kennycrudup

I suspect I'm not much younger than you, and used to go BOS-ACY via PHL on US scAir back in the day, with the last segment being on a Shorts 360.

... I did not. I don't scare easily, yet if "the winds were just right" you'd maybe have level flight, but otherwise if a bird flew by or someone sneezed/pharted the whole applecart seemed to upset. Lots of claw marks in those armrests, and there were some landings one could have ... created diamonds ... from the heat and pressure

Alue

Albuquerque. It's a decent sized airport that really got screwed over with the repeal of the wright amendment. We used to have direct flights to a lot of locations, but now most flights are only to hubs and many of them are on cramped regional jets like the CRJ 200. United just increased the number of CRJ 200's at ABQ in 2018 I believe. There are actually some locations that used to be a quick one hour flight to, but are now easier to drive to than fly to because you have to go into the wrong direction to get a connecting flight to your final destination (like flying to West Texas). I fly all over, but mostly stay in the West and Southwest.

The single biggest factor for me is noise level on aircrafts. I have tinnitus and loud noises make it worse. Rear mounted engines aren't great in that aspect unless you are one one of the large ones seated towards the front.

Insulator-King

I fly from ABQ to either the northwest or sometimes TX.

I like the open seating, and do NOT like CR jets.

Free bag fees are really nice too.

Ditka

Free bags are great, but they're not really fee if the price is higher.
I hate Regional jets, but I have to say no to the open seating....especially when travelling with family members in tow. Additionally, I have several family members who are anxious flyers, and the cattle call for seats adds to their anxiety...doesn't bother me.
I have earned the companion pass multiple times, but unfortunately, my family hates flying Southwest so I switched airlines.

hurnik

My sister likes Southwest due to non-stop flights (she has kids and it's easier to get them pacified when the travel day is shorter), and the RR points.

Rarely have I flown Southwest for $ (I use points) and even then it's mostly if it's a direct flight (which from ALB is only to MCO and DEN mostly). Baggage fees (for me) are mostly irrelevant due to my credit card habits getting me free bags. If I can get a direct flight and it's within $50 each way I'm inclined to take Southwest.

toomanybooks

This "cattle call" stuff is utterly mystifying to me. It's not 1998 any more.

Instead of getting in line 30 seconds before boarding and calmly walking onto the plane in an orderly way, you'd rather endure THIS stuff with hordes of pushing obnoxious legacy gate lice?? Seriously?

Ditka

Insulator-King

Just saw thread on alaskaforum about huge changes in their program.

Multiple people were talking about moving to WN.
AS to Introduce "Saver Fares" (Basic Economy), End Fee Waivers and Add Fees

nsx

This is an own goal by Alaska. Southwest can safely ignore Alaska's efforts on the West Coast after these changes are implemented.

Is this a consequence of Alaska's overpaying for Virgin America?

MJMLBBtoCPH

While it is true that Southwest is not always the cheapest compared to legacy carriers (the title of this post), at least Southwest is typically upfront about what they are selling customers compared to legacy carriers and the ULCCs. I mostly fly Alaska with elite status between Portland and Texas, but probably 1/3 of my travel is still with Southwest (because only Southwest covers Texas best). After yesterday's announcement by Alaska, I am wondering whether my future is with Southwest completely. I can't believe Alaska doesn't understand who its customers are or who it's competitor is (Southwest, and Southwest). Copying legacy carriers seems like a huge mistake, because Alaska does not have the route network or super luxury of the legacies (No lie-flat seats, no Polaris etc).

I'll have to wait and see what happens, but I may be coming full circle. Southwest, just keep sending me those drink tickets, and I can pretend I'm in Alaska premium class (except I'd get even more snacks on a long Southwest flight). As a kid, my family traveled back and forth to New Orleans from Houston all the time, usually on Southwest, though a few times also on its muse air-acquired subsidiary Texas Trans star (Trans Star gave out little chocolates to all passengers). Before 9-11, when I was in college, I can't tell you how many times I flew between Austin and Houston on Southwest's Monday Night Football $25 price specials going to the super close Robert Mueller airport (though given today's security, it's actually just easier to drive between these cities). I miss the old family section too (with backward facing seats). But, I am so glad Southwest still gives out peanuts!! And I love how flexible Southwest is. I had a friend flying on Southwest DAL to El Paso once, and the plane stopped in Amarillo to pick up stranded passengers due to a broken plane. That was the old days, but Southwest still exhibits that kind of out-of-the-box flexible thinking even today. I like when Southwest waits for customers from another flight - American does not do that any more, even if it's the last flight of the night. AA sends broken planes to Lubbock, and after leaving customers stranded is still late all the time. I could see myself returning to Southwest all in if the Alaska changes get worse.

Marko123

At least WN's gates are designed to handle people lining up, where as at IAH for instance there are masses of people clogging up the main corridor at every gate 30 min prior to boarding because they don't want to be in the back of their little group. I don't know how the fire marshal hasn't put a stop to it.

jddssc121

I cross shop them all the time. Just a few weeks ago it ended up cheaper for me to book a lie flat Mint seat on Jet Blue for a LAS-JFK than a biz select seat on WN.

So to answer OP, I fly WN a lot (already re-qualified for CP this year), but I certainly don't fly them when they're not competitive

jeffandnicole

That would take a lot of fire marshalls standing all over the place. And when the stop it in one area, people would just congregate in another area.

Fire marshals aren't concerned about people standing in a small area at one time. Fire marshalls are concerned about the total occupancy of a building. A group of people near a door will easily clear the area if there was a fire.

I've been in meetings and in buildings where people complain it's too crowded and the fire marshall should clear people out (usually at a town meeting where people are opposed to something). Never once has the person that's worried actually left themselves, because they still want to be there. If they were told there's too many people, they'd want others to leave, but feel they should stay.

So, in the end, it's never about one's own safety - they just want fewer people in their way.

3Cforme

It's not that United hates ABQ uniquely. United is adding something like 45 CR2s to the fleet this year even as AA and Delta retire 50-seat RJs.

As for noise, I find any seat ahead of the wing on a CR2/CR7/CR9 to be rather quiet. E75s (flown by Delta, UA, AA and Alaska connections carriers) are pretty good. I am not a fan of E145s, flown for AA and UA.

Yeh, use of ABQ by Southwest to skirt the Wright Amendment was pretty smart. It gave ABQ a good non-stop destination set in the west.

Peoriaman1

I tend to think single flyers much prefer open seating. No anxious family members and their endless needs to swap seats, etc.

Or perhaps its just me.