Often1

That is hypothetically true. But, the reality is that the closer to flight date, the higher the fare. In WN-land, the discounted fares go away. So, while there are no change fees marked as "change fees", it usually costs money to change a ticket because there is a fare difference.

That is why people have done what they have done. It is simply that they got away with it and now they can't.

There really is nothing to argue about because there is no real reason for people to jump ship to DL, AA or UA unless because those carriers charge at least $200 to make a change.

Critterlynn

Sometimes spoiled children have a fit when parents finally put thier foot down and say no. This is especially true when it's something they previously allowed.

lougord99

I cannot properly express how much I disagree with your comment. Companies set the rules for the consumer to buy their product. ( my company has certain warranties if you buy my product, etc. ). Consumers then decide whether to buy the product. The rule for buying a Southwest product, in the past, has been you can buy multiple tickets for flights that you cannot possibly fly on all of them ( do not talk to me about the CoC - the rule has been as I described ). They have created a new rule. That's fine and is their prerogative.

We are not spoiled children. We are complaining about paying more for the same product. I am not happy paying more for the same product. Southwest has also made that product cheaper for some people with the new stand-by rule. We will all make our decisions. Mine decision is to continue to primarily fly Southwest.

nsx

Very well explained.

For my intra-CA travel I can often book AA tickets for 7500 Avios, forfeiting only the $5.60 security fee if I cancel. Availability has been decent close to travel date and I have enough Avios to cover my fallback flights for several years. I don't see how moving that travel to AA would help Southwest, provided that Southwest's software is as accurate at predicting loads as I believe it is.

In short, I agree that you are correct in principle but I believe that in the real world Southwest's traditional policy will produce superior results to a policy of preventing secondary bookings.

Kevin AA

Basic Economy fares on AA, DL and UA are not upgradeable even if you fly 6 days a week.

Kevin AA

They didn't change any rules. The rule against duplicate reservations has been there forever and exists on the other airlines as well. The only thing that is changing is that WN has new technology to catch this. It's like if the NYC subway previously would accept any coin for entry so people just used a penny to ride instead of buying a $2 token. Then they install new machines that require a $2 token to ride. Oh no now we have to pay? Horrors!

ftnoob

Why such certainty? Given their often bumbling track record, it seems entirely possible that nobody at SWA had any idea in advance that the new system would behave in this manner. That's one possible explanation for the lack of an advance announcement.

Often1

Please don't ask people not to talk to you about the COC. That it is the whole point of the "spoiled children" post.

This has always been the rule --- and it is not about duplicate or impossible ticketing, it is about those and anything else WN determines to be fraudulently booked. It has simply not been enforced. Now, it is being enforced. That is all.

As a consumer, you have two options:

> Live with it
> Jump ship

WN is betting that either #1 occurs and that the extra space freed up through less inventory spoilage results in happier customers overall or that to the extent that #2 occurs, it is minimal and made up for by more happy #1's.

We'll see. Maybe people are correct and it was a mistake and WN will run an ad campaign: "We're fine with ticketing fraud - please come back" We'll see !

LegalTender

Software doesn't divine intent, it flags patterns. "Speculative" and "fraudulent" are not interdependent.

If a giant snowstorm is forecast around my DEN departure, booking a safety flight home isn't scamming. Booking up a block of seats around a major sporting event "in anticipation of demand" unquestionably is.

WN no longer distinguishes between miscreants.

I doubt the result is "more happy" customers.

Often1

Your intent is unimportant. The simple fact is that you don't intend to fly one of the tickets.

That extra seat which you take out of inventory to better assure that you make it home that night means that it's not there for someone who does abide by the rules and that guy gets stuck overnight.

Or worse, WN figures that lots of people double book and WN overbooks and then starts playing the VDB game at the gate. So, more people double book and WN overbooks more and so on.

It's not sustainable. Now that people know that the game is over, they will adapt.

LegalTender

None of us knows what is "sustainable" or how WN's total embargo will be received.

Media exposure is a way of finding out.

Kevin AA

Media exposure that WN's IDB rate went down? Good! Media exposure that people can only buy one ticket at a time? That's like #1352 on most people's list of things to worry about.

LegalTender

IDB blowup, like every defense of this decision, is conjecture.

The Bank of Southwest benefits from whatever best incentivizes. As elsewhere suggested, A-List and CP holders could be a test market: "Make two reservations for your return and cancel one when you know which flight you can take; save the second fare for later."

Booking outbound on any airline and "doubling down" on Southwest for the return, meanwhile, is a supportable option. Just as it has been.

nsx

I needed to call in the next day and wait 5 minutes while they freed the ticketless funds. I had been hoping the new system would not have late night stupor, but at least Thursday night has "unhappy hour".

Kevin AA

This is asinine. A-list gets to standby (a new benefit) at no charge. CP has been around for ages. It's buy-one-get-one-free, which no other airline offers.

You guys are so greedy, WN has no need for you. Have fun flying any other airline with their $200 (or infinite in some cases) change fees, bag fees, and cramped legroom. If you get elite status you might have a chance at getting an upgrade though!