Southwest at it again..July changes

[DCJ]

Rescheduled our July 2022 flight to and from MCO. Noticed that the flights they moved us to were a few thousand less points. Tried to rebook online to the lower price and could not. Called them and in the time I was on hold, the flight price went up over 5000 points each. They would not refund the difference. I took a screen shot and sent it to them, basically said too bad nothing they can do.

They lost our luggage last year, cancelled our flight while we were heading to the gate this year, now just about stopped all non stops from Philadelphia to Orlando.

Hope they figure this out. Other airlines also not doing too well, but Southwest seems to be so much worse.

 

[georgina]

Rescheduled our July 2022 flight to and from MCO. Noticed that the flights they moved us to were a few thousand less points. Tried to rebook online to the lower price and could not. Called them and in the time I was on hold, the flight price went up over 5000 points each. They would not refund the difference. I took a screen shot and sent it to them, basically said too bad nothing they can do.

They lost our luggage last year, cancelled our flight while we were heading to the gate this year, now just about stopped all non stops from Philadelphia to Orlando.

Hope they figure this out. Other airlines also not doing too well, but Southwest seems to be so much worse.

I had the same issue when they changed some May flights. Because the free change window was open, the website wouldn't let me modify to the same flight for lower points as usual. I ended up cancelling and rebooking the same flight for less points, but there is always a moment between the cancel and rebook that makes me very nervous.

 

[DebbieB]

My 7/13 9:30am PIT- MCO nonstop changed to a 6:20am with a 2 hour connection in Nashville. Non-stops either 5:30am or 5:30pm. Ended up switching to a 10:10am one stop through BWI.

 

[Sweettears]

I am a loyal SW flyer and am getting frustrated with them as well. The availability of nonstop flights to normal destinations is becoming nonexistent. I was looking for a flight from Chicago to Jacksonville in October and there is 1 nonstop flight per day. The flights with stops add significant time to the total travel time. This trend will definitely get me to start shopping around especially since some of the other airl8nes are eliminating change fees.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Changed my July return, MCO to PHL, to one 3 hours earlier. I liked that, actually and took advantage of free one time switch to move it to 1 pm. A win for me, so it worked out.

 

[SMF_mom23]

I am a loyal SW flyer and am getting frustrated with them as well. The availability of nonstop flights to normal destinations is becoming nonexistent. I was looking for a flight from Chicago to Jacksonville in October and there is 1 nonstop flight per day. The flights with stops add significant time to the total travel time. This trend will definitely get me to start shopping around especially since some of the other airl8nes are eliminating change fees.

You used to be able to fly nonstop from StL to Louisville, KY multiple times per day. When I looked last fall, there were NONE. I'm not sure what their logic is (or if there is any), but between flight availability and prices, in addition to the constant last-minute cancellations/changes we keep hearing about, they are alienating their loyal customers (my family among them).

 

[Neener16]

You used to be able to fly nonstop from StL to Louisville, KY multiple times per day. When I looked last fall, there were NONE. I'm not sure what their logic is (or if there is any), but between flight availability and prices, in addition to the constant last-minute cancellations/changes we keep hearing about, they are alienating their loyal customers (my family among them).

The other airlines I’m looking at seem to be the same though. Looking to book a long weekend trip in November for the half marathon. There was one nonstop flight out of Hartford on SW, but my daughter has to put in a full day of work that day so that was out. JetBlue had two and only one fit our schedule. Spirit head two flights out, one fit the time but I’m not sure I trust spirit, frontier had one. That was it for the nonstop flights.

 

[FCDub]

I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise to not have nonstop flights to unpopular destinations, and yes, Jacksonville and Louisville are unpopular destinations in the grand scheme of things.

 

[sam_gordon]

You used to be able to fly nonstop from StL to Louisville, KY multiple times per day. When I looked last fall, there were NONE. I'm not sure what their logic is (or if there is any), but between flight availability and prices, in addition to the constant last-minute cancellations/changes we keep hearing about, they are alienating their loyal customers (my family among them).

Why would any airline need to run MULTIPLE flights a day to cities that are less than 4 hours drive from each other? OK, maybe if one of them is a hub, I could understand.

 

[pianomanzano]

Rescheduled our July 2022 flight to and from MCO. Noticed that the flights they moved us to were a few thousand less points. Tried to rebook online to the lower price and could not. Called them and in the time I was on hold, the flight price went up over 5000 points each. They would not refund the difference. I took a screen shot and sent it to them, basically said too bad nothing they can do.

They lost our luggage last year, cancelled our flight while we were heading to the gate this year, now just about stopped all non stops from Philadelphia to Orlando.

Hope they figure this out. Other airlines also not doing too well, but Southwest seems to be so much worse.

Ugh, of course they would stop all the non-stops from PHL to MCO after I earn my companion pass!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Non stops between PHL and MCO are mostly gone. What they have left are mostly unacceptable to us.

 

[pianomanzano]

Non stops between PHL and MCO are mostly gone. What they have left are mostly unacceptable to us.

Ugh agreed. I will not fly spirit or frontier ever again. Had a horrible experience last month flying back from MCO on Frontier. 90 minute wait at check-in at MCO to check-in a car seat, repeated delays (including boarding/de-planing), and poor customer service (but at the end of the day who can blame them, such ****ty management/operations overall).

Looks like I gotta start looking at flights out of BWI

 

[jo-jo]

Non stops between PHL and MCO are mostly gone. What they have left are mostly unacceptable to us.

I don't understand their reasoning for this. It's not like the planes aren't filled.

 

[pianomanzano]

I don't understand their reasoning for this. It's not like the planes aren't filled.

Probably just increased competition from frontier and spirit. Combined, they have like 4 to 5 nonstops to MCO daily.

 

[DCJ]

All I've seen PHL to MCO nonstop were on Saturdays. Haven't looked at the Southwest site in awhile, though. Using up my points and moving on from Southwest. We had a good run, but time to use another airline. Looks like Jetblue and American unless something changes.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

I am another frustrated Southwest customer. I've had my last 3 flights ( in 14 months) changed. I can not prove anything because I didn't persue it BUT, I honestly believe I chose a more costy$$ departure and then they changed it to the lower cost departure. That infuriates me! I am out of town currently and wll be flying home on SW next week. The next time I fly, I will be looking elsewhere. I used to be SW loyal- no more!

 

[SMF_mom23]

Why would any airline need to run MULTIPLE flights a day to cities that are less than 4 hours drive from each other? OK, maybe if one of them is a hub, I could understand.

IDK, but they did and the flights were generally pretty full, iirc. But to go from that to nothing is hard to understand.

 

[EACarlson]

I am a loyal SW flyer and am getting frustrated with them as well. The availability of nonstop flights to normal destinations is becoming nonexistent. I was looking for a flight from Chicago to Jacksonville in October and there is 1 nonstop flight per day. The flights with stops add significant time to the total travel time. This trend will definitely get me to start shopping around especially since some of the other airl8nes are eliminating change fees.

Jacksonville isn't a "normal" destination from Chicago. SW has gone much more to a hub and spoke airline with hubs at MDW-BNA-BWI and DAL. It's not the point to point airline it used to be and won't be ever again. It's so much more efficient financially to operate this way when trying to run a national route map.

You used to be able to fly nonstop from StL to Louisville, KY multiple times per day. When I looked last fall, there were NONE. I'm not sure what their logic is (or if there is any), but between flight availability and prices, in addition to the constant last-minute cancellations/changes we keep hearing about, they are alienating their loyal customers (my family among them).

And yet they are still running full flights just about everywhere. I'm sure the profit margins are higher for flights other than STL-SDF which is a major consideration for an airline that is being severely limited by pilot shortages.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

You have to cancel the flight and rebook it to recoup any points if you get moved to a lower cost departure (unless you want to change to a different flight). You might have to do that very quickly

 

[kittercats85]

I am a loyal SW flyer and am getting frustrated with them as well. The availability of nonstop flights to normal destinations is becoming nonexistent.

Definitely noticing this as well. Almost everything is going with a stop through BWI now. I'm going in August and they just got rid of with my nonstop from MCO to ALB - now there's only 1 per day instead of the 2. I got changed from a 2 hr 45 min direct to a flight with a change and 6.5 hours travel time. I also checked ISP to MCO to see what the situation is and they've got only 1 nonstop as well. I grew up 10 mins from ISP and always flew Southwest and have never had a stop or plane change, everything was always direct. The business for these flights is definitely there too. Interesting.