Southwest cancels singles

Y'all have read my *itchings about Southwest "revising" our booked flights to Vegas, every flight we've tried to make since the reopening.   Some new info I got might or might not be of interest to anyone.

We travel as a threesome:  Husband and myself, and CR, our friend.  I make the reservations for the three of us, but I make CR's separately (her cc, etc).   This results in different confirmation number for her.  Never a problem before the virus.

I find the perfect dates and flights, make the reservations.  Since the re-opening, surprise, I get email "We have revised your flight itinerary."  Always at least one plane change.  So I go looking again, re-book, re-book, re-book, then DOH! another "revision."  What the???

I recently got the "revised" notice for our previously perfect December flight.  They pick the new flight for you when they do that.  Oh, hell, tired of fighting it, leave it alone, one stop at Love Field, just go with it. 

I wondered why I had not seen a change for our November flight.  Will remain as originally booked?  Fingers crossed.  Nope.

Yesterday CR forwards me a notice from Southwest that they have cancelled, not revised but cancelled her reservation from our November flight.  Not us, just her.  I didn't get that notice.   Whaaa???

What to do?  For various reasons we must fly together.  The rest of the flights showing for that day are terrible, many stops, long hours etc.  Rebooking her or all three of us on that same day isn't an option.

Her 'notice' came with their standard offer she could book any flight (same to/from city) within 3 days of the notice and the flight within 14 days of the cancelled one, and they would honor the fare originally paid.  Except, of course, the flight we are on.  Why????  Keep reading.

I called the SWA call center.  Before I called I found a satisfactory flight for us to be switched to.

The main thing I learned, according to the agent, is that since SWA is blocking middle seats, when they max out the number of passengers for a flight they look for the 'single' flyers, i.e. confirmation numbers, assumming a single reservation means the person isn't traveling with others.  Which of course can be a wrong assumption as in our case.  We three would not mind filling the row.  But they don't know that, don't even know we are traveling together.  Whether this is right...not to me but I don't run the airline.

We got the changes made for all three of us with no fare increase.  Now hope they don't cancel CR's flight again.

CR doesn't check her email but maybe once or twice a week.  If she hadn't check yesterday we wouldn't have known about it and been eligible to rebook at original (much lower) fare.  I've instructed her to check EVERY day until after December! I check mine every day anyway, but I did not receive the notice she got, so I still would not have known.  

I may start booking all three of us on the same reservation, she can pay me for her share.  But that can get complicated...travel funds, gift cards, etc.   

Hope this may be helpful to someone.

Candy

Not sure I understand...if they don't ever sell the middle seats, isn't every remaining seat a "single" seat--as in, none adjacent? Were you told that when the flight is "full," they bounce single travelers? To what end? So that they can sell those middle seats?

I guess if there was a party of three traveling, and they were in 17A, 17C, and 18A, 18A could move to the (previously forbidden) 17B. But I don't see how flinging the (single) guy in 18C out the window would have anything to do with that.

Anyway, thanks for the warning. I'm 10 hours from Vegas and my criterion has always been, if it takes that long or less, I probably get to my ultimate destination (my hotel) quicker by just driving there than if I drove to the airport parked my car waited in line waited in line waited in line rode the plane got off waited in line waited in line waited in line picked up my bag got a cab etc. What you're telling us is yet another reason why I, who would be a solo traveler, shouldn't %^&^$#$ fly. Not just to Vegas. At all!

Southwest doesn't assign seats.  The "leaving the middle seat empty" is a covid strategy by reducing the TOTAL number of passengers, filling the plane minus the number of middle seats.  Other airlines do this, but on Southwest there are no "reserved" seats, just passenger number reduction.  

How people traveling together wish to sit is up to them.   Using Kevin's example, we three could have sat three across in 17A, 17B, and 17C, or spread out to 17A, 17C (leaving 17 B empty) and 17D across the aisle.  Somebody else would probably sit 17 F, leaving 17 E empty.

But apparently they can and will move any passenger to another flight in order to balance seating as needed.  This is what we've been subjected to ever since we started trying to get to Vegas, always the non-stop flights.  We'd book the flights (dates and arrival times), but they'd "revise" us to different ones, knocking us out of our chosen non-stop flights every time.  We'd re-book on other non-stops (different day, only one per day to/from our city), but again we'd get the dreaded "your revised itinerary" email.  Every time, but at least we were all on the same 'different' plane.  This was the first time one of us got flat out "cancelled."  Boo.  Actually I'm quite peeved, the more I think about it.  But business travelers paying the higher fares get priority.  We always book the low fares, so that probably explains...something.

So, somehow, they looked at this flight and said "we need to bump one human from this flight", and since CR was a "single traveler" she sort of lost the short straw contest (though she wasn't involved in that decision, of course,). Its not personal, only business, Fredo.  LOL.

Candy, I've experienced the flight problem with Southwest, but for Thanksgiving, and it's two of us traveling.  First the non-stop departure flight that would take 4 hours on Wednesday turned into almost 8 hours with a stop (didn't even look where the stop would be, because it was unacceptable total traveling time).  Then the return flight which was still non-stop was changed: instead of getting in at 9:00 p.m., I'm getting home almost at midnight.  Although it is still non-stop, it's not exactly what I'm looking for when I have to go to work the next day - I'm not a twenty-something anymore.  Anyway, I changed the arrival to Vegas to the night before - a nonstop flight that'll get me into Vegas at 9:15 p.m.  Not a huge deal, but still a hassle. 

All airlines are doing the same thing, so finding an alternative airline proved to be futile.  The weird thing is the remaining Southwest flights are almost sold out for all price levels.  Seriously - sold out and you're cancelling flights???  Maybe they're doing cancelations hoping public ire will put pressure to increase their government assistance??

Tommy

SW neess to pay for meaks,hotels and a Travel Voucher if you accept their offer qnd arrive late to youe Destination or are forced to leave early. SW decided to bur was not required to block middle seats 

Thanks, Tommy.  Misery does love company.  Our "revisions" weren't quite that bad, but still annoying. In December we arrive into Vegas early evening, not our preference.  And part of the "work" of picking flights includes whether a late night return home is tolerable, as in does anyone have to get up early the next day.  Bummer for you.   Hope your new non-stop into Vegas isn't revised again. 

Thanks, travelplus 1.  That suggests why SWA didn't just "revise" her flight, because the remaining flights showing on the web site were ugly.  6 am departure (too early for her/us) and 8+ hour total travel time, IF all connections had no glitches.  Oh, sure.  LOL.

Candy

But consider---if your flight from Dallas to Las Vegas stops at Little Rock, Richmond, Augusta, Montreal, Sioux Falls, Cheyenne, Spokane, Sacramento, and San Diego, you get to see all those places that you haven't seen before!

"Southwest--see the country! (Whether you want to or not.)"

I personally only fly Southwest. And I always fly nonstop. For my travels they are the best airline out there. You know, or should know the drill, - inexpensive fares, two free checked bags, sit anywhere you like, always on time. I have never had lost luggage. Using the Rapid Rewards credit card allows me to accumulate points for free airfare. I always know what to expect with my flight and have never been disappointed. The only "country" I see is the land below as my flight is being made.

I agree. I've never had a bad/uncomfortable/troubled flight on SWA. I don't fly any other airline if SWA is available. However, I haven't flown (and won't) during the pandemic absent some emergency.

Well, yeah, Matt, only a fool would take an airline trip now unless it was an absolute necessity. The inside of a crowded aircraft is a perfect superspreader environment, even if everyone IS wearing a mask. At least Southwest isn't filling their middle seats, but just think of how many people you come in contact with during the boarding and disembarking processes---not to mention that no matter where you sit, you're much closer than six feet to several people for the duration of the flight.

A lot of people don't realize that social distancing is still vital even if everyone is wearing masks; social distancing is impossible on an airline flight unless the plane is 7/8 empty.

Southwest is an excellent airline to fly, with the exception of their asinine no-assigned-seats policy. And they (so far!!!) check your bags for free.