Watch this show!!

[feiste]

To anyone who may think of flying in to Florida the day of their cruise, I have a must see show for you. The show is on A&E and is called "Airline". The episode is titled "You must be kidding" and is being shown again Sunday April 4 at 11:00 p.m. and then again Monday April 5 at 3:00 a.m. Set you VCR's. You will never travel last minute again.

Has anyone been watching this series? I just recently added it to my Tivo, and I think it's great. I would love to hear from others who have watched it.

 

[deebs]

It is a great show, but an even better one, and the show that this is based on, is a British show called "Airport" and it is on Discovery Wings channel and sometimes on BBC America.

 

[mshuck]

I love this show! Some people that travel don't use their heads sometimes! I think it is pretty gutsy for Southwest to show this show but it is funny. Thanks for the info about the upcoming show.

 

[mmouse37]

Caught a few episodes and love it.....remember the one with the "smelly" passenger....I give a lot of credit to airline workers!!!

MJ

 

[Macnjac87]

i like the show but too bad its reruns every week, what did they make, like 6 shows?

 

[EmmasGrammy]

This show is a HOOT!!!! We have flown Southwest and HATED IT!!! I knew from the moment we boarded the plane and saw our onboard meal in a paper lunch bag, it wasn't going to be good!!

I can hardly believe Southwest is airing their mistakes on national T.V. I realize some of the goof-ups are the passengers fault, but most of the problems are definately the airline's problems. Like the time they over sold the plane by over 50 tickets!! Then they bounced those poor folks all over the country. One family missed their cruise!! YIKES!!! If I were one of those passengers, I would have wound up in jail!!!

They make it a big joke about losing luggage! Not very funny if this is your long deserved vacation or worse yet, a trip to attend a funeral!! How about the episode where the flight attendants were singing and joking around with some obviously annoyed passenger?? They were down right rude!!!

Be honest. After watching this show are you hankering to run right out and book a flight on Southwest???

I'll NEVER fly Southwest again, but I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!

 

[GenieDana]

Every flying passenger should read this:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/tips/2003-10-20-airline-rights_x.htm

 

[gottaluvdis]

Originally posted by EmmasGrammy
This show is a HOOT!!!! We have flown Southwest and HATED IT!!! I knew from the moment we boarded the plane and saw our onboard meal in a paper lunch bag, it wasn't going to be good!!

I can hardly believe Southwest is airing their mistakes on national T.V. I realize some of the goof-ups are the passengers fault, but most of the problems are definately the airline's problems. Like the time they over sold the plane by over 50 tickets!! Then they bounced those poor folks all over the country. One family missed their cruise!! YIKES!!! If I were one of those passengers, I would have wound up in jail!!!

They make it a big joke about losing luggage! Not very funny if this is your long deserved vacation or worse yet, a trip to attend a funeral!! How about the episode where the flight attendants were singing and joking around with some obviously annoyed passenger?? They were down right rude!!!

Be honest. After watching this show are you hankering to run right out and book a flight on Southwest???

I'll NEVER fly Southwest again, but I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!

The mistakes that Southwest points out in this show are hardly unique to Southwest, which is probably why they don't mind exposing them. I know there are people who have their favorite airlines etc., but the truth is that there is very little difference between airlines. I've grown up with the industry - my dad's been a commercial pilot for over 35 years with 3 different airlines and now flies exclusive private jets. I've also been a travel planner for several companies. Gone are the days of pampered treatment and perks on airlines with very few exceptions. All airlines overbook flights, and it's common for airlines to overbook by 100%. I've never flown any airline for the food - I always carry snacks and water when I fly. Airlines are now competing strictly on price, most have cut food significantly, and some even charge for food. Southwest beats just about everyone on price, has the most liberal credit policy in the industry, and has never had a major accident. Reasons enough for me to keep flying them.

 

[TinkHappy]

I LOVE this show. It just cracks me up.

 

[DreaminDisney]

I love this show too.
How could they over book that flight by 50 people?? I would have FREAKED out if I had a ticket in hand and they just said "sorry we overbooked" ESPECIALLY if I was going on a cruise that SAME day!!
I am so glad we booked our flight the day before cruise......just proves ANYTHING can happen and why take a chance

 

[krhardy]

OMG!!! A friend of mine told me about this show, and since we were planning a trip to England together, I decided to catch an episode. I was laughing my hiney off! Let me first say that I am the music teacher at a small Christian school...we go preschool through fifth grade. So, I'm watching this, laughing hysterically, one night, and I keep looking, and thinking, I know that person. But talking myself out of the fact that I really did know them, you know how people can look alike, and sometimes you'll swear that a person is someone, and they really aren't. (OK, was that just the longest run on sentence in history?) Anyway, it finally dawns on me when they give the parents names, and the names of the kids they are having trouble with. IT WAS ONE OF MY STUDENTS!! And the mom was pitching a total fit b/c her child was under 2, and she didn't bring his birth certificate, and the airline was not going to let him fly for free. I dug out my yearbook to be sure, and it was. I won't mention their names, but I REALLY got a good chuckle out of that!

 

[talicskai]

In defense of Southwest I have flown them twice from Buffalo to Orlando and had excellent flights. We were early arriving into Orlando both times and they treated us really well. I agree that all airlines have problems and Southwest is very brave to show them on national TV. As a frequent traveller I can tell you that there are worse out there than Southwest. I don't buy my flights for the food - I always take a muffin and drink with me.
However, that being said - if you have had a bad experience on any airline it is very hard to ever forget it. That is why word-of-mouth advertising is sooooooo critical - in any business.

 

[dznyacct]

I LOVE this show too!! My sister told me about it and I am hooked. I have flown Southwest and they are a very fun airline. I just wish they would do assigned seats. That would alleviate a lot of the additional stress of flying and not knowing just how long the security line will be and hoping your family can get seats together. I really "feel" for the SW employees. I fly a few times a year and try to be extra nice to all the airport/airline employees. They get so much grief from people about security and other things that are not in their control.

 

[HollyH]

Ok.... my two cents in defense of Southwest.

As a former SWA employee I can tell you that the phrase "overbooking" is different from "overselling". ALL airlines must overbook to compensate for the amount of no shows occuring on every flight. Not all passengers purchase their tickets in advance. You may have a flight from New York to Orlando that holds 137 passengers but only 60 of those passengers actually bought their tickets. As the time draws closer to departure day, they allow more seats to be sold on the flight because historically, 77 people do not show up on the day of departure to buy their tickets. All airlines would go belly up if the practice of overbooking was not in place. This holds true for most hotels and rental cars as well.

For the family that missed their cruise, I believe the episode said Southwest had held the plane over an hour for them. There was more to that story than was aired. That was apparent.

Luggage frequently doesn't make it to the passengers destination because the passenger checked in late. Passengers are advised 1-1 1/2 hrs advance check in required. Most arrive 30 minutes prior! (I'm not kidding) The amount of luggage that passes through every airlines hands is unbelievable and the record for least amount of mishandled baggage belongs frequently to SWA.

What you are seeing on Airline is a "hoot". But you are also seeing what producers feel would be the more "dramatic" situations. They are human and make mistakes but as you can see by the episodes and from what I've witnessed as a former employee, they go above and beyond to correct them.

No offense EmmasGrammy but after watching these shows.... I'd happily book Southwest! What these shows do provide is an education on being in their shoes. I think you should give them another shot!

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by Macnjac87
i like the show but too bad its reruns every week, what did they make, like 6 shows?

I agree with the above.

 

[DopeysGal]

I have flown Southwest about 6-8 times per year for over 20 years. In all that time, they have never once lost a bag of mine. I attribute that to the fact that I do check in early (and tip the skycaps ). I check my bag probably 90% of the time, as I just don't like to deal with carrying it around the terminal.

If you have to postpone a flight, you get a credit for the amount of your ticket that can be used for up to a year (no other airline does that). One time when DS had the chickenpox, they even gave me a full refund on a nonrefundable ticket, without a doctors note. I had written a nice letter to their corporate office and before I knew it, had a credit on my card for the full amount.

As for the unassigned seating, I like that better too as I've always been able to sit with my DS. Last year we took a flight on another airline and they did not sit us together. I asked at the gate if they could put us together (most airlines don't prebook all of their seats just for this reason) and they didn't even try to accomodate us. It wasn't a big deal and I was lucky that a nice person on the flight offered to change seats with me so we could sit together.

"Airline" is in the process of filming a second season and adding Baltimore to the show, as well as LAX and Chicago Midway again.

Deb

 

[KaitlinsMom]

I just wanted to add that United will give credit you for your ticket up to 1 year - We also did not have to provide a doctor's note -

Northwest also only books 65-70% of their seats - The rest are booked when you check in - Good thing is - you can check in online! So, you should be able to get seats together -

Just wanted to add this info -