Help needed today 8/4/16 with SWA

[jkelly86]

I have been booking with SWA for years at the moment that the calendar opens up. Today our dates from our home airport to TPA are unavailable for our spring break dates, but available for all other dates in that timeframe. I called SWA and they said that "those specific dates haven't been released yet for your airport." Can anyone offer me some advice?

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

I would guess that they are considering cutting back / changing flights from your home airport. So are their any alternative airlines or airports?

 

[jkelly86]

Yes, you can see the number of flights (including 3 nonstops the day I want), but they are simply not able to be booked (even by phone). The nonstops sit on the screen completely empty (a SWA agent told me that it must be sold out, and I asked her how many seats were sold on those flights; none.) They said they would be "uploaded into the system" within an hour about 3 hours ago. I wish I had thought to look at MCO at 6:30am, but now those are booked too. I was thinking it was a system wide error at that point. Other airports are not feasible, so we will likely book with a legacy carrier.

 

[BrerNashville]

I sometimes see popular times "unavailable" on direct flights the day the reservations open. They are probably evaluating demand to see how much they can charge. Just keep your eye on it, it will open up.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I am highly suspicious of the nonstop flights from PHL to MCO. For weeks in a row, both morning flights show sold out across all fares, been that way since the the days opened yesterday morning. It is really bizarre. I switched to EWR, where it is $89 each way, and that is fine for us, it is actually closer. But I just keep wondering what is happening in PHL. At first I thought, when looking at my departure day only, oh, maybe a local college booked the flight outs, for a sporting event. But, it is for weeks in a row. (late march, early april). Some weeks they are there, just for Weds and Sunday.

Glad I am set. I just like PHL more than EWR.

 

[jkelly86]

Just wanted to update you all. When SWA released our airport, they did not include Wanna Get Away fares and so prices started at $516pp one way. We ended up booking American for $256pp (plus we will have to pay baggage fee of $25pp).