New system; still 3+ connections
Sep 5, 2017, 7:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, WN A+, Marriott LT
Posts: 893
New system; still 3+ connections
Booking some holiday travel tonight, and I can't believe how many 3+ connection flights there still are. I would have thought Southwest would have better optimized schedules by this point. There weren't options like this before the system cutover, so I don't understand why these are still so prevalent. There is no reason whatsoever I need to take four flights to get from DCA to TUS.
Looking at Dec 15 flights and 4/7 options that day have FOUR flights. Ridiculous.
Looking at Dec 15 flights and 4/7 options that day have FOUR flights. Ridiculous.
Sep 5, 2017, 8:47 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,868
Some of us are masochists, I guess... I'm all kinds of disappointed that my segment run from FLL-SLC next week has been cancelled due to Irma. Six (separately ticketed) segments in one day! I go segment heavy on AA too because I get 1000 AS miles per segment. I can't come up with any logical reason to book a flight with that many connections on WN, though, since you only get a single credit regardless.
Sep 6, 2017, 1:13 am
#8
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,036
We appear to have a terminology issue; "stops" are not the same as "connections." I dare you to find a single published flight with even two connections. SWA does not allow itineraries with more than a single connection, unless there is no published service between the origin and destination. Again, "stops" are not the same as "connections."
What are you trying to say? IMO, SWA is not and never has been a customer-centric business. "Better optimized schedules" to SWA means "more revenue" or "more gross margin." It has nothing to do with "maximizing reasonable itinerary options for the average sane travel customer."
Assuming you are referring to the most recent reservation/ticketing system change...AFAIK that has nothing to do with schedule creation. Do some reading about the amazing SWA Garage-O-Mizer for some info about how schedule planning happens. AFAIK, Garage-O-Mizer stillIt's Garage-O-Mizer, not Cust-O-Merizer.
The DCA-TUS schedule for 12/15 is even worse than your OP suggests (apart from confusing "stops" and "connections"), as two of the other 3/7 options are three-leggers, and the only two-legger leaves at 6:00 AM. That said, however...
It's not my field of expertise, but indeed there may be a reason, and that is the flight restrictions that apply to DCA. Hub-and-spoke airlines can offer more options without resorting to three- and four- legged flights, but SWA isn't a true hub-and-spoke airline.
By all means, come back with a better example to complain about, because there are, no doubt, plenty of opportunities to do so.
By all means, come back with a better example to complain about, because there are, no doubt, plenty of opportunities to do so.
Sep 6, 2017, 7:15 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
ITA Matrix finds 13 one-stop itins on AA, UA or DL DCA-TUS on Dec 15 with a total travel time less than 7:30, departing as early as 5:39AM or as late as 6:25PM. Of course, WN doesn't appear on ITA Matrix.
Sep 6, 2017, 7:22 am
#10
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
Stops are not necessarily a bad thing. A short hop-stop-long hop allows the through passenger to move ahead of even preboarders for that "prime" seating without paying the BS upgrade or EBCI.
Sep 7, 2017, 6:25 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
This thread reminds me of the discussion a few months ago where someone here claimed that to fly from SJC to Houston it was necessary to go via PHX, ABQ and MDW before finally arriving in HOU. Which of course is totally ridiculous.
Sep 7, 2017, 6:28 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
Awwww, man, you'll probably take some BS customer's one favorite seat on the whole plane! Then he'll come here and start a thread saying BS (or EBCI) is a ripoff.
Sep 7, 2017, 12:17 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: Southwest RR, DL SkyMiles, AAdvantage
Posts: 130
And he would be right. There aren't 15 seats with extra legroom on the plane, and bulkheads are often taken by preboarders. And I could purchase EBCI and get C38 and be told there's nothing they can do as they don't limit EBCI sales...
Sep 7, 2017, 12:23 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 921
Booking some holiday travel tonight, and I can't believe how many 3+ connection flights there still are. I would have thought Southwest would have better optimized schedules by this point. There weren't options like this before the system cutover, so I don't understand why these are still so prevalent. There is no reason whatsoever I need to take four flights to get from DCA to TUS.
Looking at Dec 15 flights and 4/7 options that day have FOUR flights. Ridiculous.
Looking at Dec 15 flights and 4/7 options that day have FOUR flights. Ridiculous.
Sep 8, 2017, 8:13 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
Of course. Most people know EBCI doesn't guarantee anything, but there are a few that love to complain anyway.