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Flight changes that make zero sense!

jksobonya
Aviator A

Hi all,

 

I have a flight scheduled from PHL to TUL in December. 

 

I received an e-mail that my flight to TUL had changed, so I went to look it up. 

 

It's...wacky.

 

The original flight has a stop in STL, so PHL > STL > TUL.

 

Now the reservation has 2 separate flights scheduled, one from PHL > STL and the second from STL > TUL. The problem? I arrive in STL after the STL > TUL flight leaves. 😂 Unless someone invents a time machine, it is impossible to make the connection. 


Unfortunately, this is happening because Southwest is eliminating a lot of PHL > TUL flights and they're still trying to get me there by putting me on two different flights. 

 

I'm going to contact them and see what I can do - and get this - the flight coming home (TUL > PHL) is even *worse* and I didn't get an e-mail about that change. They have me going from TUL > PHX and PHX > PHL, two different flights and same scenario, I arrive too late in PHX to make the flight to PHL they scheduled me to be on. 

 

What was a TUL > PHX > PHL flight is now a TUL > STL > PHX PHX > DEN > PHL flight.

 

It's total madness. 

 

Some questions about having multiple flights on a single reservation: 

 

1) Do you have to 'check in' for the second flight? I assume since it's all under one confirmation #, your initial check in is good for both flights? 

 

2) Similarly, when flight 1 is concluded, do I have to leave the terminal and re-enter the airport to go through security to board flight #2? 

 

3) Does having 2 flights on one reservation count toward the flight # requirement for A-List / Companion Pass status? In other words, would I get credit for both flights even if it's a single reservation?

 

Thanks all!

 

--Jessica

17 REPLIES 17

Re: Flight changes that make zero sense!

dfwskier
Aviator A

Hi  Jessica.

 

The SW flight reservation computer program leaves a great deal to desired - especially when dealing with massive numbers of changes - as it is now. 

 

Best advice is to see if you can do better by changing on line.

 


@jksobonya wrote:

 

Some questions about having multiple flights on a single reservation: 

 

1) Do you have to 'check in' for the second flight? I assume since it's all under one confirmation #, your initial check in is good for both flights? 

 

This sounds like a simple connection to a flight with a different flight number. So you should only have to check in for he first flight.

 

2) Similarly, when flight 1 is concluded, do I have to leave the terminal and re-enter the airport to go through security to board flight #2? 

 

No you should not have to clear security again. Just walk to the gate of your second flight.

 

3) Does having 2 flights on one reservation count toward the flight # requirement for A-List / Companion Pass status? In other words, would I get credit for both flights even if it's a single reservation?

It would be classified as a connection and you'd get one credit towards A List qualification.Now if you had two flights,  booked separately then then you'd get two credits. You could do that by booking a multi city trip with on flight being PHL/STL and a second flight of STL/TUL.

 

Booking as a multi city trip results in a savings versus booking two one way trips (at least it has when I've done it).

 

You apparently booked PHL/TUL.

 

Thanks all!

 

--Jessica


 

Re: Flight changes that make zero sense!

jksobonya
Aviator A

@dfwskier -- the irony of that statement is that the flights do not have a "change" option online! Only cancel. I think it's because flights to TUL no longer exist for the dates I want them, so yeah, it's a cluster. I think that they tried booking a multi-city itinerary, but it just isn't logical. I am hoping a SW rep has the power to modify them - this is the first time I haven't gotten a near immediate response from my Direct Messages. 

 

--Jessica

Re: Flight changes that make zero sense!

jksobonya
Aviator A

This sounds like a simple connection to a flight with a different flight number. So you should only have to check in for he first flight.

 

No, it's not just a simple connection. The reservation shows PHL > STL as "flight 1" and "STL > TUL" as "flight 2." I've never had multiple flights on a single reservation before that weren't just connecting flights, hence my questions. I assume this is a 'multi-city' itinerary gone wrong lol. Here's what the flight out currently looks like:

 

flight2.PNGflight1.PNG

 
 
 

Thanks for answering!

 

--Jessica

Re: Flight changes that make zero sense!

dfwskier
Aviator A

@jksobonya wrote:

This sounds like a simple connection to a flight with a different flight number. So you should only have to check in for he first flight.

 

No, it's not just a simple connection. The reservation shows PHL > STL as "flight 1" and "STL > TUL" as "flight 2." I've never had multiple flights on a single reservation before that weren't just connecting flights, hence my questions. I assume this is a 'multi-city' itinerary gone wrong lol. Here's what the flight out currently looks like:

 

flight2.PNGflight1.PNG

 
 
 

Thanks for answering!

 

--Jessica


I think you should be fine.

 

Southwest does not allow a customer to book  two connecting flights with different flight numbers as part of a single reservation. The way a customer would have to do it as is shown above - with one flight with one connection -- followed by  a non stop flight.

 

The question is do you have to check in for flight 2. I don't know.

 

I presume the reason you are not being allowed to rebook on line is that the computer is seeing two distinct flights.

 

I'd suggest finding a different flight, and then contacting SW via e-mail to make the change for you. What they gave you sure is not very good.

Re: Flight changes that make zero sense!

dfwskier
Aviator A

Jessica - to clarify one thing I said above

 

as your flight is currently booked (two distinct flights) you would get 2 flight credits towards A-Lis status. Too bad you cant''t use it.

Re: Flight changes that make zero sense!

jksobonya
Aviator A

I was able to find some 'better' routes where I can make the connections - essentially flights with 2 stops - and the agent was able to switch me to those. The agent initially wanted to put me on flights with 3 stops each way :X 

 

Hopefully it will work out - each leg is showing as 'one' flight now, and not 2 flights as it was previously. I hope it won't cause any trouble, because again, flights to Tulsa aren't technically available for the dates I'm flying, so I hope I won't have any checkin problems. 

 

--Jessica

Re: Flight changes that make zero sense!

jksobonya
Aviator A

Bumping this back up because TUL flights continue to give me grief 😅

 

I've been planning another PHL > TUL trip for May - Fri-Sun. My Friday flight moved from a departure of 8AM to 6AM (nothing I can do about that), and my Sunday flight got moved up an entire day to Saturday, because they cut flights entirely on Sunday. 

 

Here's the thing - there are "options" to get from Tulsa to Philly by booking one ways (or multi-city). They may not be totally convenient, but they exist. 

 

I ended up canceling the Saturday flight entirely and I booked 2 one ways for Sunday. TUL > DEN and DEN > PHL. There's a 7 hour layover 😂 but I don't care lol.


So here's my question: once I land in DEN do I have to "leave" the SWA terminal and re-enter the DEN airport and go through TSA? I won't be checking a bag. I wasn't sure how this worked with two separate reservations on the same day, and if I needed to go through security so they can verify my reservation details, or if I'll be fine staying in Southwest terminal at the gates. As long as I'm checked in, is that all I need? 

 

--Jessica

Re: Flight changes that make zero sense!

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A
Solution

@jksobonya Since you're not checking a bag this layover is pretty straightforward, you just wait.  You certainly have the option to leave the terminal, or even the whole airport if you wanted, but you don't have to.  You can also take the airport train to the other terminals without going through security again.  7 hours in Denver is plenty of time to catch the train and head into downtown where there is plenty to do.  Taking a cab or an uber will cost a bit more, but be a little faster since the train doesn't run all that often.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Flight changes that make zero sense!

jksobonya
Aviator A

@TheMiddleSeat wrote:

@jksobonya Since you're not checking a bag this layover is pretty straightforward, you just wait.  You certainly have the option to leave the terminal, or even the whole airport if you wanted, but you don't have to.  You can also take the airport train to the other terminals without going through security again.  7 hours in Denver is plenty of time to catch the train and head into downtown where there is plenty to do.  Taking a cab or an uber will cost a bit more, but be a little faster since the train doesn't run all that often.

 

--TheMiddleSeat


Good to know - thanks! 🙂 

 

--Jessica