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FALL 2010--AND THE HOLIDAYS--NOW FOR SALE!

Bill
Employee
Employee

Today we opened for sale our November, December, and early January (2011) schedules for sale.  This includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.  Let the holiday booking frenzy begin! Oh no, ho-ho-ho, c'mon, kids, let's pack and go!

We have numerous frequency changes in this schedule (many of which are seasonal).  They're reflective of the softened demand we experience in the Fall.  (See attached PDF file)  We've also optimized a separate "peak-schedule" schedule--adding back flights on the days that we know will be busier than the norm, like the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  In fact, we're using that schedule on 13 days through this schedule period, which means this schedule development effort was almost like two schedules within one!  And of course we're scheduling everything we can on those "bigger-'n-big" days--the Sundays after Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's--which are our busiest days of the whole year!

This is a complicated schedule change--and a big shout-out to all the Schedule Teams that pieced this amazingly complicated puzzle together!   

Let me know if y'all have questions....and happy booking! 

 

23 Comments
Holly_Bernhard
Explorer C
You "say" you opened up your fares...but I am very disappointed right now because I am tryint to book flights across the country for both major holidays...and your website is down. :(((((((((((( I also received an e-mail from Southwest earlier today saying the fares were open to January 7, only to find out when I tried to book them that they were not yet open. What's going on???? Now they ARE open; however, the website is down so I am getting very frustrated with what has been my best airline for all my travel needs. HELP!!!!! PLEASE!!!!! Thanks for letting me vent!
Anonymous995
Explorer C
It's great that the dates were finally released, but I keep getting errors and the wait time on the phone is over 1.5 hours!!!! Very frustrating!!
Anonymous1687
Explorer C
Can't book online and can't get a call through. Five days for a response to email. Well guess I have to look at another airline.
luvswa1663
Explorer C
I am trying to book flights on Nov 10th... Is everyone else getting an UNKNOWN ERROR message... so frick'n frustrating...
Dan_Web
Explorer B
Well, I am very bummed about PVD losing a BNA nonstop - really hope that comes back. Interesting that BDL all of a sudden gets an FLL nonstop and an increased MCO now that JetBlue has joined that party. I really wonder how long Delta's Florida service from Hartford will last.
Greg20
Explorer C
Recognize it's a large increase in users today b/c of the opened up schedule but expected SWA to be able to handle the server load. Unable to search for flights and pricing.
Ann
Explorer C
I love Southwest. Use it all the time. But what happened this morning. Frenzy I guess is the name for it. I am frustrated because I got allthe way to the end of booking and then could confirm. I've been on line for 2 hours and still can't get on to the site. Help. I was hoping to use a travel award for December.
lmoffat
Adventurer A
Hi Holly! So sorry that you've ran into problems booking your ideal flights this morning. Our Marketing Solutions Team is aware and is trying to fix the problems as quickly as possible. Hang in there--it should be back to normal soon! Laurel
JEANETTE_M
Explorer C
I am trying to book an awards ticket for the new opening dates and ironically that service is temporarily unavaible?? whats up with that....
Jesse1
Explorer C
Ironic that the site is down for booking rapid rewards as soon as the schedule opened. Once it opens the seats will still be very limited anyway. I have tried to get to the reservation without any luck. Feel like my seven rewards are worthless.
Gramcy
Explorer C
Sooooo disappointed in SouthWest! Any other airline I wouldn't be surprised to find this underhanded blocking of award flight bookings but never thought SW would stoop this low.
lmoffat
Adventurer A
Everything should be back up and running again on southwest.com. So sorry for the frustration this caused everyone this morning! Laurel
lindalue
Explorer C
So disappointed with SW. My comments are the same as the others. Finally open up the fall/winter schedule and can't check prices or use award travel. What happened, you were the BEST!
Ansantan
Explorer C
Tried all morning to book tickets for Thanksgiving but site was down. Finally got through on the phone only to find out that every Rapid Rewards seat is gone for both Thanksgiving and Christmas! If the schedule opened up today and the site has been down for RR seats, how did every one go?? Really, really disappointed in SWA -- they dropped the ball this time...
swflyer11
Explorer B
Some interesting additions, Bill. Glad we're hitting holiday capacity additions better!! I'm not surprised folks are having a hard time getting through. It is a little like folks are surprised when Friday and Sunday flights are full. (um, everyone else is off, too). Just heard from a friend who can't get through to Apple to order his iPhone 4. Not a good day for the "Internets". 😉
Virginia111
Explorer C
I had all kinds of problems this am in booking reservations and it kept telling me it would not go throught and than i finally get the reservations booked and guess what i wound with two reservations I called custumer service and they tell me the reservations did not come through yet I have been on hold for 30 minutes and still no response I called chase visa and they cant do anything. I am ve;ry frustated and now I have 2 charges on my bill. what to do!!!
Matt10
Explorer C
Very diappointed with Southwest this morning. The volume of web and phone users should not have been a surpise and SW should have been prepared to handle it. I was able to log in around 10:15, selected all my flights, entered the payment info, and then clicked purchase. I received an error message due to the website volume. I wasn't able to access the reservation system again for another 1 1/2 hours and when I did book the same flights it cost me over $100 more per ticket! I understand that there will be higher volumes, but SW should be able to forsee these spikes and arrange for additional resources to handle the volume.
tusphotog
Explorer A
Hey, how bout some TUS love and let us have our "other" nonstop to MDW back?! Don't tell me I'm going to have to start flying that other AAirline and slog through ORD!
Bill
Employee
Employee
Hi everyone! Let me add to Laurel's comments: I'm SO sorry about today. I have no idea what happened--although we (Network Planning) have been told it's *nothing* that we did with the schedule load itself, but who knows. Marketing (the folks responsible for southwest.com) are still trying to figure out what happened. Everyone knew the schedule opening was coming, but something (apparently significant) happened--I was getting copied on so many emails that I had to keep my iPhone plugged in all day just to keep up. And the irony of my using the sentence "let the holiday booking frenzy begin!" in paragraph #1 is not lost on me. Memo to Bill: stop using potentially self-fulfilling metaphors! I'll keep monitoring comments and responding as needed. Again--we're all very sorry about today's problems!!! Bill
michelle_goodwi
Explorer C
I am sorry everyone had such problems I was sitting at my computer the moment it opened up I booked three sets of tickets for family going various places had no problems. I am always sitting when new openings come so I can be one of te first ones. We have never had a problem over the years. I set like a mother lion watching her cubs.I am up with coffee and info in hand the moment its up I pounce!
Mike_Davis
Explorer C
Providence-Nashville was the only route I dont fly Delta on when I travel to the southeast for work because its non-stop from PVD. I hope you bring ti back soon I've been using that every coulple weeks lately!
Fred_J
Explorer C
Well, Bill. You cut PBI, ISP, MHT, PVD, ONT, OAK, and SEA. And you're forever downing the others one frequency at a time. What's next? This doesn't look like the hometown airline Gary talked about when he came to Nashville and touted 30 cities and 80 flights. It hasn't been 80 flights for a long time. Looks like Delta is the airline who is really the hometown carrier, and it will either be them, the other AAirline, or Frontier's cookies and TV that that get me through my next trip. I'm just not buying it anymore. Sorry.
Anonymous1810
Explorer C
Southwest should really consider taking some 737's to London via Canada like Sun Country is doing at MSP. Chicago and BWI would certainly be good markets for this. Also, speaking of Nashville, their London service with American had great load factors in coach(as simple research on google will provide evidence of) on a 767(it was the first class they were unable to fill which made their money). So, that said, could a 737 all-coach configuration to London via Canada like Sun Country is doing in Minneapolis work in Nashville where American failed?? Might be worth looking at. Pittsburgh and several other cities could really succeed with a plane that size and all coach layout. Something to consider. Hopefully you really will look into it.