Southwest Airlines Community

My two favorite teams are the RAVENS and anyone who's playing Picksburgh. I welcome losses by the Redskins and Indy Irsays as well. I think Willis McGahee will be a solid addition to the running game, and Mark Clayton will keep getting better and better at wideout. It looks like the O-line is rounding into form as well. And hey, now that Southwest flies direct nonstop from BWI to PIT, how about flying all these dern Stiller fans from mid-Maryland back to Picksburgh where they belong? (Remember last year, folks: Ravens 58, Stillers 7.) As for how it's affected me, check out my blog at the link below for my comments on last season. ... View more

OK, I'll take the bait . . . So Mr. Troll PO'd Non-Customer, are you saying you'd rather fly an airline that LOSES money? There are plenty of them out there that would love to have your business while they go under. Or are you a disgruntled Northwest pilot? ... View more

Lynn, Have you tried uninstalling Vista? *runs* Yet to have a problem with Ding! on XP, Paul ... View more

Wow, what a fascinating story,Captain Ray! Gives me a great idea of what all you go through in trying to get from Point A to Point B in quickly-changing conditions. And I'm glad the girl was OK. ... View more

Flight Attendants donà ... View more

Hi, Kristen. I don't work for SWA, and I don't play a SWA employee on television either. I made a quick check of the official IAD site, and near as I can tell, SWA has only been allocated two (2) gates at IAD. That makes it difficult for SWA to go to as many places as it would like. I suppose that it didn't want to duplicate all the BWI routes. At any rate, it seems that SWA is still operating via the good graces (whatever) of United and US Airways at IAD. It's all about gate access. It took SWA 14 years to get as many gates as it has at BWI now. I'd like to see SWA have ten or fifteen gates, or its own pier or two, at IAD, but it's just not going to happen overnight. Also, have you ever tried going to BWI by way of Rt. 15 from Leesburg through Point of Rocks and Frederick? I'm sure that'd be faster than going around the Capital Beltway. I live near Frederick, and although IAD is closer as the crow flies, I find it much easier to get to BWI traffic-wise. "The clustered spires of Frederick stand..." Paul ... View more

Sorry to continue the threadjack, but . . . Brian: tell your bosses NOT to have a "complaint section" of southwest.com or handle issues by e-mail. If it's not worth reporting via snail-mail, it's not worth reporting. In fact, I'd have no problem with you bloggers instituting a "no unrelated gripe zone" here on the blogs. If there's a post about when schedules will be available and folks want to comment/grouse about that, go for it. But this shouldn't be a place for moaning and groaning about unrelated incidents that couldn't better be served as you have done so until now. (I know I complained about the lack of West Coast flights from BWI, but it was in a thread so related.) Just my security fee's worth, Paul (Working on a nickname for here) ... View more

I agree with Morrie. I don't see the logic of not adding one new flight from BWI, but cutting all flights to the west coast instead. I guess you're saying, "We LUV our Customers so much, we want to see them fly JetBlue!" That's a heck of a price to pay for loyalty. ... View more

Greg, I was just wondering why you keep spamming this forum. ... View more

Southwest reminds you to arrive early for departure during the upcoming holiday pyramid. ... View more

I meant here: http://www.blogsouthwest.com/2006/11/10/iad-dulles-washington/ ... View more

James, the Udvar-Hazy portion of the Air and Space Museum at Dulles is also on my list of DC-area places to get to. And I just discovered it was written about extensively here. :-( Oh well. Read lots, post little, I guess. ... View more

"You have clearance, Clarence!" Another great post, Captain Ray! I look forward to becoming a FFF: a Formerly Fearful Flyer. In your post on turbulence, I mentioned that it used to scare the stuffing out of me, but now that I am regularly flown at low altitudes in a Cessna 172, I get turbulence all. the. time. I just hope I grow my air legs (or stomach) eventually. Up to now, my pre-flight ritual consists of going to the bathroom three or four times because I'm so nervous. I hope I've seen the last of this as I become a FFF. I don't do that before going up in the Cessna. BTW, Steve Howe's instrumental album Turbulence is great rock guitar, melodic but not overpowering, to listen to on a plane flight, especially the title song. As Howe says in the liner notes: "The initial idea for the album originated in the ambiguity of the expression turbulence, a sensation experienced during flying & the natural flow of occurrences within the basic elements around us: Things that are beyond our control with some supreme presence making it all beautiful & complete." Colleen, perhaps? 😄 ... View more

In response to DL's Song, SWA announces its new codesharing agreement with Air Nefertiti. ... View more

Greg, I have already answered your question about IAD numerous times elsewhere in this blog. And besides, United doesn't need SWA's help to implode: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2007-06-18-ual-service-usat_N.htm ... View more

SWA is going international! http://wjz.com/local/local_story_170091944.html ... View more

Want a sure cure for fear of turbulence? Fly around in a Cessna 172 on a summer afternoon over Washington, DC. It got rid of mine! I've been there, Matt; we landed on a United flight through a thunderstorm, which was most unpleasant. But Capt. Stark is right about the liquid test. For me, I think it all comes down to dealing with the lack of control. As if I have all that much control over who's next to me on the interstate. 😮 ... View more

Frances: You can now get your preboarding group on the southwest.com website during a specific timeframe before the flight. I'm sure that's what most of the folks in the A and B groups did. I trust someone from SWA will have more info. ... View more

Can we guess Brian's number like on The Price is Right's Clock Game, with him responding "higher" or "lower"? 😄 ... View more

Boy, you really got around the Commonwealth, BB! My DW and I enjoy heading to Amish country around Lancaster to get away from it all, and have ridden the Strasburg RR several times. (Did you see the original Tucker at a nearby car dealership?) But I've yet to tour Altoona, which is closer to Pittsburgh than Philly; or Scranton, although we have been to the Poconos. Glad you had such a nice trip! (cue the We-want-Southwest-to-come-to-Harrisburg-Scranton-or-someplace-else comments ;)) Paul in MD ... View more

BB, sorry if I implied that the court was being used at other times than lunch! I was just funnin' with the idea of volleyball on asphalt. Of course, when I was in high school, a bunch of us played Ultimate Frisbee just before our last class. If we didn't wander into A.P. European History with grass or mud stains on our pants, it didn't count! 😄 ... View more

Hongbiao, I don't see the problem, although maybe you didn't know what to expect. You weren't inconvenienced; you just don't like the system of seating that SWA uses. And you have every right not to like it. But that doesn't mean SWA should change a methodology that has worked for nearly 30 years just to accommodate you. To me, open seating is no hassle at all. All the seats get to the destination the same time as the rest of the plane. End of discussion. We live in such a great country that you are free to fly with whomever you choose. If you don't like SWA's boarding and seating policies, don't. fly. SWA. It's as simple as that. Vote with your wallet, and prop up US Airways, Northwest, Delta, (all of which went bankrupt in the past few years, and are only just starting to get solvent), Independence (oops--they're not bankrupt, they're gone), TWA (ditto), etc. I agree with Brian; please put this comment on a more appropriate post next time. And I do not work for SWA. ... View more

Hongbiao, and those of you scattered throughout the blog, I'll save Herb and those in customer relations the time and effort, and wish you well with your next airline. Ten of my family members went from BWI to MDW one Christmas, and we were fine, although the plane was quite full. Unassigned seating makes Southwest Southwest, and makes for faster turnarounds. And when traveling alone, I have more than once offered my seat to someone else so he or she could sit with someone else. It's no. big. deal. Southwest didn't ruin your weekend. It's obvious that Southwest doesn't meet your needs. But I find it unnecessary for Southwest to become like every other (bankrupt!) airline. ... View more

I just looked at the AAP blog; didn't even know about it! There's a link on the right side of this page. Maybe some of us can head on over there and give it some LUV with some comments; there are too many 0's! 😞 ... View more

The kids from that one school probably never heard of the Tuskeegee Airmen. I hope they have by now! Beach volleyball on the parking lot? Digging out those spikes must be a bear, or SWA HQ has an all-sand parking lot! :D Great story, Paco, and glad you got to meet Captain Ray! ... View more

James, the Udvar-Hazy portion of the Air and Space Museum at Dulles is also on my list of DC-area places to get to. Forgive me for sounding like a broken record, but Eric, if you have to fly into BWI, there's a regular shuttle to the Greenbelt Metro. And here's an off-the-beaten-track place to visit in the DC area: Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey house in Mount Vernon. It may not be Fallingwater, but there's still a fascinating history behind it. ... View more

Sounds like a blast to meet those kids, James! I need to get to the Holocaust Museum. And the Spy Museum is an absolute must-see in DC. ... View more

Cynthia, it depends on which way you take to BWI. If you're in Loudoun, why not just go up Rt. 15 through Point of Rocks and then head east on I-70 to Rt. 29 to Rt. 100? Or take the DC Metro to the BWI shuttle in Greenbelt? Or the MARC or Amtrak from Union Station? I don't want there to be duplication between BWI and IAD. Besides, the flights out of BWI have been developed over 14 years. Give. it. time. You don't want SWA to suffer the same fate as Eastwind or Independence at IAD, do you? I LUV BWI and am not a fan of IAD. IAD is closer as the crow flies to where I live, but just as far if not further driving-wise from BWI. ... View more

You had a party at the Yards and DIDN'T invite my DW and me, who are not even an hour away? *pout* *kicks dirt a la Earl Weaver* You may assuage my conscience with a bag of candy corn. :D (Glad you all had a blast!) ... View more

Neat story, and it gives me much to ponder on my next SWA flight (I'm an infrequent flyer). One question: Has all the snow of the past winter in the Four Corners region helped the volume of Lake Mead any? ... View more