Midwest to ground all MD80's by the fall [MERGED]

[Inkmahm]

Ok I was only on hold for maybe 10 mins with Midwest after calling Expedia, and I got a refund. BUT I was told it could take 2 business cycles, meaning up to 60 days! No joke! So I don't know who was told it would be on automatically... but I would be shocked if it was. I am sorry for those who are on hold for hours, maybe just call back. You could be stuck in a que that is being ignored.

Ames

I took a refund not long ago when they changed my times for flights in March. It was booked within a day or two to my credit card so I'm sure the refunds will be made quickly, no where near 60 days.

I just got home after a morning of shopping/errands and thought I'd check to see how everyone was doing. I am SO glad I didn't wait for Midwest to fix my flights for me and that I just booked Air Tran on my own before calling Midwest for refunds. The Midwest worker was quick to offer refunds. I think it is cheaper for them to refund money than put us on other airlines. Just a guess.

 

[karebear1]

FINALLY!!!! Just got through!

 

[Inkmahm]

I think they may have dropped to only 1 (maybe 2?) 717s - I could be wrong, but that's how they handled our Jan. reservation, which we got to keep. The 717 flight times we got in Jan are:
#90 MKE ->MCO 9:20am/1:00pm, #91 MCO ->MKE 1:35 pm/3:25pm

If I'm understanding it right (their timetable is still wrong), this means they dropped 3 MD-80 routes for possibly only 1 717 (although maybe there are more 717 flight times, we just weren't offered any).
The Midwest MD-80 held 131 regular + 12 sig service seats, but the new Midwest class on a 717 will only hold 99 people. Even if they use 3 717s to replace those routes, there still won't be enough seats to accommodate everyone.

I think you are right. There is the one direct flight down in the morning and the one direct flight back in the afternoon on a 717. No way will all the people who were booked on fhe various MD-80 flights fit on that single 717 plane. That's another reason they are being so quick to offer refunds for MCO flights- they CAN'T accomodate you on Midwest. I doubt they WANT to accomodate you on another airline.

Now it is a race for everyone to find seats on the remaining airlines. I would NOT be waiting for Midwest to help me do that, I'd be booking my own flights and getting my refund from Midwest later. Just my suggestion. But I'd certainly hurry to book on Air Tran (or another airline) if I needed seats.

 

[karebear1]

Only 4 1/2 hours on hold! Not too bad!!! LOL! Well, Nick was very nice, but sounded exhausted! i GOT MY TRIP REFUNDED- And HE DID IT FOR ME EVEN THOUGH I BOOKED MY TRIP THROUGH TRAVELOCITY.

What he told me about the refund was that Midwest will put it in immediately, but it would show up on the credit card in up to 60 days. It juts depends on how long it takes the CC company to process the info.

Good luck to those of you still on hold. Please.... share with us your wait times- we're dying to know if they get shorter- or longer.

 

[rainbowsandroses]

Thanks to everyone posting their experiences this morning.

We are traveling in January and I am getting the schedule change red message. I am assuming this means flight times are changed. If the changes are significant (was on the 7:30 out of MKE and 7:20 from MCO), I would want a refund, but not sure they would give it to me.

So please keep posting!

 

[cbjl]

cbjl,

Can I ask...what were your flight times in November that were cancelled?

Sure - 890 & 891 (The 7:55am departure from MKE & the 12:15/2:05 return flight)

 

[karebear1]

Now it is a race for everyone to find seats on the remaining airlines. I would NOT be waiting for Midwest to help me do that, I'd be booking my own flights and getting my refund from Midwest later. Just my suggestion. But I'd certainly hurry to book on Air Tran (or another airline) if I needed seats.

I totally agree..... and am so glad I went ahead and rebooked on Air Tran both ways before I had the official word that my flight was cancelled. Now..... I can relax. I actually even like my flight times better then the ones i had on Midwest!

 

[Inkmahm]

Thanks to everyone posting their experiences this morning.

We are traveling in January and I am getting the schedule change red message. I am assuming this means flight times are changed. If the changes are significant (was on the 7:30 out of MKE and 7:20 from MCO), I would want a refund, but not sure they would give it to me.

So please keep posting!

Those are gone and the new ones are significantly different. Again, if you really want to get to Florida, try to book your own tickets before all the seats are taken on other airlines. It's a race! Hurry!

 

[Duet]

Just wanted to let you all know that I had originally dialed 1-800-452-2022 and was on hold for close to 3 hrs. While on hold on my land line I dialed 1-866-613-1390 on my cell and got through after 10 min! Maybe just a fluke, but you might want to dial the 866#.

Midwest has cut back to one flight from Milw to Orlando, Flight YX90 departing at 9:20am - arriving at 1:00pm, and one Orlando to Milw, Flight YX91 departing at 1:35pm - arriving at 3:25pm.

We chose not to keep our connecting flights to/from GB as we did not want layovers of 3 & 6 hrs. We will drive to/from Milw for our non-stop flight.

Midwest issued a partial credit for dropping these flights and will note that we are grandfathered should we check more than 1 bag each. Hopefully this will not be an issue - I guess we will wait and see...

Bottom line: Non-Stop Milw to Orlando $212.50 each.
Taking into consideration flight times, baggage fees and current fares on other airlines...this was our best option.

We are happy to have flights and wish you all good-luck and pixie dust.

Thank you to all who have posted...without this board I would not even know this was all transpiring!!!

 

[FogliaFamily]

Our flights were 9-23 to 9-30 - both cancelled.

I began calling at 11:35 a.m. (Milwaukee time) and after 3 busy signals got through and was on hold less than 5 minutes. The only option was a refund, which we took. Should show up on our cc in 1-2 days. We booked on AirTran direct for $100 more total for our family of five. The times are different, arriving 5:30 pm instead of 11:30 am and leaving 11:30 am instead of 7:00 pm.

Delta did have flights that arrived Orlando at 11:30 am but leaving at 5:45 am - which means getting to the airport by 4:15 - yuck and leaving Orlando at 7:15 pm and arriving Milwaukee at 10:18 pm. Both with layovers in Atlanta. Yes, you do get the extra time, assuming all the layovers work out and nothing is delayed, but at what expense when travelling with 3 kids and with school and work the next day, we felt the more reasonable times and adding the extra day was worth it.

We did add another day (Monday) at the beginning of our trip so we do get the whole day Tuesday and are flying at more reasonable times. And with the extra day we do get one more day of free dining also! So all in all it worked out well. Good luck!

 

[leeann32]

Just found out that our outbound flight on 9/7 is still flying, but our return flght on 9/12 has been cancelled
So, I called Midwest and they said they could issue me a refund, or the people in the scheduling dept. would call me back in a few days and see if they can put us on a different airline on the way home.
Hopefully, they can put us on a different airline
This is not the way I want to spend my Sunday am

Midwest called me back and said that I have 2 options,
1- fly home from Tampa
2- be issued a refund.

I took the refund - they didn't even give me an option of a different airline for our return flight.

I went ahead and booked non stop on AirTran times are not the best, we don't land in MCO until 6:04pm so 1 whole day is shot

 

[leeann32]

What number did you call? I keep getting a busy signal!

i called 1-866-613-1390 I was on hold maybe 3 minutes ?

 

[DisOrBust]

I still cannot get thru. Called at 745am was on hold 2hrs then disconnected. I haven't gotten anything but a dial tone since. I now book airTran even though it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[Inkmahm]

Midwest called me back and said that I have 2 options,
1- fly home from Tampa
2- be issued a refund.

I took the refund - they didn't even give me an option of a different airline for our return flight.

I went ahead and booked non stop on AirTran times are not the best, we don't land in MCO until 6:04pm so 1 whole day is shot

I'd be interested if ANYONE is actually booked on a different airline. Maybe Northwest has a chance, but I just don't see Midwest offering up tickets on AirTran. They definitely push giving the refund.

 

[Inkmahm]

I now book airTran even though it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I know the feeling. It really is hard to do, isn't it? Air Tran is the ENEMY and now I've got 3 trips booked with them for Orlando. I still want to haul out my "save the cookie" t-shirt to wear when traveling with them...but I won't.

 

[McKelly]

Those are gone and the new ones are significantly different. Again, if you really want to get to Florida, try to book your own tickets before all the seats are taken on other airlines. It's a race! Hurry!

These were my flights as well in December. I was offered a 9:20am out of Milwaukee non stop instead of 7:20am or whatever it was and a return from Orlando at 1:35pm instead of 7:20pm. In light of everything, I don't think that the new times are significantly different.

If I were you rainbowandroses, I would take the new flight times that Midwest offers. Seems like a lot less headache than trying to book another airline, it is only a few hours difference.

 

[DisOrBust]

Right now I'm thinking where they can put that cookie,lol.

Since some of you had better Karma getting thru to MDW want to try for me,hehe!

When it's all done maybe we should have a DisMeet at the MDW checkin and collectively moon them with a hidden mickey on our ****s.


Sorry I'm goibg a bit nutz sitting on the phone all day!

 

[DisDarling]

Right now I'm thinking where they can put that cookie,lol.

Since some of you had better Karma getting thru to MDW want to try for me,hehe!

When it's all done maybe we should have a DisMeet at the MDW checkin and collectively moon them with a hidden mickey on our ****s.


Sorry I'm goibg a bit nutz sitting on the phone all day!

I think we should make shirts that say "YOu can put the cookie...." We are renting a car and driving down, at least I will have a full day now and not a half day. Pray for decent roads and traffic!

 

[maggymouse]

I haven't posted since our trip last year and have been watching this tread carefully. Thank you for all of the information.

I was successfully rebooked this morning for our flights over Thanksgiving. I forgot to ask about the baggage allowance and called back this afternoon. They stated that we would be allow 2 bags each since we originally booked before the baggage allowance change in May.

 

[DisDarling]

Midwest called me back and said that I have 2 options,
1- fly home from Tampa
2- be issued a refund.

I took the refund - they didn't even give me an option of a different airline for our return flight.

I went ahead and booked non stop on AirTran times are not the best, we don't land in MCO until 6:04pm so 1 whole day is shot

So sorry Leann , we had the same flights as you did (I spoke to you via PM). I cant bring myself to book on anything, my trust and faith in airlines is pretty much gone. I get to have fun with driving and gas prices!!