<p>I made it safely to my destination without any surprise sunroofs!</p>
<p>We were on a Southwest flight 10 days ago that was 3 hours late because of a mechanical issue somewhere else (not where we were). The 3 hour delay meant we would miss our connection to get home that night. They handled the chaos of rebooking a lot of people (probably more than half were connecting) as expeditiously as possible, especially since there aren’t a lot of empty seats on their flights. </p>
<p>In fact, they gave everyone on the flight a $100 voucher (not just those who missed connections) and put us up in a hotel. </p>
<p>I’ll take Southwest over any airline. My philosophy is that happy employees are paying attention, so I think they’re more likely to notice problems that really annoyed employees on other airlines. I regularly swear to never set foot on this or that other airline after a particularly unpleasant experience, ranging from delays, to lost luggage, to cancelled flights for no apparent reason, to just general obnoxiousness. </p>
<p>I believe other airlines have had engines fall off, parts come off, engine fires, mechanical failures, etc. So none are immune. And wasn’t it Jet Blue that kept passengers imprisoned for hours on the tarmak?</p>
<p>Contrast tango14’s experience with mine on one of the major carriers (which shall remain nameless). Wide-body plane was held on the tarmac for two hours … no reason given. Initial destination was one of those airports where almost no one gets off. Three hundred passengers anxious about their connecting flights. Throughout the flight the crew reassured passengers that every effort would be made to hold connecting flights. But at touchdown the stewardess comes on and says ALL connecting flights have left … you’ll all be rebooked on flights tomorrow morning, and there will be an agent (one! … for 300 passengers) to help you with rebooking. No hotel, no voucher, no apology. And for frequent flyers, no surprise.</p>
<p>Well, Southwest did nothing for our family of four on Sunday after stranding us. No vouchers, no hotel, no apology, and we paid for our own rental car to drive home instead when it became clear that there were no Southwest seats for at least two days on our route.</p>
<p>“I made it safely to my destination without any surprise sunroofs!”</p>
<p>That is good to know. This is probably mostly needless worry, but getting a surprise sunroof at 36,000 feet isn’t something we usually ever think about!</p>
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<p>I wouldn’t be surprised if you receive vouchers in the mail in the next couple of months. Three years ago, D2 and I were stranded in Philadelphia due to a regional computer outage with air traffic control for the entire east coast. After we finally left the gate, we had to return due to unruly (drunk) passengers who were taken off by the Philadelphia police. At that point, it was too late to depart as we wouldn’t arrive at our destination before the destination airport closed for the night. Neither event was Southwest’s fault at all, but six weeks later, both D2 and I received vouchers from them for a free RT flight for each of us, totally unsolicited by us. It just showed up in the mail one day.</p>
<p>D’s flight w/her team from SA to Jackson, MS for 12:45 today was cancelled. They were to be put on another to leave at 4:45. It has been delayed to 5:55. I don’t think their problems are fixed yet. They be leaving long after they should have arrived to their destination.</p>
<p>gloworm - it could be weather related (although not to the weather in SA or Jackson). We’ve had horrible fog here in Chicago (which has become a big hub for Southwest) for the last couple of days and flights in and out of both O’Hare and Midway have been cancelled. If your D’s plane somehow originated or was supposed to fly through Midway, I can see how it would get screwed up.</p>
<p>Flights both originating in SA (cancelled and replacement), routed through Houston w/change of plane. </p>
<p>teriwtt,</p>
<p>I live in the area. In my own neighborhood I have barely been able to see the neighbor across the street’s house for 2 days.</p>
<p>I read an article a few weeks ago (before this issue) about Southwest and increased problems in delays. Wish I could find the link but here’s some quotes from a different article:</p>
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<p>Our family has always found Southwest to be very reliable (we’re frequent flyers), but their fares have gone through the roof in the last six months, and I’ve heard about delays and experienced one really bad one. I’m not afraid to fly SW, but now I often get better fares elsewhere. But IMO, air travel in general has been nothing but a pain for many years.</p>
<p>As of a couple of years ago (I’m not sure this is still true), Southwest had a policy of never allowing anyone who was connecting from one Southwest flight to another to miss their connection.</p>
<p>So if the first flight was late, they would hold the second flight until the first one arrived. </p>
<p>Of course, this meant that other flights would have to be delayed so that people from the second flight could make their connections.</p>
<p>Etc. </p>
<p>This meant that as the day went on, Southwest flights got later and later. </p>
<p>Whether this is a good thing depends on whether you’re the person who’s making the connection. On one occasion, I was not the affected person – I was simply trying to fly from Raleigh to Baltimore – a short, direct flight. But the flight was delayed so long that I could have driven from Raleigh to Baltimore and arrived before the plane did.</p>
<p>I think that depends on how many are connecting that flight and if there is a later flight that can accommodate that many people.</p>
<p>During spring break they did delay my son’s flight because the line for security was extremely long.</p>
<p>Thanks, SW! Still not in MS yet. Were supposed to have arrived at 4:45.</p>
<p>I had 2 Southwest flights today and they went smoothly and were on time. The flight attendants were fun and courteous. Travel is not fun, though.</p>
<p>Finally landed! 5hrs. late. I hope Sunday goes better. I also hope mine next week go better.</p>
<p>I fly on Southwest probably 10-12 times a year for almost 15 yrs. I’ve only ever had one significant delay (more than 30 mn) that was not weather related, and most of the flights have arrived anywhere from 10-20 early. And when there is a delay or potential delay, they do keep you updated with the truth (weather, late in-coming flight, air traffic delay). </p>
<p>I was not aware of the policy to not let people miss connections. I have seen them hold flights for a few minutes for a connecting passenger AND his/her bag but usually when it is the last flight of the day and there would be no possibility of another flight that evening.</p>
<p>Right after 9/11 when the security lines were huge and slow, SW agents came through the lines (this was Baltimore) calling out flights and moving people ahead so they didn’t miss their flights. Everyone calmed down because they knew they weren’t going to miss their flight because of security.</p>
<p>I have noticed the price increases, true on most airlines. Nowadays, if you don’t book months in advance and esp. at holiday times, it’s not necessary a lot cheaper like it used to be. However, they still don’t charge for 2 checked bags and there are no change fees if you have to change and cancel which can significantly increase the cost on other airlines.</p>
<p>I regularly exhibit for a small business at various conferences around the country. I’ve found that I can fly with a large suitcase & 2 paper boxes by paying the $50 for that 3rd checked item. By the time I come home, I’m down to the suitcase and maybe 1 box. That’s only slightly higher than what it would cost me to ship 1 box, and I don’t have to pay fees for a company to deliver it to my booth, usually $150-250 depending on the city.</p>