Someone PLEASE explain this to me, because it makes no sense!! (Airline rant)

[Planogirl]

We were bumped twice by Continental when we flew them round trip from Dallas to Orlando. I have no idea why as our tickets were not deeply discounted.

On the Dallas to Orlando leg, they managed to find us seats on another flight leaving at just about the same time but then they had nothing for us coming back. They even searched on other airlines but couldn't find anything for us where we'd be seated together. My son was only 8 and wasn't comfortable sitting alone so seats apart was not acceptable.

We ended up sitting in the airport for hours since no one would agree to be bumped. We did receive $250 travel vouchers but at the time it wasn't that great a comfort. We were tired and ready to go home! I've never flown that airline again and hope to continue avoiding them.

 

[CathrynRose]

Other times, I just have to roll my eyes at the passengers. I don't get why they would be upset at the airline. Like people that check their necessary medications that if they don't take every night before they go to bed, they become seriously ill. Why would you do that? It is just common sense to carry those medications with you because you never know when your flight will be delayed or cancelled or if your bags will get lost or whatever. Those people just make me go

I hear ya - as mentioned in previous posts, I adore, love and am obsessed with my makeup .... and when I travel, i wont check it. It comes with me...

Now, if I do this with my lipgloss - why on earth would you check vital medication?? Makes no sense...

 

[jobo]

I worked as a gate agent. Sometimes the overbooked fights deny boarding when all the passengers show up. It not a pretty sight. I worked a flight that was oversold by 50 people. 30 showed up and were HKN’s . HKN means “has conformed reservation need seat.” There were no volunteers, and all other airlines were fully booked. ( this was a flight to New Orleans in September 2004- a huge convention was going on).

Yes there was yelling. A lot of yelling. In the end I had to leave the job because of the way they treated their customers and never getting off on time.

 

[C.Ann]

Well first of all, every airline overbooks - not just Southwest.. What I'm having a problem understanding though is that with SW you can print out your boarding pass 24 hours in advance now (which will be A, B, or C depending on how early you do it) so I can't figure out how someone could check in an hour and a half before the flight leaves and still not get a seat.. They board according to letter, so if she had printed out her boarding pass ahead of time and had gotten an "A", was at the boarding gate an hour and a half ahead of time, then the entire airplane would have had to be filled with only "A" boarding passes for her not to be able to board.. What am I missing here?

 

[Planogirl]

Well first of all, every airline overbooks - not just Southwest.. What I'm having a problem understanding though is that with SW you can print out your boarding pass 24 hours in advance now (which will be A, B, or C depending on how early you do it) so I can't figure out how someone could check in an hour and a half before the flight leaves and still not get a seat.. They board according to letter, so if she had printed out her boarding pass ahead of time and had gotten an "A", was at the boarding gate an hour and a half ahead of time, then the entire airplane would have had to be filled with only "A" boarding passes for her not to be able to board.. What am I missing here?

When we were bumped, we had "guaranteed seats" and arrived at the airport about 1 1/2 hours before our flight. Yet we were still bumped by Continental. They never did explain what happened.

 

[C.Ann]

When we were bumped, we had "guaranteed seats" and arrived at the airport about 1 1/2 hours before our flight. Yet we were still bumped by Continental. They never did explain what happened.

----------------------------

But that what is so unique (and for some a pain - they refer to it as a "cattle call") with the SW boarding system.. If you have an "A" boarding pass and you have checked in and you are at the boarding gate when the plane is boarding, all the "A"'s get on first (well - except for the pre-boards with small children or wheelchairs) - then the "B"'s get on - and lastly the "C"'s..