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Flight delay

2019DGLD
Explorer C

Just trying to understand the why’s of delays. Example flight tonight is delayed, notification sent around 10am for a 7:40PM flight.  2 path flight with No Delays in first leg. Plane will make my airport on time. 

So why is the flight delayed, the plane will be on the ground on time but we are delayed a full hour.

 

i am tired of being angry (which i am - SW costs me time and money and truely does not care.). Thought if there were any reasonable explanation for what appears to be a planned delay and refusal to honor contractual commitments, it might lower my stress level a little.

 

this happens constantly

10 REPLIES 10

Re: Flight delay

dfwskier
Aviator A

@2019DGLD

 

 

this happens constantly


Yes this happens constantly  --- on all airlines.  I keep my blood pressure in check by just realizing

it is just an irritating part of modern air travel and not letting it bother me.

Re: Flight delay

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

There are soooo many reasons that a flight on any airline could be delayed like this.  I'll try to rattle off a few:

-crew coming in from different delayed flight

-crew rest requirements

-mechanical issue that needs to be addressed at a specific airport

-holding a flight for connecting passengers on a delayed flight

-weather at a airport later on so holding before that destination

-FAA/ATC holds and delays

-swapping plane with another, later flight

 

No airline delays a flight just for fun (except maybe Spirit would do this), so I believe if an airline issues a delay there's a reason for it.  As many of the reasons listed above are for safety I prefer they take the delay and not take any chances.  Airlines contract with you to get you to your destination (ar actually just near it in some cases).  A delay is not a break of that obligation.  In this case ff you ask nicely you may be able to get a small LUV voucher.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

 

Re: Flight delay

bec102896
Aviator A

One thing I learned with air travel is allow time for a delay for example if your attending an event at 7pm I wouldn't recommend booking a flight that is scheduled to arrive at 6:15pm because yes delays happen sure they may be annoying but as stated they usually don't just delay a flight just because and personally  an hour delay isn't too bad it could be much worse like 3-5 hours and maybe on that hour delay you make up 5-30min depending on that padding the airline adds to the flight. 

 

If you would like like to discuss your flight delay with someone at Southwest you can reach out to customer relations at 855-234-4654 or DM Southwest on twitter. 

 

another note when a flight is delayed an hour or more (on SW anyways) you can call and get rebooked on another flight without paying a fare difference as long as seats are available for an alternate flight and  as long as you haven't already checked a bag. 

 

Hope this helps

Blake 

Re: Flight delay

elijahbrantley
Aviator A

I have not experienced this "constantly" with Southwest.  As a matter of fact, I have seen SW be very proactive in delay situations.  A few years ago, SW had a very clear problem with small delays toward the end of the day; it was a widespread issue.  One day, I received a letter in the mail from SW acknowledging the problem, apologizing, and outlining the plan to correct it.  Seemingly overnight, the problem was resolved!  I was so impressed with the company taking ownership!  There was also the time SW gave the whole plane a voucher for a delay or the time held a connecting flight just for me and welcomed me onto the plane by name.  There were the many times SW has comped drinks for the entire plane after delays, and finally there was the time the SW team literally dug our plane out of the snow to get our flight out on time after a "blizzard" in Charlotte.  Ours was one of a handful of planes that went out that day at one of the busier airports in the country.

 

To be fair, I do experience delays on occasion, as any traveler does on any airline.  It sounds like your situation might have to do with crew issues...you may have a plane, but you have to have a crew to operate it, and they might be delayed coming in and connecting.  

 

If you would like to find out more about the specific reason for the delay, the gate agents will be happy to tell you.  You can as reach out to @southwestair on Twitter, and they can ususally provide some context as well.

 

Good luck.

-A List, Companion Pass holder

Re: Flight delay

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@2019DGLD wrote:

Just trying to understand the why’s of delays. Example flight tonight is delayed, notification sent around 10am for a 7:40PM flight.  2 path flight with No Delays in first leg. Plane will make my airport on time. 

So why is the flight delayed, the plane will be on the ground on time but we are delayed a full hour.

 

i am tired of being angry (which i am - SW costs me time and money and truely does not care.). Thought if there were any reasonable explanation for what appears to be a planned delay and refusal to honor contractual commitments, it might lower my stress level a little.

 

this happens constantly


This sounds like potentially a crew issue - the bird is in place, but for some reason can't fly. Sometimes the crew are coming from other destinations to take over your aircraft and might be delayed, or a prior delay causes them to hit their daily limit on hours.

 

Anyway, one pro-tip that may help: Try to fly earlier in the day. It's known issue that any delay in the system may cause subsequent delays and repurcussions - flying earlier in the day minimizes your exposure to that chain of events.

 

The of course it is obvious, but you've chosen connecting flights over a direct flight either due to lack of availability or price, but that incurs a trade-off in risk of delay as well. If time is money, then book more direct flights when direct flights are available.

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Flight delay

StAugustine
Frequent Flyer C

Once sat for 2 hours in the waiting area in BOS because the pilot of our plane was the pilot of a flight into Manchester, NH. The idea was that he would be picked up at MHT by Southwest and whisked to Boston for our flight, a trip that usually takes less than an hour. There was an accident along the way, not thepilot, and it took him 2.5 hours to get to Boston, thus delaying the flight,

 

At least that was the story they told us. 

 

Got comped drinks when we finally took off. 

Re: Flight delay

McG13
Explorer C

Southwest Customer Service is horrible. Flying out of Dallas on a rainy day, with most flights being delayed or canceled except for mine.

 

I called 3 hours prior to departure and was told my flight was still showing scheduled. I called an hour and a half prior to departure and asked if I could be rescheduled because the weather was bad and all other flights were being delayed or canceled. The rep said there was nothing she could do because the flight still showed scheduled.

So I checked my bags and went to the gate.

 

35 minutes before take off, they finally show the first leg of my flight delayed 2 hours, and now departing at 9pm. Totally missing my connection flight to Florida.

 

 

I immediately got in the long line to talk to the desk representative and I simultaneously called customer service. After 30 minutes on hold, the call was disconnected on their end. I finally got to the front of the line after a 45 minute wait.

 

 

I complained to the rep about my previous efforts to reschedule beforehand in anticipation of the exact situation. She said there was nothing she could do to but reschedule me for a flight that was much worse.

 

I get it, it happens, but I tell her I need my luggage which was checked because I packed my back medication. She informs me that since the first leg of my flight was rescheduled and not canceled, they cannot recover my bags.

 

UNBELIEVABLE! I was beyond angry.

I asked for the Customer Service Manager, Christina Garcia. She was equally if not more worthless. She told me there was nothing she could do to help, and I should not packed medication. To which I agreed, but I also should have been able to reschedule my flight when all other flights were being rescheduled. To which she agreed but still could not do anything for me.

 

I am very disappointed Southwest. I tried to avoid a bad situation and it felt like you guys tried to make it worse. Your customer service is useless. Never again.

Re: Flight delay

dfwskier
Aviator A

@McG13 wrote:

Southwest Customer Service is horrible. Flying out of Dallas on a rainy day, with most flights being delayed or canceled except for mine.

 

I called 3 hours prior to departure and was told my flight was still showing scheduled. I called an hour and a half prior to departure and asked if I could be rescheduled because the weather was bad and all other flights were being delayed or canceled. The rep said there was nothing she could do because the flight still showed scheduled.

So I checked my bags and went to the gate.

 

35 minutes before take off, they finally show the first leg of my flight delayed 2 hours, and now departing at 9pm. Totally missing my connection flight to Florida.

 

 

I immediately got in the long line to talk to the desk representative and I simultaneously called customer service. After 30 minutes on hold, the call was disconnected on their end. I finally got to the front of the line after a 45 minute wait.

 

 

I complained to the rep about my previous efforts to reschedule beforehand in anticipation of the exact situation. She said there was nothing she could do to but reschedule me for a flight that was much worse.

 

I get it, it happens, but I tell her I need my luggage which was checked because I packed my back medication. She informs me that since the first leg of my flight was rescheduled and not canceled, they cannot recover my bags.

 

UNBELIEVABLE! I was beyond angry.

I asked for the Customer Service Manager, Christina Garcia. She was equally if not more worthless. She told me there was nothing she could do to help, and I should not packed medication. To which I agreed, but I also should have been able to reschedule my flight when all other flights were being rescheduled. To which she agreed but still could not do anything for me.

 

I am very disappointed Southwest. I tried to avoid a bad situation and it felt like you guys tried to make it worse. Your customer service is useless. Never again.


I feel your pain. I had a friend trying to fly from Dallas to Chicago yesterday afternoon, and he killed hours at the airport before his flight was cancelled. He ended up being on hold with Southwest reservations listening to elevator music for almost 2 hours before being able to talk with someone about rescheduling the flight.

 

The weather forecast was for storms to not get to Dallas until after 7 pm. I presume the airline believed the forecasts, thus the information it gave you. Well, the weather did the unexpected and started showing up at around 3:30 instead.

 

As far as your luggage goes, apparently there was no way to get your luggage off the plane. If that's the truth, and that's what customer service told you, what else could be done?

 

Sorry you ran into travel trouble, but weather is a complicating factor that is completely unpredictable, and most times, totally maddening.

 

 

Re: Flight delay

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Also, while it's not any help to you now, please remember in the future to never pack medicine in your checked luggage -- always keep that with you in your carry on.