I've booked flights round trip DTW>MCO for under $100 including tax!

 

[jenelope]

I'm not surprised that they're cutting back on the non-stops from DTW. I took a weekday morning non-stop from DTW to MCO two years ago and there were 31 people on board. There were about 50 on the flight back to DTW. Still, that was fall and kids were in school (there was only one child on my outbound flight). I would expect them to adjust that for summer.

 

[Brian Noble]

I would expect them to adjust that for summer.

Summer '09 is already published. No direct flights as I'm reading the schedule.

 

[KandiB47]

I wish I lived by Detroit. I was just looking at a United flight (with one stop) to MCO for $130 round trip including tax. I wish

The funny thing is the stop is in Chicago, only a two hour drive from my house. Chicago flights are much more expensive

 

[Brian Noble]

I wish I lived by Detroit.

Given the economy in Southeast Michigan, no. No you don't.

Trust me on this.

 

[jodifla]

We had just started to fly SWA more and more...but I hate changing/planes stopping.


Not sure what we'll do now.

 

[jenelope]

Summer '09 is already published. No direct flights as I'm reading the schedule.

I meant to say that in a "and I'm surprised they didn't" way. I've always thought that SWA's method of not releasing flights early would give them a unique opportunity to be more flexible with their schedule. It's surprising that they don't take advantage of that more.

 

[Brian Noble]

Ah, I see what you're saying.

I think they do. But, I also think they've written off Detroit. Lots of good reasons for that---our economy is tanking faster that most, in addition to the well-entrenched LCC competition on the route.

Southwest is pretty shrewd, and I think they see the writing on the wall as to whether Detroit-Orlando direct can be profitable at current capacity levels. Rather than participate in the death spiral, they've cut their losses now.