Southwest Airlines operations meltdown (Dec 2022)

[joelkfla]

An insider said on CNN that part of SWA's problem is that they don't operate out of hubs, but fly a point-to-point network. For example, if I look at flights from MCO to LAX on a random date in January, there are 12 flights offered, connecting at 8 different cities.

That makes it much more difficult to manage planes and crew, and their obsolete systems are not up to the task.

 

[Ryan]

We will of course know more as time passes and adequate post-mortem is done.

I very much hope that this is the case. Living near BWI, they’re almost the only game in town.

 

[Rover]

I have a simple solution for Southwest to be able to know where their crews are... Apple Air Tags for all crew members ! ! !

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

So my friend who is in Providence at the moment is flying home out of Boston via American. Staying with a sympathetic brother on vacation who can schlep you to the airport is a bonus.

 

[jis]

I have a simple solution for Southwest to be able to know where their crews are... Apple Air Tags for all crew members ! ! !

I would be exceedingly surprised if the Unions would agree to something like that. Besides, when they cannot manage simple checkin-checkout, what would cause them to be able to manage something more complex, even if we ignore all of the off duty privacy issues?

Incidentally this has been discussed at some length in the airliners.net thread on the southwest meltdown.

 

[TinCan782]

Meanwhile at Burbank Airport (BUR)...
"CA couple forced to take 8-hour train ride home amid Southwest fiasco: 'We just want to get home'"
https://abc7.com/los-angeles-burbank-airport-southwest-updates-2022-airlines-cancellation/12619988/

 

[joelkfla]

Meanwhile at Burbank Airport (BUR)...
"CA couple forced to take 8-hour train ride home amid Southwest fiasco: 'We just want to get home'"
https://abc7.com/los-angeles-burbank-airport-southwest-updates-2022-airlines-cancellation/12619988/

"forced to take an Amtrak train" ... like that's a bad thing?

 

[jis]

"forced to take an Amtrak train" ... like that's a bad thing?

In many people's mind that is like being downgraded to a Horse and Buggy from a Lexus

 

[AmtrakBlue]

"forced to take an Amtrak train" ... like that's a bad thing?

They probably had to ride in, egads!, coach.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Meanwhile at Burbank Airport (BUR)...
"CA couple forced to take 8-hour train ride home amid Southwest fiasco: 'We just want to get home'"
https://abc7.com/los-angeles-burbank-airport-southwest-updates-2022-airlines-cancellation/12619988/

The Horror!8 Hours on a Train!

 

[Anderson]

They probably had to ride in, egads!, coach.

I mean, it's not like Amtrak has space in the sleepers given all of the equipment sitting at Beech Grove.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I was annoyed with some upcoming flights being cancelled, moved 10+ hours in the wrong direction, getting re-cancelled a second time, and waiting an hour or more to talk to anyone...but that looks like a cakewalk compared to the Southwest fiasco.

The Horror!8 Hours on a Train!

In the past I would have laughed but with the diner closed off and lounge car gone you won't see me spending 8 hours in coach on the TE.

I mean, it's not like Amtrak has space in the sleepers given all of the equipment sitting at Beech Grove.

Exactly. Some people say travelers must not mind the high fares, generic pantry food, and vanishing amenities because the trains are full, but I wonder if such people realize these are shorter trains with fewer cars and sleepers full of staff. I considered taking the train for an upcoming trip but Amtrak wants more for a Roomette across three states than it costs to fly across the Pacific Ocean.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I was annoyed with some upcoming flights being cancelled, moved 10+ hours in the wrong direction, getting cancelled a second time, and waiting 1+ hours to talk to anyone on the phone...but that looks like a cakewalk compared to what is going on with Southwest.


In the past I would have laughed but with the diner closed off and lounge car gone you won't see me spending 8 hours in coach on the TE.

I agree Chris, but in an Emergency it beats the heck out of spending time in a Crowded Airport!

 

[Rover]

 

[Bob Dylan]

We just thought Amtrak's Systems were OFUd! Southworst has to take the Prize for The Worst Technology!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

We just thought Amtrak's Systems were OFUd! Southworst has to take the Prize for The Worst Technology!

It's been years since I flew Southwest but I used to do so regularly and they honestly they had some of the best technology back in the day. They were one of the first major airlines to implement e-tickets back in the 1990's. When I needed to change, cancel, or credit a flight I could do almost everything online without having to call anyone. Eventually other airlines caught up but even today many foreign airlines still require phone calls for common tasks. Unfortunately Southwest vastly outgrew the scalability of their own software and it worked well only when everything else was running smoothly.

 

[Rover]

It's been years since I flew Southwest but I used to do so regularly and they honestly they had some of the best technology back in the day. They were one of the first major airlines to implement e-tickets back in the 1990's. When I needed to change, cancel, or credit a flight I could do almost everything online without having to call anyone. Eventually other airlines caught up but even today many foreign airlines still require phone calls for common tasks. Unfortunately Southwest vastly outgrew the scalability of their own software and it worked well only when everything else was running smoothly.

SW is like..."We were first with a Hi-Fi VHS system, and we're darn proud of it !!"

 

[Rover]

We just thought Amtrak's Systems were OFUd! Southworst has to take the Prize for The Worst Technology!

Who Knew ??

In many people's mind that is like being downgraded to a Horse and Buggy from a Lexus

Airlines have better fights though...

 

[BCL]

Airlines have better fights though...

But they usually don’t stop in the middle of nowhere and call for local LE to remove the offenders. I guess the equivalent would be shoving someone out the emergency exit.

 

[BCL]

I wonder if they can take this back.

 

[jis]

But they usually don’t stop in the middle of nowhere and call for local LE to remove the offenders. I guess the equivalent would be shoving someone out the emergency exit.

If the fights get truly disruptive then they do divert to kick the offenders off.

 

[MARC Rider]

But they usually don’t stop in the middle of nowhere and call for local LE to remove the offenders. I guess the equivalent would be shoving someone out the emergency exit.

Don't they make unscheduled landings to turn troublemakers over to local law enforcement?

 

[Willbridge]

Don't they make unscheduled landings to turn troublemakers over to local law enforcement?

Yes. Denver PD's airport detail is ready.

 

[BCL]

Don't they make unscheduled landings to turn troublemakers over to local law enforcement?

It happens from time to time, but usually I hear about turning back to the departure airport or just continuing to the destination unless they simply can’t handle it with zip ties. Southwest reported did that last week. Looked it up and that was HNL-OAK, so there are no places to land in between.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/passenger-disturbance-oakland-hawaii-southwest/3115885/

 

[Bob Dylan]

Well, today Jan 02,2023 after resuming "Normal Operations", Southworst is once again leading the League in Cancellations and Delays!

SWAs spokesperson attributes this to " The Weather in Denver".