So just how much cheaper is it, actually, to fly Southwest?

[KLLund]

I think the whole point is a lot of people wait on Southwest because they assume it will be cheaper - and that is not always the case - and from many places is rarely the case anymore. For example a lot of people around here assume that Southwest is cheaper to Dallas - but you can get the exact same fares on American almost all the time, and many times American is less than Southwest.

 

Actually, MY whole point was that from our region SWA is pretty much always the cheapest. As I said earlier, it is not true in every region of the country. We just happen to live in an area that is well served by this particular carrier and not so much by some of the other carriers.

 

I do think there is a considerable part of the US in which SWA is not yet and may never be predominant and therefore it will be more expensive. This is truly a more regional carrier that is expanding and slowly which seems to fit their business plan.

 

Some of the other "low cost" carriers are not even flying from our airport so it is a moot point to compare them. AA has very few flights from here. Again, from our West Coast vantage point, SWA is a pretty good option.

[kelmac]

Actually, MY whole point was that from our region SWA is pretty much always the cheapest. As I said earlier, it is not true in every region of the country. We just happen to live in an area that is well served by this particular carrier and not so much by some of the other carriers.

 

I do think there is a considerable part of the US in which SWA is not yet and may never be predominant and therefore it will be more expensive. This is truly a more regional carrier that is expanding and slowly which seems to fit their business plan.

 

Some of the other "low cost" carriers are not even flying from our airport so it is a moot point to compare them. AA has very few flights from here. Again, from our West Coast vantage point, SWA is a pretty good option.

 

Kathy,

 

I think that is true for our area as well. We have become a mini-hub because of several reasons (I think the Texas Wright Ammendment thing helps us), so many flights from Texas end in ABQ and they must renumber the flights.

We had such a bad experience with the March Springtime weather in the midwest, that I think next year's spring break cruise we will be flying SWA non-stop to Orlando -- rent a one way car, and drive down to FLL. DFW was not a pretty site mid-March.

 

I presently have seven flights booked; three with SWA, one with Alaskan Air, one with American Airlines, and two with Delta. So I'm not married to WN, but they are an excellent option.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[chrisbd1]

As long as you have checked your luggage, you can show up to the gate 15 minutes before your flight leaves and you will not lose your place in line.

 

In February, I literally showed up as the A's were boarding and my place was held :)

 

The point of the new boarding pass system is that you DON"T HAVE to show up an hour early.

[kelmac]

In February, I literally showed up as the A's were boarding and my place was held :)

 

The point of the new boarding pass system is that you DON"T HAVE to show up an hour early.

 

Chris,

 

Well said!:) You don't see people showing up 90 minutes before the flight and sitting down on the floor to save their spot in the "A" group.

The new boarding system has really change the "feel" of SWA gates -- not the bus station anymore!:rolleyes: :)

 

Kel

[Cookie2boys]

About a month or so ago I began to consider SW due to the low rates. I saw where they had a great rate of just under $800 including taxes/fees for 4 from Norfolk to Orlando. I began to wait for November to open up and in the meantime I saw this thread. That's when I found out they did not have assigned seats. Traveling with a 6 and 10 year old, I did not want to take a chance knowing we may not be able to sit together. So I decided to pay more for a ticket with the peace of mind that my family will sit together. To each it's own.

[NCTribeFan]

But didn't everyone already say that they DO board families together? :confused:

 

To the others above posting other carriers' fares - I also did this earlier in the thread. SWA was considerably less than the others. I don't know if that is always the case, as I've never flown them before. I don't even think I've really paid attention as I don't fly often (usually just to cruise).

 

AND they were the only nonstop. So, cheaper and nonstop = booked.

 

If I don't give them a try, I won't know how I feel about them, will I?

[Cookie2boys]

But didn't everyone already say that they DO board families together? :confused:

 

 

 

OK, Sorry. Maybe I misunderstood something (I do that sometimes).

 

So to make this clear to those that has experienced this, If I get a boarding # B or C, how likely is it that I could sit with my two kids, or will they automatically give me boarding # A. Excuse me if this has already been answered by several of you but I don't want to go back and reread all the posts. I hope you don't mind. Thanks.

[kelmac]

But didn't everyone already say that they DO board families together? :confused:

 

 

 

OK, Sorry. Maybe I misunderstood something (I do that sometimes).

 

So to make this clear to those that has experienced this, If I get a boarding # B or C, how likely is it that I could sit with my two kids, or will they automatically give me boarding # A. Excuse me if this has already been answered by several of you but I don't want to go back and reread all the posts. I hope you don't mind. Thanks.

 

Families with children under the age of four are allowed to board between the "A" group and the "B" group. Families with older children board according to their Letter/Number.

 

Click on the book cover:

 

http://www.southwest.com/help/boardingschool/

 

 

Good luck!

Kel:)

[chrisbd1]

About a month or so ago I began to consider SW due to the low rates. I saw where they had a great rate of just under $800 including taxes/fees for 4 from Norfolk to Orlando. I began to wait for November to open up and in the meantime I saw this thread. That's when I found out they did not have assigned seats. Traveling with a 6 and 10 year old, I did not want to take a chance knowing we may not be able to sit together. So I decided to pay more for a ticket with the peace of mind that my family will sit together. To each it's own.

 

If check-in online, right at 24 hours before your flight, you have a good chance of getting "A" boarding passes. Then you could have all sat togather.

[greatam]

 

Families with children under the age of four are allowed to board between the "A" group and the "B" group. Families with older children board according to their Letter/Number.

 

 

 

Good luck!

Kel:)

 

This may be the RULES, but it is NOT the practice. My employee reported that the family groups got to board at MCI two weeks ago BETWEEN A and B. One of my business associates reported the same thing at LAX Tuesday. By the time he got to board-mid B-there were very few desirable seats left.

 

Families with "under 4's" are boarding the plane and SAVING seats for the balance of their family group. OR the gate agents are allowing ALL the families to load between A & B. Seems patently unfair for solo travelers or couples. You get stuck in a middle seat or next to family groups.

 

So now instead of adhering to some kind of regulated boarding system, it is left up to the gate agents. And my business associate stated he had not seen so much "carry on junk" as he has seen in the last few weeks. He flies weekly-Reno/LAX on SW.

 

Go back to the plastic cards-at least it was fair.

[KLLund]

 

 

So now instead of adhering to some kind of regulated boarding system, it is left up to the gate agents. And my business associate stated he had not seen so much "carry on junk" as he has seen in the last few weeks. He flies weekly-Reno/LAX on SW.

 

Go back to the plastic cards-at least it was fair.

 

I agree with all the carry on junk .. and I truly don't understand why when SWA is not charging for the second bag.

 

Before the new boarding procedures .. all of those families were pre-boarded .. It is one of the thing we like about the new system. The A's actually have choices before the families have taken all the front seats!!

[greatam]

 

I agree with all the carry on junk .. and I truly don't understand why when SWA is not charging for the second bag.

 

Before the new boarding procedures .. all of those families were pre-boarded .. It is one of the thing we like about the new system. The A's actually have choices before the families have taken all the front seats!!

 

But if you get a B or C-you're toast. Still "Greyhound of the Skies". Who has the time or patience to check in online EVERY time EXACTLY 24 hours pre flight??? Leisure travelers, yes. Business travelers, NO.

[kelmac]

 

But if you get a B or C-you're toast. Still "Greyhound of the Skies". Who has the time or patience to check in online EVERY time EXACTLY 24 hours pre flight??? Leisure travelers, yes. Business travelers, NO.

 

Full fare business travelers get priority boarding A-1 -- A-15. You have to be pretty lazy, or disorganized not to get an A boarding pass. In the past six years I've been on 50+ SWA flights and I've always had an "A" borading pass. Never had a middle seat and I've never been towards the back of the airplane. If your life is that busy, or chaotic, perhaps you should fly a different airline?

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[greatam]

 

Full fare business travelers get priority boarding A-1 -- A-15.

 

Surely you jest. Why would anyone in their right mind pay a large difference in price to get a low number A boarding pass???? My business associate's LAX/RNO flights would cost an additional $122 for an hour flight. Not very reasonable.

 

You have to be pretty lazy, or disorganized not to get an A boarding pass. In the past six years I've been on 50+ SWA flights and I've always had an "A" borading pass. Never had a middle seat and I've never been towards the back of the airplane. If your life is that busy, or chaotic, perhaps you should fly a different airline?

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

 

Your theory doesn't hold about being disorganized. My own employee, who got a low B number, was in the middle of I-80 in Indiana when it was 24 hours pre flight. He had to get to a truck stop to use the internet. And I actually called and asked my business associate. He stated he does his best to get online to check in 24 hours in advance. But he prefers to fly the 9:20AM and 1:40PM nonstops to/from Reno. Those are prime time business hours and he often has meetings. Winter and summer flights are FULL of leisure travelers. He said he does OK after ski season and during the fall.

 

I don't fly SW, but I fly almost monthly on AA 30 out of LAX. Plane leaves at 11:30PM. I would almost NEVER be able to check in 24 hours pre flight if it was required. I need sleep.

[KLLund]

 

Surely you jest. Why would anyone in their right mind pay a large difference in price to get a low number A boarding pass???? My business associate's LAX/RNO flights would cost an additional $122 for an hour flight. Not very reasonable.

 

Can't imagine doing that myself!!

 

 

Your theory doesn't hold about being disorganized. My own employee, who got a low B number, was in the middle of I-80 in Indiana when it was 24 hours pre flight. He had to get to a truck stop to use the internet. And I actually called and asked my business associate. He stated he does his best to get online to check in 24 hours in advance. But he prefers to fly the 9:20AM and 1:40PM nonstops to/from Reno. Those are prime time business hours and he often has meetings. Winter and summer flights are FULL of leisure travelers. He said he does OK after ski season and during the fall. I have to agree with you on part of this. If you prefer to fly "prime time" and aren't flexible knowing the airlines policies then SWA is probably not the airline for you. When I flew for business every week .. it was fine for me because I needed to take the early flight to get there for early meetings and usually the 5-6PM flights to get home. On the route that I travel most .. PDX to SMF almost all planes are full .. but the early flights mean check in at dinner time the night before so it works very well.

I realize that SWA is not nor will it ever be everyone's airline. That doesn't mean it is a bad airline or that it is not a great option for a lot of us. It just means that choice is what consumerism should all be about.

quote]

[kelmac]

 

Surely you jest. Why would anyone in their right mind pay a large difference in price to get a low number A boarding pass???? My business associate's LAX/RNO flights would cost an additional $122 for an hour flight. Not very reasonable.

 

 

 

Your theory doesn't hold about being disorganized. My own employee, who got a low B number, was in the middle of I-80 in Indiana when it was 24 hours pre flight. He had to get to a truck stop to use the internet. And I actually called and asked my business associate. He stated he does his best to get online to check in 24 hours in advance. But he prefers to fly the 9:20AM and 1:40PM nonstops to/from Reno. Those are prime time business hours and he often has meetings. Winter and summer flights are FULL of leisure travelers. He said he does OK after ski season and during the fall.

 

I don't fly SW, but I fly almost monthly on AA 30 out of LAX. Plane leaves at 11:30PM. I would almost NEVER be able to check in 24 hours pre flight if it was required. I need sleep.

 

If I was at work, my wife would check in for me. Couldn't a business provide that service to their employees? Couldn't you ask a friend? Couldn't you pay someone $10 to check in for you? I just don't see this as a huge problem?

I know all the third party check-in businesses shut down at Southwest's request, but as a business person I would think this would be a simple problem to solve.

I'm sure your employee loves all those free tickets he can rack up through SWA!??

 

If you need the sleep, why would you fly at 11:30 at night? What is the ontime record of an 11:30PM flight out of LAX?

 

As I've stated before, I fly SWA, AA, Delta and CO for the most part, so I'm not married to WN, but I do believe it's a great option many times.

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[wrp96]

I have to dispute the check-in 24 hours in advance and you will always get the A boarding pass. I have a friend that occasionally flies Southwest and will ask me to check in for him. Last time I did it he got A45 (last of the A boarding passes). One time he ended up with a B boarding pass - and it was only about 5 minutes after check in opened up.

 

And the one time I flew them for a cruise, I had issues. I was online on the ship to check in for the flights and I kept getting a mesage that the check in time frame for our flight had not yet opened. Went back 2 hours later - it still wouldn't work. Tried again a few hours later - it still wouldn't work. Other people were checking in for Southwest flights all around me and not having any issues at all. We had to wait until we got to the airport to check in - ended up with a very high number B boarding pass - even though I'd tried to check-in 24 hours in advance (at the very expensive cost of $.50 per minute).

[greatam]

If I was at work, my wife would check in for me. Couldn't a business provide that service to their employees? Couldn't you ask a friend? Couldn't you pay someone $10 to check in for you? I just don't see this as a huge problem?

I know all the third party check-in businesses shut down at Southwest's vrequest, but as a business person I would think this would be a simple problem to solve.

 

26 year old single truck driver who also does the set up for food shows and spends his summer in Alaska watching my fish shipping. The only info he was given was "do you need help booking a flight? You MUST be at LAX by 4:00PM Tuesday." He stated he could handle it. And then went and booked SW, erroneously thinking he was getting the cheapest price. My admin had no info when the flight was. He said he would take care of check in. He has flown exactly 7 times in his life-6 on AA and now once on SW.

 

I'm sure your employee loves all those free tickets he can rack up through SWA!??

 

One flight won't get you much. And after his experience at MCI, it will probably be his last on SW. He literally was stuck between a "person of size" and a 9 year old.

 

If you need the sleep, why would you fly at 11:30 at night? What is the ontime record of an 11:30PM flight out of LAX?

 

Why do I fly at 11:30PM? So I CAN sleep. Sleeper seats, nonstop to JFK. A GOOD 5 + hours sleep. Flagship service if I can finagle my way to first. I can sleep like a baby on a plane if I can stretch out. And the 11:30 gets me into JFK towards the end of rush hour. The 9:30PM flight arrives JFK at the start of the rush hour.

[kelmac]

26 year old single truck driver who also does the set up for food shows and spends his summer in Alaska watching my fish shipping. The only info he was given was "do you need help booking a flight? You MUST be at LAX by 4:00PM Tuesday." He stated he could handle it. And then went and booked SW, erroneously thinking he was getting the cheapest price. My admin had no info when the flight was. He said he would take care of check in. He has flown exactly 7 times in his life-6 on AA and now once on SW.

 

 

 

One flight won't get you much. And after his experience at MCI, it will probably be his last on SW. He literally was stuck between a "person of size" and a 9 year old.

 

 

 

Why do I fly at 11:30PM? So I CAN sleep. Sleeper seats, nonstop to JFK. A GOOD 5 + hours sleep. Flagship service if I can finagle my way to first. I can sleep like a baby on a plane if I can stretch out. And the 11:30 gets me into JFK towards the end of rush hour. The 9:30PM flight arrives JFK at the start of the rush hour.

 

Wow! I'm impressed, as I can't sleep very well on airplanes. All those miles with AA must get you bumped up to first class? :rolleyes: :)

My misunderstanding, as I thought your employee traveled by SWA all the time. Since I fly with WN all the time, it's kind of second nature what needs to be done to make their system work.

I really like flying at 6:00am -- must be a real morning guy! Speaking of SWA, I booked a R/T flight to Phoenix this morning.

Since the late 1970s I've used SWA, and many years I've had the Love/hate thing going on with their product. As of late, with all the problems of flying, I'm really starting to see SWA in a more positive light.

 

Express jet is now in town and they have Non-stop service to San Antonio and Sacramento. Before, we had to fly WN to Dallas, or El Paso, and then change planes to San Antonio, so this will really help out. (We are headed to San Antonio in November). They do fly the smaller 50--70 passenger jets, but not the end of the world.

If we could just get someone to fly ABQ to FLL or MIA non-stop..., :rolleyes:

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

[KLLund]

Pardon my ignorance .. but what is WN?

[kelmac]

Pardon my ignorance .. but what is WN?

 

Hi Kathy,

 

All airlines have a code similar to the code used for airports. The codes for airlines are only two letters; ie -- AA = American Airlines. Coming up with a code was easy when there were only a dozen or so companies.

 

http://www.tvlon.com/resources/airlinecodes.htm

 

Some of the codes make sense, others have a story behind them.

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[FlyerTalker]

For a VERY comprehensive listing of both airline and airport codes worldwide, I would suggest THIS REFERENCE. Also includes reference on airplane designations, country codes, and other info.

[Globaliser]

The codes for airlines are only two letters; ie -- AA = American Airlines.

Though as the number of airlines has increased, it's become necessary to resort to using numbers as well as letters. So, for example, Frontier = F9. Jetblue = B6.

[FlyerTalker]

Though as the number of airlines has increased, it's become necessary to resort to using numbers as well as letters. So, for example, Frontier = F9. Jetblue = B6.

And in an interesting take.....the original Frontier airlines (which was bought after bankruptcy in 1986 by Continental) had the code FL. That is now the code used by AirTran. When the Frontier name was reintroduced, it couldn't "take back" the FL code, so it was assigned F9.

 

Southwest could not get SW when it started. Air Namibia was founded as South West Airways and got the SW code when it started (1946). WN was available (the W for the "west" part of Southwest). JetBlue could not get JB, as it was already in use by Helijet from Vancouver, BC, thus the B6.

[chipmaster]

As so many CC members anxiously await the next release of Southwest fares as if they were manna from heaven, and it happens to be reporting season at the moment, I thought I'd indulge my curiousity.

 

I looked at the measure of financial performance known as “yield” from some of the recent financial results announcements. This is basically the average price paid by each passenger to fly one mile, and is sometimes called Revenue per Passenger Mile. It’s not the only important measure, because there’s not a lot of point having passengers that have paid a humungous price per mile if 90% of the seats on your aircraft are empty.

 

And, obviously, if you take an average price, there are bound to be individual passengers who have done well because they happen to have got a very low fare.

 

But yield is a reasonably good indicator of what passengers are, on average, actually paying the airline for their tickets.

 

One important thing to remember is that many airlines have business class and first class, for which passengers obviously pay much higher fares per travelled mile. So this will tend to push up their reported number. The yield from the main cabin will be lower. But Southwest does not have this - all their numbers come from the main cabin.

 

Where I’ve been able to, I’ve taken the figures for mainline operations, because regional operations tend to return much higher figures per passenger mile, and Southwest has no regional operations as such.

 

For the first quarter of 2008, in ascending order of cents per passenger mile:

Northwest: 12.71

United: 13.13

Continental: 13.45

American: 13.48

Southwest: 13.72

Delta: 14.54

 

And for comparison, in the first quarter of 2007, in ascending order of cents per passenger mile:

United: 11.74

Continental: 12.55

Northwest: 12.59

American: 12.82

Southwest: 13.11

Delta: 13.71

 

So I wonder: just how much cheaper is it, actually, to fly Southwest? Or is the perception of low fares simply the result of successful marketing gimmicks, as some have alleged?

 

 

How does SW squeaks a profit as oil tops 123!

 

 

In 2007 clever SW saved 727 MILLION dollars on their fuel! The secret is called hedging and its almost Enron like! Of course it starts about being efficient and having cash to spend/bet in the first place.

Read here for more: http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/may2008/db2008056_075377.htm