Well, here we are ... the 8th of February ... and no schedule beyond 5/10/07. Bill, if the schedule isn't up at some point today, then I've taken my last flight on Southwest. This INSANITY that your company calls strategy has taken what was a very high opinion of your airline, and flushed it straight down the lavatory. Delta and US Air fly to every destination that I frequent. The frustration of your unreliable, forward looking schedule has now officially outweighed any price difference that may exist between you and other carriers.
One customer ... big deal. Yea, I get it. What would happen to your airline though, and how much sense would this "strategy" make ... if more people shared my opinion and frustration?
Looks as if many do.
For the life of me, I can not see how a company can survive and be viable if they can't project more than four months into the future Bill. How do you satisfy Wall Street when you file with the SEC?
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TO WHOMEVER CARES AT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES -
WOULD YOU PLEASE UNLOCK THE SCHEDULE AND ALLOW PASSENGERS TO BOOK FLIGHTS BEYOND 5/10/07?
If you read this blog from top to bottom, you can devine the increasing frustration with your current (AND FORMER) customers. Is this your idea of downsizing? Apparently, the new corporate policy is to chase as many potential passengers off to other carriers as possible. Feeling altruistic or something? Are we THAT compelled to help Delta emerge from bankruptcy and stave off the hostile takeover of US Air?
I've read your spin. I'm a Registered Financial Consultant and Chartered Asset Manager, and from my professional perspective - this makes as much sense as does chewing gravel.
When do "the powers" at SWA GET THE MESSAGE that we as YOUR CUSTOMERS couldn't be more unhappy with this airline?
Do you care?
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Bill - This is the first real attempt at an explanation that I've read, or heard, with regard to the Southwest booking window. I'm not in the mass transit airline business - so at risk of speaking about that which I don't know - my opinion is that you're doing nothing but helping Delta (et al) emerge from bankruptcy.
Example - my family flies to Orlando from Birmingham every year, at the same time every year, for our vacation. I've booked every aspect of our vacation, with the exception of our tickets on Southwest. Delta offers a direct flight from Birmingham as well. Alas, the Delta tickets will be $300 more expensive in sum total ... so I wait. And wait. And wait. As Bill Cosby once said, "you gotta come out sometime kid".
I know that sooner or later, you'll open beyond 5/10/07. I sure hope that its sooner. I have four round trip tickets to book ... again. I'm sure that if such could be measured - you've probably lost hundreds of potential June - September passengers (if not thousands) - to rival carriers. How is this a sensible business model?
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01-16-2007
06:05 AM
5 Loves
The new look is great - you've updated your website - I sure wish that you'd update your flight schedule now. I've flown SWA for years - my family has flown SWA for the last five consecutive years for our annual vacation at the end of May - in three of the last five years, we've booked our tickets by now (1/24/03, 1/4/04, 1/12/05, and 1/2/06) - As of the 16th of January, 2007 - you're still only taking reservations through 5/10/07. Why? I could book passage on every other airline EXCEPT SWA to where I'm going. Are you guys just trying to help Delta out of bankruptcy?
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