Southwest & DVC....the perfect combination

[bz8bls]

Originally posted by Cris
last year they had Destiny's Child!!

Your are correct!! I forgot that Beyonce was there (We get a chance to make it to that stage)

 

[twotoohappy]

Originally posted by Lexxiefern
I have not heard this! Where are they thinking of flying to? From Hyannis to MCO? That would be cool!

yup, Hyannis to MCO. My friend's father is an airtraffic controller and said that Jet Blue was in the work for Hyannis sometime after the first of the year. Not the big planes of course. On their site they've ordered more of the "buses" and some other type of plane. Not sure if those are the ones that might come to Hyannis. I hope so!

 

[Lexxiefern]

Originally posted by twotoohappy
yup, Hyannis to MCO. My friend's father is an airtraffic controller and said that Jet Blue was in the work for Hyannis sometime after the first of the year. Not the big planes of course. On their site they've ordered more of the "buses" and some other type of plane. Not sure if those are the ones that might come to Hyannis. I hope so!

Oh my, that would be wonderful! (we live in sandwich)

I wonder if it would still be the cheap $59 or $79 fare each way?

I hope it happens!

 

[DisneyPhD]

Many years ago we flew SW from Detroit to Orlando because it was cheap. However I will never do that again. Does anyone watch Airline on A&E? There are a number of policies that SW does, that other airlines doen't (at least not Spirt or NW out of Detroit.) One is over booking. They over book the flights, sometimes by up to 50 people. Be sure to cheak in early, 1st come 1st serve. The last people are out of luck. Also they really depend on the paper ticket, and I.D. If you don't have the ticket you are out of luck. (many just need I.D.) They don't preboard your seats, so familes can have a hard time finding seats together. I saw them make a family buy a ticket for a under 2 year old because she was big for her age and they didn't belive her parents (She was clearly under 2 based on child development, teeth, language ect....) I do always travel with a copy of DD birth cirtificate, but have never been asked for it by other airlines.

The other thing is for us it it never non-stop, and they seem to have some many problems with missing conections.

I don't know if other airlines does this, and I am a small person (5 feet tall) but they make larger passengers buy two tickets. Of couse the more and more pregnant I get I sometimes wonder!

These things all add up to me avoiding SW at all cost. However for 49$ a person one way, it might be worth the risk. (not with small kids, it is just easier non stop with small children.)

I don't want to rain on your 49$ air fare, just get there early and be prepared. Don't lose your ticket, don't be a large person, bring I.D. for everyone in your group (young children too.) Don't pack anything you really need in checked lugage (good idea for all airlines.) Good Luck.

 

[Coach Rick]

Originally posted by DisneyPhD

I don't want to rain on your 49$ air fare, just get there early and be prepared. Don't lose your ticket, don't be a large person, bring I.D. for everyone in your group (young children too.) Don't pack anything you really need in checked lugage (good idea for all airlines.) Good Luck.

I have had lots of problems on other airlines too. Recently on Northwest, we lost an engine leaving from Detroit, they were trying to fix it, rather than get another plane in service. I for one felt very uncomofortable about that after flying for 45 minutes with one engine on a 767, and being chased down the runway by fire trucks, and rescue's. Southwest has always been very accomadating to us in the past, and your concern is noted, and I will be at the airport 2 hours early to get our boarding passes

 

[Pinnie]

DisneyPHd

Please don't think that SWA is the ONLY airline that overbooks. I fly out of DTW a lot and I can't even begin to count how many NWA flights I have been on that have been overbooked.

SWA is not the only airline that makes children under the age of 2 buy a ticket. If I am not mistaken, and please, someone correct me if I am wrong, all children over the age of 2 need to be in a seat. The gate agents are not carnival workers and should NOT have to guess a child's age,. It is up to the parents to prove that their child is under 2 when asked. Just like YOU are asked to prove who you are when you check in.

Also, ALL airlines have the same policy regarding persons of size. It is nothing new. SWA is just more "public" about it.

I can tell you a couple of reasons I LOVE SWA. The open seating gets planes OUT on time. They have one of the best On Time records in the industry. Also, SWA has the best record for not cancelling or changing flights once they are posted. Just buy a seat 10 months in advance on other carriers and see how many times your flight will change and you will have your seats moved.

It is the Pax responsibility to NOT lose his ticket. Why should the airline enable someone who can't take care of a piece of paper?

I have a very good friend who works for the FAA and I trust his judgement and he relies on SWA for almost ALL his flights. THAT says a lot to me.

There are a lot of choices out there. You are within your rights to pick your airline and pay your hard earned dollars. I personally feel SWA is a great airliine and will fly them out of DTW whenever I can.

pinnie

 

[mom2alix]

One thing to note: On SWA we bought a seat for DD who was 18 months old at the time. Since we needed to install her car seat, we were allowed to preboard the plane, so it isn't true that they don't allow pre-boarding. The low fares actually made it pretty attractive to buy a seat rather than have the little one squirming on a lap for the whole trip (I'm a real fan of having little one's strapped in regardless).

OTOH - when we made our scheduled stop the Flight Attendants were clearly counting to see how many emplty seats there were since they were overbooked and one asked me (in a really nasty tone) whether I had a ticket for DD because otherwise I would have to move her to my lap. I just showed her my ticket, but I was pretty offended by her tone and attitude. I understand that they soemtimes let people who haven't purchased seats use empty ones for babies, but that wasn't what I had done and her rudeness wasn't necessary in any case. Of course I was on my way to WDW and wasn't about to let someone else's nasty mood ruin my day!

 

[BAYBREEZEDISNEY]

We have flown SWA for many years and honestly there has never been a glitch of any kind...when my son and DIL lived in Phoenix, we flew about 4x per year. We just about always fly Prov to MCO when going to Disney - never a problem. This Nov trip we will be flying JetBlue because we were able to book quite far ahead at cheap rates.

We live on Buttermilk Bay in Bourne, MA and would LOVE flights from Hyannis!!

 

[DisneyPhD]

Good to hear that other people have had sucessful flights on SW. In our past trips there wasn't anything really bad happening to us (we always get there early etc...) But there was lots of over booking happening (if you really want to streach your travel budget you can get a free trip if you don't mind giving up vacation time.) I don't see how open seat assignments gets people in and out of there on time though, just seems more complicated to me. Also all the barginaing to find people to give up seats since it is over booked and sticking them on later flights seems to take up more time. Just curisious what other airlines normally over books?

I thought the "person of large size" rule might be used by other airlines, but wasn't sure. Last flight out of Northwest I called and asked point blank if the flight was over booked, since we did not have assiged seats already. I was asurred this flight was not, and they leave 30 % of the seats to assign at time of flight (of couse we couldn't fly over the wing since I was pregnant and had a 3 year old with us.) I even had a Flight Attendant give me a dirty look and ask if we bought a ticket for our 3 year old who was sitting in a seat (well yes, it is only under 2 you don't need ticket.) We did have to ask a nice man to swicth so we could all be seated together. (who wants to sit next to a 3 year old who would rather be next to her daddy?) North West does have this new rule that all checked luggage needs to be under 50 pounds, or you get charged a heffty fee (25$ for 10 pounds I think). I didn't like that, but we were under on each suitcase.

In 4 or 5 flights on Spirit we have never had an over booking problem, and you can pick your seat on line 45 days in advance, so that is nice. Also they have electroinc tickets, all you need is I.D. No other problems with delays, lost luggage or other problems. (and they are non stop from Det to MCO, the best reason for us to take them.) I wish Jet Blue flew out of Detroit, I have heard good things about them too.

If your flight is going to have stop no mater what or if you have non-stop from SW I can see the airfare being a deal. I still have my resverstaions, but what a good deal. I did look up on line and right now Spirit has 59$ one way from Det to MCO in Aug, very temping. (Not tempting enough seeing as I am currenlty 37 weeks pregnant!) I hope the prices are still good in March when we go next.

Good luck with your trip and have a magical time.

 

[MikeSquared]

We can't stand flying SW, but if the price is right...
Last june we flew SW, BWI to Orlando $115 each round trip after taxes. Round trip fares near $100 is the one and only reason we'd ever consider them.

Mike

 

[jarestel]

Originally posted by MikeSquared
We can't stand flying SW, but if the price is right...

Our 2 most important options are price and non-stop. From our area ( Manchester, NH ), SW is tops in both so it's SW for us. The SW non-stop planes are ALWAYS full, you would think the other carriers would get a clue and follow suit, but they don't. I must admit, I hate the cattle call lines that SW uses for boarding. If you're not in the 'A' group, by the time all of the assorted "pre-boarders" and the 'A's have boarded, it can be tough to find seats together if you're flying with a group. Forget it if you're in 'C' group.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Originally posted by jarestel
Our 2 most important options are price and non-stop. From our area ( Manchester, NH ), SW is tops in both so it's SW for us. The SW non-stop planes are ALWAYS full, you would think the other carriers would get a clue and follow suit, but they don't. I must admit, I hate the cattle call lines that SW uses for boarding. If you're not in the 'A' group, by the time all of the assorted "pre-boarders" and the 'A's have boarded, it can be tough to find seats together if you're flying with a group. Forget it if you're in 'C' group.

That is what I meant. Those are the most important to me too. Good to hear that other people have taken SW with out incidient, most of our trips were ok, but we always make sure we are early. SW is never non-stop to orlando out of Det, so I would only consider it if the price was so good that we wouldn't be able to go otherwise.

I supecpted that the "person of large size" rule was used by other airlines too, but never personally incountered it (thank God.)

I called when we took NWA on our last trip because I was concerned that there were no avilable seats to pre-asign. I asked point blank if this flight was over booked, she asured me it wasn't and 30% of the seats were reserved to be asigned at time of flight. (of course we can't sit over the wings since I was pregnant and we had a 3 year old with us.) We did end up having to ask a young man to swicth so we could all sit together. (who want's to sit next to a 3 year who doesn't want to be next to you anyway!) In 4 or 5 flights with Spirit, we have never had a over booked flight, or any problem of any kind. We encoured it many times on SW, if you don't mind taking a later flight it can be a good way to get free airfare for the next trip. I don't understand how the non asigned set plan gets people in and out fast, it seems to take more time rearaning and bargining to get people to give up seats.

I did have a flight attendent give me a nasty look and ask if our 3 year old sitting in a seat had a ticket, Hello she was 3. Only under 2 can fly with out a ticket.

I did an online search and Spirit currenlty has non stop out of Detroit to MCO for 59$ each way for the summer. Tempting, but not temping enough since I am currenlty 37 weeks pregnant! I can only hope for good airfare in March we go next. I wish Jet Blue flew out of Det, I have heard good things about them also.

 

[JimC]

Southwwest has announced a significant fare reduction beginning mid August -- approximately 65%. I suspect most airlines will match on competing routes.

I know Southwest is loved by many, but I avoid them. I do enjoy the lower fares that they force on the competition. But the sale they are promoting has to be costing them money.