I love SW but now I'm frustrated!!!

[Terry's Angels]

Hi everyone,

I know I'm not the only one waiting for SW to open their schedule past mid-may but I just had to post this morning how FRUSTRATED I am with waiting for the schedule to open up. We're traveling 5/7-5/14 so it's just I have flown SW EXCLUSIVELY since 1993 (with the exception of one flight my parents gave us as a gift in 2001) and I don't ever remember waiting this long for the schedule to open up. Is anyone else out there a dedicated SW passenger but totally with this?

Ok I'll get off of my soapbox now.

 

[Kim&Chris]

I'm feeling anxious as well. I don't understand why the other airlines can have a complete schedule but SW can't.

I've read alot of threads about this very subject, and the popular opinion says they'll open the dates up either today, or within the next two or three Thursdays.

Patiently waiting..............

 

[GoofyontheHiSeas]

Hi everyone,

I know I'm not the only one waiting for SW to open their schedule past mid-may but I just had to post this morning how FRUSTRATED I am with waiting for the schedule to open up. We're traveling 5/7-5/14 so it's just I have flown SW EXCLUSIVELY since 1993 (with the exception of one flight my parents gave us as a gift in 2001) and I don't ever remember waiting this long for the schedule to open up. Is anyone else out there a dedicated SW passenger but totally with this?

Ok I'll get off of my soapbox now.

SWA is changing there release window with the next schedule. Looks like on 2/8 they will be releasing miid-May through mid-August. This is quite a change for them.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

I was planning to book with SW for the first time. My trip is not till August so I have a larger window than you do but still I feel your frustration. Is is always like this with them?

 

[Kim&Chris]

I wonder how many potential passengers they'll lose by doing this. I've read a few posts on these boards - posters tired of waiting that buy tix for Airtran or another low-cost carrier.

 

[MickeyEars]

That is quite a change and it's also great news!!! Does this mean that after this next round of dates are released that the next ones will include September and October? I sure hope so because I'm waiting not so patiently to book the airfare for our first ever MNSSHP trip. Thanks for any info!!

Carla

 

[Lewisc]

A poster on flyertalk who seems to be connected with SWs scheduling department said SW decided to switch to their summer schedule earlier this year, due to the change in the dates of daylight savings time. As a result of this decision it's taking the scheduling people more time to redo the schedule.

 

[emmabelle]

There's information about the schedule release on Southwest's website, click on "Our Blog" at the bottom of their home page. I'm totally surprised that they are going to wait to extend the schedule until there's less than a 100 days left in the current schedule. It actually helps me because I'm looking for July 27-August 7, so now maybe I'll be able to get both flights at once.

 

[suzydisney971]

I was really hoping that the dates would be released today. I need to get tix to Vegas for the end of May. I don't know how much longer I can wait. I've priced out Jetblue and Airtran and I may just have to book with them if Southwest doesn't open up soon.

 

[salmoneous]

I'm feeling anxious as well. I don't understand why the other airlines can have a complete schedule but SW can't.

The tradeoff is that SW almost never changes their schedule once it is published.

 

[K9pal]

OK "Little Miss Patient" is now "Little Miss Frustrated"!!!
Just got a DING - I just KNEW 'this was it'. But no, it's just SW stringing me along yet another day... sigh...

 

[Terry's Angels]

I'm not happy that other people are frustrated, but I'm glad to know I'm not alone in considering other carriers. I hate to leave SW but I don't know how much longer I can wait.......

 

[Lewisc]

SW has said (website blog, Bill Owen schedule planning) 2/8/08 is the tentative release date for the schedule extension. The schedule will be extended through most of August.

The release date is tenative, may vary by a day or two.

 

[Jennyvelaz]

I've said on another post that I hope this doesn't "trap" us into high prices. I hope we are rewarded for our 'frustrating patience' and not penalized with a hefty fare! The DINGS are getting pretty expensive for what is left...Some here missed out of jetblue sale just waiting for SW instead.

 

[Lewisc]

Many passengers like the fact that SW doesn't charge any change fees if you need to change your trip and gives you a full credit if your fare goes down.

Passengers that don't need that flexibility should be booking other airlines, if the price is right. No reason to wait if an airline like Jet Blue has a good price, anything under $200 R/T is probably a good price if the time/date is exactly what you want.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

It doesn't really bother me at all. SW is the lowest fare EVERY SINGLE TIME, year after year after year. So, I just don't worry that they aren't out yet. For MY markets, SW wins every time, so they don't really have any competition....except maybe Airtran, but I have yet to book a flight (for someone else) where they haven't changed that flight in some way, or canceled it altogether.

Honestly I am glad this time, I don't want to spend the money right now to get my May flights, so the later the better for me. I can see where you usually go between two airlines and you know Southwest will be a little lower most likely, so you hope for them, but then are stressed you will miss out on another airline because you are waiting on SW to open their schedule.

The way they do business otherwise is simply enough for me to not worry about when they open up their schedule.

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

I have been another person waiting on sw, right now we can go ns from indy to orlando for 175 on airtran...do wait or buy....

 

[keishashadow]

It's not the price for us:

out of PIT AT consistently beats SW by approx $30 pp...

only reason i started to fly them return trip is their later direct return flight.

as a bonus, it is nice to not have to worry about them tinkering w/their schedule.

 

[Joann]

I dont know I called SW this morning as I booked my flight to Orlando and called to ask a few questions about it... the guy I talked to when I mentioned I was waiting on after May 10th for my return flight and how they are not out yet told me VERY soon they will and told me to make sure I dont only check morning time for the flights to come online and check in the afternoon... not sure what this ment but he seemed to hint to me that they are being released VERY soon by the way he told me to keep checking the site

 

[VLee]

Well, I for one gave up on SW and have booked my tickets with Delta. I had some Skymiles I thought I better use up (never know what will happen with Delta) and also had a buy one/get companion fare free. Flying from my hometown will mean no 250 round-trip to the airport as well as no parking charges since SW doesn't fly from our hometown.

We all three are flying to Orlando for under $350 total. I will try to catch SW on the next release for my October trip.