Long line for Southwest ticketing at MCO

[TammyC]

After quickly doing curbside check-in with Delta, I was wandering over to the Sea World gift shop in the terminal when I spotted this HUGE line as far as I could see and then wrapping around a corner. I was happy not to be in it, but asked and was told it was for ticketing at Southwest. Just wondering if this is normal? I guess those low fares have a high cost of waiting.

 

[safetymom]

I had to drop someone off at Southwest several times and there was always a long line. That is why Magical Express picks every one up early so they have time to wait in the airport lines.

 

[lawgs]

it was like that on May 7th, even worse in the morning with several cruises having been dropped off

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

A few months back, I was flying Southwest, and I had to stand in that line. It was extending far past Southwest's area and down the terminal. Took me no more than 15 minutes to get through it... I never had time to set my bag down, that line moved FAST. Security on the other hand took me longer.

 

[Melrosgirl]

Yeah the lines for SW at Orlando can be long, but SW has their check in perfected like a science, lol...a line with 100 people in it can move in 15 minutes. I'm serious. It's great.

 

[clkelley]

Does Southwest have curbside check-in at MCO??

My hubby, son and some friends will be flying SW in July. We usually fly Delta, and really like having curbside check-in.

Carol

 

[Pocahantas]

On Sunday, May 15th we experienced Southwest's extremely long lines! We decided to do curbside checkin and were in line for about an hour which surprised me because I thought for sure it would be much longer than that. The line moved pretty quickly. The lines inside were even longer. We arrived a little more than two hours before scheduled flight time and had no problems getting to our gate in time (even stopped for something to eat and restrooms before going to our gate). There were others who arrived with just over an hour before their flight and I don't think they were able to make it to their flight in time. I love flying Southwest (and their prices) and I will make sure that I always arrive at MCO at least two hours before my flight! I don't mind having to be there early if I can get tickets for $97 per person roundtrip!!!!!!!!

 

[mom2rb]

My DH has a very common name. He ended up on the "no fly" list. We can no longer get our boarding passes on line or do curb-side check in. The line at Southwest is long but it does move fast. Makes me glad I hyphenated my last name.

 

[Aimeedyan]

We flew Southwest out of MCO on the 12th of May, and the curbside to check baggage was loooooooooooong but it only took us about 20 minutes, amazingly enough! They move people very quickly through there.

The inside line was much much longer, so we opted to stand outside. We already had our boarding passes, just needed to check luggage.

I would bet it's normal there. We walked right up at the Austin airport when we flew out there, but that's a much smaller airport.

 

[threeboysmom]

Wow!! Is this something new? We've ALWAYS flown Southwest and have never had to stand in a line to check our bags curbside. I wonder what has happened........

 

[CarolA]

The line on May 15th in the morning was longer then I have EVER seen. I could not belive it! I know people who only gave themselves an hour didn't make their planes because I saw them getting on standby lists for other flights.

The only reason I made mine was that I had a 22" rollerboard and a briefcase. Since the 22" was not expanded and I can shove it overhead I just did carryon!

 

[Jeanne B]

We had a mid-morning departure last May with SW and the line was VERY long and we stood in line for a VERY long time...it sounds like maybe they've improved their check-in (I hope!!). We have a 7:30 departure this time so we'll be at the airport by 5:30 or 6:00 at the latest...I'm wondering if the lines will be just as bad this early in the morning??

 

[C&MK]

We arrived two hours before our flight on May 15 and the line was huge for Southwest - the line wrapped around and ended in front of one of the stores in the terminal. People were not happy. We were redirected to a check-in area downstairs and it took us about 30 minutes. We heard that people were waiting 2-3 hours in line upstairs. When she redirected us downstairs her first question was whether we had already missed our plane. There was something definitely wrong. The security line was a breeze - about 10 minutes.

 

[kathylovesdisneyworl]

My daughter was in that line on May 15th. They arrived at the airport at 7:10 am for a 9:20 flight. They did not get to the plane until 9:19. Thank goodness they left them on. Took off 2 min. after they were seated. Lots of people missing there flights that morning. They were told there luggage might not make it, but thank goodness it did. Many hundreds of angry people that morning. That is the only time we saw anything like that.

 

[Chicago526]

Reason #10027 I will never fly SWA! I'd rather pay more for my ticket than fly with them. Their employees are great, it's their policies I can't stand. No advance seats, they oversell and bump like MAD, long check-in lines, you have to wait for them to release their schedule (although this does mean no schedule changes, I'll admit that part is nice), and have you seen "Airline"? I really don't want to fly with some of the people they've shown...

I know there are a lot of SWA fans here, and that's fine for you. I know that most of the time, most people don't have problems with SWA. But I'll pay $200 r/t Chicago-Orlando on United and not have to worry so much about all of the above, thanks.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

All airlines oversell thier flights... SWA is not alone in this.

As for what "Airline!" shows on TV, remember... it's a TV show geared towards ratings. What you see on TV and what happens on a regular basis are often times two completely different things. The editors seem to go after the extreme and rare situations, in order to make the show interesting. I'm sure if they were to profile an average day at Southwest, it'd be a pretty boring show.

Of course, to each thier own. That's why there are lots of other airlines out there.

 

[kathylovesdisneyworl]

Question for anyone who knows, the people that were missing there flights were told next open flight was the next morning. I always thought they had to try to put you on another flight, even if it is another airline. When I flew airtran last year our flight was canceled due to mechanical problems and they put me on a US air flight. Is that the normal, or were they just trying to keep us happy.

 

[safetymom]

Southwest doesn't interline meaning that they will put you on another carrier. Airtran and USAirways does. That is why you were put on another airline.

 

[safetymom]

Reason #10027 I will never fly SWA! I'd rather pay more for my ticket than fly with them. Their employees are great, it's their policies I can't stand. No advance seats, they oversell and bump like MAD, long check-in lines, you have to wait for them to release their schedule (although this does mean no schedule changes, I'll admit that part is nice), and have you seen "Airline"? I really don't want to fly with some of the people they've shown...

I don't know what United you fly on but I have seen all those things except no advance seats when I flew United.

Haven't you ever stood in the very very long lines at O'Hare to get through security? Sure you may not have to wait for United's schedule but you are going to see all those other things with almost every carrier out there at one time or another.

I fly quite a bit and have seen some people that would have been perfect for that show but they weren't flying Southwest.

 

[kathylovesdisneyworl]

Southwest doesn't interline meaning that they will put you on another carrier. Airtran and USAirways does. That is why you were put on another airline.

Thanks for the response. I will rethink SW for that reason alone, otherwise I have not had problems with there service. I might use them again, but probably only if I can't get a good flight with anyone else.