Old Main said:

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The Department of Transportation tweeted that they will be investigating Southwest Airlines over everything that has transpired since the 23rd. Not a good look when the Feds have to get involved.

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They need to. This is just unacceptable. They're canceling flights throughout the week because they, as a company and operation, have imploded. Not because of weather, because of incompetence. There needs to be serious customer compensation at this point, though there likely won't be.

Financial perspective on this:

Quote:

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This event could cost more than a half billions dollars, wipe out a large portion of their 2022 profit and send their stock price down sharply as soon as Wall Street digests what is happening. The only saving grace for LUV right now is most of the airline industry analysts are not in the office this week

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2wealfth Man said:

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Financial perspective on this:

Quote:

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This event could cost more than a half billions dollars, wipe out a large portion of their 2022 profit and send their stock price down sharply as soon as Wall Street digests what is happening. The only saving grace for LUV right now is most of the airline industry analysts are not in the office this week

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Lol at this part. No one that owns with any size is waiting for the sell side to get back into the office to add up the damage.

djmeen95 said:

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So looks like my Wednesday flight is indeed cancelled.

Fingers crossed that Avis doesn't somehow botch my rental.

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SWA cancelled a coworker and I out of MAF in October and we extended our Avis to drive and return in HOU. Avis will for sure rack on a hefty extension charge, but better than getting stuck at Pepoers at MAF for several days

^^^^^. Whoa, get your ass to work or GTFO !!!

if that email was effective back to 12/21, this has been coming for days ... yikes.

jetch17 said:

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if that email was effective back to 12/21, this has been coming for days ... yikes.

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And if that has been the case, Southwest Airlines is in even deeper **** than they already are.

Wow. If this is revealed to be triggered at least in part by an organized but unannounced sick out by their unions at key locations, the Biden admin is going to have an interesting battle on their hands between DOT wanting to figure out the root cause and prevent it from impacting passengers like this again and DOL wanting to protect the unions as a core dem constituency.

Interesting proposition. They may say see ya and just go work for another airline?

That was from Reddit fwiw - there seem to be several ground ops & pilots giving some 'behind the scenes' looks at the cluster

txags92 said:

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Wow. If this is revealed to be triggered at least in part by an organized but unannounced sick out by their unions at key locations, the Biden admin is going to have an interesting battle on their hands between DOT wanting to figure out the root cause and prevent it from impacting passengers like this again and DOL wanting to protect the unions as a core dem constituency.

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not sure if it was organized; but there for sure was some degree of broad knowledge across the employee base that all hell was fixing to break loose

jetch17 said:

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djmeen95 said:

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So looks like my Wednesday flight is indeed cancelled.

Fingers crossed that Avis doesn't somehow botch my rental.

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SWA cancelled a coworker and I out of MAF in October and we extended our Avis to drive and return in HOU. Avis will for sure rack on a hefty extension charge, but better than getting stuck at Pepoers at MAF for several days

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I'm stuck in Denver and looking at this option. I currently have a rental car that was supposed to be turned in today, obviously can't do that since my flight was canceled.

I can't get anyone on the phone at the rental company (Alamo), at any location. Can I just drive it back to Houston and drop it off at the airport location here? I know I'm looking at a fee to do that but it may end up being worth it.

My sons flew out from AUS to PHX Christmas day on SWA w/out issue, but I've noticed the early morning flight from PHX to AUS has been cancelled everyday this week thus far. They are scheduled to take it on Saturday, so fingers crossed that it isn't cancelled.

My wife works for SWA. Its been a massive disaster. Sucks because its been a great company to work at for her. But she works in technology and development and she's been saying ever since she's been there that so many systems are out of date that need to brought up to speed and it still hasn't happened. Too many people at the top that just keep trying to do things the way they were and not adapting.

We both really like SWA. Never had a single issue in our travels with them (compared to other airlines) and we fly quite a bit + the company has always taken care of her. As others have said, this is a massive let down and it'll be an insanely long road to recovery.

She said part of the reason they're operating at 1/3rd capacity is they are using planes to ferry lost luggage and crews as well to try and reset the board.

That's one of the downsides to promoting a CEO from within who has only ever known SWA. They need to have VPs who are transparent and push issues like upgrading outdated systems or changing other protocols if need be.

It's easier to sometime say, "well it has been working for this long..." but now it'll likely happen after a $150M+ expense + damaged reputation.

People's memories are short though. Give it 6 months and folks will book them all the same (assuming they get their act together)

https://www.wsj.com/articles/southwests-troubles-mount-as-airline-scraps-more-than-half-its-flights-11672084678?mod=hp_lead_pos1

Just read this morning. Hoping that all of the posters on here are able to get things figured out

Colossal debacle by Southwest, very disappointing. Me and mine are heading to Denver on Thursday but on United thankfully. Just nervous about baggage

ScottBowen said:

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jetch17 said:

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djmeen95 said:

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So looks like my Wednesday flight is indeed cancelled.

Fingers crossed that Avis doesn't somehow botch my rental.

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SWA cancelled a coworker and I out of MAF in October and we extended our Avis to drive and return in HOU. Avis will for sure rack on a hefty extension charge, but better than getting stuck at Pepoers at MAF for several days

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I'm stuck in Denver and looking at this option. I currently have a rental car that was supposed to be turned in today, obviously can't do that since my flight was canceled.

I can't get anyone on the phone at the rental company (Alamo), at any location. Can I just drive it back to Houston and drop it off at the airport location here? I know I'm looking at a fee to do that but it may end up being worth it.

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go to a NON-AIRPORT location in Denver if you can.

2wealfth Man said:

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ScottBowen said:

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jetch17 said:

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djmeen95 said:

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So looks like my Wednesday flight is indeed cancelled.

Fingers crossed that Avis doesn't somehow botch my rental.

---

SWA cancelled a coworker and I out of MAF in October and we extended our Avis to drive and return in HOU. Avis will for sure rack on a hefty extension charge, but better than getting stuck at Pepoers at MAF for several days

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I'm stuck in Denver and looking at this option. I currently have a rental car that was supposed to be turned in today, obviously can't do that since my flight was canceled.

I can't get anyone on the phone at the rental company (Alamo), at any location. Can I just drive it back to Houston and drop it off at the airport location here? I know I'm looking at a fee to do that but it may end up being worth it.

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go to a NON-AIRPORT location in Denver if you can.

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This or see if you can change the rental return date/location on the their website to see how much this might cost you.

Avis charges $0.29 mile one way drop off usually.

It'd be good to get the rate before you drive of course.

For those that are FlightAware experts - my family and I are supposed be be traveling from HOU to ABQ tomorrow morning on SWA. Flight shows on time in both SWA app and FA. Only problem it shows the inbound on FA from Tampa tomorrow morning canceled (cascading past our flight it shows the plane traveling as scheduled). How often is FA updated and if they do re-route the inbound will it show connected to the chain of flights we are scheduled on? Hope I am making sense.

DuncanAg said:

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For those that are FlightAware experts - my family and I are supposed be be traveling from HOU to ABQ tomorrow morning on SWA. Flight shows on time in both SWA app and FA. Only problem it shows the inbound on FA from Tampa tomorrow morning canceled (cascading past our flight it shows the plane traveling as scheduled). How often is FA updated and if they do re-route the inbound will it show connected to the chain of flights we are scheduled on? Hope I am making sense.

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FA is what I would rely on; they get real time data from flight plans and ATC system; the problem is SWA is not cancelling downstream flights and that is a problem in knowing how the schedule will ultimately play out on a given day.That is a tough one to figure out now. Keep an eye on it as departure time gets closer. They will probably make schedules for tomorrow later this evening depending on how things play out with crew and equipment repositioning today.

Thanks 2wealth Man - I'm just now concerned with what shows to be the inbound plane (out of Tampa) is canceled. No other flight after ours that uses the same plane shows canceled tomorrow.

DuncanAg said:

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For those that are FlightAware experts - my family and I are supposed be be traveling from HOU to ABQ tomorrow morning on SWA. Flight shows on time in both SWA app and FA. Only problem it shows the inbound on FA from Tampa tomorrow morning canceled (cascading past our flight it shows the plane traveling as scheduled). How often is FA updated and if they do re-route the inbound will it show connected to the chain of flights we are scheduled on? Hope I am making sense.

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They are showing 50% of the flights from Hobby to ABQ cancelled, so it seems at least for now that they are planning to fly one flight to ABQ tomorrow. I wouldn't put much stock in what is happening with the inbound flights as they are completely rewriting the script on which planes are going where from now through at least Friday. If you check the other HOU to ABQ flight tomorrow and see that it shows cancelled, I would suspect it means yours will go.

Txags92 thanks! There are only 2 directs to ABQ out of HOU tomorrow and the other is canceled (thus the 50%). Several HOU-DAL-ABQ flights that show on schedule. What a CF!

2wealfth Man said:

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DuncanAg said:

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For those that are FlightAware experts - my family and I are supposed be be traveling from HOU to ABQ tomorrow morning on SWA. Flight shows on time in both SWA app and FA. Only problem it shows the inbound on FA from Tampa tomorrow morning canceled (cascading past our flight it shows the plane traveling as scheduled). How often is FA updated and if they do re-route the inbound will it show connected to the chain of flights we are scheduled on? Hope I am making sense.

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FA is what I would rely on; they get real time data from flight plans and ATC system; the problem is SWA is not cancelling downstream flights and that is a problem in knowing how the schedule will ultimately play out on a given day.That is a tough one to figure out now. Keep an eye on it as departure time gets closer. They will probably make schedules for tomorrow later this evening depending on how things play out with crew and equipment repositioning today.

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This. I watched FA yesterday and saw problems one leg removed from our flights. But our flights were not updating accordingly (and neither was the leg in between). Do not rely on the SW app/schedule!

Made it to Louisiana. I drove the sunrise leg from just east of BHM to Slidell. Took me back to my college days.

AgCPA95 said:

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2wealfth Man said:

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ScottBowen said:

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jetch17 said:

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djmeen95 said:

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So looks like my Wednesday flight is indeed cancelled.

Fingers crossed that Avis doesn't somehow botch my rental.

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SWA cancelled a coworker and I out of MAF in October and we extended our Avis to drive and return in HOU. Avis will for sure rack on a hefty extension charge, but better than getting stuck at Pepoers at MAF for several days

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I'm stuck in Denver and looking at this option. I currently have a rental car that was supposed to be turned in today, obviously can't do that since my flight was canceled.

I can't get anyone on the phone at the rental company (Alamo), at any location. Can I just drive it back to Houston and drop it off at the airport location here? I know I'm looking at a fee to do that but it may end up being worth it.

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go to a NON-AIRPORT location in Denver if you can.

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This or see if you can change the rental return date/location on the their website to see how much this might cost you.

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I tried to extend our Budget rental online yesterday. Website wouldn't allow it, but it did say it would cost $1000. When we got an agent on the phone to do it, the cost was only $600.

May the travel gods smile down on you like they did us.

Keep in mind FA may show your plane inbound but it doesn't necessarily have an update that some pilot from another airport isn't making the connection to fly the plane out...or any crew member that's necessary.

This happens often. Earlier this year my plane was on time, no updates...go to the airport and found out some flight attendant didn't make their connection (or didn't get no minimum sleep requirement) and had to wait.

AgCPA95 said:

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2wealfth Man said:

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ScottBowen said:

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jetch17 said:

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djmeen95 said:

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So looks like my Wednesday flight is indeed cancelled.

Fingers crossed that Avis doesn't somehow botch my rental.

---

SWA cancelled a coworker and I out of MAF in October and we extended our Avis to drive and return in HOU. Avis will for sure rack on a hefty extension charge, but better than getting stuck at Pepoers at MAF for several days

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I'm stuck in Denver and looking at this option. I currently have a rental car that was supposed to be turned in today, obviously can't do that since my flight was canceled.

I can't get anyone on the phone at the rental company (Alamo), at any location. Can I just drive it back to Houston and drop it off at the airport location here? I know I'm looking at a fee to do that but it may end up being worth it.

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go to a NON-AIRPORT location in Denver if you can.

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This or see if you can change the rental return date/location on the their website to see how much this might cost you.

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Alamo (and all Enterprise-affiliated rental car companies) is not answering phones at any location and the section of their website that allows you to change a reservation is blocked out. If it turned out to be 0.29/mile I would happily eat that cost but there's just no way to verify it.

As of now I'm completely stuck. It's self-defeating on their part because right now I have a car that I have no choice but to just hold on to until they can help me make some sort of arrangement.

Can you go to the nearest rental counter? We were on our way to one before we left NY when a Budget agent finally answered the phone yesterday.

ScottBowen said:

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AgCPA95 said:

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2wealfth Man said:

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ScottBowen said:

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jetch17 said:

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djmeen95 said:

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So looks like my Wednesday flight is indeed cancelled.

Fingers crossed that Avis doesn't somehow botch my rental.

---

SWA cancelled a coworker and I out of MAF in October and we extended our Avis to drive and return in HOU. Avis will for sure rack on a hefty extension charge, but better than getting stuck at Pepoers at MAF for several days

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I'm stuck in Denver and looking at this option. I currently have a rental car that was supposed to be turned in today, obviously can't do that since my flight was canceled.

I can't get anyone on the phone at the rental company (Alamo), at any location. Can I just drive it back to Houston and drop it off at the airport location here? I know I'm looking at a fee to do that but it may end up being worth it.

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go to a NON-AIRPORT location in Denver if you can.

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This or see if you can change the rental return date/location on the their website to see how much this might cost you.

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Alamo (and all Enterprise-affiliated rental car companies) is not answering phones at any location and the section of their website that allows you to change a reservation is blocked out. If it turned out to be 0.29/mile I would happily eat that cost but there's just no way to verify it.

As of now I'm completely stuck. It's self-defeating on their part because right now I have a car that I have no choice but to just hold on to until they can help me make some sort of arrangement.

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physically go to the Pena Drive location as you enter the airport

Kid is in BHM waiting for his United flight. All inbound SW flights were already cancelled when he got there. He says the board shows only one or two departures that haven't been cancelled (yet). And there are at least a dozen planes parked on the tarmac.

Anyone Seen a projection for when they'll catch up and return to normal scheduling?

Flight on Jan 2

BudFox7 said:

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Anyone Seen a projection for when they'll catch up and return to normal scheduling?

Flight on Jan 2

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From a SWA employee posting on Reddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SouthwestAirlines/comments/zw32yt/psa_from_a_swa_employee_since_the_company_wont/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Quote:

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Will my flight for X date go out? Next 3 days- plan on a cancellation. 4-7 days- likely to go as scheduled. 7+ days- should see operational recovery.

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