Worst Flight Experience DAL from A-List Preferred
I was booked on Flight 33 from Dallas (leaving at 2:30pm) to Houston, then Houston to Orlando on May 8, 2014. I understand that there was very bad weather that day; the rain and lighting was intense. However, the way Southwest handled the situation was very poor. I fly a lot on SWA (A-List Preferred, Companion Pass) and this is the worst flight experience I can remembered.
To top the entire flight off, SWA lost my luggage. When arrived at MCO, no luggage, along with about 10 others from Dallas flight.
What I do not understand is how poorly Flight 33 was treated vs other flights, specifically other Dallas Houston flights that day. See below table to compare flights
Flight Sched Actual Actual Amount
Depart Arrival Late
27 1:00 1:14 2:26 0:26
29 1:30 Cancelled
33 2:30 8:35 10:34 6:54
35 3:00 8:02 9:59 5:59
37 3:30 7:54 9:47 5:17
39 4:00 5:31 7:23 2:23
41 4:30 7:39 9:34 4:04
43 5:00 8:18 10:19 4:19
47 6:00 8:34 10:39 3:39
Flight 33, although scheduled earlier, got in after all flights scheduled at/before 5:00 (2 ½ hours later) and almost after 6:00 flight
The following is an approximately time line.
11:00 Checked time on time
1:00 Arrived at airport, checked in. Two bags, one suitcase and one cardboard box.
2:00 Checked time showed 2:45, Gate 6
2:15 Flight Attendants arrive at gate 6 for flight
Plane comes into Gate 6
Told NOT our plane, this plane was going to Kansas City, flight 1985, which arrive 2 hours late, not 7½
Told by Ops Agent, out plane was on ground
Looked out window, saw my cardboard box sitting in open cart
Starts to rain, ground crew covers luggage racks poorly. Side of cardboard box visible and in the rain, took picture
Tremendous rain, lighting
Told by Gate Agent our plane diverted to OK City
Gate 6 sits vacant
6:44 Our plane lands- Incoming 2499 New Orleans-Dallas
6:45 Plane comes into Gate 6 Told NOT our plane, Flight 910 to OK City, which arrive 3 hours late, not 7½
6:45 Told by Ops Agent, Flight 33 moving gates
6:55 Announcement Flight 33 to Gate 3
6:55:10 No not Gate 3
7:00 Yes Gate 3
7:01 Gate 3, no plane
7:10 Plane arrives at Gate 3
7:10 7:10 EDT, original scheduled arrival in Orlando
7:30 Ops Agent announces waiting on Flight Attendants from Gate 2
Even though the FA had been waiting at Gate 6 from 2:15
7:45 No FA
8:00 FA arrive not from Gate 2
8:05 Board
8:00 Pilot announces needs more fuel, 2 hour flight to Houston
8:10 15 people leave plane
8:15 Pilot announces fuel to begin
8:35 Door closes
8:55 Takeoff
10:34 Arrive Houston
10:42 Opened door, no Ops agent
FA crew change in Houston
No boarding, told by FA that another FA forgot her manual and had to go to office to print
11:37 Leave Houston
2:33 EDT Finally arrive in Orlando, 7 ½ hours late
While I understand SWA cannot control the weather, there are so many questions. I really do not expect an answer to each, some are just rhetorical.
Why was more correct information not given, display boards did not show anything?
Why was the luggage in the rain and not covered from the start?
Why did the ground crew not cover the luggage completely?
Why was so much inaccurate information given?
Why were so many diverted flights for later times than Flight 33 coming in sooner and leaving sooner?
Why do earlier flights not leave soonest on delay Flights 35, 37, 39,41
. All left before 33?
Why did the FA get pulled from Flight 33, then we had to wait?
Why were we told FA coming from Gate 2 when they were not?
Why put FA crew that had to change in Houston?
Why so long to fuel?
Why sit an extra 30 mins in Houston?
Where are my bags?
After all this delay, how could the bags not arrive with plane?
I am sorry for the length of this, but that is a summary of all that happened.