Southwest issues at MCO Sat, Aug 8

[seashoreCM]

I have been to several airports in the last few months and had to wait long lines at SWA to check. Many times they had 2-3 people checking in bags but several associates just standing around talking. They know how many seats they have booked so you think they would plan accordingly. SWA is slacking on customer service lately.

Should we start a fad? Writing a letter to the company each time you run into this? Using paper and snail mail.

 

[Lewisc]

I have been to several airports in the last few months and had to wait long lines at SWA to check. Many times they had 2-3 people checking in bags but several associates just standing around talking. They know how many seats they have booked so you think they would plan accordingly. SWA is slacking on customer service lately.

Really not an issue if passengers who arrive at the airport at the time suggested are able to check their bags, go through security and make their flight. People associate long lines with long waits. I've been on a long line but when I look at my watch the total wait was only 20 minutes. JMO but customer service is fine, as long as our wait time is less then what was suggested to us.

 

[jrc-elpaso]

Thanks Lewisc. I think I would go with #1 just as you suggested since price is not a factor.

Now I haven't used RAC before, can you please give me a 101 course of how it works? I read somewhere that I will have to call a company (name and phone number?) 24 hrs before my departure time to give them my Credit card to prepay checked baggage fees with AirTran. I will need to bring my luggages for checking with RAC the morning of my departure date (how many hours in advance???). Anything else? LOL you can tell that I have no clues

I haven't used the system before (this is our first trip to WDW) but according to the packet from ME:

RAC check-in - no less than 3 hours prior to departure. We're flying American so we'll be using it.

You will receive a packet in your room the night before you leave giving you info and the scheduled time for your bus to MCO.l

BAGS is who you call to pre-pay bag check cost - (407) 284-1231 - hours are 7:00 am to 11:00 pm. We'll probably call the evening before - even though our flight doesn't leave until 3:45.

 

[Mary T in PA]

To the OP, our return home on a Saturday morning was horrific also.. our wait time in line was 40min, and the curbside checkin was running the same amount -that line stretched pretty far back. Several folks in front of us missed their flights.

We had a rental car and left our resort, turned it back in and got in line to wait to check bags...my DH wondered why I wanted to get to the airport early - when he saw the line, he realized why.

This was late June, the height of travel and I understand that air travel on any airline is hectic coming to and from Orlando. But the way SW handles it is ridiculous. THe worst part was when we did get to the front of the line, and a SW employee was directing folks to the next available kiosk, they had very few kiosks open. It made no sense. I'd hate to see that place around a holiday, ugh.

Mary

 

[5boyz]

I flew out of SW the night before.. We stayed at POP so we got to check our bags at the hotel..Thank God!! I didnt even notice the lines at SW. We did see Emiem...he was rude

 

[Lewisc]

I wouldn't like to wait 40 minute but the suggested arrival time at MCO is 2 hours. Passengers who think they know better run the risk of missing their flight. You allowed enough time and you made your flight.

A SW employee has to weigh your bag, collect any charges due for an overweight bag, affix your luggage tag and check your ID. SW has a ratio between the number of kiosks open and the number of employees. I'm not sure if one employee handles 2 or 3 kiosks.

To the OP, our return home on a Saturday morning was horrific also.. our wait time in line was 40min, and the curbside checkin was running the same amount -that line stretched pretty far back. Several folks in front of us missed their flights.

We had a rental car and left our resort, turned it back in and got in line to wait to check bags...my DH wondered why I wanted to get to the airport early - when he saw the line, he realized why.

This was late June, the height of travel and I understand that air travel on any airline is hectic coming to and from Orlando. But the way SW handles it is ridiculous. THe worst part was when we did get to the front of the line, and a SW employee was directing folks to the next available kiosk, they had very few kiosks open. It made no sense. I'd hate to see that place around a holiday, ugh.

Mary

 

[Laurabearz]

On Saturday Aug 8th SWA at MCO had major problems with the Luggage Ramps and several broke down. This caused a HUGE back up as the OP posted, but that was in no way the Norm at MCO for SWA.

We flew out on Monday the 10th and they were still trying to catch up from it all.

We checked our bags curbside and waited 5 minutes tops, walked inside to see the lines triple backed with people waiting... perhaps it's people who need to talk to an agent, but it's always like that. I just dont get why people dont use curbside, but thank goodness they dont!!

 

[Lewisc]

We checked our bags curbside and waited 5 minutes tops, walked inside to see the lines triple backed with people waiting... perhaps it's people who need to talk to an agent, but it's always like that. I just dont get why people dont use curbside, but thank goodness they dont!!

Some passengers are cheap and don't want to tip for curbside. Some passengers don't realize curbside is available to most passengers. A small number of passengers may be unable to use curbside. I don't think a skycap is able to accommodate a passenger that wants to add a standby leg to he itinerary.

I'll frequently skip curbside. The line inside is likely to move faster, curbside may only have one or two skycaps. I'd rather wait 15-20 minutes in an airconditioned terminal rather then 5-10 minutes outside in the heat.

I agree, a 5 minute wait outside makes more sense then 40 minutes inside.

 

[Mary T in PA]

I wouldn't like to wait 40 minute but the suggested arrival time at MCO is 2 hours. Passengers who think they know better run the risk of missing their flight. You allowed enough time and you made your flight.

A SW employee has to weigh your bag, collect any charges due for an overweight bag, affix your luggage tag and check your ID. SW has a ratio between the number of kiosks open and the number of employees. I'm not sure if one employee handles 2 or 3 kiosks.

Actually we were there 2 1/2hrs before our flight. We made it without having to rush..I was just afraid the airport in general would be crazy because it was the weekend. It was unreal.

As for the employees, there were more standing out in the atrium directing the lines then there was behind the counter. My point is that there were many unused kiosks that were shut down by SW and not in use. I think it's ridiculous not to have more kiosks operational. This wasn't a matter of people just not seeing an open kiosk. Every available one was being used. Nor am I saying that the employees behind the kiosks weren't doing their job, they were.. I just cannot understand why SW doesn't staff it better.

AS for the wait time - we were told 25min and it ended up being 40 min from the minute we lined up until after we were walking away from the kiosk with our boarding passes. Security lines were about another 20min wait. AFter riding the tram and walking to the gate, we didn't have much of wait to line up and board the plane. OUr time frame does not include the drive back to the airport, returning the rental car and getting over the SW area to check in.

Mary

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I have NEVER understood why people line up inside in all those long lines.

I travel for business - all the time. I scoot up to curbside checkin they are always so friendly. The lines go by soooooo much faster.

At BWI there are actually TWO curbside checkin locations for Southwest. The shuttles stop at the first and there is generally no one at the second. POOF I'm inside.


Checkout the skycaps at curbside checkin! They would LOVE to help you move along faster.

 

[Mary T in PA]

Some passengers are cheap and don't want to tip for curbside. Some passengers don't realize curbside is available to most passengers. A small number of passengers may be unable to use curbside. I don't think a skycap is able to accommodate a passenger that wants to add a standby leg to he itinerary.

I'll frequently skip curbside. The line inside is likely to move faster, curbside may only have one or two skycaps. I'd rather wait 15-20 minutes in an airconditioned terminal rather then 5-10 minutes outside in the heat.

I agree, a 5 minute wait outside makes more sense then 40 minutes inside.

We've used curb side checkin before, but the people directing our line kept saying we could go outside and checkin, however the wait time outside was the same as inside -25min. And my DH went and watched the line outside - it didn't move! It was just as bad as our line, so we stayed inside. The whole scene just seemed surreal.

Of course that whole airport is just crazy...hopefully the improvements will give the airlines more room to handle the huge capacity of travelers that come thru.


Mary