I'm sorry to say this but Southwest SUCKS!!

[can]

When the girls were younger, I could plan 6 or more months out in advance, but it just doesn't work that way for us now with them (along with dad and mom) going to college and working.

We have decided on a "last minute" trip to MCO from June 2 to June 9 from MDW. I understand the days of under $200 RT may be long gone, but $393 one way is just a bit on the high side for June travel as far as I am concerned. I have checked on Air Tran and the some of the flights are less even with baggage fees, but I need to decide if it is worth adding travel time into our schedule because of stops and plane changes.

I looked at Air Trans seat availability and see that a good number of the flights are maybe half way full or less. So I wonder if that is the same with SWA's availability?

I think in general all the airlines are charging higher fares than usual. I'm sure they are using gas prices as justification for this. I believe this has happened before and when all was said and done there was a profit seen by the airlines. I just feel frustrated that the airlines nickel and dime passengers knowing that if you want to travel, you are going to pay no matter what. I know, we can stay home, have thought about that. But with the two girls in college, will probably be the last family trip for awhile.....

 

[mossy1]

We used SWA going to MCO from PIT, but coming back we used Air Tran.
Our departure flight we were able to use points through our SWA credit card.

SWA was beyond ridiculous for our return flight. Even with baggage fees, seat fees and IF we had to change our tickets, Air tran would still be cheaper.

I'm nervous for the day SWA and AT become one. There will be NO competition in Pittsburgh . I'm afraid we'll never be able to afford to fly anywhere.

Check out his article. Perhaps not... http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_785818.html

 

[vacationclub]

There's nothing to complain about as far as we are concerned. Good non-stop flight times to MCO from PIT, no baggage fees and NO CHANGE FEES.
As a vacationer with 4 small children(infant, 3yo, 6yo and 8yo), I need that no change fee. That alone sells me. I've used it for every trip we've taken, multiple times. When your airfare drops by $50, times 5 tickets each way...sucks isn't the word that comes to mind.

You don't need a "no change fee" to get a credit when airfare drops. Many airlines will credit you the difference if you call them on it. You may have to use the credit on their airline later, but if you go to Disney each year (or somewhere else) you will have no problem applying the credit. I've done this on Airtran....twice for the same trip. Called them once when it went down...got a credit. It went down even more...called them again and got more credit.

 

[jujube]

While the SW fares have risen A LOT, it is the only non stop flight from our airport to MCO, so we suck it up.

 

[NancyIL]

You don't need a "no change fee" to get a credit when airfare drops. Many airlines will credit you the difference if you call them on it. You may have to use the credit on their airline later, but if you go to Disney each year (or somewhere else) you will have no problem applying the credit. I've done this on Airtran....twice for the same trip. Called them once when it went down...got a credit. It went down even more...called them again and got more credit.

Southwest, AirTran, and Jet Blue are the only airlines I'm aware of that will credit the price difference. The legacy airlines will charge ~ $150 per ticket.

 

[vacationclub]

Southwest, AirTran, and Jet Blue are the only airlines I'm aware of that will credit the price difference. The legacy airlines will charge ~ $150 per ticket.

Well, i guess in this case, the PP would still not need to use SW exclusively because of its no-change fee, as at least two other airlines would also credit you, just like SW does.

 

[bumbershoot]

Southwest, AirTran, and Jet Blue are the only airlines I'm aware of that will credit the price difference. The legacy airlines will charge ~ $150 per ticket.

Alaska will too. They even have a handy little online form to do it instantly. It's lovely.

 

[jmkrat]

I booked our air fare and soon as the rates came out. I ended up paying 997.00 round trip for the 5 of us. Since I don't have to pay for bags, I think it ended up saving me big time. I usually travel with 2 checked per person, it could have cost us an extra 600.00 round trip on another airline. I have never flown SW, but free bags sold me on them.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

When the girls were younger, I could plan 6 or more months out in advance, but it just doesn't work that way for us now with them (along with dad and mom) going to college and working.

We have decided on a "last minute" trip to MCO from June 2 to June 9 from MDW. I understand the days of under $200 RT may be long gone, but $393 one way is just a bit on the high side for June travel as far as I am concerned. I have checked on Air Tran and the some of the flights are less even with baggage fees, but I need to decide if it is worth adding travel time into our schedule because of stops and plane changes.

I looked at Air Trans seat availability and see that a good number of the flights are maybe half way full or less. So I wonder if that is the same with SWA's availability?

I think in general all the airlines are charging higher fares than usual. I'm sure they are using gas prices as justification for this. I believe this has happened before and when all was said and done there was a profit seen by the airlines. I just feel frustrated that the airlines nickel and dime passengers knowing that if you want to travel, you are going to pay no matter what. I know, we can stay home, have thought about that. But with the two girls in college, will probably be the last family trip for awhile.....

And the problem is.....

"There was a profit"

It's posted as if "evil has conquered"

The point of any business is to "make a profit" If they don't make a profit they can't do things like buy new planes.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And the problem is.....

"There was a profit"

It's posted as if "evil has conquered"

The point of any business is to "make a profit" If they don't make a profit they can't do things like buy new planes.

Agreed. While I don't necessarily like paying $600+ just to fly between Boston and Las Vegas, I don't resent the airline wanting to operate at a profit.

Full disclosure: $450 is my cut-off for this itinerary, and I will fly only jetBlue; I'm not going to Las Vegas this year

 

[vacationclub]

I just feel frustrated that the airlines nickel and dime passengers knowing that if you want to travel, you are going to pay no matter what. I know, we can stay home, have thought about that. But with the two girls in college, will probably be the last family trip for awhile.....

I guess you can call it "nickel and diming". But what you're describing is capitalism. You basically just gave the reason why airlines can charge what they charge: your demand is strong enough relative to their supply.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I've been a big SWA fan since they came to PHL. I too remember the days of $39 Dings with a choice of 6 or 8 non stops per day. I've accepted those are long over. These days, to find a one way that is still double digits is a big deal. We could fly Spirit but it's a further drive for us with very limited # of flights per day, like 2 per day often 6am and 9pm which neither is good post cruise.

Last time I shopped for airfare, SWA had awful flight times for us and non stops are almost non-existent. I could see if it was cross country but it's only a 2 hr flight, connections turn it into 4-5 hrs. Fares to Cali are ridiculous. $300-350+ one way. For a little more we could go to Europe.

I do still luv their no change fees and how their schedule rarely changes after it's published.

 

[Corwin]

Flame all you want but today I did my daily check on SW for fares for the end of June from PHL to MCO and for the last week or two the cheapest was $135 each way and now today it jumped to $148! What in the world is going on with them? Yeah they dont charge for bags but now I can go to Airtran and get one way for $118. Even though Airtran charges $20 a bag, now it is cheaper to take Airtran with the bag fees!

I'm sorry Southwest.......YOU SUCK!!!!!

Fare prices often fluctuate based on fuel prices and demand. This is a fact of life for all carriers.

If you were following fare prices for the last week or two, and saw that the "cheapest was $135 each way," then why didn't you purchase the tickets at that price? You were likely gambling that the fares would decrease further, despite months of news that fuel prices were likely to continue to increase this summer, likely leading to fare hikes.

So despite this prediction, you gambled that fares would decrease, and your gamble did not pay off. I don't think that Southwest is the one that sucks, here.

Indeed, for you to single out Southwest for a modest price increase (less than 10%), which is well within normal fare price fluctuations, seems misguided at best.

My dad has been slowly cleaning out his house, getting ready to downsize, and found a few items from our first Disney trip - a father/daughter trip when he was on a business trip to Cape Canaveral.

He had the plane ticket and my "wings" from United Airlines - November 1971. He had to pay for my airfare. It was $59.54 roundtrip from PHL to MCO and we went first class.

Ahhhhh, those were the days.

Well, granted, that was for first class, but $59.54 in 1971 dollars equates to about $342 today. I'm paying less than that for our round trip tickets to Orlando this summer.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Fare prices often fluctuate based on fuel prices and demand. This is a fact of life for all carriers.

If you were following fare prices for the last week or two, and saw that the "cheapest was $135 each way," then why didn't you purchase the tickets at that price? You were likely gambling that the fares would decrease further, despite months of news that fuel prices were likely to continue to increase this summer, likely leading to fare hikes.

So despite this prediction, you gambled that fares would decrease, and your gamble did not pay off. I don't think that Southwest is the one that sucks, here.

Indeed, for you to single out Southwest for a modest price increase (less than 10%), which is well within normal fare price fluctuations, seems misguided at best.

Well, granted, that was for first class, but $59.54 in 1971 dollars equates to about $342 today. I'm paying less than that for our round trip tickets to Orlando this summer.

Currently a 1st class ticket to MCO is around $900. They probably didn't have nearly as many taxes & fees in those days either.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Flame all you want but today I did my daily check on SW for fares for the end of June from PHL to MCO and for the last week or two the cheapest was $135 each way and now today it jumped to $148! What in the world is going on with them? Yeah they dont charge for bags but now I can go to Airtran and get one way for $118. Even though Airtran charges $20 a bag, now it is cheaper to take Airtran with the bag fees!

I'm sorry Southwest.......YOU SUCK!!!!!

You are just booking for June NOW? It is kind of late. The fares would be lower if your flights were less full. Many of us book on SW soon after the dates become available, and then watch for fare reductions as our dates com closer.

 

[DonnaL]

I'm continually reading more and more complaints about Southwest.....and I have my own complaints with them also. I have to say I'm upset about a lot of their current business practices and I wonder whether it is the economic climate causing a lot of it or the change a few years back in the leadership at SWA or a combination of the two. When Colleen Barrett was in charge at SWA the business climate seemed to me to be substantially different than it currently is as so often happens when leadership changes. The focus several years ago was on the smaller regional airports....now it seems they want nothing to do with those airports......even though by flying to many of those airports is the reason they were able to grow their business to the point they are now.....I have to wonder if they will continue to prosper after pulling out of so many airports and focusing mostly on the major hubs......where competition will continue to be fierce. As for my family, we will continue to "occasionally" fly with SWA/Airtran........but, ONLY when the price is so substantially lower it would be silly not to.....since we'll need to drive an hour further to PHL rather than flying from ABE. We've already signed up for Frontier's frequent flyer program since we enjoy flying from Lehigh Valley (ABE) and most likely will switch to Frontier for most, if not all, of our flights to/from MCO. Sort of makes me sad, since I've always loved SWA and IMO their customer service had always been the best in the business.......but, as the sayings goes "that's business" so for the most part, they've lost us.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

We are "loyal" Southwest customers. They have come through for us many times in the past.

Yes, the airfares are higher this year, but I have yet to find a cheaper flight on another airline. If I could find one that is at least $25 each way cheaper, I would change our reservation and use the credit for a second trip we have planned late in the year.

However, Southwest is not only within $25 of the other carriers, it is less expensive than the other carriers and I don't have to worry about bags. Since we are doing a cruise, bag fees would be quite high on another airline. I don't know if we can get by with just one checked bag per person.

So yet again, we will happily fly Southwest!

 

[TamaraQT]

Well the airfare waiting and wondering game for me has officially ended today. I too Love Southwest!! I have flights going from PHL to MCO for 4 people 7/18/12. $135 x 4 =540 + 40(ebci)=$580. I would love for it to drop lower. I bought those tickets on 3/5 and as of today those tickets are now $159 for that flight. So I feel I made a good decision. If they drop again, they will probably go back down to $135, I dont see them going lower than that...but who knows.

Well...coming back from MCO to PHL on 7/28, early morning flight(7am) on SW is still $135...so it would be $580 again. I decided to take a look at AirTran and I am so glad I did. I had been watching the $118 fare for a couple of weeks. Today I noticed there were only 5 seats left. So I did the math $118 x 4 = $472. + baggage $60 = $532 + seats $38(2 priority($26) 2 reg(12)). Total $570. That includes bags and assigned seats. $10 less than Southwest, and my seats are assigned. Also, I don't have to be at the MCO airport until 9:45am(Airtran flight 1145am) instead of 5am(Southwest flight 7am). So yes, Airtran can be less expensive to fly than Southwest. This is my 2nd year coming back from Orlando on Airtran instead of Southwest because Airtran was cheaper even with baggage fees and assigned seat fees. I am glad there are other options besides Southwest, because they really aren't the lowest carrier anymore. But I will still fly Southwest when their rates are lower than others!! Good Luck to all still looking. But I have to say, I am so glad that part of my trip planning is over.

I am BOOKED!! Orlando, here we come!!!

I am still working on rental car deals. And it seems like a losing battle!!!

 

[MEK]

This is my 2nd year coming back from Orlando on Airtran instead of Southwest because Airtran was cheaper even with baggage fees and assigned seat fees. I am glad there are other options besides Southwest, because they really aren't the lowest carrier anymore. But I will still fly Southwest when their rates are lower than others!! Good Luck to all still looking. But I have to say, I am so glad that part of my trip planning is over.

I am BOOKED!! Orlando, here we come!!!

I am also using Air Tran for the first time in a long time because it was cheaper than SWA even with baggage fees. (I usually fly from BWI or PHL) We actually found reasonible flights out of ABE for $195 RT plus bags. Yeah - its a farther drive for us, but we have family that live there and we can visit them pre or post flight, plus probably get one of them to drive us to the airport. So its works for this trip.

 

[TamaraQT]

I am also using Air Tran for the first time in a long time because it was cheaper than SWA even with baggage fees. (I usually fly from BWI or PHL) We actually found reasonible flights out of ABE for $195 RT plus bags. Yeah - its a farther drive for us, but we have family that live there and we can visit them pre or post flight, plus probably get one of them to drive us to the airport. So its works for this trip.

That's a GREAT deal !!!! So now you can put your airfare planning behind you and move onto Trip planning.....You are on your way!!!

I hope you arent looking for rental car prices to drop!! OMG...this is ridiculous!!!!