Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[elgerber]

hmmm I’ve had CP also many years and never have “held” a spot. But I also didn’t switch companions that much. Have companions been rejected because a flight was full? Are you just suggesting this just in case you don’t know who your companions will be?

I have had a flight fill up and not been able to get my companion on, and we had to change flights. So yes, it can happen.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

hmmm I’ve had CP also many years and never have “held” a spot. But I also didn’t switch companions that much. Have companions been rejected because a flight was full? Are you just suggesting this just in case you don’t know who your companions will be?

I think most people add a companion as soon as they book their flight - which makes sense. IF the flight happens to sell out, you of course cannot add a companion and that could seriously mess up travel plans. And yes, I've seen it happen - never to me, but to a lot of others.

This idea of "holding a spot" is primarily due to 1 of 2 reasons:
1) You are switching your companion on a future flight and so you can't add them now until your current companion's travel is completed.
2) You have not yet earned your CP but should have it before you take this trip

In both instances, if you have extra points, you can lock in your new companion's ticket with points now - just like you'd book any other points fare. Then once you're able to switch your CP or you earn your CP, you can either (a) add the companion online as a new fare and cancel the other ticket, refunding the $5.60 OR (b) IF the flight is sold out you can call in and have them transfer the companion's ticket from points to a companion fare and they refund your points.

 

[TNKim]

Check your flights. The first leg of my May flight went down by $40 and we got 8,925 points refunded!

 

[Lsdolphin]

Check your flights. The first leg of my May flight went down by $40 and we got 8,925 points refunded!

Yes I got a point refund for flights 5/12 and 5/18

 

[disneylover81]

I’m wondering if/when SWA will have a sale for mid July 2021. I’m debating whether or not to go ahead and purchase tickets now for $255 round trip from or to wait and see if they go down when they finally have a sale. Usually I pay around $150-$175 round trip. I know I can get the credit funds if they do go down in price, which is fine with me because l will use it, but the others in my party do not fly frequently so they would lose the money.

I’m also not thrilled about the new flight schedule. For as long as I can remember flying from Memphis to Orlando was always a 6:00 am nonstop flight and then when returning home from Orlando to Memphis was a 5:30 pm nonstop flight. Now they seem to be reversed, which really messes up 2 of our Disney park days. So now we are having to purchase flights that are not nonstop so we don’t lose park time.

 

[Thumper99]

I’m wondering if/when SWA will have a sale for mid July 2021. I’m debating whether or not to go ahead and purchase tickets now for $255 round trip from or to wait and see if they go down when they finally have a sale. Usually I pay around $150-$175 round trip. I know I can get the credit funds if they do go down in price, which is fine with me because l will use it, but the others in my party do not fly frequently so they would lose the money.

I’m also not thrilled about the new flight schedule. For as long as I can remember flying from Memphis to Orlando was always a 6:00 am nonstop flight and then when returning home from Orlando to Memphis was a 5:30 pm nonstop flight. Now they seem to be reversed, which really messes up 2 of our Disney park days. So now we are having to purchase flights that are not nonstop so we don’t lose park time.

Can you swing flying on The later nonstop flight the day before your Disney trip? You’ll probably save money because the non stops will be less expensive. You’ll have to stay at airport/close hotel but depending on your crew size might not be too expensive and probably offset by the cheaper flights. Then you can catch the ME bus early in morning of your Disney stay. Just a thought. Leaving at early morning and hopping around on flights dosent sound like relaxing additional park time anyway, at least for us. I wouldn’t mind doing it in way home but starting that way sounds exhausting.
I’m not sure I’d count in prices dropping in the summer. Especially if people think it’s safer with vaccines.

 

[GrandMum]

Question for the group. I am getting ready to book flights for me, my daughter and granddaughter. I will be paying for everyone's flight. If we end up having to cancel, does SW refund $ or would the points go to each person?

 

[EACarlson]

Question for the group. I am getting ready to book flights for me, my daughter and granddaughter. I will be paying for everyone's flight. If we end up having to cancel, does SW refund $ or would the points go to each person?

If you cancel, you would get travel funds in the name of each ticketed passenger usable only for travel by that passenger. If SW cancels or alters your flights enough you would be eligible for a full refund to the original method of payment.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I’m wondering if/when SWA will have a sale for mid July 2021. I’m debating whether or not to go ahead and purchase tickets now for $255 round trip from or to wait and see if they go down when they finally have a sale. Usually I pay around $150-$175 round trip. I know I can get the credit funds if they do go down in price, which is fine with me because l will use it, but the others in my party do not fly frequently so they would lose the money.

I’m also not thrilled about the new flight schedule. For as long as I can remember flying from Memphis to Orlando was always a 6:00 am nonstop flight and then when returning home from Orlando to Memphis was a 5:30 pm nonstop flight. Now they seem to be reversed, which really messes up 2 of our Disney park days. So now we are having to purchase flights that are not nonstop so we don’t lose park time.

This schedule change might be temporary. Once more demand for air travel returns hopefully they will start running additional options. It probably won't help you for this trip but I'd say there's hope that in the future better options will return for you. Our PIT=>MCO route typically has 3-5 options a day and right now they're consolidating down to just 1.

We've been rebooked three times already for our upcoming trip as they toggled the schedule. And with each of the first two changes we lost time in the park, and then lost an entire day in the park on the last change. Maybe this could go the other way for you guys and if they move around/consolidate the schedule the situation actually improves... I like to be optimistic until there's reason not to be, haha!

 

[Tink3815]

I have found that when Southwest runs a sale to purchase rapid reward points at 70% off, it can be cost effective to book that way. The cost for he points may be a bit higher but of you cancel the reservation,, the points go back in your account and there is not a deadline to use. You can book for others and when you cancel , the points do not have to be used for that person. It gives you a lot of flexibility when planning travel.

 

[disneylover81]

Can you swing flying on The later nonstop flight the day before your Disney trip? You’ll probably save money because the non stops will be less expensive. You’ll have to stay at airport/close hotel but depending on your crew size might not be too expensive and probably offset by the cheaper flights. Then you can catch the ME bus early in morning of your Disney stay. Just a thought. Leaving at early morning and hopping around on flights dosent sound like relaxing additional park time anyway, at least for us. I wouldn’t mind doing it in way home but starting that way sounds exhausting.
I’m not sure I’d count in prices dropping in the summer. Especially if people think it’s safer with vaccines.

Thanks for the response ! I have actually done that several times before so we wouldn’t be so exhausted taking the early morning flight and coins have a great and full first park day. I’m not against it, but my friends that I am going with would not be able to pull it off unfortunately.
Just to update... I went ahead and purchased the tickets this morning that I was considering in my post. I will just keep and eye out for price drops and will use the travel funds on my next flight.

 

[disneylover81]

This schedule change might be temporary. Once more demand for air travel returns hopefully they will start running additional options. It probably won't help you for this trip but I'd say there's hope that in the future better options will return for you. Our PIT=>MCO route typically has 3-5 options a day and right now they're consolidating down to just 1.

We've been rebooked three times already for our upcoming trip as they toggled the schedule. And with each of the first two changes we lost time in the park, and then lost an entire day in the park on the last change. Maybe this could go the other way for you guys and if they move around/consolidate the schedule the situation actually improves... I like to be optimistic until there's reason not to be, haha!

Thanks for responding!! I hope your flight times improve so you get more park time. That’s what has gotten me so bothered. This trip for me is a girl trip for my birthday so I was only able to get my friends to commit to 4 nights/5 days so every second of park time is valuable! I’m a Disney World fanatic, but them..not so much. It’s taken me lots of years to finally get them to go with me. They are a bit freaked about what the trip is costing and I’m like I don’t care what it costs because this is my happy place ! Lol.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

We flow SW earlier today non stop from BDL to MCO and there was an announcement that there was 101 empty seats on the plane.

we sat in an exit row and the exit row across the aisle from us stayed empty. I was pretty shocked. It was great that deplaning and getting our luggage was very easy but I can’t fathom how airlines are going to be able to survive like this.

 

[Thumper99]

Question for the group. I am getting ready to book flights for me, my daughter and granddaughter. I will be paying for everyone's flight. If we end up having to cancel, does SW refund $ or would the points go to each person?

Based on your post I’m not quite sure if you paid in $ or points. If you paid in dollars the money will be held as travel funds for EACH ticketed passenger and can only be used by them. If you paid with Rapid reward points then cancelled flights for any person will just go back in points to YOUR account. If you have the points use then for grandchild and daughter. Also if you only have enough points for one or two people make sure you use the points for your guests. If you’re going to be paying money for any flight make sure it’s yours so that you can EARN points.

 

[Lsdolphin]

So just got an email from SWA that middle seats may be occupied on my flight to MCO Thurs am. I called and was told that flight is currently 70% booked. I was offered opportunity to change to another flight with 60-65% of seats currently booked....wondering if Inshould cancel trip.

 

[easyas123]

So just got an email from SWA that middle seats may be occupied on my flight to MCO Thurs am. I called and was told that flight is currently 70% booked. I was offered opportunity to change to another flight with 60-65% of seats currently booked....wondering if Inshould cancel trip.

That’s good to hear- that they are calling people and offering the option that is- we have a flight Friday BWI-RSW. Fingers crossed we don’t get that call but should we it’s good to know we have options-

 

[Ninjagrrl]

So just got an email from SWA that middle seats may be occupied on my flight to MCO Thurs am. I called and was told that flight is currently 70% booked. I was offered opportunity to change to another flight with 60-65% of seats currently booked....wondering if Inshould cancel trip.

Only you can answer whether you should cancel your trip. I think it's wise to assume that a flight will be full when booking. Even if you booked the flight before the change was announced, it's a buisnesses right to change terms with proper notice.
If the flight they're offering is already 65% booked, it's not going to be much different in terms of risk.
If you're not comfortable flying on a full flight, then yes, you might need to cancel.

Everybody's risk assessment is different. If it were me, I'd still fly. You might not. There's no wrong answer, just what's best for you.

 

[Thumper99]

Just letting you know we got that message In December when we left BWI to MCO. We chose to stay with it and the flight was not full and most of the middle seats were not occupied. But there really is no way to make that decision for you. I don’t see much of a difference in 60 and 70 % but everyone Has their own comfort level. We were leaving on a Sunday so generally that’s a busy day and the plane still wasn’t full. On our return from MCO to Baltimore on a Weds the flight only had 66 people so we never got a message that we could change for free. If you will be anxious the whole time then maybe it’s not worth your trip. If you haven’t flown yet since the virus it is understandable your worry. But I can say traveling a few times on SWA it was very benign and thankfully we never felt unsafe or got sick. Good luck in your decision!!

 

[Gitelfor]

Southwest announces a major change in policy of accepting emotional support animals, effective 03/01/2021. The change follows in line with many other carriers.

Animal assistance

• Starting March 1, only dogs will be accepted as trained service animals with appropriate documentation.
  
  
• Starting March 1, Southwest Airlines will no longer accept emotional support animals.

This form must be completed and signed by the customer claiming their dog as a trained service animal:

https://www.transportation.gov/site...vice Animal Health Behavior Training Form.pdf
Southwest’s info on the policy change:
https://community.southwest.com/t5/...olicies-for-Emotional-Support-and/ba-p/115899

 

[easyas123]

So just got an email from SWA that middle seats may be occupied on my flight to MCO Thurs am. I called and was told that flight is currently 70% booked. I was offered opportunity to change to another flight with 60-65% of seats currently booked....wondering if Inshould cancel trip.

So we just got the same email for our flight BWI-RSW Friday. We are sticking with it, but I'll report on how crowded it ended up being after we take the flight. This will be the 4th time we've flown since mid-March, so far haven't felt unsafe or as if others were being unsafe.