Fly Southwest? Oh yes!

[fdcg27]

We've just returned from a trip CLE-LAX.
We flew Southwest for the first time in ten years because the flight times worked for us and the fare was really reasonable. The free checked bags were a nice bonus.
What a pleasant surprise it turned out to be.
Drink service was repeated throughout the flights and snacks were offered freely.
The FAs were quite pleasant and seat pitch was better than what you get on the typical legacy carrier.
The boarding process was quick and with free checked bags, we had plenty of bin space for our carry-ons.
Every other airline has gotten worse IMHO, while this one hasn't changed.
We had a -700 CLE to PHX, a -800 PHX to LAX and -700s on our two returning legs.
All flights were on time and our checked bags made it without issue.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Did the stewardesses sing any songs for you? Sometimes the
pilot or co-pilots will come out and chat with passengers too.


I wish we still had carriers like National around, if you know what I mean

 

[JHZR2]

Yeah, southwest isn't bad on the flight, but the boarding is a bit odd if you're not a frequent flyer or pay up.

I took jet blue not too long ago for the first time... I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleased, especially for the free wifi almost across-country...

 

[wrcsixeight]

I prefer to fly Southwest, even if it not the cheapest.

I will usually pay the extra 15 dollars per leg to get an earlier boarding number, as I want a window seat in the front of the plane and it is worth it for me.

If one checks in exactly 24 hours before their flight is scheduled to leave, then one can get a pretty good boarding number, but if you do not check in early and print up your boarding passes in the airport, expect to be among the last allowed to board the plane and be stuck in a middle seat.

If one pays the 15$ each leg, it does not matter when one checks in. My last boarding numbers were A 24 and A27 and only about 10 people walked on the plane before me.

I never check bags, but it is nice that they have free checked baggage as that way people are not trying to hoard all their luggage and stuff it into the overhead bin.

The boarding and deplaning are my most despised parts of travelling, as each person seems to not consider their dawdling as affecting anyone else.

 

[EdwardC]

Living in Chicago, United and Southwest are my main airlines, but I fly Southwest just enough for work to maintain the A-List status, getting me the early check in. I'm a big fan of the airline overall. I could see it being a little confusing for those that are used to an assigned seat, but I understand and like it.

The free checked bags really helps free up bin space and boarding time.

 

[CKN]

I will not under any circumstances fly an airliner where I don't know where my seat is going to be prior to boarding. I don't care what it costs.....

 

[RhondaHonda]

I fly Southwest whenever I can. It helps that we charge almost everything on a Southwest Visa and get quite a few free flights.

Great customer service, free bags, and drink coupons in the mail. What more can you ask for?

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: RhondaHonda
I fly Southwest whenever I can. It helps that we charge almost everything on a Southwest Visa and get quite a few free flights.

Great customer service, free bags, and drink coupons in the mail. What more can you ask for?


Service to the cities that I want to go to, perhaps?

 

[fdcg27]

Flying US domestic, WN will take you to all cities of any decent size.
Southwest does not serve destinations that can't support at least three 737s a day, does not contract flying to regional operators and does not sell codeshare flights.
Southwest also has no change fees, unlike the two hundred bucks charged by the other large domestic carriers.
Southwest can't interline you, but interline agreements are slowly fading away in any event. The AA/DL split is only the beginning. Southwest does have the network capacity to flow you through their system, though, in the event of cancellations and delays.
When you book WN, you get a WN aircraft with a WN crew and WN ground handling.
Can't say the same for UA, DL or AA.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: RhondaHonda
I fly Southwest whenever I can. It helps that we charge almost everything on a Southwest Visa and get quite a few free flights.

Great customer service, free bags, and drink coupons in the mail. What more can you ask for?


Service to the cities that I want to go to, perhaps?


You live in a small city on the coast so fewer flights through Norfolk/Virginia Beach than we have in flyover country. There's only a dozen or so destinations out of Norfolk non-stop. Southwest flies big planes and there isn't the demand to make it profitable.

I primarily fly to Naples, Denver, and Milwaukee from St. Louis and those are all non-stop for me on SWA.

 

[Astro14]

Southwest has decent service out of Norfolk. I've flown on them.

However, when my wife and I went to Stuttgart, or London, on vacation. Or when I needed to go to Japan, Bahrain, Germany, Finland, Poland, etc. for work...SWA just wasn't really an option...and being upgraded to business class sure is nice...

And I often fly to Vermont. Every month, in fact. But SWA doesn't serve BTV. They fly to MHT. And when I price shop, UAL gets me to BTV for a much lower price than SWA gets me to MHT, and MHT is an hour and a half farther from where I go.

So I don't fly SWA very often. They don't fly where I want to go. And they're often more expensive, despite the myth...

 

[Astro14]

I should point out that DAL serves ORF with 757 and A320 aircraft. UAL is bringing 737 and A320 aircraft to ORF and BTV.

You'll see the majors "up gauge" a lot of cities over the next few years.

The economics that once supported outsourcing to RJs aren't there anymore.

 

[fdcg27]

You're right on every count.
If you're headed to Europe or Asia, it isn't happening on Southwest.
Southwest is also not always the least expensive choice for the destinations they fly to.
You're also correct in noting that we're seeing more mainline flying from DL, AA and UA, although there are still plenty of contracted routes from all three and the current outlook for fuel prices will extend the lives of those aircraft that come in under the scope clauses of these carriers, although I have no problem with flying on regional aircraft. It may be a pilot shortage that sees the regional aircraft headed for the desert.
Heck, DL will replace a bunch of contracted flying with the ex-AirTran MD-95s (717s) they leased cheaply courtesy of a Southwest that apparently regards any type other than a 737 model to be the spawn of the devil.
Still, we had a good flight on Southwest with a very reasonable (cheap) fare and good in-flight service.
UA was actually cheaper with a non-stop CLE-LAX, although not by much and seat pitch in the back of a UA Airbus is pretty tight. IIRC, the aircraft would have been an A319.
The only return on UA that would have worked for us also involved a connection through IAD and I dislike flying through an airport way out of the way that's also subject to the potential for bad winter weather, which is not often the case for the return through LAS on WN.
At least there are still four large carriers, although I liked it better when there were seven.

 

[HerrStig]

The new "Cactus" 737s actually have leg room for other than legless midgets. Finally. Has a ride in one to BAL recently, it's almost big enough to be called an airliner.

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: CKN
I will not under any circumstances fly an airliner where I don't know where my seat is going to be prior to boarding. I don't care what it costs.....


I agree with you. I am a firm proponent of service. I'm old school. If I pay for a flight, I expect my seat to be reserved, waiting for me. I don't like boarding an aircraft like I am a member of the heard loading a cattle truck.
That said....I do everything I can to avoid flying anymore. With the lack of great service and the general discourteous nature of the passengers...as well as being treated as a potential terror suspect by the TSA morons, I will drive or skip it. Flying to me is one of the most unpleasant of modern day experiences...and this is from a person that works in the aircraft industry and loves airplanes.

 

[JustinH]

Yeah, domestic flying has lost its luster for me as well.

About 15 years ago I was a boy, I would travel to California from New York with my mother, to visit family. We would fly Delta usually, they would have a hot meal, a movie (on VHS Tape), and earbuds, and blankets. Free soda and water/coffee.

Remember that period in time when people would complain about airline food? They got their wish, we have nothing now. I remember just getting a basic chicken breast, veggies, and rice. It was fine for me. This was also free.

Southwest has never done me wrong. I prefer to sit in the very first seat and there is a ton of legroom. I had one issue with a passenger on a southwest flight, and I called their customer service. They comped that leg of the flight no questions asked. I never complain about anything, but this was necessary.

We try to fly JetBlue if the cost is similar. Their $7 snack box is very good, has olives, hummmus, crackers, and other goodies. They offer a few different snack boxes, and I feel like just having something to eat and a blanket makes me feel better about the airline. Also in air TV for each customer is great. My last trip I watched football playoffs live while flying to New York.

So, our next trip we are going to Denver. We paid $79 round trip from Austin on Frontier airlines. I have never flown them, just thankful that it is a short flight.

 

[KD0AXS]

Originally Posted By: JustinH


So, our next trip we are going to Denver. We paid $79 round trip from Austin on Frontier airlines. I have never flown them, just thankful that it is a short flight.


Wife and I flew MSP-DEN and back on Frontier a few years ago. Seats were reasonably comfortable, FAs were friendly, and the complimentary cookies and soda/juice were plenty for a two hour flight. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to fly with them again.

 

[MNgopher]

Hate to say it, but that Frontier airlines is long lost in the rear view mirror. Stuck in a 3-way dogfight for supremacy in their Denver hub with United and Southwest, Frontier was the loser.

As such, they have completely changed their business model. In the last few years they have since transitioned to a ultra low cost type carrier, similar to Spirit. The comfortable seats are gone, legroom has been tightened up, the tray table is now the size of a postcard (unless you pay extra for one with a real tray table), you pay for seat assignments, you pay for carry on bags in the overhead, pay for food and beverage, pay for this, pay for that... well, you get the idea.

I'll put it this way, I chose to fly them in September, and they got me to Denver and back dirt cheap. Also swore I wouldn't put my family through the same unless there wasn't another reasonable option (which fortunately on MSP-DEN there is - with Delta, United, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit periodically, and Sun Country back in that mix all flying direct)

Works fine if you pay attention to what costs what and do your homework - and expect a basic, no frills bus ride. Your mileage may vary...

Me, if the airfare isn't insane, I'll take Southwest anytime.

 

[fdcg27]

We have the news on in the background.
There was just an ad for one of the deep discount airlines promoting some ridiculous fare to FL.
Never mind that only a half a dozen seats will actually be sold at this fare and ignore the fact that all you get for this fare is a seat assigned at random.
Forget that you'll be paying for all of your bags, even your carry-ons.
Never mind that you'll even have to pay some absurd price for some water should you get thirsty.
You can fly to Florida from DAY for $64.00!
The kind of people this will attract are those who rarely travel and have no idea what they'll actually end up spending or what options they might have.
The simple fact is that it costs a certain amount of money to operate a flight from A to B.
No airline has significantly lower costs that any other airline, so the really cheap fares are typically only the beginning of what you'll pay.
The final insult is that the hapless travelers' rebook option are typically non-existent. If the plane doesn't show up, goes tech or is delayed overnight for any reason, the traveler is out of luck.
The real cheapo airlines have neither the network nor the fleet to help recovery when a flight ends up cancelled for any reason.
I've heard so many stories from so many travelers who ended up spending more flying on some supposedly cheap, "unbundled" airline rather than one that doesn't promote itself as being quite so cheap.
DL, AA and UA will at least give you a free drink and won't charge you for carry-ons, while Southwest won't charge you for bags at all and will throw in some snacks with the free drinks.
These carriers also have enough fleet and network strength that they can usually get you where you need to go without any huge delays. There are even interline possibilities in many cases for AA, DL and UA, although not Southwest.
Bottom line is that the larger carriers can usually get you where you're going, which cannot be said of the really cheap operators.
In airline service, as with anything else, you do get what you pay for.
The bottom feeding airlines and travelers aren't helping the industry.

 

[MNgopher]

Realized I didn't add to why I do like flying Southwest.

Upfront pricing is nice. No need to figure out how many bags I'm taking with to figure out what my true cost is (an no need to have a branded credit card to get that for free either).

The boarding process actually works pretty well. I don't have to have a defined seat. The fact I have a seat is all I really care about. After that, knowing how the system works (always check in at exactly 24 hours prior to departure) will nearly always result in a boarding number high enough to get your pick of a window or aisle seat. In the 30+ Southwest flights I've been on, that's always held true for me.

They've also had decent customer service for me. I'm not one to complain, but when I have, they have more than taken care of me. Their flight attendants and pilots have always gone out of the way to take care of my kids when they fly with us too - much more so than any other carrier we've flown on (includes Delta/Northwest, United, Frontier, and Sun Country).

Things like that keep us coming back.

Of course, I have not been caught in IRROPS yet, where the lack of interlining could hurt. Only ever had that happen once, on Sun Country, and there is another example of airline that worked hard to make the best of a bad siutation (when DIA was closed for several days before Christmas many years back - but that's another story...)