9 Months Later- The Southwest Holiday Fiasco

We have slowly phased out SW last year or two. That included a few months left on companion pass. Even free flights aren’t worth the headaches.

I’d only fly SW if American was the only other option.

Dallasite as well. Our options are American and SWA. I will fly SWA every single time. They’re easier to deal with and don’t change my gate 500 times.

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We have slowly phased out SW last year or two. I’d only fly SW if American was the only other option

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I'm laughing moreso because the other posters who responded seem to be hub captive in Dallas by Southwest and AA.

Are you phasing them out because of operational reliability, boarding process, no seat assignment, worse flight schedules?

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I live in Dallas and fly both American and SW depending on cost and flight times available. I’m not hesitant to fly either airline. However, I usually fly the earliest flights of the day to avoid likelihood of delays of later flights with the domino effect.

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This is one thing I've found in flying southwest- If you take an afternoon or evening flight, it is almost always delayed. My issue in the past with Southwest was that they scheduled 30-35 minute turns for their airplanes when they knew it would be impossible to do so on a full 737-800 in Denver in January with winter weather.

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I will fly SWA every single time. They’re easier to deal with and don’t change my gate 500 times.

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Do you find AA changes your gates in DFW more often than not? I haven't flown AA consistently in a while so don't know if this is a newer thing

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Already have 2 trips booked on Southwest in December. We fly Southwest almost exclusively domestic

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It makes sense for you given being in Dallas, but curious if you got screwed by their operational issues last winter or not? At least at a 'hub' for them in DAL you can find an alternative airport to get out to and make it to your destination. Bit tougher from the outstations that only have a few flights a day on WN

I was not personally but my daughter was stranded in Baltimore overnight.

Every time I scout ticket prices southwest is close to the most expensive. They’re just not worth it anymore.

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other posters who responded seem to be hub captive in Dallas by Southwest and AA.

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Checking in from Houston, I will not fly SWA unless forced to (once, since 2012). Part of is that Hobby, and the part of town it's in, is garbage (not JFK level garbage, but you know.)

I do not want to buy up to business select and have 32 wheelchairs board in front of me. I also have too much experience with a *direct* view into dumb IT shite that they have done, or asked one of my teams to do, over the course of nearly a decade to trust them.

By contrast, I've worked with another airline based in the UAE that would never ever ever approve the types of planning and implementation BS that SWA routinely did. Bless Dutch chief architects, they will tear your nuts off quick fast.

I have roughly 150,000 points for travel on SW, and I'm reluctant to book flights right now.

I can also use the points on United, but I have never flown with them. I've heard nothing good.

I’m curious about SW deals right now. They’ve got an 0600ish leaving the Sunday before Mardi Gras for a Orlando and I’m not driving this time. What kind of deals are you talking about because I can’t find them online

Unfortunately SW is the biggest servicer of the tiny little airport we have now so I’ve been using them a lot, and will have to for Christmas again.

Since the December episode I’ve actually had quit good experiences with them. No cancellations, no delays of any significance, no flight time changes of significance, etc and flying with a baby the two free checked bags for adults have been very handy.

I don’t think they will ever fully win me over but they are starting to get back on my good side, whether I like it or not.

Still waiting to hear how you can use SW points at United...


You used to be able to book international flights on other carriers via SW's RR Site, but they took that away over a year ago.