Got a call... SW overbooked 2+ weeks out

[jnsma]

We are going on a DCL cruise during MA school vacation week. We are flying from/to Providence (PVD), down on Friday 4/12 and back Saturday 4/20. We just got a call that the flight back is overbooked and they were offering $300 per person (family of 4) plus will rebook us that day or the Sunday. I looked online and everything else appears sold out so not sure what time options they would offer us.
Plenty of DVC availability for that (and the next) night, we are members with some points.
Unfortunately I think we have too much life we need to get back to.....

Will this only get worse in the next 2 weeks?
We do have earlybird checkin, so hopefully that will prevent us from being bumped the day of.

 

[shoreward]

Checking flights on other airlines, a one-way coach ticket for your itinerary is running well over $500, per person. If you have Early Bird, I don't think Southwest can bump you, but you obviously need to be at airport well in advance of scheduled departure time, in case TSA Security is backed up, and you don't have PreCheck.

Did they assure you that your current flight back will not be canceled due to a swap of flights?

I would not accept their offer, if you need to be back home, per your original plans. That will be an extremely busy period to fly.

 

[Lewisc]

I suspect the other flights are showing as sold out because Southwest has whatever seats that are available blocked. $1200? I'd at least call and see what flights are being offered.

 

[DLgal]

They are offering you $300/person in CASH? Not Southwest vouchers? Take it and let them rebook you. That's a fantastic offer! What do you have going on that is so important on the Sunday after your trip? They are probably frantically trying to shuffle people around due to the Max 8 related scheduling snafu. I have never heard of this kind of offer and would not pass it up if it is indeed cash.

 

[jnsma]

They are offering you $300/person in CASH? Not Southwest vouchers?

Oh, good point. My wife talked to them, I did not. Big difference. Vouchers would just cost me $$$ as I'd HAVE to go to Disney again. :^)

 

[sam_gordon]

I agree. Get the details, including:
* How is the $300 disbursed (cash, SW points, SW credit, etc).
* If anything other than cash, when (if it all) does it need to be used by?
* If they can't get you until Sunday, will they pay for room/additional meals (they should)?
* What hotel would they put you at?

If they're offering $300 cash + hotel & meals, I'd jump all over it.

 

[DLgal]

I agree. Get the details, including:
* How is the $300 disbursed (cash, SW points, SW credit, etc).
* If anything other than cash, when (if it all) does it need to be used by?
* If they can't get you until Sunday, will they pay for room/additional meals (they should)?
* What hotel would they put you at?

If they're offering $300 cash + hotel & meals, I'd jump all over it.

I'd jump all over it even if I had to pay for the hotel. I would imagine the $300/person is in lieu of additional covered travel expenses since they aren't outright cancelling the flight. They just overbooked (or more accurately, likely had to switch from a plane with a higher capacity to one with a lower capacity, since SW doesn't overbook flights anymore.)

 

[sam_gordon]

I'd jump all over it even if I had to pay for the hotel. I would imagine the $300/person is in lieu of additional covered travel expenses since they aren't outright cancelling the flight. They just overbooked (or more accurately, likely had to switch from a plane with a higher capacity to one with a lower capacity, since SW doesn't overbook flights anymore.)

I don't know. I'd guess a decent hotel would be ~$150 w/taxes. Then add another lunch/dinner, call that $50. So you're out $200. Yea, it's still $1K, but I'd ask for them to pick it up.

 

[DLgal]

I don't know. I'd guess a decent hotel would be ~$150 w/taxes. Then add another lunch/dinner, call that $50. So you're out $200. Yea, it's still $1K, but I'd ask for them to pick it up.

They won't. They will just move along the list until they get someone who bites. In fact, I'd be surprised if the offer still stands if the OP calls them back. Likely, they got enough takers already. This is the kind of offer you jump at.

 

[starry_solo]

I suspect it's because of the MAX 8 (?) grounding....they had a lot of those in the air.

 

[sam_gordon]

I suspect it's because of the MAX 8 (?) grounding....they had a lot of those in the air.

They had 34. According to Wiki, they have 750 of the Boeing 737.

 

[pixiedustedme]

And SWA claims that they no longer overbook flights...

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Despite Southwest’s claim they don’t overbook, they do:

https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel...untary-bumpings-among-major-airlines-by-a-lot

OP should have been all over this offer. I agree that someone else has likely already grabbed it.

 

[AngiTN]

And SWA claims that they no longer overbook flights...

Even if they don't, they did lose some planes with this grounding and it will cause them to have to reconfigure some seating arrangements and already configured flights and that could cause flights to then become overbooked if the number of seats changes. No idea what caused THIS flight to be overbooked but that is one possibility.

 

[PSUGuy]

If you have Early Bird, I don't think Southwest can bump you,

It this true? We're using SW from Oct 28, returning Nov 6 and I'm pretty sure the grounding will be resolved by then but it would be good to know that our Early Bird protects us.

Bill From PA

 

[shoreward]

It this true? We're using SW from Oct 28, returning Nov 6 and I'm pretty sure the grounding will be resolved by then but it would be good to know that our Early Bird protects us.

Bill From PA

If your flight is actually canceled, I don't think EBCI protects you any more than others. But, if the flight is oversold, I think it protects you.

I certainly hope that the current issues are resolved within the next 4-8 weeks.

 

[PSUGuy]

If your flight is actually canceled, I don't think EBCI protects you any more than others. But, if the flight is oversold, I think it protects you.

I certainly hope that the current issues are resolved within the next 4-8 weeks.

I was concerned about overbooking but perhaps there's no need to worry. This Monday I checked the flight and the cost in points went down, I re-booked and saved over 1700 points. Doubt that would have happened if the flight was full or worse.

Bill From PA

 

[writerguyfl]

Even if they don't, they did lose some planes with this grounding and it will cause them to have to reconfigure some seating arrangements and already configured flights and that could cause flights to then become overbooked if the number of seats changes. No idea what caused THIS flight to be overbooked but that is one possibility.

I think your assessment is probably the reason for this overbooking. Southwest even describes this process on their website:

Southwest does not overbook as part of the selling process (Effective May 8, 2017). While we no longer “overbook” flights, there will be operational instances where we will be over available seating capacity resulting in an oversale. Operational instances that may create an oversale include weight restrictions and aircraft type changes.
https://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/overbooking_faq.html?CLK=SITESEARCH#overbook_002​

Southwest has three different airplanes:

• Boeing 737 Max 8 (grounded): 175 seats, 34 total planes
• Boeing 737-800: 175 seats, 207 total planes
• Boeing 737-700: 143 seats, 513 total planes

I'd bet money that jnsma's flight got downgauged from one of the larger planes to one of the 737-700 series planes. If that's the story, it means they have to find 30 people (if the flight was full) to change.

As for the concerns about showing up and getting involuntarily bumped, I wouldn't be overly concerned. The fact that Southwest is dealing with the problem 2 weeks in advance shows that they want to resolve it prior to the day of the flight. Chances are very good that they will fix the issue sooner rather than later. I think they will find people like sam_gordon who will be inclined to take a good offer.

If I were flying with 4 people on this flight and I had Early Bird Check-in, I wouldn't be concerned. Typically, involuntary bumping is a last in, first out system. By that I mean that the last person to check-in will be the first to be removed. But, that only happens after the voluntary offers. If you have to take this flight, just make follow shoreward's advice and get to the airport early enough to ensure you're at the gate in plenty of time.

 

[jnsma]

Southwest has three different airplanes:

• Boeing 737 Max 8 (grounded): 175 seats, 34 total planes
• Boeing 737-800: 175 seats, 207 total planes
• Boeing 737-700: 143 seats, 513 total planes

I'd bet money that jnsma's flight got downgauged from one of the larger planes to one of the 737-700 series planes. If that's the story, it means they have to find 30 people (if the flight was full) to change.

This makes sense and I think the cause of the problem. When the Max issue surfaced, I checked the type of plane that we had and I thought it was the -800 but it is now listed as a -700, therefore oversold.

Turns out my DW and DD volunteered to switch to MCO->BOS. Yesterday they only had 1 seat on that plane and another opened up today. They have a concert to go to that night and it saves them from driving from PVD to home then into Boston. They are meeting up with friends that will drive them home. DS and I get stuck with their luggage.

Southwest has been great, according to my DW. They were not pushy just trying to be proactive. They understood there was that 1 flight that they would be willing to switch to and when it opened up this morning, call us again to see if they were still interested. I'm sure we could have gotten more out of them if we really wanted to push it.

 

[Halle]

This makes sense and I think the cause of the problem. When the Max issue surfaced, I checked the type of plane that we had and I thought it was the -800 but it is now listed as a -700, therefore oversold.

Turns out my DW and DD volunteered to switch to MCO->BOS. Yesterday they only had 1 seat on that plane and another opened up today. They have a concert to go to that night and it saves them from driving from PVD to home then into Boston. They are meeting up with friends that will drive them home. DS and I get stuck with their luggage.

Southwest has been great, according to my DW. They were not pushy just trying to be proactive. They understood there was that 1 flight that they would be willing to switch to and when it opened up this morning, call us again to see if they were still interested. I'm sure we could have gotten more out of them if we really wanted to push it.

How do you find the type of aircraft?