OK I gotta admit I am a DIE HARD Southwest Fan...for many reasons (great customer service, great fares, great cabin crews, great on time performance, great frequent flier program, etc).
I love you guys! But I am EXTREMELY unhappy about what just happened when the new fares were released.
I have been on the site constantly this mornnig, waiting for the fares to be released for Spring Break. My DD and I are taking the 3 kids (14, 17, 18) on their first ever cruise and first vacation in 5 years)! So for the past 2 months I have been waiting and watching UA/AA/DL and all the others as their fares went higher and higher...But I was smug in knowing that when the fares were relased I would be ready and would get a great fare. we are going from Chicago to Ft Lauderdale.
Given the current state of the economy we really were not sure if we were even going to go, but we are going to try to cut back on other things to give this to my kids and my mom. We are celebrating my 50th, my mom's 75th, my son's 18th and HS graduation.
I flew thru the first page, putting in the destinaton / dates / and number of passengers. So imagine my surprise when the fare page came up...NO $89 each way fare, NO cheaper fares...nope...I am paying $493 each for 5 tickets. I could absolutely cry. Where there even any seats at the lowest fare or even the next lowest fare?
Now before anyone flames me, please understand that I work in travel. A loooong time ago I even owned my own agency. Now I am a Travel Coordinator for a college. And I use Southwest for about 70% of our air travel.
I bought the tickets very reluctantly...knowing that I could have saved $750 to $1200 if I had not been a loyal passenger. I won't make that mistake again. I truly do feel like maybe those cheaper fares were not ever even there or if they were, then they were in a newly limited capacity...infact 3 flights showed completely sold out at the 'wanna get a way' rate. (remember this was less than 20 seconds from the flights being available)
I am very very sad.
j
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