Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[jkelly86]

Lots of flight changes October-December.
I’m not happy with some of the changes around Thanksgiving weekend (3 different airports to FL, all significant changes to direct flights to FL).
We booked when the flights opened and prices have more than doubled. It’s too late to book with another airline now since prices are so crazy for Thanksgiving.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Well, this may well be the first time SW helped me out with a flight changed. Our return in November went from being, "I'd rather we not get in that late on a Sunday before school Monday but it's the best we can do" to getting in at dinner time. Points are double from what I booked, so I doubt I'm getting anything back, but at least the nonstop is actually at a time that I like for a change.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

Lots of flight changes October-December.
I’m not happy with some of the changes around Thanksgiving weekend (3 different airports to FL, all significant changes to direct flights to FL).
We booked when the flights opened and prices have more than doubled. It’s too late to book with another airline now since prices are so crazy for Thanksgiving.

Mine were changed for both November 30th and December 9th.

All of this is probably a result of airport closures, a decline in revenue and a loss in flight crew.

 

[BrightMorningStar]

Lots of flight changes October-December.
I’m not happy with some of the changes around Thanksgiving weekend (3 different airports to FL, all significant changes to direct flights to FL).
We booked when the flights opened and prices have more than doubled. It’s too late to book with another airline now since prices are so crazy for Thanksgiving.

As you know, Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest travel time of the year, hence the crazy rates. Having said that, we have already received over $150 back on each ticket as the prices have gone down since booking in March. Historically, the prices have gone down for Thanksgiving weekend. We have received as much as 65% of our original amount back in flight credits or points. That starts happening around August.

 

[BrightMorningStar]

Well, this may well be the first time SW helped me out with a flight changed. Our return in November went from being, "I'd rather we not get in that late on a Sunday before school Monday but it's the best we can do" to getting in at dinner time. Points are double from what I booked, so I doubt I'm getting anything back, but at least the nonstop is actually at a time that I like for a change.

You will not get any credit of you are able to choose a flight that technically costs more. Sometimes it is a gain for SWA and sometimes it is a gain for the passenger.

 

[kristenrice]

Lots of flight changes October-December.
I’m not happy with some of the changes around Thanksgiving weekend (3 different airports to FL, all significant changes to direct flights to FL).
We booked when the flights opened and prices have more than doubled. It’s too late to book with another airline now since prices are so crazy for Thanksgiving.

Well, this may well be the first time SW helped me out with a flight changed. Our return in November went from being, "I'd rather we not get in that late on a Sunday before school Monday but it's the best we can do" to getting in at dinner time. Points are double from what I booked, so I doubt I'm getting anything back, but at least the nonstop is actually at a time that I like for a change.

Mine were changed for both November 30th and December 9th.

All of this is probably a result of airport closures, a decline in revenue and a loss in flight crew.

Did anyone get an email or push notification of the change?
Our flight for December 10 was changed and now arrives over 2 hours later and I really wanted to arrive around noon. We are currently booked out of GRR (connecting through MDW) and we were originally booked to depart at 7am and arrive at noon. Now, it’s an 8am departure and a 2:45 arrival. I see that there is a flight out of Detroit that departs around 6am, connects through BWI and arrives around noon. I am considering changing to that flight…but it would mean driving to Detroit the night before at an added expense of about $220 (splitting 2 ways, so $110 for me). Would the flight change initiated by SW allow me to change to a different departure airport at no charge? Or would I only be allowed to change from the same airport?

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

You will not get any credit of you are able to choose a flight that technically costs more. Sometimes it is a gain for SWA and sometimes it is a gain for the passenger.

I meant that I doubt the points will go back down far enough that I could recoup a point reduction.

I booked at 15k, it's hovered around 18k since, and now it's at 25k after the time change. While theoretically possible that points will dip down below my initial booking threshold, it seems that this will end up being one of those flights where it was good to book opening day versus the ones where opening day was inflated and you can change to a lower value and get back points in the lead up to to the flight.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Did anyone get an email or push notification of the change?
Our flight for December 10 was changed and now arrives over 2 hours later and I really wanted to arrive around noon. We are currently booked out of GRR (connecting through MDW) and we were originally booked to depart at 7am and arrive at noon. Now, it’s an 8am departure and a 2:45 arrival. I see that there is a flight out of Detroit that departs around 6am, connects through BWI and arrives around noon. I am considering changing to that flight…but it would mean driving to Detroit the night before at an added expense of about $220 (splitting 2 ways, so $110 for me). Would the flight change initiated by SW allow me to change to a different departure airport at no charge? Or would I only be allowed to change from the same airport?

Hubby and I each have confirms on the same changed flight (needed to use points from both accounts to book our family of 5). He got the email, I still have not.

I'm pretty sure your free change wouldn't cover switching GRR to DTW. There are only certain airports that are coded such that you can bop between them (like LAX/BUR/SNA/ONT/LGB in southern Cali) but GRR isn't on the list. Source: https://www.southwest.com/html/swabiz/gds-policy.html

 

[RedHead0186]

Lots of flight changes October-December.
I’m not happy with some of the changes around Thanksgiving weekend (3 different airports to FL, all significant changes to direct flights to FL).
We booked when the flights opened and prices have more than doubled. It’s too late to book with another airline now since prices are so crazy for Thanksgiving.

SW did a ton of changes over the summer too (about a month or so ago). I have six flights over the summer, every single one the flight I was on was cancelled and I was moved to a new flight (as opposed to the time of my flight just shifting a little).

Seems like they're systematically going through their schedule and making major adjustments, month by month and/or season by season.

 

[BrightMorningStar]

I meant that I doubt the points will go back down far enough that I could recoup a point reduction.

I booked at 15k, it's hovered around 18k since, and now it's at 25k after the time change. While theoretically possible that points will dip down below my initial booking threshold, it seems that this will end up being one of those flights where it was good to book opening day versus the ones where opening day was inflated and you can change to a lower value and get back points in the lead up to to the flight.

Oh, I see. Yeah, makes sense, but you never know.

 

[AussieFan8]

We also had a change in flight today. My daughter received a notification but I did not. Disappointing because the flight we originally booked was at the perfect time, but we were still able to get a nonstop only two hours later, so I was grateful. They did give me a points refund for the difference when I called - thanks for that idea! Now hoping our return flight doesn't change...

 

[kristenrice]

Hubby and I each have confirms on the same changed flight (needed to use points from both accounts to book our family of 5). He got the email, I still have not.

I'm pretty sure your free change wouldn't cover switching GRR to DTW. There are only certain airports that are coded such that you can bop between them (like LAX/BUR/SNA/ONT/LGB in southern Cali) but GRR isn't on the list. Source: https://www.southwest.com/html/swabiz/gds-policy.html

Thanks for the info!

I talked to my travel companion and we have decided to fly out in the evening the day before and stay at a hotel near the airport. We are going to switch to a flight that departs at 5pm and lands around 9:30. She wanted to stay at the Hyatt Regency (we've done that before), but I think the Hyatt Place near the airport will be just fine. There is a free shuttle and since we don't have to go back to the airport in the morning (no more DME), we can just take an Uber from the hotel directly to WDW in the morning. We wanted to go to a park on our arrival day and this option will give us almost a full day for only the cost of the hotel. They have a free breakfast buffet so we can fill up before heading out for the day. Plus, the new flight connects through BWI instead of MDW.....I *hate* MDW.

 

[Crescent_Lake]

SW did a ton of changes over the summer too (about a month or so ago). I have six flights over the summer, every single one the flight I was on was cancelled and I was moved to a new flight (as opposed to the time of my flight just shifting a little).

Seems like they're systematically going through their schedule and making major adjustments, month by month and/or season by season.

It makes me wonder what their point is in now releasing dates earlier than they used to. It seems to me like that has only resulted in more changes, adjustments, and cancellations than ever.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

Did anyone get an email or push notification of the change?
Our flight for December 10 was changed and now arrives over 2 hours later and I really wanted to arrive around noon. We are currently booked out of GRR (connecting through MDW) and we were originally booked to depart at 7am and arrive at noon. Now, it’s an 8am departure and a 2:45 arrival. I see that there is a flight out of Detroit that departs around 6am, connects through BWI and arrives around noon. I am considering changing to that flight…but it would mean driving to Detroit the night before at an added expense of about $220 (splitting 2 ways, so $110 for me). Would the flight change initiated by SW allow me to change to a different departure airport at no charge? Or would I only be allowed to change from the same airport?

I received an email for both November 30th and December 9th...different days.

I think it is the same airport only, but you should call them. They are generally very customer focused.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

It makes me wonder what their point is in now releasing dates earlier than they used to. It seems to me like that has only resulted in more changes, adjustments, and cancellations than ever.

This is the first time in all of my December visits I have seen this kind of change. This was said by somebody else, but most likely a result of ending contracts at some airports, poor earnings and a loss of flight crew.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Quick question - they changed my flight home at Christmas. I didn't like the new flight there so I used the free change to pick a different flight. I had purchased Early Bird for both the flight home and the flight back. Does the EBCI transfer to my "new" flight?

 

[focusondisney]

Quick question - they changed my flight home at Christmas. I didn't like the new flight there so I used the free change to pick a different flight. I had purchased Early Bird for both the flight home and the flight back. Does the EBCI transfer to my "new" flight?

It should, as long as the flight was changed & not cancelled. It should show up on your reservations. If you don’t see it, you’ll have to call. It happened to me once in 2021 that they changed us from a nonstop to a connecting flight & it didn’t carry over. The phone agent said our original place in line could not be restored. Eventually the EBCI cost was refunded & had to be rebooked.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

It should, as long as the flight was changed & not cancelled. It should show up on your reservations. If you don’t see it, you’ll have to call. It happened to me once in 2021 that they changed us from a nonstop to a connecting flight & it didn’t carry over. The phone agent said our original place in line could not be restored. Eventually the EBCI cost was refunded & had to be rebooked.

Thanks. I did just change the outgoing flight and it was always a connecting flight so... I had to add EBCI separately from the original bookings for the flights for some reason so I don't see it on the flight itinerary. I guess I'd better go talk to someone.

 

[RedHead0186]

Did anyone get an email or push notification of the change?
Would the flight change initiated by SW allow me to change to a different departure airport at no charge? Or would I only be allowed to change from the same airport?

I got email notifications for each change/flight that occurred. If you have another airport in the same city, you can change to that one. I just checked; my flights are out of Midway; however for the 'affected'/changed flights, I can switch it to fly out of O'Hare if I want. But that would only work for airports in the same city, I think.

 

[Lynne G]

Let’s just say, ugh. 3 and 1/2 hour delay on way down, 5 days later, a 4 hour delay on the way back. Was to arrive at 7:30 pm home, which would have been nice, but no, arrived at 11:45pm, and by the time luggage came out, after midnight. We live an hour and about 10 or so minutes less when that after midnight ride, and my alarm for work went off at 4:30 am. Little to say, I did not get much sleep today.

I am really hoping SW gives some credit for those delays. So far nothing.