We took two week long trips in 3 weeks so I'll have some trip reports to share. But, we just got back from Grand Cayman and we got caught up in the Fort Lauderdale disaster. Our flight from Grand Cayman was scheduled to stop in FLL with a nearly 4 hour layover, then continue to Chicago. We took off uneventfully from Grand Cayman then nearly landed in FLL but then began circling the airport like 4-5 times, for over an hour, until we finally had to divert because we were out of fuel.
Diverted to Orlando where we were explicitly told we wouldn't be able to get off because it was an international flight and we were not going to an international gate, we were just landing to be fueled and then were to head back to FLL. This cabin crew was something else "Don't even look for a flight out of Orlando, you are NOT gonna be allowed to get off," one of the FAs says over the intercom. Well of course we land and the pilots time out... and lo and behold, they are somehow magically allowed to get off the plane and clear internationally. Then we wait on the plane for new pilots. All this while I hadn't fed my kids since breakfast because I knew I had that darn four hour layover and I'd planned to feed them multiple times during that long layover and I didn't think I needed copious snacks for an hour flight. Well, big lesson learned there. So then finally they come on and say that the tower in FLL has no power so the airport is closed indefinitely. So then we deplane in MCO with basically zero information on how to rebook. Self service options online weren't working. That's where all the cc annual fee perks started kicking in:
- Had used an reimbursed EBCI which allowed us to sit near the front of the plane, which meant we would be able to get to an agent quicker than others at the back of the plane
- Global Entry for the whole fam whisked us past the mobs of people trying to clear
- We only travel with carry-on baggage, so no waiting for baggage to unload
- I ran to the Southwest check in counter while DH got the kids food. Initially waited in the wrong line and then had to go wait in another line at the actual "help desk." Was able to get rebooked to our local airport rather than Chicago, which is further for us. But got C53-56 boarding positions. Paid for upgraded boardings and got A1-3. I had the right SW cc on me which reimburses for upgraded boardings and even had the card marked- it helped being prepared.
All in all, though, it was really stressful. My sister's fam was traveling with us and they didn't have any of those perks and waited in line for hours and there were hoards of people behind them. This really should have been something that could have been easily achieved online through self service.
While I recognize that this was weather related, then airport system failure (due to weather), I feel communication and assistance was really poor from SW. If I wasn't an experienced traveler or even knew to upgrade my boarding position, after a terribly stressful travel day, we would have been totally separated from our kids, one of who was already in tears from the stress. EBCI glitched on one leg, before the whole diversion, etc (I think
@CyndiLouWho reported on this as well) DH and I each had EBCI and I got A boarding and he got B60, while my sister didn't have EBCI and got early B boarding. So a total glitch! Then, when we got rebooked to our local airport and got stuck with C53-56, an hour later my sister (luckily) got rebooked on the same flight and they were given B boarding positions. I just can't explain how any of this worked with Southwest.
In the end, we did get home and actually about the same time as we would have otherwise, just with a lot of stress. Anyone have experience with SW issuing LUV vouchers when it's weather related?
ETA: I just reread this and it sounds so whiny. I have so, so much to be grateful for and I don't mean to come off that way. Just stressful and stressful for my kiddos.