New Schedule for Southwest, fewer non stop flights!

[helenk]

The nonstop flights from Philadelphia to Orlando are getting fewer and far between.
I wanted to leave on Friday 12/7 and return Wednesday 12/12, there are 2 NS flights going down, one at 7:00am and then one other that is not until 6:00 pm Coming home my choices are 9:05 am and then 7:10 p.m.
I sure don't want to leave disney at 9:05 am. and I really hate to take the last flight out at night because of delays and cancellations, especially in the winter.
I am use to SW have more Nonstop flights to choose from.

 

[mickey2000]

I agree it does stink to change planes. However the two dirrect flights are only $275.60 each RT.

 

[DebbieB]

The nonstop flights from Philadelphia to Orlando are getting fewer and far between.
I wanted to leave on Friday 12/7 and return Wednesday 12/12, there are 2 NS flights going down, one at 7:00am and then one other that is not until 6:00 pm Coming home my choices are 9:05 am and then 7:10 p.m.
I sure don't want to leave disney at 9:05 am. and I really hate to take the last flight out at night because of delays and cancellations, especially in the winter.
I am use to SW have more Nonstop flights to choose from.

I read they are scaling back in PHL, moving more flights to BWI. They cancelled their PIT-PHL route earlier this year. It's hard when they are operating in another carrier's hub, PHL is dominated by USAirways. Business travelers stay loyal to the legacy with first class, international flights, etc.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I was shocked that flights are less from Newark (NJ) than Philadelphia to SNA (John Wayne in CA for a DL trip) on SW for my Sept trip. That NEVER used to happen! I am so glad. I was not going to get direct flights from PHL, so the connections would have been there either way. $121 each way from NJ to CA seems fair to me! I wonder if they will be able to expand in Newark.

That said, I am sad about the loss of direct flights out of PHL to MCO. I like to fly SW just about exclusively now, but it will be harder to do that now. I have flights in Sept, and there are only 2 direct, the earlier one is almost $300 one way, the 2nd one is $176, which is also ridiculous. (we had SW credits so I took it, but may fly down on another carrier and use that credit next year).

I want SW for the flexibility to rebook flights, and no baggage fees. Will they have more flights out of PHL when the AirTran merger is final final?

 

[ajpa]

Yes. I booked flights with plane changes for the first time this year bec of that. I hope they go ok.

 

[DeadHead]

Couldn't agree more with the OP on flights out of PHL. I justed checked 10 mins ago for 11/4 to MCO and the only morning non-stop is already listed as sold out. And the fares were just released this morning I believe? I hope this is a mistake or system error.

 

[mickey2000]

I agree it does stink to change planes. However the two dirrect flights are only $275.60 each RT.

In less than 7 hours my return tickets just went up $13 each !

 

[DebbieB]

I was shocked that flights are less from Newark (NJ) than Philadelphia to SNA (John Wayne in CA for a DL trip) on SW for my Sept trip. That NEVER used to happen! I am so glad. I was not going to get direct flights from PHL, so the connections would have been there either way. $121 each way from NJ to CA seems fair to me! I wonder if they will be able to expand in Newark.

That said, I am sad about the loss of direct flights out of PHL to MCO. I like to fly SW just about exclusively now, but it will be harder to do that now. I have flights in Sept, and there are only 2 direct, the earlier one is almost $300 one way, the 2nd one is $176, which is also ridiculous. (we had SW credits so I took it, but may fly down on another carrier and use that credit next year).

I want SW for the flexibility to rebook flights, and no baggage fees. Will they have more flights out of PHL when the AirTran merger is final final?

AirTran has 4 non-stops each way for the OP's December dates. So they probably will shift more back to SW once they phase out AirTran. The big reason for the merger was the Atlanta hub so they are putting more SW planes there, which means moving AirTran planes somewhere else. They shifted some SW flights in Pittsburgh over to AirTran. I don't know if they got their single operating certificate yet or finalized union agreements to start flying AirTran planes as SW. They are selling the AirTran 717's to Delta.

You can now use your SW credits on AirTran.

 

[npcougar]

Indiana used to have 2 non-stop routes. We were cut back to 1 a couple of years ago. BTW It is rough having to catch the only non-stop back, a 6 AM ME pickup is

 

[JandT'smom]

It seemed less non stop out of Chicago also.

 

[Cyndibear]

I have to agree with less non-stop flights out of Phila, it really stinks!! Had to add an extra day when we booked in August due to the fact we couldn't get an early Saturday non-stop flight. December we do a quicky trip Dec 6-9th and had to book late flights for both of them. We were looking for late flight for the 6th but really didn't want to fly out that late on the 9th (last flight). May have to rethink our choice of airlines for future flights.

Cyndi

 

[maxaroni]

Another PHL - MCO disappointed person with SW. I checked flights and didn't like the flight times for our September trip. DH could not deal with changing planes and taking 5 hours to get to MCO, instead of only a couple of hours. We are on Airtran but not sure when the merger will take place. I'm hoping not the weekends we are traveling. We dealt with that last year with Air Jamaica/Caribbean Air and it was pretty painful.

 

[EPCOT is a verb]

Agree with OP. Bummer. We will be flying SW less. USAir has many nonstops from PHL to MCO, and I guess we will be using them more often.

 

[DebbieB]

Another PHL - MCO disappointed person with SW. I checked flights and didn't like the flight times for our September trip. DH could not deal with changing planes and taking 5 hours to get to MCO, instead of only a couple of hours. We are on Airtran but not sure when the merger will take place. I'm hoping not the weekends we are traveling. We dealt with that last year with Air Jamaica/Caribbean Air and it was pretty painful.

I don't think there will be switches of existing flights on the schedule, it would be too confusing because they operate so differently (assigned seats, business class, etc). I think as the schedules come out, flights will be moved. For example, on the schedule released today, Minneapolis AirTran flights moved to Southwest.

 

[helenk]

Agree with OP. Bummer. We will be flying SW less. USAir has many nonstops from PHL to MCO, and I guess we will be using them more often.

I use to fly USair until SW came along, SW had the great flight times and prices.
My daughter and I flew USair the other year to Italy and I applied for their crediit card so I do have quite a few reward miles with USair. I think I'll use some for my quick trip in Dec. I know USair charges for luggage but I generally fly solo and I travel light.

 

[helenk]

Yes. I booked flights with plane changes for the first time this year bec of that. I hope they go ok.

The flight I booked for my return flight in October has 1 stop but no plane change. It will take 3 hours and 30 minutes instead of 2 hours 30 minutes. The flights in Dec, that are direct, all entail changes planes and now will take 4, 5 even 6 hours, yikes!
I guess I was spoiled this past few years, I always loved the fact that SW had a bunch of non stop flights, such is life, it was good while it lasted.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I did not know I could use SW credits on AirTran. I think I knew there was a way to use RR points, but credits? I will look into that!

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

The flight I booked for my return flight in October has 1 stop but no plane change. It will take 3 hours and 30 minutes instead of 2 hours 30 minutes. The flights in Dec, that are direct, all entail changes planes and now will take 4, 5 even 6 hours, yikes!
I guess I was spoiled this past few years, I always loved the fact that SW had a bunch of non stop flights, such is life, it was good while it lasted.

Direct and non stop are not the same thing. A direct flight may make one or more stops, but you stay on the same plane and don't change at any of your stops. A non stop is just that...leave one airport, and land at another. A connecting flight requires that you change planes at some point.

 

[DebbieB]

I did not know I could use SW credits on AirTran. I think I knew there was a way to use RR points, but credits? I will look into that!

It might be just reward points.

http://www.swamedia.com/releases/e3718829-e448-4b77-a13a-bd281fc6e1a5

 

[helenk]

Direct and non stop are not the same thing. A direct flight may make one or more stops, but you stay on the same plane and don't change at any of your stops. A non stop is just that...leave one airport, and land at another. A connecting flight requires that you change planes at some point.

I understand the difference, just lamenting the fact that we use to have quite a few selections of non stop flights, now most of the flights have one stop prior to landing in MCO. I would not mind a flight that stops and no plane change, which is what I selected for my October trip, but majority of the flights in Dec all require a plane change so now it will take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours to get to Florida. Non stop was aprox 2 and a half hours, one stop with no plane change 3 and a half hours.