Originally Posted by
newsmanhoss
If the fare is good, book now. If there are major schedule changes later, you can get a refund. But, of course, a refund doesn't get you to where you need to go.
Frontier's guest committment says they will book you on another airline if they can't get you to your destination and it's "their fault" (which a schedule change is), but it's not
clear to me if that mandates they do this for future schedule changes. I know that Frontier has booked people on United in a similar situation, but I don't know for certain it's what they always will do.
Midwest did
not generally do this when they had their major 2008 cutbacks, and just getting a refund did not make some people very happy. If they rebook you on someone else, you're okay. If they just give you a refund, then you have to buy what is available yourself. Of course if you don't buy anything now and just wait, you're booking at whatever is available at a later date anyway.
Originally Posted by
newsmanhoss
At least you know for sure that MKE-MCO will at least have nonstop service on WN/FL. MKE-LAX might have no nonstop service at all.
I only mention this because nonstop service is important to me. There are always connecting opportunities.
That's definitely important to recognize if nonstop service is key to you. To LAX there's a definite danger that nobody will fly it nonstop this fall...the last time oil was so high in 2008, both Midwest and AirTran pulled their west coast nonstops come September. Orlando is a better bet that at least AirTran will have a nonstop.
Note that for the foreseeable future, Southwest and AirTran are operating separately and have stated they will
not cross-book even though they have common ownership. In my opinion, AirTran is a safer book for Orlando because they have the larger share and have Atlanta. If Southwest pulls their single nonstop for the off-peak fall, they won't book you on anyone else including AirTran. To LAX, if AirTran pulls nonstops then you'll have to go via Atlanta, because they won't book on anyone else either, including AirTran.
I was surprised that they are so firm on the no-intermixing between FL and WN, even in schedule change and irregular ops situations. But I read it on the WN site just this morning.
During irregular operations, can Customers be rebooked between Southwest and AirTran?
No. Policy changes will not be immediate. Each airline will utilize existing rebooking procedures. Customers should contact the airline on which travel was purchased for reaccommodation assistance.