Flying on / after nex gen system cutover day (May 9)
May 5, 2017, 2:24 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,459
Flying on / after nex gen system cutover day (May 9)
I received the following notice from Southwest
Travel notice
You're traveling during the launch of our next generation reservation system. While we don't expect any impacts to your journey, we recommend printing your boarding pass at home or downloading it in advance of arrival using our mobile app. We also recommend getting to the airport early if your schedule allows in order to ensure a smooth travel experience. We look forward to seeing you onboard soon!
Oh fun.
Travel noticeYou're traveling during the launch of our next generation reservation system. While we don't expect any impacts to your journey, we recommend printing your boarding pass at home or downloading it in advance of arrival using our mobile app. We also recommend getting to the airport early if your schedule allows in order to ensure a smooth travel experience. We look forward to seeing you onboard soon!
May 5, 2017, 3:58 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I was told that Southwest has blacked out non-rev travel on May 9th. The person who told me this also said he's advised friends to not travel WN that day, as he expects a complete cluster. He feels training on the new system has been inadequate. Take that for what it's worth.
On one hand, I'm glad that Southwest is actually proactively issuing warnings. On the other hand, I've never seen them do anything like this before, so I have to wonder what level of unease it took for them to actually do so.
Good luck.
On one hand, I'm glad that Southwest is actually proactively issuing warnings. On the other hand, I've never seen them do anything like this before, so I have to wonder what level of unease it took for them to actually do so.
Good luck.
May 5, 2017, 4:25 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 51
They're pushing for no non-rev travel for a week but it's not embargoed. I certainly wouldn't try the A-List standby for about a week either. There is supposed to be quite a few people on hand to answer questions, but if it is spread across every station, bigger areas might suffer. The stations that fly international should be better off.
May 5, 2017, 4:28 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
To give an idea of how badly this can go, I point to the US Airways/America West system integration of March 2007.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/trave...y-update_n.htm
US Airways continued to struggle with a faulty reservation-and-ticketing system Monday, and attempted to keep lines down at key airports by adding workers and encouraging travelers to use the Internet for flight check-ins.
...
When the new system started over the weekend, it failed to communicate with ticketing kiosks at airports. That forced all passengers to check in at airport counters, creating massive lines. On a normal day, 40% of passengers would use kiosks to check in, Kirby said.
Some passengers on Monday still faced lengthy waits: 90 minutes in Philadelphia, and 45 minutes in Charlotte, for example. But those times were better than Sunday, when waits at times lasted about two hours, Kirby said.
According to airline performance tracker FlightStats, just 14% of US Airways Sunday flights scheduled to leave by early evening departed on time.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/trave...y-update_n.htm
US Airways continued to struggle with a faulty reservation-and-ticketing system Monday, and attempted to keep lines down at key airports by adding workers and encouraging travelers to use the Internet for flight check-ins.
...
When the new system started over the weekend, it failed to communicate with ticketing kiosks at airports. That forced all passengers to check in at airport counters, creating massive lines. On a normal day, 40% of passengers would use kiosks to check in, Kirby said.
Some passengers on Monday still faced lengthy waits: 90 minutes in Philadelphia, and 45 minutes in Charlotte, for example. But those times were better than Sunday, when waits at times lasted about two hours, Kirby said.
According to airline performance tracker FlightStats, just 14% of US Airways Sunday flights scheduled to leave by early evening departed on time.
May 5, 2017, 5:21 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Apparently what I was told wasn't 100% correct.
They're pushing for no non-rev travel for a week but it's not embargoed. I certainly wouldn't try the A-List standby for about a week either. There is supposed to be quite a few people on hand to answer questions, but if it is spread across every station, bigger areas might suffer. The stations that fly international should be better off.
May 5, 2017, 7:00 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: LAX/SMF/PDX/HNL
Programs: Hilton-lifetime diamond, Southwest A+, companion pass
Posts: 1,745
Fingers Crossed!
Flying on May 10.
Fortunately, I don't really HAVE to.
BTW---the booking system is giving strange messages for changes to companion reservations:
If you don't wait the obligatory 10 minutes for a cancelled companion pass reservation to process before you try to change the non-companion's booking, you get the "your reservation has been cancelled" OOPS when trying to change the non-companion's reservation. This error message seems to be the default for the new system.
Fortunately, I don't really HAVE to.
BTW---the booking system is giving strange messages for changes to companion reservations:
If you don't wait the obligatory 10 minutes for a cancelled companion pass reservation to process before you try to change the non-companion's booking, you get the "your reservation has been cancelled" OOPS when trying to change the non-companion's reservation. This error message seems to be the default for the new system.
May 5, 2017, 7:20 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 133
I have flight LAX ---> JAX on Tuesday May 9th
Departing 9:20am - one stop no aircraft change ATL - arriving 6:20pm
I love that flight and I love Southwest - but I have to be in JAX that day to prepare to move my 84 and 85-year-old parents into an independent living villa on Friday May 12th (limited move, not whole house ! -or I'd already be there).
Everything is laid out - getting keys and moving supplies on 10th, prep 10th -11th and then movers arrive on 12th at 8am.
And now I read tonight about this possible (impending/probable) cluster throughout the Southwest system. And LAX is so screwed up already (I like BUR).
Would you switch to a one way on Delta at 5:30am arriving at 2:44pm vs 3:38pm for 20K skymiles?
Departing 9:20am - one stop no aircraft change ATL - arriving 6:20pm
I love that flight and I love Southwest - but I have to be in JAX that day to prepare to move my 84 and 85-year-old parents into an independent living villa on Friday May 12th (limited move, not whole house ! -or I'd already be there).
Everything is laid out - getting keys and moving supplies on 10th, prep 10th -11th and then movers arrive on 12th at 8am.
And now I read tonight about this possible (impending/probable) cluster throughout the Southwest system. And LAX is so screwed up already (I like BUR).
Would you switch to a one way on Delta at 5:30am arriving at 2:44pm vs 3:38pm for 20K skymiles?
May 5, 2017, 9:12 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Motown
Programs: DL, WN, AA, IHG Diamond, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,408
Not just for companions from what I have heard. A co-worker was trying to book WN for flights around May 9 and the system wouldn't let her. This was yesterday (Thurs), and I did have to tell her to book two one ways. WN would not do a round trip because the travel dates straddled May 9. But for some reason, she couldn't even do to two one ways either.
May 5, 2017, 9:15 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 438
I don't think it's going to be that big of a deal. All international flying has had it for years and even in stations without int'l (DAL for example) still check in pax for int'l itineraries. As most check in from home and such, I really don't think it will be that different from a normal day with just a few oddities here and there.
May 5, 2017, 9:29 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I don't think it's going to be that big of a deal. All international flying has had it for years and even in stations without int'l (DAL for example) still check in pax for int'l itineraries. As most check in from home and such, I really don't think it will be that different from a normal day with just a few oddities here and there.
At MDW, international is a completely different counter, staffed by completely different staff. International still operates a separate call center. The number of staff currently using the new system is very small.
Beginning May 9th everyone will have to use the new system, and the vast majority of them have only limited training using it.
May 5, 2017, 10:00 pm
#14
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,618
May 5, 2017, 11:58 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: DEN
Posts: 260
As stated above by 737MAX8, the Altea system has been in production use for international itineraries for a while. To summarize the sentiments I've gotten from asking my colleagues on the ground in many stations, I think the biggest hurdle is the unfamiliarity with the new system. It's not so much that training is inadequate, rather that until you're in the driver's seat using it regularly it takes time to recall the steps quickly. Unfortunately with so many employees to train, some will have had their training many months prior to rollout. In stations like LAX for example with existing international service, the agents suggested to me that May 9 will be a non-event there since the majority have been using Altea for a while.
Also as mentioned, there is a huge amount of extra staff that will be available to ease the transition. Personally, I think the biggest issue will be longer lines and wait times - the systems will function normally but the agents will need patience as they adjust. Additionally, the crew scheduling system is not part of the transition, so that's one fewer moving piece. I'm scheduled to work and I'm not concerned. At a minimum, should something happen at least the company is poised to react much more swiftly than in July.
And I'll confirm that nonrev travel is discouraged but not embargoed. (Imagine commuters not being able to get to work - that might cause a meltdown
)
(The comments and opinions above are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Southwest Airlines.)
Also as mentioned, there is a huge amount of extra staff that will be available to ease the transition. Personally, I think the biggest issue will be longer lines and wait times - the systems will function normally but the agents will need patience as they adjust. Additionally, the crew scheduling system is not part of the transition, so that's one fewer moving piece. I'm scheduled to work and I'm not concerned. At a minimum, should something happen at least the company is poised to react much more swiftly than in July.
And I'll confirm that nonrev travel is discouraged but not embargoed. (Imagine commuters not being able to get to work - that might cause a meltdown
)(The comments and opinions above are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Southwest Airlines.)