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

[FreeTime]

Flights DO get overbooked to cover for anticipated no shows, etc. This is one of the reasons you hear offers at the gate to take another flight for $X.

In this particular case I would guess that they combined flights and there is an overage on the estimated no shows, deadheads, etc as a result.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Flights DO get overbooked to cover for anticipated no shows, etc. This is one of the reasons you hear offers at the gate to take another flight for $X.

In this particular case I would guess that they combined flights and there is an overage on the estimated no shows, deadheads, etc as a result.

No,SWA announced years back (2017) they stopped that practice. There's a difference in intentionally doing this during the booking because you anticipate some no-shows as a practice which is what other airlines would do.

For SWA If they have an aircraft change which reduces the number of seats, if they have too much weight anticipated for that flight and they need to reduce it they will do the vouchers (these are reasons listed on their website). You also have situations like a cancelation day of which causes standby on other flights thus too many people and not enough seats.

 

[FreeTime]

No,SWA announced years back (2017) they stopped that practice. There's a difference in intentionally doing this during the booking because you anticipate some no-shows as a practice which is what other airlines would do.

For SWA If they have an aircraft change which reduces the number of seats, if they have too much weight anticipated for that flight and they need to reduce it they will do the vouchers (these are reasons listed on their website). You also have situations like a cancelation day of which causes standby on other flights thus too many people and not enough seats.

I understand they have reversed this in recent years. From their site, aircraft changes and overselling can occur.

“Operational situations (such as weight restrictions and aircraft type changes) may result in a flight being over capacity.

In the event of an oversale, we will solicit for volunteers who are willing to travel on another flight in exchange for a Southwest LUV Voucher®. You can use Southwest LUV Vouchers for travel purchased through Southwest®, excluding Group Travel Services and Southwest Vacations®. Southwest LUV Vouchers are transferable. Travel booked with a Southwest LUV Voucher must be completed no later than 12 months after the date the voucher was issued.”

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I understand they have reversed this in recent years. From their site, aircraft changes and overselling can occur.

“Operational situations (such as weight restrictions and aircraft type changes) may result in a flight being over capacity.

In the event of an oversale, we will solicit for volunteers who are willing to travel on another flight in exchange for a Southwest LUV Voucher®. You can use Southwest LUV Vouchers for travel purchased through Southwest®, excluding Group Travel Services and Southwest Vacations®. Southwest LUV Vouchers are transferable. Travel booked with a Southwest LUV Voucher must be completed no later than 12 months after the date the voucher was issued.”

No they didn't reverse the change. You're talking about two different airline industry practices. They don't use anticipation of X number of no-shows like you said. Other airlines do. There are times where they have too many passengers for the seats they have, it's not for the reason you initially stated. And yes in your above comment you're just repeating what I said twice already....weight and aircraft change (neither of which is overselling which is what you just mentioned).

 

[disny_luvr]

Yes it seems to be. I was able to get First Class on Delta for cheaper than SW on my return flight from MCO

Yeah, I've been seeing cheaper flights on other airlines. We might have to jump ship and move onto another carrier, which is a shame because we really do love Southwest.

 

[EACarlson]

I have a LUV voucher that states all travel must be completed by 6-21-26. If I use it to book a choice reservation on 6-1-26 and cancel the next day, will Southwest give me credit that will be good for 12 months until 6-1-27. Or will the original LUV voucher date of 6-21-26 be held. Their website is very vague about LUV vouchers.

That's the way it worked previously. I don't know if it is still currently working that way. I received LUV Vouchers from two Mechanical delays in August of '24 with a 6 month expiration. I was able to book flights in February to use the LUV Vouchers and then cancelled them to get non-expiring Travel Funds. I used those Travel Funds in May to book flights for the end of September '25. I haven't seen any reports of anyone doing that since the new practices went into place.

1- There will be no such thing as Group C once assigned seating starts. There will be 8 boarding group numbers
2- It is not uncommon for airlines to force folks to check their bags once overhead bin space is used up. Right now, none of the legacies charge for that at the gate. If you are allotted a carryon per your ticket agreement and then they run out of room for it in the carryon space, I don't think they could charge you when they force it to be gate checked. Your ticket represents a legal contract that they need to fulfill and suddenly charging for a bag they said was included does not fulfill the requirement.

I am sure that some number of folks will be required to gate check bags without charge because they have run out of room. And it's possible that Southwest will go the way of Spirit and start charging for a carryon. But, they can't change the rules on you after you've bought your ticket and arrived at the airport.

United charges $65 for anyone bringing a carryon in Group 9. Those are basic economy tickets that don't have a carryon baggage entitlement.

Nope. That won't work to extend your voucher. It expires on 6/21/2026 even if you book a trip with it and then cancel that trip.

Not to extend the voucher, but in the before times, it would work as the travel funds created would be based on the purchase date of the ticket.

I've never seen them use a sizer? Are you sure you're talking about Southwest?

I saw SW use a sizer at MCO two weeks ago, then allow the obviously oversized bag onto the flight. It was a 24" checked size bag that took up an entire bin by itself.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I saw SW use a sizer at MCO two weeks ago, then allow the obviously oversized bag onto the flight. It was a 24" checked size bag that took up an entire bin by itself.

How annoying! Most especially because it was so large no other bags could fit in an overhead bin.

On our flight from Atlanta to KC last month there were two bags that were too big and were overhanging the overhead bin and the FAs just put them in sideways to get the overhead bin to close. It was very late into the boarding process and because there was enough room for everyone's carry on I'm assuming that's why they didn't immediately call out gate check. I've been on flights where they were very prompt about saying a bag isn't going to fit and needs to be gate checked but those were usually after witnessing the passenger struggle to get the bag in there or it be the last bag in the overhead bin and now the FA is struggling to get it to close and there's no wiggle room to put it in a different orientation.

 

[EACarlson]

How annoying! Most especially because it was so large no other bags could fit in an overhead bin.

On our flight from Atlanta to KC last month there were two bags that were too big and were overhanging the overhead bin and the FAs just put them in sideways to get the overhead bin to close. It was very late into the boarding process and because there was enough room for everyone's carry on I'm assuming that's why they didn't immediately call out gate check. I've been on flights where they were very prompt about saying a bag isn't going to fit and needs to be gate checked but those were usually after witnessing the passenger struggle to get the bag in there or it be the last bag in the overhead bin and now the FA is struggling to get it to close and there's no wiggle room to put it in a different orientation.

The passenger put the bag in like one normally would go, the FA then tried to close the bin, couldn't, said the bag was too big and moved it to a completely empty bin, put it in sideways and closed the bin. I had I think A54 for that flight so I'm sure someone's bag got force checked because the gate agent let a checked size bag go on board and it took up three spaces.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

United charges $65 for anyone bringing a carryon in Group 9. Those are basic economy tickets that don't have a carryon baggage entitlement.

Right, but that's still info you have at time of booking, just like knowing that Spirit charges for carryons. There was a time when AA was going to say basic economy could only have a personal item, no carryon, but they backed off, if I'm remembering correctly. Southwest absolutely could add this charge to their basic tickets if they wanted to go that route, but they would have to do it at time of ticketing.

It's not a policy for any airline to start charging at the gate when overhead bin space is filled up on a ticket that otherwise indicates a carryon is included.

 

[Smilelea]

We received the “Flexible plans? We're seeking volunteers willing to change from Southwest flight xxx” email this morning for a 10/22 flight.