11-20-2020
04:06 PM
@shelbyusn wrote: I would fly the 737 Super Max as soon as it comes out of "Lock Down". I don't think they'll have that model out any time soon. It's still overweight from all the extra steel and concrete. They did take the windows out, though...so it's got a smooth look to it. Someone's been watching too many prison documentaries....
... View more
11-20-2020
04:04 PM
1 Love
Update 11/20: 1. Some of the Vault tests were accepted, tested, and replied within 24 hours of receipt. So 48 hours of taking the test. Mine was marked INVALID. These tests were taken over Zoom, with verified serial numbers. I'm assuming they screwed up and didn't properly document the zoom call. Their phone line is busy and they aren't returning messages. I'm on hold and probably will be all day. 2. More importantly, Hawaii has now changed the rules so that they require the negative test result BEFORE taking off on that final leg. So you've lost 6 or so hours from your 72 hour window to get the test completed. This is supposed to be implemented "next week". 3. CVS now says their tests will take 3-4 days to complete. So my suggestion. Skip Hawaii. I'm likely to cancel my January trip. It's not worth the hassle. SWA flies to Florida for cheap. Hawaii has literally designed a system that has no solution by requiring tests from certified testing locations who cannot certify the result will be provided in time. And then the most promising option to mail it in manages to screw it up royally and not answer the phone... at all. Luckily I had a backup test.
... View more
11-20-2020
03:52 PM
1 Love
Given all the scrutiny, do you honestly think that plane is any less safe than any other plane in the air? (Which collectively, are safer than driving to the airport?). Seriously, you need to rationally think through the risk level here. Don't think you know more than the experts. Don't let your emotions take over. If you are afraid to fly the Max, you need to be afraid to drive. You should honestly stay home. No insult intended. You just aren't accepting the reality. You can argue the semantics of the two crashes, but all that aside, the planes WERE perfectly flyable by a properly trained pilot. Now they are being flown by more properly trained pilots, with more understanding of the issue, less likelihood of it happening, or more indication if it does. Beyond that, venting here about how you feel about it isn't going to make any difference.
... View more
11-19-2020
12:29 AM
I heard that too. That would help in general, but not for these flights. My test was monitored via Zoom during sample collection. I suppose if you had a full video monitoring of the at-home process, which then sent an authorization code to the validation facility. But I suspect that's not the direction that system is going. "For entertainment purposes only" 😉 @dfwskier wrote: I heard on the evening news tonight that at home tests with results in 30 minutes are being made available. If available, that would seem to be the best way to go.
... View more
That might make sense regarding the drink coupons, but I doubt there are enough BS people on any one flight to significantly impact service. In fact, I'm positive there's always a lot fewer than 15 on every flight I've been on. And if we're talking solely about a temporary change during Covid (ie. internet vs. drinks), the flights are already running at less capacity. Alas, unless there were a way to assign free vouchers for access, it's a moot point anyways. I'm just glad I'm ALP.
... View more
11-19-2020
12:16 AM
1 Love
It's somewhere between Utz Pub Mix and Chex snack mix. Buy both and try them out. Maybe mix them together
... View more
11-18-2020
07:25 PM
Well, I'm sure if it's a great idea, SWA will implement it. I'm pretty sure they won't. That'll be a good indication of whether they agree with me or you.
... View more
11-18-2020
06:48 PM
1 Love
@SWFlyer007 wrote: SWAFlyer, your ticket has a value of 10,000 points, we will allow you to defer your flight to a later date with no refund, and up your point value to 15,000 RR points. Hummmm, ok, I like that, lets do it, Maybe things will open up by May 2021 and I 5,000 more points to put towards somebody else to fly with me. Sorry, I'm really not tracking with your concept here. SWA wants you to spend your credits sooner rather than later. Outstanding liabilities in the form of flight credits is not good for them. Even more so, given the current low load factors, filling seats NOW is more valuable to them. So, why would they give you a 50% bonus to delay your flight? Then, EVERYONE would cancel their tickets, just to get the free bonus. It would KILL their business. Not to mention, in June everyone would be competing for the seats, so your points wouldn't be as valuable. Prepare to pay more than the 50% more you thought you were rewarded. I see what you're thinking...have SWA pay me interest for the privilege of holding my money. But they've already done that a lot...by extending deadlines, and allowing us to convert them to points at a fair rate. I'm also not sure why they aren't just avoiding the headache by extending that same benefit out longer...Covid will be here at least a few more months, and they should have known that in September. And it's probably a small chunk of their revenue stream...the one-off passengers who can't fly and cancelled ONE trip. Many of us are either still flying or have found ways to use or extend the funds. Only they know.
... View more
I would think Wi-fi would be a better option than drinks in MANY situations, especially now. 1. Business Select it seems to make MORE sense than alcohol. Go figure. Flying for business? Here, get tipsy. 2. You can use it if you're under 21 3. We could get rid of all those expiring tickets, and SWA reduces the future cost burden of redeeming those tickets for alcohol. 4. Is the profit margin on wi-fi and its consumption really so much higher than drinks that offering it as a perk instead of drinks make them lose money? I don't pay for wi-fi. $8 isn't worth it to me on a 45 minute flight. But I'd gladly get it instead of a drink.
... View more
The same governor just sent a bunch of workers to Hawaii, and is happily dining indoors in large groups. He has also lost in court recently so he can no longer make up rules as he goes along. So what that means is you really need to take the "rules" with a grain of salt. Key word there is "should". I'll define that how I see fit. I doubt even Gavin could define explicitly what constitutes "essential" work, and could do so fast enough to restrict next week's travel...and if he tried, he'd be sued (again) so fast his pretty little coifed head would spin and an injunction issued. Don't worry.
... View more
11-18-2020
06:02 PM
1 Love
Logically, short SW flights shouldn't need chargers. Batteries provide that function. Of course, some flights are longer. And laptops don't always last that long. And carrying backup laptop batteries isn't common. But for a phone? Come on.... everyone has a portable charger. Don't force them to raise my ticket prices because you can't be bothered to carry one.
... View more
11-18-2020
05:46 PM
I got my tests done today. Yep, two of them. One by Vault Health, one at CVS. Both were easy. No charge at CVS, Vault just dropped from $150 to $120. There was a pile of packages at UPS waiting to go to Vault. Yep, just at ONE STORE. I bet they will be backlogged, but they seem efficient and will hopefully handle it. CVS likely won't have the same relative spike in testing, since they are testing for more than just Hawaii. I'm hoping CVS keeps up their reported quicker turnaround. Remember the 72 hours is from time of departure of your flight segment to Hawaii. Not when you land, not of a connecting flight. The time your plane leaves the mainland. I'll update when I can. Oakland may no longer be a good option. See below. They also talk about enforcing the rule to have the test result BEFORE you take off. Not sure how they can, without loosening that 72 hour window. And as I read it, it's just a recommendation so far. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cityhealth-urgent-care-changes-covid-testing-protocol-at-oakland-international-airport-301173070.html
... View more
11-08-2020
07:31 PM
11-08-2020
07:31 PM
That does seem strange. They have a system to buy an extra seat, based solely on the somewhat subjective concept of being overly large... but you can't use it. Are they going to tell you you're too skinny? Especially if you're not asking for a refund.
... View more
10-15-2020
04:41 PM
That's just it. I'm sure I can find a potential test site, but I don't feel comfortable that they will feel obligated to get it done. If it were affiliated with the airport or airline, I'd have more confidence. Apparently, Hawaii has an official site.. https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel-partners/ Looks like only Alaska Airlines and Oakland airport have anything specifically targeting Hawaii. A quick check of Walgreens...all full. Only allows reservation 3 days out, so not useful for a planned trip. CVS : On the list but results take "2-3 days". Um, that won't work well, Hawaii. Are you bad at converting hours to days? Quest diagnostics...none available. Carbon Health...only in Seattle. Vault Heath mail order...looks promising. But done by mail/UPS. Slightly risky. So, out of the entire list of "approved" testing, I have one mail order option, and one drive-thru that I can't count on. I didn't hear the President say there were millions of free tests, but I can't find them. Hence...my comments here. Of course, Southwest just cancelled half or more of the flights to Hawaii in November, so we might not even make it. They moved our flights to different days, and it took an hour to get them sorted out...from direct flights to now connecting flights with 1-2 stops. I get to fly from Hawaii to Oahu to Maui, just to leave the state. Fun.
... View more
You don't have to. If your flight is moved, you should get the ability to move it online for no charge, even to adjacent airports and different days. If this offer wasn't presented, you should call and talk to an agent.
... View more
10-08-2020
09:44 AM
1 Love
It's added. I just wish they would tell us where the flights are FROM... Rather than making us dig around. Looks like right now, it's Oakland, Denver, and Phoenix.
... View more
10-05-2020
11:26 AM
1 Love
The intent is for your personal item to fit under the seat in front of you, if that helps. Definitely smaller than most carryon luggage. These days, with fewer passengers, you can probably get away with something bigger and fit it in the overhead. But lugging two carry-on sized pieces of hardware is tough in the first place. I won't get started on the people that inevitably put their personal items in the overhead, when it's otherwise full. Ah, the good old days. 🙂
... View more
09-30-2020
05:57 PM
1 Love
The flight schedules for Oct-Dec are currently being pared back due to Covid. I am getting multiple notifications a day. Just give it time to settle out. Always try to go online first and see if you can "fix" your flight. If you have a new flight assigned, changing it should be easy. If it's just cancelled, sometimes you can't access the flight using the record locator anymore. But it sounds like you have been assigned a new flight.
... View more
09-30-2020
02:18 PM
Wow, you really managed to fall through the cracks in their policy. You tried to do everything right, and instead got the short end of the stick. You have my sympathy. I suppose you've called them and asked if you can convert the funds to points, in light of your purchase and (original) cancellation dates?
... View more
09-30-2020
01:53 PM
09-30-2020
01:53 PM
And don't forget "points" are really only achievable with higher fares. The easier route mentioned is "flights"...to get to the 25 legs. The old either/or, and for most of us I think the 25 flights is the easier milestone to hit. I doubt many people get it on points unless they are flying cross country on Anytime fares for business. But I think that's what youare looking for. One other thing to consider with Covid is the reduced schedule. You likely have fewer flights to choose from to get those legs in, and hopefully the price isn't higher. If you have time to book out in the future for best fares, there may be one other trick/glitch. All my flights for Oct and Nov have been shifted to the reduced schedule, so now I get the choice of moving them with no increase in fee. The December flights appear to have the full schedule, so you may be able to load some flights at that time, in the cheap seats, and have the added flexibility to move them around to more opportune times when and if they shuffle the schedule in the coming weeks. Hope that makes sense.
... View more
09-30-2020
01:00 PM
1 Love
Looks like things are opening up (so to speak) for Hawaii. Starting on 10/15, we'll be able to visit, with a 72-hour current Covid test. Apparently, some airlines are offering testing, or access to testing. And some airports are offering it...some for a fee and others (Oakland) appears to be free. I'm going for Thanksgiving, but flying out of SJC. I don't see info on their policies yet. Some of our party will be traveling through OAK, so I suppose they can get testing while on layover. Even more of a gamble than playing the 72 hour waiting game and hoping no false positive. I'm sure this will unfold over the coming weeks, but if anyone has any information (especially specifically related to SWA and SJC), it's appreciated.
... View more
09-29-2020
07:59 PM
09-29-2020
07:59 PM
Yeah, I can't imagine any issue with saving a seat. Everyone gets an aisle or window, so no reason for them to need yours.
... View more
09-29-2020
07:24 PM
1 Love
Agreed. TSA really determines checked bag security protocol. My advice...meet the TSA restrictions and don't offer details to the ticket agents that really don't matter and may confuse them.
... View more
09-29-2020
07:21 PM
09-29-2020
07:21 PM
Sounds like your experience is the same as the rest of us...this is very unusual service. It's never happened to me before, and sounds like it's never happened to you. Therefore, I'm going to venture a guess that it's an unusually busy day, or some other extraordinary issue. My suggestion: Go grab a drink and call back later.
... View more
09-29-2020
07:04 PM
09-29-2020
07:04 PM
Put yourself in her shoes for a second. Do you think perhaps she's dealing with hundreds of passengers a DAY who are all frustrated with wearing masks? Do you think she enjoys being the enforcer of the draconian rules we're living under? I suspect not. I actually had an FA on one flight say "When we ask you to keep your mask on, just please do it. Don't roll your eyes...you agreed to the terms when you bought your ticket". Typical SWA snark. The difference between that, and your interpretation of your encounter is pretty slight in my opinion. Something I would brush off with some empathy, not pay $8 to sign up for a forum to rant about being "mistreated". You can't control other people's demeanor, you can only control your response to it. Try not to get so bent over the minor things, especially when we're all dealing with this BS together. A deep breath is cheaper than $8. (PS...are you sure it was all THREE attendants? You only mention one. And I don't think I've ever interacted with all three on a flight.. Just trying to clarify for a friend. 🙂 )
... View more
"Reasonable" is subjective. "Shameful" is quite pejorative. And "we" is rather presumptive. When the 6 month extension was announced, we were only a couple months into this. That seems more than reasonable to me. Not to mention, SWA is STILL FLYING. They are maintaining every destination that lets them land. If YOU choose not to go, that's your choice. Some of "us" are taking advantage of the reduced demand (and pricing) to actually increase our CP usage. The company is losing millions of dollars a month trying to keep its customers serviced and employees employed, it has already extended the best perk in the industry for six months, and you find their behavior "shameful". I guess we have different definitions of what constitutes "shameful" behavior. If you are in a high-risk group, I have sympathy for your "loss of value". But I also realize SWA is in NO way using this to their advantage or otherwise making out like bandits on this to warrant such indictments. But like you said...you expect more of them. I guess that is literally true. My expectations are a bit more pragmatic, I guess. Do I hope they extend the extension? Well, their generous bonus points offers just garnered me a pass for 2021, so I suppose it's moot. Unless I get a free year on top of that. But I won't be greedy. Stay healthy.
... View more
09-24-2020
04:05 PM
09-24-2020
04:05 PM
My companion will have her own ticket for two months. Some lucky couple will now get to travel for free. Probably the kids.
... View more
09-22-2020
03:57 PM
Don't wait until you're nauseated, it's too late. https://www.dramamine.com/blog/5-tips-to-avoid-motion-sickness-your-first-cruise#:~:text=Try%20taking%20Dramamine%C2%AE%20Original,for%20up%20to%2024%20hours. I never get sick on planes, but I can say it works noticeably well on ships.
... View more
09-21-2020
10:25 AM
09-21-2020
10:25 AM
So, you're confused about the rules for dealing with Covid?? Join the club. They are inconsistent and change often... just like most everything else we get from the government, especially when dealing with novel pandemics. Don't blame SWA. If you don't like the situation, don't fly. Problem solved.
... View more
Loves Given To
Loves From