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

[Erica Ladd]

Recent updates to Southwest policies:

• Southwest is no longer notifying customers of full or nearly-full flights on upcoming travel
• If upcoming flight is full or at near capacity, Southwest currently will allow a courtesy change to a different flight with a lighter load (same from/to), if travel was reserved more than three days in advance
• Boarding procedure is back to normal, and no longer in groups of 10
• Southwest is sporadically adding additional flights, in response to increased demand

With demand increasing, fares will be inching back to normal levels. The ridiculously-low fares of the past year will soon only be a memory.

If the above changes seem like bad news, the good news is that all of this means that things are starting to return to normal.

Well we used to get what I thought were rediculously low fares pre CoVid so I am hoping the bolded isn’t true!!!

 

[Crazyhorse]

In addition, they’re serving drinks (other than water) and snacks again.

Now that's the GOOD news! Did I read somewhere that they will accept drink coupons that expired in 2020?

 

[Gitelfor]

Now that's the GOOD news! Did I read somewhere that they will accept drink coupons that expired in 2020?

Drink coupons with 2020 expiration dates will be accepted thru 2021.

 

[Lsdolphin]

This is truly getting ridiculous! I booked my flight for April within minutes after their schedule opened....I booked a return flight for 4/24 departing MCO 4:00 pm and landing at BWI @ 6:10 pm. The next day I decided I’d made a mistake and went back and changed my return flight to one leaving MCO @ 5:45 instead of 4:00pm and I had to pay an additional 1088 points! ...that night I received an email from SWA changing the flight I had just paid to change...they put me right back on the earlier flight!!! then a week later I received another email from SWA changing my non-stop return flight to a to a flight stopping in Atlanta...I immediately went online and changed the flight back to a nonstop flight leaving at 5:45 and arriving at BWI at 8 something. Then a week later I got another email changing my return flight from the 5:45 flight back to a 4:00 pm flight arriving at BWI at 6:15 which is what I paid for initially. When I checked the SWA site it showed the 5:45 flight as unavailable so basically that left me with my original flight at a higher price!
Sooo just a few minutes ago after checking Dis board I went back to check SWA again and low and behold they are now showing availability on the 5:45 flight again! I changed my flight back to the 5:45 pm and I’m holding my breath waiting to see if they change me a 6th time!!!

Also I have another trip in mid May which they have already changed once but only by 30 min each way....so far!

 

[Gitelfor]

This is truly getting ridiculous! I booked my flight for April within minutes after their schedule opened....I booked a return flight for 4/24 departing MCO 4:00 pm and landing at BWI @ 6:10 pm. The next day I decided I’d made a mistake and went back and changed my return flight to one leaving MCO @ 5:45 instead of 4:00pm and I had to pay an additional 1088 points! ...that night I received an email from SWA changing the flight I had just paid to change...they put me right back on the earlier flight!!! then a week later I received another email from SWA changing my non-stop return flight to a to a flight stopping in Atlanta...I immediately went online and changed the flight back to a nonstop flight leaving at 5:45 and arriving at BWI at 8 something. Then a week later I got another email changing my return flight from the 5:45 flight back to a 4:00 pm flight arriving at BWI at 6:15 which is what I paid for initially. When I checked the SWA site it showed the 5:45 flight as unavailable so basically that left me with my original flight at a higher price!
Sooo just a few minutes ago after checking Dis board I went back to check SWA again and low and behold they are now showing availability on the 5:45 flight again! I changed my flight back to the 5:45 pm and I’m holding my breath waiting to see if they change me a 6th time!!!

Also I have another trip in mid May which they have already changed once but only by 30 min each way....so far!

Maybe the polite tagging for all of this is ‘work in progress.’

I think Southwest has just kept reacting to demand, which recently has been on a roller coaster. Now that people are getting or will be getting vaccinated, the pent up demand is resulting in heavy bookings, which may not have been projected to happen before summer.

This weekend, while out shopping, one major off-price store had two pieces of luggage for sale, as opposed to the normal 40-50. The clerk said they have had a rush on luggage, recently, and they have been waiting for new inventory. This morning, I needed to make a return to a similar store, where I shopped yesterday. Half of their shelves in the luggage department were empty, where they were filled with bags yesterday.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Maybe the polite tagging for all of this is ‘work in progress.’

I think Southwest has just kept reacting to demand, which recently has been on a roller coaster. Now that people are getting or will be getting vaccinated, the pent up demand is resulting in heavy bookings, which may not have been projected to happen before summer.

This weekend, while out shopping, one major off-price store had two pieces of luggage for sale, as opposed to the normal 40-50. The clerk said they have had a rush on luggage, recently, and they have been waiting for new inventory. This morning, I needed to make a return to a similar store, where I shopped yesterday. Half of their shelves in the luggage department were empty, where they were filled with bags yesterday.

Wow...you’re probably right....I just wish I hadn’t wasted the extra points changing my flight in the beginning I should have realized that they would be juggling the flights...
Now I’m just waiting for the email regarding my May flights so I can add a day at no extra cost...

 

[npatellye]

Southwest just moved our 5/13 7:05 am nonstop to a 10:50 with a 60+ minute layover. That’s not going to work for us at all because we are now arriving at 3:10 pm instead of 9:55 am. I guess we will try to fly in the night before and stay at the airport.

 

[Gitelfor]

Lots of email notifications have been going out tonight from Southwest regarding schedule changes thru mid-May. Sometimes, the system rebooks you on a different flight(s) that makes no sense. It is always a good idea to look at all available flights in the schedule, before accepting or cancelling, to check for better options. My flight was changed from a direct, but not nonstop, to a similar departure time nonstop. The original direct flight no longer shows in the updated schedule.

It looks like they are adding some nonstops on popular routes. Business really must be picking up.

 

[CaliMickey]

I just found out our flight is full. Has anyone flown on a full flight? Did you feel safe? I paid for early bird so I'm praying we're not separated.

3 out of 4 of flights were full this past week. We also paid for early bird check in, glad I did since we are a family of 4. It all worked. Only issue was on our departure flight a guy chose the middle seat next to my husband. He proceeded to take his shoes off and lower his mask often. Flight attendants did not seem to notice. On our return flight there was a a stern announcement while in flight reminding people to keep their masks on and how they agreed to mask policy when purchasing tickets.

 

[Gitelfor]

Updated snack and beverage service information:

We are serving a limited selection of non-alcoholic beverages and snacks on flights over 250 miles, when available. Southwest offers contactless beverage ordering via the Inflight WiFi Portal. Simply zoom in on your drink choice and share the image with your Flight Attendant when it's time to order

Note that it states non-alcoholic beverages.

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

I have a companion pass question. Do I have to declare my companion prior to booking my flight? I believe I book my flight then go back in and book my companions flight.

 

[ultimatefans]

I have a companion pass question. Do I have to declare my companion prior to booking my flight? I believe I book my flight then go back in and book my companions flight.

It is not required to have your companion declared before booking YOUR flight, but they must be declared before you can add them as a companion on your flight. Companions can only be added to your flight if there is a seat available, so just keep that in mind when deciding how long to wait to declare/switch your named companion.

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

Thanks. I was hoping to purchase tickets opening day, if the price is right. I'd book my companions flight right after I purchase mine. If my flight price goes down, can I still get the funds credit? Does that affect my companions ticket?

 

[focusondisney]

Thanks. I was hoping to purchase tickets opening day, if the price is right. I'd book my companions flight right after I purchase mine. If my flight price goes down, can I still get the funds credit? Does that affect my companions ticket?

I have had this happen a couple times already. . I just called & the phone rep was able to adjust to the new lower price & I got my credits returned. I don’t think you can make the adjustment yourself without cancelling the companion.

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

I have had this happen a couple times already. . I just called & the phone rep was able to adjust to the new lower price & I got my credits returned. I don’t think you can make the adjustment yourself without cancelling the companion.

Thank you.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Updated snack and beverage service information:



Note that it states non-alcoholic beverages.

flew to Orlando today and they had coke, Diet Coke, 7 up and water as choices.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Ok so here we go again...just received 2 emails from SWA changing both of my flight for my May trip 5/16-5/22!

 

[Lsdolphin]

Ok so here we go again...just received 2 emails from SWA changing both of my flight for my May trip 5/16-5/22!

At least the changes aren’t huge and I still have non-stop flights.

 

[Gitelfor]

Ok so here we go again...just received 2 emails from SWA changing both of my flight for my May trip 5/16-5/22!

At least the changes aren’t huge and I still have non-stop flights.

Glad that the revisions are doable.

 

[npatellye]

And now a change for my return flight on 5/20...my non-stop flight is now a connecting flight with a 3 hour layover. I think we may either move to a much earlier flight with a shorter layover or take a midday non-stop and leave a day earlier than anticipated. Boo.