Southwest changing schedules

[CeCe0906]

Sigh, venting here while on a 45 min hold. I had a lovely non stop flight from Austin TX to John Wayne airport, 3 hr flight , leaving at 9:30, arriving at 10:25 ( looks weird, but changing time zones)
Originally, only me and oldest granddaughter were going, and I made our reservations. Then later, my other two granddaughters joined the party, so I made their reservation on the same flight and had to do that on the phone, as they are minors and couldn't have their own reservation. But they were able to link reservations.

Now tonight I get an email, say my lovely non stop has been changed to a 1 stop, and total flight time is now over 6 hrs, including layover and it now leaves at 5:55 am! Sure I can get 3 kids out of bed and to the airport by 5 am, and also made a plane change!!!!!!!!!

So I go online to check for something else, and they have gotten rid of all morning arriving non stops. And nothing any better at long beach either.

So I go online via the link to change to a one stop through Vegas that leaves at a more reasonable time, although with a 50 min layover that I hope doesn't bite me in the butt. So I go to my other confirmation for my second 2 granddaughters, and they say because they are linked to a changed reservation, I have to call. Can't make the change online.

Still on hold.....it was going to be so easy. Get on one plane, not have to worry about delays or missed connections, get in early, get to the hotel, relax by the pool.

 

[China Expat]

They just changed my flight from SFO to BUR from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm. I decided to drive home!

 

[Astylla]

This has been happening on the east coast for awhile , by all airlines due to stafubg shortages not only by airlines but other agencies. It's been a point of contention by many people on the WDW side I've heard fot months especially during spring break.

Just noticed my flight tomorrow from OAK to SNA is delayed by about 10 minutes.
I'm A list with SWA so worst case I can change flights likely at the airport with no charge.

 

[CeCe0906]

This has been happening on the east coast for awhile , by all airlines due to stafubg shortages not only by airlines but other agencies. It's been a point of contention by many people on the WDW side I've heard fot months especially during spring break.

Just noticed my flight tomorrow from OAK to SNA is delayed by about 10 minutes.
I'm A list with SWA so worst case I can change flights likely at the airport with no charge.

It's not just Southwest. I'm going to New York on Delta in June and they sent me a flight change, that had me getting in super late at night. I had to go in an adjust that flight too last week. At least that one remained non stop.
It was really strange, the flight that Southwest shifted me to, doesn't even show up in their schedule as an option. I guess I'll keep checking to see if they add some non stops back in the schedule

 

[Astylla]

It's not just Southwest. I'm going to New York on Delta in June and they sent me a flight change, that had me getting in super late at night. I had to go in an adjust that flight too last week. At least that one remained non stop.
It was really strange, the flight that Southwest shifted me to, doesn't even show up in their schedule as an option. I guess I'll keep checking to see if they add some non stops back in the schedule

Yeah its been ALL airlines for sure.
I've heard mixed things but seems part is pilot shortage , potential labor disputes , many more people finally travelling/able to from international, and airport operations is also taking a hit.

I used to work at an airport for my job employed by the sheriff's office so would see this first hand at the start of everything.
Best thing I cna suggest is having a built in extra day just in case things out of even their control like weather add an extra layer of issues.

 

[gelatoni fan]

For everyone who got a southwest flight changed/cancelled, make sure to check like a week after your trip to see if you got an email for a LUV voucher. I got $100 after a flight got cancelled in January and I had to rebook. I had a flight massively delayed last year and had to contact Southwest to get one.

For my upcoming trip to DL, I'm using a voucher for one way and points on the other.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Our airline just changed our flight for next week too. We were leaving at 10 am and now it’s 7 am. But at jest we’ll get there Mid afternoon. Instead of at kids bed tiMe.

 

[DizMe]

For everyone who got a southwest flight changed/cancelled, make sure to check like a week after your trip to see if you got an email for a LUV voucher. I got $100 after a flight got cancelled in January and I had to rebook. I had a flight massively delayed last year and had to contact Southwest to get one.

For my upcoming trip to DL, I'm using a voucher for one way and points on the other.

Does this hold true for a flight route they dropped? My girls (3 of them) are traveling to Hawaii this summer to celebrate oldest DD's big birthday. They were all booked on a non-stop flight from Sacramento to Kona. SW dropped all non-stops to Kona from Sac and rerouted them Sac-Phoenix-Kona at really terrible times. We were unable to change the flights online and it took FOREVER for the girls to switch to Oakland-Kona nonstop, as the phone hold was over an hour for each of them (each got her own flight). I never heard anything about a $100 voucher.

 

[DizMe]

And yes, we have an upcoming trip to North Carolina on Delta that got changed in both directions, so it's not just SW.

 

[soniam]

Sigh, venting here while on a 45 min hold. I had a lovely non stop flight from Austin TX to John Wayne airport, 3 hr flight , leaving at 9:30, arriving at 10:25 ( looks weird, but changing time zones)
Originally, only me and oldest granddaughter were going, and I made our reservations. Then later, my other two granddaughters joined the party, so I made their reservation on the same flight and had to do that on the phone, as they are minors and couldn't have their own reservation. But they were able to link reservations.

Now tonight I get an email, say my lovely non stop has been changed to a 1 stop, and total flight time is now over 6 hrs, including layover and it now leaves at 5:55 am! Sure I can get 3 kids out of bed and to the airport by 5 am, and also made a plane change!!!!!!!!!

So I go online to check for something else, and they have gotten rid of all morning arriving non stops. And nothing any better at long beach either.

So I go online via the link to change to a one stop through Vegas that leaves at a more reasonable time, although with a 50 min layover that I hope doesn't bite me in the butt. So I go to my other confirmation for my second 2 granddaughters, and they say because they are linked to a changed reservation, I have to call. Can't make the change online.

Still on hold.....it was going to be so easy. Get on one plane, not have to worry about delays or missed connections, get in early, get to the hotel, relax by the pool.

Did you look at LAX? SW tends to have a lot more flights to LAX from AUS. from a fellow Austinite. Which month is this for? I am anxiously awaiting for our May & July WDW and June DLR flights to altered. Good luck

 

[Cal-Pie]

Back in January, I found a great rate on Delta for my October trip. I was hesitant to book that early, but I was glad I did when fuel prices surged. But, I'm worried Delta will change my flight to some ridiculous time and I'll end up having to pay change fees to get something decent. To make it worse, I'm flying out of a small regional airport, so there aren't a lot of options. For those who've seen changes, how far in advance did they happen?

 

[DizMe]

Back in January, I found a great rate on Delta for my October trip. I was hesitant to book that early, but I was glad I did when fuel prices surged. But, I'm worried Delta will change my flight to some ridiculous time and I'll end up having to pay change fees to get something decent. To make it worse, I'm flying out of a small regional airport, so there aren't a lot of options. For those who've seen changes, how far in advance did they happen?

We booked in Jan. and Delta sent us new {changed) flight info at the beginning of April. Our flight is mid-June. I do think most of the change issues arise for those of us who fly in/out of smaller airports.

 

[Bigmace]

We have a trip to Disneyland in two weeks and going to Pennsylvania for wedding in June. ALL OF OUR FLIGHTS have changed and not for the better.

This is on SW, Alaska, & American Airlines.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Does this hold true for a flight route they dropped? My girls (3 of them) are traveling to Hawaii this summer to celebrate oldest DD's big birthday. They were all booked on a non-stop flight from Sacramento to Kona. SW dropped all non-stops to Kona from Sac and rerouted them Sac-Phoenix-Kona at really terrible times. We were unable to change the flights online and it took FOREVER for the girls to switch to Oakland-Kona nonstop, as the phone hold was over an hour for each of them (each got her own flight). I never heard anything about a $100 voucher.

I can't guarantee that you'll get compensated but if you wait a couple weeks and don't get anything, you can go to the website where there is a form to submit a email complaint. Select "flight cancellation". Write a short description of what happened, including the date and flight number, and end it with something along the lines of, "Due to the inconvenience I (we) experienced, I was wondering if I (we) can receive some form of compensation". They may take a couple days to respond. Worst case scenario, they don't compensate you and you wasted like 5 minutes of typing. But there's also a chance of getting $100 or more towards Southwest flights in the next year.

 

[Disney0010]

This is the norm since airlines have returned to service. Our trip to Italy had seven separate flight changes on United. Also, a lot of flight crew have become ill and flights have been canceled due to lack of crew. I don’t see things getting better in the near future.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Agree this is way too 'normal' now, but Southwest used to be much better with it - they would wait longer to post flights, but always seemed to make less changes than other airlines we flew. That is not the case right now. Southwest has made more changes to our flights in the past several months than we saw for 5 years (prior to the pandemic).

 

[PaladinButters]

Southwest has made more changes to our flights in the past several months than we saw for 5 years (prior to the pandemic).

Just chiming in to "second" this. I had never had a flight moved with them before and my last few trips (since the dark times started) every time there's been a major change. Things happen but it's not an acceptable move to turn my four hour nonstop flight into an eight hour flight with a stop in it.

 

[CeCe0906]

Did you look at LAX? SW tends to have a lot more flights to LAX from AUS. from a fellow Austinite. Which month is this for? I am anxiously awaiting for our May & July WDW and June DLR flights to altered. Good luck

We are going in August.

After calming down this morning, I did some more research and found a better solution. Instead of their suggestion or the short layover flight changing planes, I found a SW flight from Austin to Long Beach that is non stop, leaves mid morning, and arrives at 11 am. After another long wait on hold have everyone on the same confirmation now, and everything is set. Looks like the drive from Long Beach airport isn't too much further than John Wayne Airport. Worth the extra 15 min or so, to not have to worry about delays and missing our connection and trying to hurry 3 kids to the next gate. So this way we still have nonstop, and arrive in plenty of time to enjoy the pool before our dinner at Goofys Kitchen to start the Disney Fun. Their other grandma is joining us also but flying in from another state

I was very leery of dealing with LAX on my own with 3 young kids by myself, and have heard the drive during the week midday can take up to 2 hours.

Here's hoping SW doesn't change this one too. They did also change my return flight also, but it was only a matter of less than 30 minutes and still non stop.

 

[jcatron243]

I traveled with 80 people (66 students, 14 chaperones). Alaska canceled the flight out of PDX, the group had to fly out of SEA/TAC. In four different flights, one day earlier. It was a huge mess.

 

[pharmama]

Glad you found a better option! LGB is great- very small and quick to get in and out. Easy trip to DLR from there too.