How Bad Is Southwest?
Jan 9, 2018, 11:20 pm
#16
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 96
Vegas got poured on yesterday and today. It’s been almost 4 months without measurable rain so the storms have been a little rough on us.
I have had much better luck flying in/out of OAK versus SFO. I haven’t tried SJC because it’s further from where I want to be. Every single time we’ve flown in/out of SFO on Southwest, there has been at least an hour delay. No problems at all when I schedule OAK.
i think I remember reading something somewhere on FlyerTalk about UA having priority st SFO because they take up so much space there. I could be remembering wrong though. If correct, that could explain why OP has a much better experience on UA.
I have had much better luck flying in/out of OAK versus SFO. I haven’t tried SJC because it’s further from where I want to be. Every single time we’ve flown in/out of SFO on Southwest, there has been at least an hour delay. No problems at all when I schedule OAK.
i think I remember reading something somewhere on FlyerTalk about UA having priority st SFO because they take up so much space there. I could be remembering wrong though. If correct, that could explain why OP has a much better experience on UA.
Jan 10, 2018, 4:30 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,192
Jan 10, 2018, 7:10 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Aluminum, WN B+
Posts: 929
UA had seven non stops SFO-LAS yesterday; five were at least an hour late. They don't have any non stops SJC-LAS.
DL (Skywest) had three non stops SJC-LAS yesterday; all were late and one was 2.5 hours late. They don't have any SFO-LAS non stops.
DL (Skywest) had three non stops SJC-LAS yesterday; all were late and one was 2.5 hours late. They don't have any SFO-LAS non stops.
Jan 10, 2018, 8:36 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,881
The stats @3Cforme shared got me curious. I went to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to look it up. So it appears to be an Airport by Airport thing.
- SJC Origin, January 1 through December 31, 2017, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 18.77%, compared with 25.64% on Southwest.
- SJC Destination, during the same period, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 19.21%, compared with 23.02% on Southwest.
- SFO Origin, during the same period, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 24.77%, compared with 31.25% on Southwest.
- SFO Destination, during the same period, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 30.13%, compared with 37.32% on Southwest.
- During the same period, among all of WN's flights, 20.58% were late.
WN performed much worse (not a little worse, but significantly worse) than other airlines on average in and out of the Bay Area. Is the Bay Area treating WN unfairly, or does WN have an operational problem in the Bay Area? I am not an expert so I stand to be enlightened.
- SJC Origin, January 1 through December 31, 2017, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 18.77%, compared with 25.64% on Southwest.
- SJC Destination, during the same period, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 19.21%, compared with 23.02% on Southwest.
- SFO Origin, during the same period, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 24.77%, compared with 31.25% on Southwest.
- SFO Destination, during the same period, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 30.13%, compared with 37.32% on Southwest.
- During the same period, among all of WN's flights, 20.58% were late.
WN performed much worse (not a little worse, but significantly worse) than other airlines on average in and out of the Bay Area. Is the Bay Area treating WN unfairly, or does WN have an operational problem in the Bay Area? I am not an expert so I stand to be enlightened.
Jan 10, 2018, 9:06 am
#20
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
- SJC Origin, January 1 through December 31, 2017, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 18.77%, compared with 25.64% on Southwest.
- SJC Destination, during the same period, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 19.21%, compared with 23.02% on Southwest.
- SJC Destination, during the same period, all flights on all airlines had a late rate of 19.21%, compared with 23.02% on Southwest.
Closest I've been to SFO is the little U-turn the Bart trains make there after leaving Millbrae!
Jan 10, 2018, 9:19 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,639
Well not all "Bay Area airports" - as others have mentioned, you can greatly reduce the risk of delays by flying through OAK. Not sure the origin of the SJC discrepancy but I also wouldn't hesitate to fly there if more convenient. Any time booking SFO, especially in winter, you're rolling the dice.
Jan 10, 2018, 9:32 am
#22
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,881
Well not all "Bay Area airports" - as others have mentioned, you can greatly reduce the risk of delays by flying through OAK. Not sure the origin of the SJC discrepancy but I also wouldn't hesitate to fly there if more convenient. Any time booking SFO, especially in winter, you're rolling the dice.
Jan 10, 2018, 10:33 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Verdi, NV, SFO & Olympic (aka Squaw )Valley.
Programs: Ikon Pass Full + AS Gold + Marriott Titanium + Hilton Gold. Recovering UA Plat. LT lounge AA+DL+UA
Posts: 3,823
WN is the dominant airline at OAK, so it will skew stats. For what it is worth I commute weekly OAK-RNO and have only had one major delay in recent years; it was heavy snow in Reno.
Jan 10, 2018, 10:34 am
#24
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,512
Jan 10, 2018, 10:37 pm
#26
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: STL
Programs: WN, DL, AA; Hyatt or Wyndham
Posts: 1,079
How much quicker, door to door, could it be to fly OAK-Reno rather than drive it?
Jan 11, 2018, 1:31 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,775
Jan 11, 2018, 9:19 am
#29
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Aluminum, WN B+
Posts: 929
On the last evening of a holiday weekend you could easily double the driving time though.
Jan 11, 2018, 10:14 am
#30
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Verdi, NV, SFO & Olympic (aka Squaw )Valley.
Programs: Ikon Pass Full + AS Gold + Marriott Titanium + Hilton Gold. Recovering UA Plat. LT lounge AA+DL+UA
Posts: 3,823
Time
When the weather is clear driving SF->Tahoe is about the same four hours as Bart->Uber->OAK->RNO->drive to Tahoe...but during winter months my average drive time is more like 5-6 hours.
Cost
Plus it is much less expensive: i.e. $110 average RT fare + $10 for my companion + $30 to/from OAK + $5 in gas RNO->Tahoe=$155 * 3 weeks/month = $465/mo. Gas + Tolls to Tahoe=$90*4=$360 + parking in our building at SF at $300/month=$660/month. Our Amex Plat provides entry to Escape Lounges at OAK + RNO so we get some free F+B too.
Stress + risk
Much easier and safer to fly.