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Southwest

Ohiosam

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
12,034
205
Mahoning Co.
My wife and I were supposed to fly yesterday to visit our son and his family, from Pittsburgh to San Diego with a connection in Dallas. Checked our flight status before we left home and it was good. Got to the Pitt airport over 2 hours before the scheduled time (1pm) of our flight. The line to check bags was long but we got through it, TSA was very fast, grabbed a sandwich at McDs.

Got to our gate about an hour before our flight and as soon we did our flight status was changed to delayed 3.5 hours to 4:30pm. Well that means we’d miss our connection. So me and everyone else gets in line at the desk where there wasn’t an agent. After 30-40 minutes an agent finally shows up along with a bunch of people because they moved another flight to our gate. Someone at the front of the line asked about our flight and the agent said it was cancelled. They did finally publicly announce that our flight was canceled and we needed to go get our bags and if we wanted to rebook we had to go to the front desk where there are 5 agents.

So we get back to the front of the airport about 1:00 and we split up, Monica goes for our bags while I head up to try and rebook. My line was loonnngggg and moved slloowww and things weren’t any better down at baggage claim. The bags show up after 2.5 hours (they never were on a plane) it took almost 4 hours to talk to an agent. Surprisingly he finds us a flight for Wednesday the 28th. The line for the agents was still longer than when I got in line.

We finally got home about 7, went and picked up the dog (Hank thought it was a Christmas Miracle that I picked him up the same day 😂) and went to bed early because I was exhausted. Woke up about 4am with a text from Southwest that our flight for the 28th was cancelled 😡

Southwest is a complete fustercluck right now. We were lucky, we were home trying to go away, most were away trying to get home. Some checked other airlines and were looking at several thousand dollars per person to get home. One old couple was seriously considering buying a car to drive to LA.
 
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Ohiosam

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
12,034
205
Mahoning Co.
At Pittsburgh I only saw Southwest cancel flights yesterday. I’m not saying no others were canceled but I didn’t see it and no other airlines had lines at ticketing. News is reporting Southwest has cancelled most Flights through New Years. Other airlines aren’t doing that.
 
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Gern186

Gern186

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,451
215
NW Ohio Tundra
I'm convinced driving to almost any location is more reliable than flying right now. By the time you show up to the airport 2 hours early and take chances on delays and cancelations, renting a car when you get to your destination and dealing with all the headaches and delays, you could have just driven your own car and arrived at the same time.
 
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Wildlife

Wildlife

Denny
Supporting Member
5,396
191
Ross County
Going all the way back to early 2000s, I made that decision that driving and shipping equipment was by far faster and more convenient than flying when it came to work travels, which carried over into any personal travels as well. I still fly today occasionally, but I absolutely hate it! I am not afraid of heights or flying too.

EDIT: This pertains mainly for any travels of mine to eastern states and Midwest states. If I had to head West, beyond the Mississippi, I would typically fly, to save time. So, any west states in general, those jobs required to me to fly.

Trying to fly out of Florida just before the hurricane IAN, going through security was an experience that changed me for life regarding what in the hell is going on in our country? Yeah, I won't be flying anytime soon for any personal reasons if I can help it. That's just me though...
 
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B

Bowkills

Well-Known Member
2,577
85
Nw oh
We were going to head to florida saturday the 24th to my parents condo and stay this week. It got cancelled the 23rd. I told my father who set up the tickets dont even try to rebook for us. The two of them couldnt get a flight until this thursday. It just got cancelled this morning. We are all just lucky we got notice before going to the airport.
 
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Jackalope

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
39,175
274
Ohiosam said:
My wife and I were supposed to fly yesterday to visit our son and his family, from Pittsburgh to San Diego with a connection in Dallas. Checked our flight status before we left home and it was good. Got to the Pitt airport over 2 hours before the scheduled time (1pm) of our flight. The line to check bags was long but we got through it, TSA was very fast, grabbed a sandwich at McDs.

Got to our gate about an hour before our flight and as soon we did our flight status was changed to delayed 3.5 hours to 4:30pm. Well that means we’d miss our connection. So me and everyone else gets in line at the desk where there wasn’t an agent. After 30-40 minutes an agent finally shows up along with a bunch of people because they moved another flight to our gate. Someone at the front of the line asked about our flight and the agent said it was cancelled. They did finally publicly announce that our flight was canceled and we needed to go get our bags and if we wanted to rebook we had to go to the front desk where there are 5 agents.

So we get back to the front of the airport about 1:00 and we split up, Monica goes for our bags while I head up to try and rebook. My line was loonnngggg and moved slloowww and things weren’t any better down at baggage claim. The bags show up after 2.5 hours (they never were on a plane) it took almost 4 hours to talk to an agent. Surprisingly he finds us a flight for Wednesday the 28th. The line for the agents was still longer than when I got in line.

We finally got home about 7, went and picked up the dog (Hank thought it was a Christmas Miracle that I picked him up the same day 😂) and went to bed early because I was exhausted. Woke up about 4am with a text from Southwest that our flight for the 28th was cancelled 😡

Southwest is a complete fustercluck right now. We were lucky, we were home trying to go away, most were away trying to get home. Some checked other airlines and were looking at several thousand dollars per person to get home. One old couple was seriously considering buying a car to drive to LA.
Click to expand...


Now the real question is did they cancel your flight to give your inbound plane to the people they sent to your gate? I caught Delta doing that once, they gate changed a group of about 20 of us going back to Ohio and then canceled it, I went back to the original gate and they had about 80 people there going to a different city. I always kept an eye on the inbound flight because that's the best way to know when your flight is actually going to board. I asked to speak to management and told her I know they canceled our flight of 20 so they could give the plane to those 80 passengers.. She denied it until I showed her the inbound flight tail number and had her read the tail number off the plane at the gate that was boarding passengers. I ended up getting rebooked and refunded, plus meal vouchers. I promptly went to the gate where my fellow passengers were and let them know they were entitled to compensation.

Each airline used to have a passenger bill of rights that spelled out compensation for cancellations not due to weather or mechanical. Anymore they all suck so bad they've gotten rid of that though.
 
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Jackalope

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
39,175
274
Gern186 said:
I'm convinced driving to almost any location is more reliable than flying right now. By the time you show up to the airport 2 hours early and take chances on delays and cancelations, renting a car when you get to your destination and dealing with all the headaches and delays, you could have just driven your own car and arrived at the same time.
Click to expand...

They say the break-even is usually about 10 hours. An hour to the airport, two hours early, 2 hour flight time, layover, another flight, baggage claim, rental car pick up, drive to a destination. Anything with less than 10 hour drive time and you might as well drive. The difference is do you want to be stuck in a car for 10 hours driving, or moving around with amenities?
 
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Jamie

Jamie

Senior Member
6,100
189
Ohio
giles said:
How about an Alaskan Yukon moose hunt? Kodiak bear hunt? Shooting wolves from a helicopter?
Click to expand...
even the most hardline stances must have reasonable exceptions. Much of the bullshit that goes on with airlines today is a direct function of what airports you are using, what airlines you are using, and the time of year you are traveling. I'd try to swim to Kodiak Island before trying to fly across this country at Christmas.
 
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giles

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
47,278
228
The real Amish country
Jamie said:
even the most hardline stances must have reasonable exceptions. Much of the bullshit that goes on with airlines today is a direct function of what airports you are using, what airlines you are using, and the time of year you are traveling. I'd try to swim to Kodiak Island before trying to fly across this country at Christmas.
Click to expand...
I'm not going to lie. It has been pretty miserable and this will likely be a one time deal. I am NOT looking forward to the return trip home.
 
Ohiosam

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
12,034
205
Mahoning Co.
Jackalope said:
Now the real question is did they cancel your flight to give your inbound plane to the people they sent to your gate? I caught Delta doing that once, they gate changed a group of about 20 of us going back to Ohio and then canceled it, I went back to the original gate and they had about 80 people there going to a different city. I always kept an eye on the inbound flight because that's the best way to know when your flight is actually going to board. I asked to speak to management and told her I know they canceled our flight of 20 so they could give the plane to those 80 passengers.. She denied it until I showed her the inbound flight tail number and had her read the tail number off the plane at the gate that was boarding passengers. I ended up getting rebooked and refunded, plus meal vouchers. I promptly went to the gate where my fellow passengers were and let them know they were entitled to compensation.

Each airline used to have a passenger bill of rights that spelled out compensation for cancellations not due to weather or mechanical. Anymore they all suck so bad they've gotten rid of that though.
Click to expand...
I use flighaware . Our plane was to go Hartford-Baltimore-Pitt-Dallas. It made it to Baltimore but that seemed to be it. The was a 737 parked at our gate when we got there, not sure what the deal with that was. I can’t emphasize enough there was NOBODY from Southwest to talk to about anything.
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
39,175
274
Ohiosam said:
I use flighaware . Our plane was to go Hartford-Baltimore-Pitt-Dallas. It made it to Baltimore but that seemed to be it. The was a 737 parked at our gate when we got there, not sure what the deal with that was. I can’t emphasize enough there was NOBODY from Southwest to talk to about anything.
Click to expand...
Awesome. Good app.


As for people. Wouldn't you find other shit to do too.😅

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Gern186

Gern186

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,451
215
NW Ohio Tundra
Jackalope said:
They say the break-even is usually about 10 hours. An hour to the airport, two hours early, 2 hour flight time, layover, another flight, baggage claim, rental car pick up, drive to a destination. Anything with less than 10 hour drive time and you might as well drive. The difference is do you want to be stuck in a car for 10 hours driving, or moving around with amenities?
Click to expand...
That is exactly what I've estimated. We travel to Hilton head south Carolina more than anywhere else. Add in 350 to 500 dollars for renting a car for the week when you get there you're only out about 2 hours of your own time...and then you have your own car there.
 
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