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Bumped off direct flight to non-direct with lay over and early departure

caliuser41781
Explorer C

When I reserved 4 seats on day one of a new available season, I got SMF to OGG non-stop.  With one month to go, after having all our vacation planned for 5 months (with hotel booked 13 months ago), we are bumped to a multi-stop flight and although now there seems to be another direct flight, there is only one seat so we don't fit.   We would have to magically get an extra day at a hotel where we have been booked for 13 months!

 

Southwest should pay for an extra hotel night for us to be on the non-stop flight the next day.

 

I am already regretting booking this vacation and trusting SWA would not change the booking.

 

14 REPLIES 14

Re: Bumped off direct flight to non-direct with lay over and early departure

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Southwest has had to make lots of schedule changes. Call or send a private message to Southwest via Twitter or Facebook and ask to switch flights. Unless you already called I'm not sure how you are seeing there's only one seat available. When you see the "Only one left" on a Wanna Get Away fare that only indicates one remaining at that price, not the number of available seats. There may be much more availability than you think and since Southwest made the change you qualify for a free change. You could also get a refund if you would prefer. You could most likely route through other cities too so there are always lots of options. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Bumped off direct flight to non-direct with lay over and early departure

caliuser41781
Explorer C

After waiting on hold for 85 min, swa can provide nothing, other than tough beans and call the corporate office (likely to encounter a 3 hrs hold time)....

 

So what, I had a direct flight under restricted travel occupancy rules, then enough people wanted to join that flight so SWA open a new flight still under those restricted occupancy rules, and now  the occupancy restrictions relaxed so my family and now tough luck for my family?

 

This sucks.

 

=- Formerly a happy SWA customer, now not so much...

 

 

Re: Bumped off direct flight to non-direct with lay over and early departure

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Your assumptions about why this happened are completely incorrect. I'm guessing you called the normal reservation number? Call Customer Relations, they are better equipped to resolve difficult situations, Contact Customer Relations

You didn't provide any details about dates so I can't provide other ideas, but I do guess there are other routes/options available. Flight loads also change throughout the day, everyday so a full flight today can have a dozen available seats tomorrow, especially as the travel date gets closer. Maybe you can move one person at a time if seats open up.

Or you can just say "this sucks", but I think there are more productive options.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Bumped off direct flight to non-direct with lay over and early departure

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@TheMiddleSeat wrote:

 

Or you can just say "this sucks", but I think there are more productive options.

 

--TheMiddleSeat


Did you ask the hotel if they have an extra day available for you? Maybe they will work with you also if none of the flight change possibilities will work. 

 

 

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

Re: Bumped off direct flight to non-direct with lay over and early departure

caliuser41781
Explorer C

On the 888-ifly-swa line the agent repeatedly clearly stated there was nothing she could to help with the situation, nor could she transfer me to anyone who could.   90 minutes of my time that can never be recovered.  I guess people who bleed swa, like @TheMiddleSeat , would already know it's a waste of time to call 888-ifly-swa and just skip to the calling the corporate office instead.  The rest of us noobs just learn the hard way.

Re: Bumped off direct flight to non-direct with lay over and early departure

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Ugh, I'm seriously just trying to help you out. Customer Relations is not "corporate", and yes, they aren't the most widely known group, but they are listed under the contact us options.

 

One last thought, since I am actually trying to help you. Southwest routing to Hawaii is known to be pretty bad. Numerous times in the Community and through personal experience I have seen routing not be available when trying to book something as a single reservation. However, if the same routing is split into two reservations it's very doable. These are the creative options that might help you, but without more information no one here can suggest for you. Also, a standard reservation agent is not going to come up with these ideas and you'd be much better off contacting Southwest with a plan instead of just saying fix this. Again, good luck, I do hope you are able to get this resolved.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Bumped off direct flight to non-direct with lay over and early departure

caliuser41781
Explorer C

Definitely not going to move one family member at a time.  That would make things worse if the full move does not complete.

 

Your suggestion that seats might open as it gets closer is something I will watch.  The date of the flight from OGG to SMF is too much information to put on a public forum.  I will watch regularly and see if seats open.  But according to the app change option this is only available until 14 days prior to the flight.  So it can't be done too close to the flight.

 

Now, please do not for a minute present this as my fault or that I am not doing enough to remedy the situation.  I already spent 85min waiting to talk to a rep at swa, which is now an hour and half I shouldn't have needed to invest because the payment was made for these seats long ago and the flight part of this vacation was not expected to require any further thought.  

 

Re: Bumped off direct flight to non-direct with lay over and early departure

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

I'm not saying any of this is your fault, but there are perhaps more productive ways to find solutions that would help you than just saying this sucks. Yes, it does suck, but it's way too early in the process to just give up. I don't see how saying I'm trying to go from A to B on such and such date is too private to share, but that's your call. Without additional info there's nothing else I can offer to you. Good luck.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Bumped off direct flight to non-direct with lay over and early departure

bec102896
Aviator A

So you booked your hotel before you could book your flight? Most hotels allow changes maybe you can call your hotel to see about adding a night. 

 

You Next best option is keep checking the website in case seats open up since inventory changes all the time.