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Southwest cancels last minute flights

LacyRussell
Explorer C

We were supposed to fly out yesterday morning at 5:40am, to Atlanta, then to Orlando.  they delayed the flight until 6:30am. The gentleman at the front desk made an announcement that they were waiting on the maintenance man to sign a paper and we could go! That was at 6:10am. Literally 5 minutes later, we get an update that the flight was delayed until 7:30. Still ok for us because we were going to make our destination in time. THEN, we get an email at 736am stating that the CANCELED the Orlando flight! No announcement was made, nothing! We panic and go up to the customer service area which was now PACKED! They then decided to start boarding the flight while people were still scrambling to get their flights in order. We needed to be in Orlando by 2pm at the latest to make it to our port for our cruise that left at 3pm. They scheduled us on a flight at 540pm and wouldn’t have made it to Orlando until 8pm. Obviously way out of the time limit. When we FINALLY make it up to customer service the lady responded and said “try your luck in Atlanta or with a different airline”! Like zero care at all!! Let’s not forget to mention that our bags were STILL on the plane so even if we made it we would of had to wait for our bags and scramble to find another flight, check our bags, go through security, and make the only other flight out of delta at 1040 (paying almost 1600 for this flight) when the southwest flight would have landed at 940am! There would have been NO TIME!! Not only did they cancel our flight, but essentially ruined our trip and we had to cancel!! Southwest OWES us!! And I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND FLYING WITH THEM! They should have tried harder to help us and they couldn’t have cared less!! 

4 REPLIES 4

Re: Southwest cancels last minute flights

jksobonya
Aviator A

Rule #1 of cruising from one who has done it multiple times:

 

Never, ever, EVER fly the day of your cruise. Always fly in the day before. ALWAYS. Because things like this can happen. With any airline. And then you'll miss your cruise. Fly in the day before, spend the night somewhere close to the port, and go to the port the next day. 

 

You owe it to yourself to use common sense in this situation - not Southwest. 

 

--Jessica

Re: Southwest cancels last minute flights

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

In addition to what @jksobonya said, travel insurance is your friend with trips like this. Southwest got you to your destination and may provide you a voucher for the inconvenience of the delay, but owes you nothing else. Other airlines would handle the situation similarly.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Southwest cancels last minute flights

dfwskier
Aviator A

@LacyRussell wrote:
They should have tried harder to help us and they couldn’t have cared less!! 

 

Don't forget the fact that SW was trying to help all the passengers on your flight as well as any other flights that were delayed or cancelled. You were not the only one being badly inconvenienced..

 

That being said, I wish the outcome had been better for you.

 

Re: Southwest cancels last minute flights

parpitt1
Frequent Flyer A

Sorry to hear you had problems, but I can't imagine flying the same day as an important event with a hard deadline like a cruise ship departure. It would be kind of like flying to attend a wedding on the same day, I know if I cared about being there for the ceremony I would fly a day in advance.

Personally, I have an important business meeting on Thursday this week, could I fly on Thursday morning and get there? Yes. Am I? No. Why? because the meeting is important so I am traveling Wednesday afternoon to insure I am on time.

I do wish you safe travels in the future.