Southwest disappointment

[georgina]

I have been changed to flights that make no sense. They change to whatever flight you want, if available, if you don't like the selection. The computer is simply trying to get you from point A to point B on the same day as your current reservation. It doesn't look at stops, layovers, etc. You can handle the change online, too. If you have a companion you have to call to get it changed.

YES! I posted on the other thread that they moved our non-stop Washington DC to MCO to a layover in Milwaukee. At the same time they added a non stop half an hour later than our original but did not put us on that. I fixed it online, but it was a strange re-route.

 

[cjsmom5]

YES! I posted on the other thread that they moved our non-stop Washington DC to MCO to a layover in Milwaukee. At the same time they added a non stop half an hour later than our original but did not put us on that. I fixed it online, but it was a strange re-route.

Agree! Nice to know we do something better than computers.

 

[Tiggerish]

Southwest had been moving over the last few years away from their traditional distributed network to much more of a hub and spoke. The pandemic certainly seems to have hastened that move. What were the options to get from GRR to MCO before SW entered the market? What are your other options now? Maybe it gets better next year if they ever get all of their pilots re-certified and can run everything they did in 2019. Right now it's all about getting flights full.

SWA came to Grand Rapids in August of 2013 when they bought AirTran who had been a staple in Grand Rapids. I think it had flights to Orlando right from the start but only on certain days but quickly expanded to every day and then multiple flights per day including nonstop choices. In 2018 they cut back on the nonstops during the summer but had at least one most days from October to April. Then everything went awry in 2020. Now there is a very limited days with nonstop flights to/from Orlando but at least multiple choices everyday. Interestingly, when SWA came, Frontier pulled out of Grand Rapids but it came back a couple of years ago but with the flights to Orlando a couple of days each week but at least one of them is a nonstop. However, they are even worse than SWA about changing flights times.

 

[mamamelody2]

Can I join the list of whining about SW and Grand Rapids?

We are going the last full week of September and booked within an hour of the schedule opening many months ago. Our beautiful, non-stop mid-morning moved to late afternoon. All of the other choices for that day require one or two stops and getting to the airport for 5 AM. But even worse was the flight home which went from a one stop with a two hour layover to a two stop (making a side trip to New Orleans then Chicago and finally back to Grand Rapids) that gets us at 11:50 PM. We did switch to a one stop but all the flights were using the 11:50 PM flight to make the last leg home.

Dang, I'm worried they will do it to us again for our October trip. Stop putting that beautiful 10 AM nonstop flight in there if you're not going to actually do it! LOL.

 

[Darklord77]

First let me say I know airlines are having problem with staffing, and making many cuts. I get it.

But I'm still really disappointed and miffed that my 7 pm non stop flight home has been changed to a 3:10 pm with a 4 hour layover. So we loose almost a whole park day.

I might have missed it, but when is your flight? I got one on SW coming up in October and would like to know when they are adjusting flights? It was right at 60 days out at one point.

 

[mamamelody2]

I might have missed it, but when is your flight? I got one on SW coming up in October and would like to know when they are adjusting flights? It was right at 60 days out at one point.

I know you're not talking to me, but FYI our June 12 flight was changed April 25.
REALLY hoping our October 23 flight doesn't get changed, but unfortunately I think it will.

 

[Darklord77]

I know you're not talking to me, but FYI our June 12 flight was changed April 25.
REALLY hoping our October 23 flight doesn't get changed, but unfortunately I think it will.

So 45-60 days is the new timeline on possible changes. I have an early morning weekday flight, those are always the first to get dropped from the schedule. Thanks

 

[sophy1996]

I might have missed it, but when is your flight? I got one on SW coming up in October and would like to know when they are adjusting flights? It was right at 60 days out at one point.

We have flights in early October and just got a change notification on them (both ways, adjusted only by an hour or so, one later and one earlier).

 

[DebbieB]

MCO-PIT, they typically have an early afternoon non-stop, then late evening. My last 3 or 4 trips, that late evening gets cancelled and the early afternoon gets moved to late afternoon. We were on the 1:20pm on 10/6, sure enough moved to 4:35pm. I’m fine with that, actually a good time. The late evening gets in too late. My friends husband and son are leaving before us, they aren’t happy about moving from 9 to 4, their trip is shorter.

 

[maxiesmom]

I might have missed it, but when is your flight? I got one on SW coming up in October and would like to know when they are adjusting flights? It was right at 60 days out at one point.

October 7. We have 2 weeks to decide if we want to keep the new flight, or change.

 

[Lilsia]

"They" have no clue of WHY someone picked a specific flight. Could be total duration, price, because you wanted a layover in a specific airport to get your favorite food, something else. The computer is the one making the decision on where you're rebooked based on ... whatever computery stuff it uses.

Plus I think that it is all computer generated when they have to move people. I have had to call them a few times in the last year to change to a different flight when they moved me. SWA used to be the most consistent airline as far as sticking to the flights that they had scheduled. This is definitely not their usual mode of operations, to change flights so often. I hope it goes back to normal when things settle down. What I do like about them is that there is never and issue or attitude when you call to change to a different flight.

 

[mamamelody2]

ARGH, they just changed our October 23 flight.

 

[MMSM]

I live by only JetBlue. However I just opened a SW card because of bonus offered. They usually have an early direct flight from buffalo to MCO. JetBlue is at 1:30. Was hoping to get there earlier. Anyhow, have not spent my 2000 needed and this thread is making me this not to even go there.

 

[kristenrice]

Ugh! I got the email saying our flight on Oct 19 (our flight TO WDW) had been changed. It was booked for the evening because I do not want my daughter to miss more than 1 day of school (the Monday we return) and we are already booked on the last flight of the night. I don't want us to move any earlier! To my relief, the flight(s) were adjusted and we depart only 20 minutes earlier, our layover was extended by 30 minutes (to just over 2 hours...not entirely unbearable) and we now arrive at 11:30pm instead of the previously-scheduled 11:20pm. Phew! I'm OK with that.

Now...I am just waiting for them to mess up our return flight. We are planning a park day on our last day because we are booked on the 7pm flight home. The next one before that is at 4:50....and before that (with availability) is 11:30am! UGH! My friend that is travelling with us is booked on a flight around 7ish on another airline and I would love to switch and travel with her *IF* SWA moves us to something much earlier, BUT, since I booked us with points, I won't have any cash available to rebook us so we are pretty much stuck with SWA at this point. I just have to keep my fingers crossed that they don't *bump* us. I did buy EBCI when I booked us, if that makes any difference. I did NOT buy it for our outbound leg.

 

[Disneylvr1971]

YES! I posted on the other thread that they moved our non-stop Washington DC to MCO to a layover in Milwaukee. At the same time they added a non stop half an hour later than our original but did not put us on that. I fixed it online, but it was a strange re-route.

We had nonstop from Milwaukee to MCO and changed with layover down in Atlanta which wasn't too bad, but coming back layover in Baltimore? All the other nonstop flights tripled in points. We are thinking of driving instead.

 

[FCDub]

We had nonstop from Milwaukee to MCO and changed with layover down in Atlanta which wasn't too bad, but coming back layover in Baltimore? All the other nonstop flights tripled in points. We are thinking of driving instead.

You're going to DRIVE ... from Milwaukee ... just because you have a layover in Baltimore? Seriously?

 

[FCDub]

Once again, I'm truly puzzled by how averse this board is to connecting flights.

 

[Disneylvr1971]

You're going to DRIVE ... from Milwaukee ... just because you have a layover in Baltimore? Seriously?

The point was that they keep changing our flights (date was changed also) and we have jobs and my niece is in school. If we can't guarantee when we will get back, yes we will drive and no need for a rental car. No need to be snarky, it is a personal decision. Also we wanted non stop as that is what we booked and charging us 3 times the amount for non stop is ridiculous along with having to add a rental car.

 

[bakerworld]

We're adverse to connecting flights because it converts 2 hour flight into a 5 to 7 hour flight. DH is pushing to become 'drivers', which just 'drives' me around the bend.

SW does seem to be changing flights frequently - sometimes by minutes. When I do see a change from NS to a connecting flight I immediately correct it on their website. We like to purchase AM flights just because they seem to have the most chance of not being delayed.

 

[sam_gordon]

The point was that they keep changing our flights (date was changed also) and we have jobs and my niece is in school. If we can't guarantee when we will get back, yes we will drive and no need for a rental car. No need to be snarky, it is a personal decision. Also we wanted non stop as that is what we booked and charging us 3 times the amount for non stop is ridiculous along with having to add a rental car.

If the airline makes a substantial change, they will usually move you to a flight of your choice at no charge. Before saying "all the other non stops are too expensive", you should get in contact with the airline and say "You've changed my flight, it does not work for my schedule. Can you put us on flight <flight number>, leaving at <departure time>, and arriving at <arrival time>." If there's a connecting flight, give that information too.