Why all the SWA Hatin'?

[Darcy03231]

I don't hate SW. I am just annoyed that we are more than likley have to cancel our Dec. trip as a result of the increase. Last year we paid $54 each way. We are a family of 5 so the $129 each way just blew our budget out of the water. The airfare will cost just about the same as our whole disney package DDP included. So I guess I am more dissapointed than anything.

By the way I did expect to $54 this year but not $129 either.

$129/each way is a great price! I don't think you're going to fly any cheaper than that.

I think people have gotten spoiled with the really inexpensive fares they've gotten over the last few years. We paid a little over $350/pp to fly from Boston to Nashville back in 1998 to attend DH's parents 50th anniversary party. Over the last few years we've been able to fly for about $150-$200/pp, depending on the time of year and travel days. I checked flights the other day and they're around $300/pp, which is still less than what we paid in 1998 when gas was cheaper.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

No 'hating from me at all. I figured that Southwest's one-way prices would be about half of what Air Tran was charging and I turned out to be right. I'm glad I got the price I did considering what's going on with the price of oil. For the record, I paid $189 one way from MCO to PHL.

Basically either you pay to fly or make other arrangements. It's that simple.

 

[scammermom]

Ahhh, I remember about 4 years ago when SW offered $49 fares and got us hooked on flying. Before that, we assumed we'd have to drive.

Yes, we got spoiled.
But I know I won't be hit with "fuel surcharges" or other fees and they won't change my flight schedule.

 

[Lewisc]

That is strange. In the past they have held onto the seats for about 20 minutes (after you clicked on purchase). At the end of the 20 minutes, it would say timed out, or something to that effect.
If they aren't p[utting a hold on the seats anymore while we pay, it will be tough to purchase seats. One SW person said, even if you just look at the seats, they have a hold, which means even if you don't buy, the next person thinks they are gone. She told me to keep trying, when I called the time I picked seats, changed my mind and they when I went back in, they were gone. We did get them after an hour or so.

Just my experience; In the past they would hold the price but not the actual seats. In other words if a lot of passengers were booking at once SW could end up selling more seats then intended at the lower fare buckets. In an extreme case the flight might sell out before a passenger completed the booking process. In that case they'd be out of luck.

It's not clear from the post if the flight sold out or just the fare bucket.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I look at all the fares people post and I have to laugh sometimes. I live in Syracuse, NY a mid-size airport and prior to JetBlue landing here, flying to FL was $300 - $400 RT if you caught the best fare. When JetBlue landed we saw the cheapest fares drop to the $250 - $300 level, still a far cry from the $59 One Way fares people post on here.

 

[Ashley Kees]

Some markets got great fares, and some markets got not-so-great fares.

Dallas got terrible fares, and you can't get a nonstop from DAL - MCO. I bought nonstop Airtran last month and paid $220 a ticket RT with taxes and seat assignments included, and SW yesterday was $404 total RT pretaxes, with no seat assignments and an hourlong layover in Birmingham. When I pulled up SW's fares yesterday, I laughed so hard I scared my kids!

 

[Lewisc]

Dallas got terrible fares, and you can't get a nonstop from DAL - MCO. I bought nonstop Airtran last month and paid $220 a ticket RT with taxes and seat assignments included, and SW yesterday was $404 total RT pretaxes, with no seat assignments and an hourlong layover in Birmingham. When I pulled up SW's fares yesterday, I laughed so hard I scared my kids!

I don't think SW is allowed to fly N/S from Love Field to MCO.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Well, I certainly expected an increase but not more than double what I paid last November. Sorry, $470 to fly from PVD to MCO is not reasonable....

Then don't hold your breath for pricing later in 2009. Crude Oil broke $140 p/barrel. How do you expect airlines to stay in business when their expenses are now more than double what they were 6 months ago.

I guess it's a good thing you were not planning to fly from PVD on American - ddin't you just loose service?

Orlando is a leisure market - Delta announced weeks ago they are planning to cut flights by 45% into Orlando. That is going to be the rule not the exception in leisure markets.

I think the rates we are now looking at through January 9 ----- will end up being a bargain by NEXT January 9 - 2010.

I sure do hope I'm wrong.

Anyone who was in any way surprised by the SW rates simply has not been watching what is happening in the World markets.

We had plenty of warning.

 

[jodifla]

Overall, SW has had much higher fares on the routes I fly. We use them maybe about 30 percent of the time....I'll sometimes pay more for the flexibility they offer.

 

[MrMarv]

Lewisc, among the very sharpest posters on this board, is indeed correct; thanks to the idiotic-and-then-some 'Wright Amendment' rule, Southwest is only allowed to fly nonstop to only a handful of cities from Love Field, a despicable rule implemented to 'protect' American Airlines in 1979.

Consequently, residents of 'Big D' pay some of the very highest airfares of any major airport in the USA; this restriction only applies to Southwest out of Love Field, since they can fly nonstops to anywhere they choose from their four other major Texas cities---Austin, San Antonio, Houston Hobby & El Paso.

Consequently, airfares on Southwest from those other four Texas cities tend to be substantially cheaper to anywhere Southwest flies than from either Love Field or DFW.

Suffice it to say, that also means substantially more and lengthier nonstops, as evidenced by the fact that you can fly nonstop on SWA to Nashville, Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Tampa and Orlando from any of those other four cities, but not from Love Field.

 

[kpm76]

Then don't hold your breath for pricing later in 2009. Crude Oil broke $140 p/barrel. How do you expect airlines to stay in business when their expenses are now more than double what they were 6 months ago.

I guess it's a good thing you were not planning to fly from PVD on American - ddin't you just loose service?

Orlando is a leisure market - Delta announced weeks ago they are planning to cut flights by 45% into Orlando. That is going to be the rule not the exception in leisure markets.

I think the rates we are now looking at through January 9 ----- will end up being a bargain by NEXT January 9 - 2010.

I sure do hope I'm wrong.

Anyone who was in any way surprised by the SW rates simply has not been watching what is happening in the World markets.

We had plenty of warning.

This issue is that some markets are still seeing pretty reasonable fares while others have skyrocketed. I just got a Ding for Providence to Baltimore for $52 one way. Yes, Orlando is a leisure market and I am grateful that we can afford to travel. My heart goes out to the families who simply cannot afford to do so now.

Those of us who have expressed sticker shock are just utilizing this board as an outlet to vent. I think folks everywhere are expressing concern and displeasure with what is going on with our economy. It does not mean we are not in tune with what is going on globally. Quite this opposite for me actually since my DH works in the political realm so politics and economics are daily topics of conversation in this house.

 

[CarolA]

This issue is that some markets are still seeing pretty reasonable fares while others have skyrocketed. I just got a Ding for Providence to Baltimore for $52 one way. Yes, Orlando is a leisure market and I am grateful that we can afford to travel. My heart goes out to the families who simply cannot afford to do so now.

Those of us who have expressed sticker shock are just utilizing this board as an outlet to vent. I think folks everywhere are expressing concern and displeasure with what is going on with our economy. It does not mean we are not in tune with what is going on globally. Quite this opposite for me actually since my DH works in the political realm so politics and economics are daily topics of conversation in this house.

I wish I agreed with you. I think some posters are just venting. I think others are out of touch with the situation and truly believe that $59 airfare is a sustainable reality! When I see the airfares some folks are "venting" about I am amazed because they seem very reasonable in today's environment. IMHO if you get a $200 to 250 round trip you have gotten a GREAT deal going forward. And probably $300 is closer to what you should expect to pay from the East Coast cities to MCO.

 

[Lewisc]

I wish I agreed with you. I think some posters are just venting. I think others are out of touch with the situation and truly believe that $59 airfare is a sustainable reality! When I see the airfares some folks are "venting" about I am amazed because they seem very reasonable in today's environment. IMHO if you get a $200 to 250 round trip you have gotten a GREAT deal going forward. And probably $300 is closer to what you should expect to pay from the East Coast cities to MCO.

Agreed, some of the posters are slaming SW for "ruining" their famlies vacation. Disney hotel rooms and park passes have gone up a lot more then airline fares over the last 10-20 years.

People have a right to hope for getting a great deal but I don't understand how people were basing their vacation plans on getting R/T air fare for about what a O/W ticket should cost getting a reasonable price.

 

[DMRick]

I just got off the phone with SW..not the 1 800 number, the customer service numbher. She told me they hold the seats, once you click on it and go to pay for a short amount of time. The time they have decided it would take for the amount of people you need to put the info in for (so if it shows no availability, try later, once held seats are again freed up). She couldn't quote me a definate time. She said while it is possible for the entire plane to sell out, if several were on at the same time (so yes, as you said the flight could sell out), she said the actual fair will hold, as long as there are seats. She reiterated that the sell out would happen if many are on at the same times, as would have happened when they first opened up the new fairs. She also said if you take to long to input the info, you would have to start over, as they won't hold the reservation info past a certain time. I did mention a lot of people were complaining about the prices, and she said if they don't fill the plane, in all likelyhood, we would see a reduction in price.

Just my experience; In the past they would hold the price but not the actual seats. In other words if a lot of passengers were booking at once SW could end up selling more seats then intended at the lower fare buckets. In an extreme case the flight might sell out before a passenger completed the booking process. In that case they'd be out of luck.

It's not clear from the post if the flight sold out or just the fare bucket.

 

[bavaria]

Those of us who have expressed sticker shock are just utilizing this board as an outlet to vent. I think folks everywhere are expressing concern and displeasure with what is going on with our economy. It does not mean we are not in tune with what is going on globally. Quite this opposite for me actually since my DH works in the political realm so politics and economics are daily topics of conversation in this house.

That may be the situation for you, but I do think that there are posters who honestly are not aware of the daily news (I cannot imagine how or why, but that is what I suspect)

I was told off last week and was told that not everyone is aware about the crisis in the US airline industry. A poster on the Budget Board a few weeks ago told us that US airlines were rolling in profit.

The news is everywhere, and I mean even internationally we hear about how bad the US airlines are suffering now. If I can sit on a balcony in Monaco listening to a story about it, why do posters living in the United States not see it? I hear it on the radio, on the television (and I barely watch television), on the internet, in the newspaper.

Perhaps (and I will try and say this as kindly as possible) it is time for some posters to learn a little about their world around them. I am truly stunned that somoene living in America can say that they have not heard about rising fuel costs and the impact on your economy.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Perhaps (and I will try and say this as kindly as possible) it is time for some posters to learn a little about their world around them. I am truly stunned that somoene living in America can say that they have not heard about rising fuel costs and the impact on your economy.

Living in the US, I can tell you there are a ton of people that are unaware...or choose to not want to know, as harsh as it may sound, it's basically a lack of personal responsibility and selfishness.

It's not just about airfare, but a lot of things. Fuel costs, rude behaviour, lack of personal concern for others, etc...people are self involved and lack the desire to be a team player in the world of events.

A lot of people would rather just sit back and complain rather then try to make a change.

 

[bavaria]

Well, at least the first response to my post wasn't a flame! But I have become used to it by now, being the 'nasty foreigner' here... (yes, I can laugh at myself)

May I also say that I owe Mickey2000 a public apology. A few months ago I said that he/she may want to temper his/her threads about the situation with the American airline industry.

I now realize that Mickey2000 was most likely more cognizant than I that there are readers/posters here who do not get their news from other sources. I wanted to offer him/her an apology for weeks now, but he/she has turned off his/her PM ability....

So, Mickey2000, my apologies, and thank you for continuing to post the threads about the travel industry. Hopefully you have managed to educate at least a few people over the past few months.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Living in the US, I can tell you there are a ton of people that are unaware...or choose to not want to know, as harsh as it may sound, it's basically a lack of personal responsibility and selfishness.

It's not just about airfare, but a lot of things. Fuel costs, rude behaviour, lack of personal concern for others, etc...people are self involved and lack the desire to be a team player in the world of events.

A lot of people would rather just sit back and complain rather then try to make a change.

ITA.

Sometimes I just have to shake my head sideways (kind of like trying to get water out of my ear) because of the lack of knowledge or realization that some posters have over the price of oil and the rising costs of everything not just airline fares.

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

About a month back I was able to snag Providence to Orlando for $99/each for our September trip. Because we're flying back out of Tampa and not Orlando, I didn't get the deal RT.

I've been watching the Tampa to Providence rates and for the flight we're looking for (late morning) and it's running between $170-$200. It's more than we want to pay, so we're going to take advantage of the fact that we have family in Hartford, CT and fly in there, I think, to get a rate of $141/each.

Our total RT cost for two adults is going to be about $510.

We have the ability to be flexible with our times and locations, so I don't think I've had such a negative view of SW's fares. I agree that I'm paying almost twice of what I've paid in the past...but then again, I'm also paying twice what it used to cost me to fill up the gas tank in my Civic! I have also been surfing Jet Blue (though we don't want to fly in and out of Logan in Boston) and Expedia, Orbitz, etc. Seems the best deal on whatever site you find is the best deal. Period. And you should probably grab it when you can.

I think it's a matter of coming to grips with the fact that this is the "new reality". My mom heard a news anchor the other night comment, "By this time next year, flying will be an option only the rich can indulge in." I truly hope this is a gross exaggeration but who knows?!

It's true that I yearn for the days that I paid $49-$69 each way from Providence to Orlando. Or the one time (in August 2002) when I took advantage of their 'Friends Fly Free' promo (a promo, I'm sure, set up to help the hurting, post-9/11 travel industry) and a friend and I flew RT from Providence to LAX for $200 totall for both of us!!! But I personally am 'coming to grips' so to speak that those days are long gone. But I like SW. I always have. It may just be the market I'm in, but I've (knock on wood) never had a delay, poor in-flight service and 8 out of 9 times have arrived early.

For now, I try to be thankful everyday that I still have the means to take these vacations every now and again.

So there's my opinon. It's worth exactly as much as you paid for it.

 

[boBQuincy]

Southwest Hatin'? Not me! Yes, the fares have gone up quite a bit but they are still reasonable to me. We bought some for December on Thursday and paid about what I expected, no complaints. At least SW still has direct flights to MCO!

Well, one complaint, I do miss the $65 total roundtrip fare that I paid in January 2006!