Flight to Cancun Cancelled . ...
Dec 8, 2016, 1:15 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Lots of complaints on Twitter and Facebook, but still no info coming from Southwest about what happened. Especially odd since they just pushed with much fanfare the launch and first flights on Dec. 4th. How were those flights approved, and these not?
Dec 9, 2016, 8:18 am
#17
Join Date: Dec 2003
Programs: AA Plat Pro, United Silver, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,120
Both today's and tomorrow's flights are cancelled. I'm guessing some issue/dispute with the Mexican government. These new routes were already approved by US DOT.
http://investors.southwest.com/news-...2016-213236826
http://investors.southwest.com/news-...2016-213236826
We are on this flight in January and I'm checking out my options with other airlines already. I don't want to be stuck with a last-minute routing through BWI.
Dec 9, 2016, 8:55 am
#19
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Don't wait.
As soon as a flight shows as cancelled, that dumps 180 passengers into the pool requiring seats and that overwhelms WN's capacity through any gateway. That leaves you with a refund and purchasing walk-up tickets on other carriers at peak fares.
Unless you can verify that WN has Mexican government approval, do the WN reroute through IAH, AUS or DEN now.
As soon as a flight shows as cancelled, that dumps 180 passengers into the pool requiring seats and that overwhelms WN's capacity through any gateway. That leaves you with a refund and purchasing walk-up tickets on other carriers at peak fares.
Unless you can verify that WN has Mexican government approval, do the WN reroute through IAH, AUS or DEN now.
Dec 9, 2016, 9:27 am
#20
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA Plat
Posts: 435
Dec 9, 2016, 10:11 am
#21
Join Date: Dec 2003
Programs: AA Plat Pro, United Silver, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,120
Don't wait.
As soon as a flight shows as cancelled, that dumps 180 passengers into the pool requiring seats and that overwhelms WN's capacity through any gateway. That leaves you with a refund and purchasing walk-up tickets on other carriers at peak fares.
Unless you can verify that WN has Mexican government approval, do the WN reroute through IAH, AUS or DEN now.
As soon as a flight shows as cancelled, that dumps 180 passengers into the pool requiring seats and that overwhelms WN's capacity through any gateway. That leaves you with a refund and purchasing walk-up tickets on other carriers at peak fares.
Unless you can verify that WN has Mexican government approval, do the WN reroute through IAH, AUS or DEN now.
Edited to add: It's done; we're booked on direct flights on United. The price was right - I redeemed about the same number of Chase UR points as I had Southwest points for the original reservation.
Last edited by ehallison; Dec 9, 2016 at 10:37 am
Dec 9, 2016, 12:13 pm
#22
Formerly known as pmclean
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 140
I posted on FlyerTalk the beginning of November with a thread on this issue on the American Airlines forum. The issue is that the Mexican government has not finalized the approvals.
Every day since Nov. 4, AA has been canceling their flights from MIA to MID, which was one of the new routes approved into Mexico, along with the new Southwest route. I have called AA several times and at first I was informed the flights were cancelled due to weather. Hahaha. I hold a ticket for this route in February and am still trying to get answers from American. I have also contacted the DOT back in November and was routed to every possible person that could not help me in the least with information.
AA continued to sell tickets into last week, canceling flights on a daily basis. Currently they have pulled the route through January, but tickets are still being sold for February dates.
Every day since Nov. 4, AA has been canceling their flights from MIA to MID, which was one of the new routes approved into Mexico, along with the new Southwest route. I have called AA several times and at first I was informed the flights were cancelled due to weather. Hahaha. I hold a ticket for this route in February and am still trying to get answers from American. I have also contacted the DOT back in November and was routed to every possible person that could not help me in the least with information.
AA continued to sell tickets into last week, canceling flights on a daily basis. Currently they have pulled the route through January, but tickets are still being sold for February dates.
Dec 9, 2016, 12:26 pm
#23
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
DOT is the wrong place to call. It approved both the WN and AA routes ages ago. You will be sent from office to office looking for someone who may know until you have spoken with every office and learned nothing.
AA & WN would love to know but can't shed any light on this either. In the meantime, they have flights scheduled subject to approval.
If you can get information out of the Mexican government, you will be doing better than the army of lawyers, lobbysists and others on AA and WN's payroll. Good luck with that.
AA & WN would love to know but can't shed any light on this either. In the meantime, they have flights scheduled subject to approval.
If you can get information out of the Mexican government, you will be doing better than the army of lawyers, lobbysists and others on AA and WN's payroll. Good luck with that.
Dec 9, 2016, 1:50 pm
#25
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
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Posts: 21,690
Dec 9, 2016, 2:02 pm
#26
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
This article would make it seem that Southwest flew those first few flights without approval.
https://skift.com/2016/12/09/southwe...hts-to-mexico/
https://skift.com/2016/12/09/southwe...hts-to-mexico/
Dec 9, 2016, 2:03 pm
#27
Join Date: Jul 2015
Programs: HH Diamond, HGVC, WN RR, National Exec, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,058
Dec 9, 2016, 2:07 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
As does the statement Southwest issued. They submitted the paperwork, hadn't received approvals yet, but went ahead and flew anyway.
Of course, they also say they are reaching out to impacted customers well before departure date, which we know isn't true... so who knows what to believe.
Despite being "fully compliant with the terms of that bilateral aviation accord" and "having submitted all required regulatory paperwork to Mexican authorities more than three months ago," Southwest said it's been forced to cancel flights proactively because Mexican authorities have yet to issue required paperwork authorizing the flights in question.
"Because required paperwork still has not been issued by authorities in Mexico, we are now faced with unplanned challenges and forced to make proactive flight cancelations," the carrier said in an emailed statement to TravelPulse. "We’re working to reach out well before impacted customers original departure dates to alert them to the canceled flight and accommodate them on alternative service."
"Because required paperwork still has not been issued by authorities in Mexico, we are now faced with unplanned challenges and forced to make proactive flight cancelations," the carrier said in an emailed statement to TravelPulse. "We’re working to reach out well before impacted customers original departure dates to alert them to the canceled flight and accommodate them on alternative service."
Dec 9, 2016, 2:10 pm
#29
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Effectively stranding passengers in Mexico, or at a minimum needing complicated routings to get them back home (when space was even available) or leaving them to fend for themselves, booking last minute on other carriers.
No compensation given, since flying there without approval was Mexico's fault.
No compensation given, since flying there without approval was Mexico's fault.