toomanybooks

If you were married to my wife, you'd value it a lot.

4 changes on one flight last summer.

tusphotog

Since when is 14/16 "last place?" But I sure as hell agree their on time performance has sucked lately!

diver858

WN propaganda - Anyone with status or a credit card on a full service carrier does not have to pay bag fees. For those without either, simply bring the bags to the gate, all full service carriers now offer free checked bags, early boarding for those that gate check bags, as it helps expedite boarding.

Ability to change a ticket is a double-edged sword, as you still have to pay the prevailing fare - typically MUCH more for those who buy WGA in advance, make a last minute change. My BIGGEST peeve is WN's standby policy - all full service carriers allow same day changes to an earlier / later flight for free, or a small fee. WN again requires the purchase of a new ticket, which is typically SUBSTANTIALLY more for those that purchased a WGA fare.
For years, my standard practice when traveling on business has been to buy a ticket on the last flight of the day, or later than my schedule for the day. If I am fortunate enough to complete my business early, get to the airport quickly, I am typically able to get home early for free (or a small fee). WN now has a commercial promoting such a capability, but fails to mention the financial penalty for doing so.

BillyBaloney

I think the shine has worn off. I must admit, way back when I was a fledgling traveller, their marketing did suck me in. And WN was my primary source for air travel. But all those "cutesy-pie" marketing gimmicks soon wore out, and I found myself looking to other airlines. I even discovered business class. Now, WN is on the end of my list. If there is no other alternative, I will fly them. And it is odd - the pricing used to be much, much lower. I find today that they charge the same or more for an inferior product. They never did get a new act. Even Tony Robbins polishes his act every few years. We're still getting peanuts, and LUV, and any other BS they can come up with. IMHO they peaked a long time ago, for what they are.

nsx

That was when Southwest had a large cost advantage over other airlines. That advantage has been mostly erased by aggressive cost-cutting at other airlines coupled with continued increases in labor cost at Southwest and the end of fuel hedge gains.

You weren't wrong to like Southwest's prices pre-2007 and you aren't wrong to dislike them now.

Arguably Southwest was shoveling fuel hedge gains out the door to customers pre-2007. That was not the world's smartest business decision.

toomanybooks

Are you somehow under the impression this is new info to us here?

We have known this stuff for YEARS, and it is all archived and covered in excruciating detail in hundreds of threads.

It also has nothing to do with on-time performance, the subject of this thread.

ursine1

This thread veered off topic way before his comments, which were actually a reply to a post that somehow eluded your scrutiny. To bring it back: Southwest's on-time performance? It sucks. From first to worst is something that matters to flyers, and should matter to management. Time will tell if the later is true.

WheelsFirst

I'm not a WN fan but for a family the no change fee is amazing. I flew WN with my parents all the time and we'd almost always change flights on family trips. $150-200 times 4 people adds up really fast! Agree the free bags isn't that big a deal but again for their target demo it's a big saver. WN has really struggled as it tries to be more and more like a legacy.

diver858

I was simply responding to http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22159352-post57.html - same thread, why not challenge hazelrah as well?

hazelrah

WN's on-time performance does suck. I think management has dropped the ball with respect to scheduling and needs to get some focus on this problem. If I had to guess I'd say management needs to pay more attention to operations and less on cost cutting.

That being said, I cut WN a little slack . Every airline during merger experiences glitches, small, medium, and large. The on-time performance issues are an embarrassment that needs fixing, but I'm glad we have WN.

As an aside - It appears some are flying on legacies in an alternate dimension. I find WN aircraft to be clean and FAs to be unfailingly polite as opposed to dirty old legacy aircraft and mediocre FAs.

kerflumexed

I understand the new plan is to close the door 5 min early even if it means leaving folks behind, and regardless of bags being loaded. And while the top ramper rate is just under $26/hr, the starting rate is closer to $10. They need more help at MDW and the other mega hubs in ground ops.

hazelrah

Operational procedures, such as strict adherence to time requirements for checking a bag, closing the door, etc., are elements that should be looked at. Staffing levels and scheduling of flights are some others.

eponymous_coward

It's the "I'm always upgraded to lie-flat seats as an überelite on SFO-LAX and get served Krug and caviar, and never see a 50 seat RJ" dimension, apparently.

rsteinmetz70112

I find this aspect of service slipping as well, but not as badly as some other things. For example on a recent flight my wife snagged the infinite legroom seat and the FA first questioned her about whether she could lift 50 pounds and later refused to let her put her purse under the empty middle seat next to her.

Finally if you read some of the pilot forums you will see a fair number of comments on Southwest's Ground Ops holding up departures. Complaints about baggage loading and unloading, caterings and similar things.

In my opinion the dismal on time performance is related to these other issues with Southwest.

hazelrah

I don't believe there is one thing one can point to with respect to the dismal on-time performance, but that it is a confluence of issues.

On my most recent flight from BWI the plane was loaded by a LONE ramper, so I don't doubt that what you say is true.