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HOU to MBJ May 13-19 non-stops removed. Will they come Back?

TXQuickdraw
Explorer C

Hi, we planned a group trip to MBJ May 13-19 for a graduation celebration.  All 8 of us booked hotel/air using SWA Vacations.  We choose Jamaica because of the non-stops.  2 hours to paradise.  Sometime mid-April Southwest changed our flights.  We are now routed through MCO and the trip takes 6+ hours.  We were never notified by either the airline or SW vacations.  I want to know if the wise ones here think that flight #1115 /1116 will come back?  The flight was full because the toe dragger in our group bought the last 2 tickets.  Why cancel this flight? As a consumer, I feel duped.  We made vacation destination decisions based on the information provided, paid the money and SW can't send us an email?  When I log into the SW Vacations my original flights are still there.  If I hadn't logged into the main website I would have never known.  This isn't the way to treat your customers.

8 REPLIES 8

Re: HOU to MBJ May 13-19 non-stops removed. Will they come Back?

dfwskier
Aviator A

If they were just cancelled,  I'd be surprised if they'd be back a month from now.

 

Since SW changed things, SW will let you change to another flight - at no cost. The rules: must be between the same destination and departure cities and plus or minus 14 days of the original departure date.  

Re: HOU to MBJ May 13-19 non-stops removed. Will they come Back?

TXQuickdraw
Explorer C

Thank you for that information.  How does moving days around work when you booked the vacation package?  I said SWA canceled those flights but I don't know that to be accurate.  They are just no longer offered.  They do not show up. The nonstops were full while our current flight being re-routed is not.

How separate are the 2 groups? SWA and SWVacations?  When I called the vacation package side they still had us on the original flights that don't exist.  I shudder to think about the chaos at the gate if I hadn't checked the "other side" SWA site!  There should be some crossover I would think.

And... problem resolved, but when they removed our flights going and returning they flipped ours.  They had us departing from MBJ and going to HOU.  I don't know how that happens when we booked the SWA Vacation Package with the hotel and excursions in MBJ. To repeat, not one of the 8 in the group received any notice that they did this! We are spending just under $50K for this group trip!

I guess I just wanted someone to say SWA was still that sweet little "engine that could" airline that valued its customers.  They were always the preferred airline for the hometown feel. I used to feel like you were part of the team that was helping to stick it to "the man". You've changed Southwest!

Thanks for the information.  I will probably get arthritis keeping my fingers crossed they come back in time.

Re: HOU to MBJ May 13-19 non-stops removed. Will they come Back?

parpitt1
Frequent Flyer A
Solution

SW Vacations is not owned or operated by Southwest

Re: HOU to MBJ May 13-19 non-stops removed. Will they come Back?

TXQuickdraw
Explorer C

Really?  How can they not be?   Wow, well that is really interesting. https://www.southwestvacations.com.  It says," Official Vacation Packages of Southwest Airlines"  Scratching head here.....

Re: HOU to MBJ May 13-19 non-stops removed. Will they come Back?

parpitt1
Frequent Flyer A
Solution

From their website:

Southwest Vacations is the leisure vacation package product for Southwest Airlines and is operated by ALG Vacations Corp. ALG Vacations Corp. is headquartered in Newtown Square, PA and has offices throughout the country including Milwaukee, WI where the Southwest Vacations marketing offices are located.

I don't know the exact relationship between the 2 companies, but ALG Vacations is part of Apple Leisure Group. Not Southwest 

Re: HOU to MBJ May 13-19 non-stops removed. Will they come Back?

dfwskier
Aviator A

@TXQuickdraw wrote:

Really?  How can they not be?   Wow, well that is really interesting. https://www.southwestvacations.com.  It says," Official Vacation Packages of Southwest Airlines"  Scratching head here.....


 

Actually it happens a lot in airlines.

 

Apple Leisure Group is also known as United Vacations and delta Vacations, etc ec etc.

Re: HOU to MBJ May 13-19 non-stops removed. Will they come Back?

jksobonya
Aviator A

@TXQuickdraw wrote:

Really?  How can they not be?   Wow, well that is really interesting. https://www.southwestvacations.com.  It says," Official Vacation Packages of Southwest Airlines"  Scratching head here.....


It's a common misconception. Southwest Vacations is not operated by Southwest directly, but by a third party. Despite this, it is still a Southwest product and service, Southwest just doesn't operate it themselves. 

 

Southwest Hotels is similar - Booking.com runs that operation. 

 

--Jessica

Re: HOU to MBJ May 13-19 non-stops removed. Will they come Back?

dfwskier
Aviator A

@TXQuickdraw wrote:

Thank you for that information.  How does moving days around work when you booked the vacation package?  I said SWA canceled those flights but I don't know that to be accurate.   

 

I think that means you have to work thru Southwest Vacations. If your flight number does not show up on southwest.com, then your flight was cancelled.