SW Ding 2 times for same flight! Ever see that before?

[miss missy]

My flight DING'd twice. I already got 49 DING 3 weeks ago, now I got another.. should I be concerned that the flight is not gonna fill and they will cancel?

 

[camillatin]

Even if the plane is not full, they won't necessarily cancel the flight. I flew Southwest from Washington-Dulles to Orlando on a flight with 23 passengers. As the gate attendant put it, "We have 23 passengers today... for 23 rows of seating (6 across). Enjoy."

The plane was scheduled for a return flight later in the day from Orlando to Dulles, so the plane was going to Orlando whether they sold enough tickets in the morning or not. You may have a similar situation. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[cepmom]

camillatin,
the same thing happend to DH and I on a flight to MCO; there were about 25 people on the plane and they still did not cancel. Hurricane Ernesto was about to head through Orlando and I think a lot of people cancelled or rescheduled at the last minute. that was the best flight we ever took...plenty of space to stretch out, not boarding lines to wait in etc!

 

[NotUrsula]

IME (and it is considerable), SW doesn't cancel flights that don't sell. Once the schedule is announced, it is pretty much set in stone; weather is generally the only thing that will cause them to cancel. Because of the way that their point-to-point itineraries are set up, they have to move the planes to the next point on the route so that it can carry passengers from there; it will go full or empty.

 

[mareed]

IME (and it is considerable), SW doesn't cancel flights that don't sell. Once the schedule is announced, it is pretty much set in stone; weather is generally the only thing that will cause them to cancel. Because of the way that their point-to-point itineraries are set up, they have to move the planes to the next point on the route so that it can carry passengers from there; it will go full or empty.

I agree with this. We fly SW almost all the time, and you just don't hear of them cancelling flights for other than weather.

 

[Grumpy23]

Agreed. We flew down to MCO from PIT last September and the flight was not full at all. Coming back from MCO to PIT, it was ludicrously empty, every other row was vacated. I think there were like maybe 40-50 people, at the most. They just told us to sit back, relax, and enjoy. It was the quietest flight I was ever on.

Now of course when we fly down next Thursday, it will probably be a whole different story.

 

[Lewisc]

SW, like most airlines, don't a cancel a flight just because it has a lot of empty seats. That plane is needed, at the destination, for another flight.If that flight consistantly has a lot of empty seats it might be gone in the next schedule.

Some exceptions: Routes like LAS-LAX have frequent flights. An airline might be able to cancel a flight in each direction.

An airline is short a plane, mechanical difficulties or a plane doesn't arrive due to weather issues. Any airline, including SW, may decided to cancel the flight with fewer passengers and use that aircraft where it can be put to better use.

 

[miss missy]

Thanks!

 

[loveFL]

I've been on SW flights with 20-30 people as well. It is great, quickly board, get going, get off the place quickly. However, lately I've been on the full/overbooked flights --- makes you really appreciate the near empty ones!

 

[RweTHEREyet]

I remember haveing DING's for the same flight at least 3 times, and I have never been on a flight that wasn't at least 3/4 full. I don't think you have anything to worry about as far as cancellation for the flight not being full.

 

[kmjmom]

I recently got two Dings for the same flight. I originally paid $170 for one way to Tampa. In March I got a Ding for $89 and then ta da! another Ding for $59 came up. So all in all a whopping savings of $111 for one flight! Thank you SW!!