What is it with Southwest's Columbus schedule?

[erikthewise]

Are we the only ones who have this problem?
Orlando-Columbus: only departure is at 7:50AM on most days.
Wouldn't that be a lovely way to end your WDW stay? Get up at 4:30AM so you can get to the airport on time?!
Perhaps they are catering to the droves of Orlando businesspeople who want to catch an early flight to Columbus. But they are driving away Orlando-bound tourists.
We ended up buying tickets on ATA out of Indianapolis. Great times, great price.

 

[Lewisc]

Don't know how far from Indy you are but as an alternative you could fly SW from Columbus to Tampa (about an hour drive to Disney).

SW is a profitable airline, they must have their reasons. If I had to take that flight I'd stay an extra night (at an airport hotel).

 

[safetymom]

We don't fly SW but we always try to get those early morning flights.

If our vacation is over no use hanging around a few more hours. Also not as much traffic in the airport, returning car, etc.

It is a good choice for lots of folks.

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

Better times, and cheap cheap prices. Even with a hotel stay (parking for the week included) the night before we leave, we saved about $160.00. We usually fly from columbus, so its really only an hour longer for us. Airtran had some good prices and flights from Dayton.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I agree with those mentioning Tampa. There are more flights there with some decent times.
The ride from Tampa is not bad at all. We have done it a few times and was a piece of cake and.....there are no tolls.

 

[erikthewise]

Thanks for the responses.

I was aware of the Tampa option but when juggling several airlines at several different airports I don't always get around to checking it. Indy to Tampa didn't really make sense because we got everything we wanted in a flight to Orlando (except for the 2-hour drive to Indy).

SW Columbus to Tampa turns out to have two nonstops each way and great times. We'll consider that for next time. But it would have been a gamble that there would eventually be good sale prices at Columbus and that we could grab them. Right now its $229 Columbus vs $131.50 Indy.

Also, the extra flights and great times for CMH-TMP just makes it more mysterious why they don't exist for CHM-MCO!

safetymom, If it were just me, I'd agree with you. I don't mind early morning flights. But DW is not a morning person. I have to wield a mean bullwhip just to get the four of us to EE once per trip!

 

[safetymom]

erikthewise, you haven't seen my teenagers. It isn't pretty until we are on the plane and they have a whole day to catchup with their friends when we get back to town.