NoStressHere

edited out

kennycrudup

The algorithm is simple, and has not changed: if the system detects that any two flights either overlap in the air, or you have no reasonable chance of being able to make one from another (i.e., SJC-SAN landing @11:00 and SJC-BUR leaving @12:00) it will cancel the earliest (IIRC) booked flight around Midnight Gary time (CST).

synergistic

Except that there is a current post saying that WN canceled a flight when a person booked two days in a row - so I'll be interested to see how the same thing pans out here.

kennycrudup

Nah, it shouldn't. I've done the "same flights, different days" thing this year without being cancelled.

Cledaybuck

Really? How does WN know that he/she didn't fly another airline back the same day and need to make that same flight again? Likely? Probably not. Possible? Absolutely.

Colin

this works when really needing a duplicate:

First ticket as Adams, John with Rapid Rewards & KTN
Second ticket as Adams, JohnQuincy with no Rapid Reward & no KTN

end up needing to use second ticket?
cancel first ticket, add Rapid Rewards & KTN, add companion

Often1

The same way pretty much every other carrier on the face of the earth and all other US carriers do, by looking at pragmatic realities and a passenger's travel pattern. The specific language matters and it is clear. There are two separate parts and either one may cause WN to cancel.

If one really did need two departures from the same city on the same day, one would be well advised to call WN and make these arrangements directly.

"Southwest prohibits multiple reservations for the same Passenger departing from the same city on the same date, or any multiple reservations containing conflicting or overlapping itineraries (such as departures for the same Customer from multiple cities at the same time). Furthermore, without advance notice to the Passenger or purchaser, Southwest may cancel such reservations, or any other reservations that it believes, in its sole discretion, were made without intent to travel."

Cledaybuck

But we are not talking about the same day.

joshua362

I would think this trumps that (and all).

"or any other reservations that it believes, in its sole discretion, were made without intent to travel."

ursine1

That language is a coverall. The system doesn't work on "belief." And Southwest's systems aren't even remotely comparable to "every other carrier on the face of the Earth."

One note to the detailed info posted upstream: It is reported that for some the later booked flight was the one cancelled, so ymmv.

joshua362

How are would it be to program to look for a identical reservation for the same outgoing flight on 2 (or more consecutive) days? ..

If Monday WN XX1 at 8am is booked, check WN XX1 at 8am on Tuesday.

When I traveled heavily, that would be my most common duplicate booking "scam". Maybe others?

Not saying I agree with it but pretty simple to program & detect. Take itinerary X and compare X + 24 hours...

(this may belong in the other thread, btw)

s0ssos

What's wrong with the same flight every day? Maybe you commute via flying? There are definitely people who do that.

Often1

Maybe nothing.

But, if one has a pattern of booking that and then cancelling one, it seems easy to be predictive.

WN after all datamines for travel patterns on the marketing side of the house. That same software is useful for fraud detection too.

kennycrudup

DP* of one: they apparently don't seem to care.












* giggity

T Q

I'm trying to move my son's flight for T-day weekend (2020). OMG! With flights so booked AND MIDDLE SEATS BLOCKED, it's a nightmare. I got him on one flight and his wife (a companion) on another right afterwards for the night before T day (but can't get them on both since they are BOOKED solid). Then the next day I have them together on an inconvenient flight time (arriving 6:30 PM on THANKSGIVING). I have 3 possibilities to add one of them to a flight if any empty seat would just open up. But, then SW will cancel him for sure on the day he's double booked. What happened to the days of overbooking? I have to spend a lot of time "checking" to see if something opened up so I can manage this rubic's cube. Also, when I get him set and try to add his wife as companion, it's a no go but I've got to call a phone #. Invariably, there's a 20 min wait and by the time they can help, the empty seat is gone!