Southwest declares operations 'emergency' amid labor dispute with mechanics
Mar 3, 2019, 5:06 am
#63
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: ATL
Posts: 1,924
Dropped wife off at ATL this morning for the first 7:15a flight to MCO; they were offering $600 for volunteers. I see that 1 of 6 non-stops was cancelled yesterday, so don't know if that possibly caused yesterday pax to be pushed to this morning.
Update: she took the offer, $773 voucher including the price of today's flight, can be used by anyone (me
) for a year, she's my companion and rarely travels by herself, re-booked on a 7pm tonight but 3rd on standby for the 11:15a
Update: she took the offer, $773 voucher including the price of today's flight, can be used by anyone (me
) for a year, she's my companion and rarely travels by herself, re-booked on a 7pm tonight but 3rd on standby for the 11:15a
Last edited by dmbolp; Mar 3, 2019 at 5:53 am
Mar 3, 2019, 9:24 am
#64
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: WN A-List Pref, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 460
Mar 8, 2019, 4:44 pm
#65
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MCI
Programs: CBP Global Entry, WN A-List Preferred, WN Companion Pass
Posts: 2,007
FAA Warns Southwest, Mechanics That Contract Standoff Could Be Safety Risk
The Wall Street Journal
Updated March 8, 2019 5:51 p.m. ET
After the spike in out-of-service aircraft last month, Southwest declared an operational emergency. In a Feb. 22 letter, Mark Shaw, Southwest’s top lawyer, told union officials that unscheduled aircraft downtime due to maintenance had increased more than fivefold at certain airports and “revealed troubling patterns of explicit coordination” among dozens of mechanics. “Further, we have identified specific shifts responsible for the majority of the unlawful activity,” the letter said, asking union leaders to take action to stop it.
The Wall Street Journal
Updated March 8, 2019 5:51 p.m. ET
After the spike in out-of-service aircraft last month, Southwest declared an operational emergency. In a Feb. 22 letter, Mark Shaw, Southwest’s top lawyer, told union officials that unscheduled aircraft downtime due to maintenance had increased more than fivefold at certain airports and “revealed troubling patterns of explicit coordination” among dozens of mechanics. “Further, we have identified specific shifts responsible for the majority of the unlawful activity,” the letter said, asking union leaders to take action to stop it.
Mar 8, 2019, 9:44 pm
#67
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: SWA CP, UA MP, Hilton G, SPG G
Posts: 69
FAA Warns Southwest, Mechanics That Contract Standoff Could Be Safety Risk
The Wall Street Journal
Updated March 8, 2019 5:51 p.m. ET
After the spike in out-of-service aircraft last month, Southwest declared an operational emergency. In a Feb. 22 letter, Mark Shaw, Southwest’s top lawyer, told union officials that unscheduled aircraft downtime due to maintenance had increased more than fivefold at certain airports and “revealed troubling patterns of explicit coordination” among dozens of mechanics. “Further, we have identified specific shifts responsible for the majority of the unlawful activity,” the letter said, asking union leaders to take action to stop it.
The Wall Street Journal
Updated March 8, 2019 5:51 p.m. ET
After the spike in out-of-service aircraft last month, Southwest declared an operational emergency. In a Feb. 22 letter, Mark Shaw, Southwest’s top lawyer, told union officials that unscheduled aircraft downtime due to maintenance had increased more than fivefold at certain airports and “revealed troubling patterns of explicit coordination” among dozens of mechanics. “Further, we have identified specific shifts responsible for the majority of the unlawful activity,” the letter said, asking union leaders to take action to stop it.
Mar 9, 2019, 4:33 am
#68
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,229
Well, my flight got cancelled this morning. 6 AM from BNA to DAL. Get a text at 3AM that the flight is cancelled. Flightaware shows the plane never left Houston last night. Its the first Saturday of Spring Break and very busy leaving Nashville, but luckily, I can still get out tonight and maybe get to El Paso tonight.
Rebooked on line. Got my C-group boarding passes instead of the early bird passes I paid for.
Tried to call the SWA phone number, stayed on hold for 40 minutes before I gave up. No estimated hold times, no call back option, no separate number for IRROPS.
A line of bad weather is expected to move in right around the time my flight leaves. My total delay in getting to El Paso is going to be at least 14 hours.
Clearly very frustrated but trying to put this in perspective comparing it to IRROP due to maintenance experiences with other airlines.
I think the only thing I am most frustrated about is not being able to reach anyone to see if I can get standby on earlier flights. Also the fact that they knew sometime early last night that the plane wasn't going to be in Nashville for the morning flight, but chose not to cancel until 2 hours before the flight.
I hope they get this maintenance issue resolved. I am not feeling the LUV.
Rebooked on line. Got my C-group boarding passes instead of the early bird passes I paid for.
Tried to call the SWA phone number, stayed on hold for 40 minutes before I gave up. No estimated hold times, no call back option, no separate number for IRROPS.
A line of bad weather is expected to move in right around the time my flight leaves. My total delay in getting to El Paso is going to be at least 14 hours.
Clearly very frustrated but trying to put this in perspective comparing it to IRROP due to maintenance experiences with other airlines.
I think the only thing I am most frustrated about is not being able to reach anyone to see if I can get standby on earlier flights. Also the fact that they knew sometime early last night that the plane wasn't going to be in Nashville for the morning flight, but chose not to cancel until 2 hours before the flight.
I hope they get this maintenance issue resolved. I am not feeling the LUV.
Mar 9, 2019, 3:47 pm
#69
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,229
2nd flight 12 hours later to DAL cancelled. SWA says all weather or ATC so not their fault. Won’t put me on standby for 3 other flights to DALl leaving earlier because they rebooked me through Austin and gave away my Connecting flight. Flight to AUS is already late.
Flight Aware shows WN has already a 3% cancellation rate of 143 flights already today.
Their operational situation is not good right now.
The weather isn’t helping but that’s not the issue
Flight Aware shows WN has already a 3% cancellation rate of 143 flights already today.
Their operational situation is not good right now.
The weather isn’t helping but that’s not the issue
Mar 9, 2019, 5:31 pm
#70
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 438
2nd flight 12 hours later to DAL cancelled. SWA says all weather or ATC so not their fault. Won’t put me on standby for 3 other flights to DALl leaving earlier because they rebooked me through Austin and gave away my Connecting flight. Flight to AUS is already late.
Flight Aware shows WN has already a 3% cancellation rate of 143 flights already today.
Their operational situation is not good right now.
The weather isn’t helping but that’s not the issue
Flight Aware shows WN has already a 3% cancellation rate of 143 flights already today.
Their operational situation is not good right now.
The weather isn’t helping but that’s not the issue
Mar 9, 2019, 7:50 pm
#71
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,229
My first 2 cancellations had nothing to do with weather. My 6 AM DAL flight was cancelled, no stand by was allowed, so I watched 4 other BNA-DAL flights leave, but the last one was cancelled 5 hours before it was to leave. The only legit weather cancellation I had was the delay to the Austin re-route.
SWA is operationally challenged right now. They had 150 cancelled flights and 28% of their flights were delayed today. Thats a higher percentage than any other airline.
Mar 13, 2019, 5:19 pm
#72
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: CVG
Programs: Hyatt Giraffe
Posts: 1,665
This is getting really ridiculous. Wife and daughter (companion) booked same day BHM->CVG->BHM in order to get braces taken off (3/5). Flight cancelled due to maintenance, offered 1 single $200 LUV voucher nothing for daughter. Ate the prepaid rental car fee. Rescheduled for 3/12 but due to schedule changes same day turn not possible, so had to go 3/12 and 3/13. Today on the return, maintenance again, flights are delayed to the point won't make the connection. 0 compensation offered and $200 for a 1 way rental car to come home.
Can't get us there, can't get us back. 2 extra days missed of school plus all the additional expenses. I'm normally a big SW supporter but this is just unacceptable.
Can't get us there, can't get us back. 2 extra days missed of school plus all the additional expenses. I'm normally a big SW supporter but this is just unacceptable.
Mar 13, 2019, 6:12 pm
#73
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,229
This is getting really ridiculous. Wife and daughter (companion) booked same day BHM->CVG->BHM in order to get braces taken off (3/5). Flight cancelled due to maintenance, offered 1 single $200 LUV voucher nothing for daughter. Ate the prepaid rental car fee. Rescheduled for 3/12 but due to schedule changes same day turn not possible, so had to go 3/12 and 3/13. Today on the return, maintenance again, flights are delayed to the point won't make the connection. 0 compensation offered and $200 for a 1 way rental car to come home.
Can't get us there, can't get us back. 2 extra days missed of school plus all the additional expenses. I'm normally a big SW supporter but this is just unacceptable.
Can't get us there, can't get us back. 2 extra days missed of school plus all the additional expenses. I'm normally a big SW supporter but this is just unacceptable.
I never made my flights last Saturday, and I am kind of glad I cancelled the vacation due to weather and uncertainty over SW ability to run planes.
Even with Denver being a United hub and shut down due to storms, SW still managed to have the most cancellations today of any airline in the US and that was before the grounding of the MAX. Southwest cancelled 442 flights or 10% of their operating schedule today (Wednesday). They have already cancelled 156 flights for tomorrow.
To add complications to my futile day on Saturday, my luggage never was pulled off the flight that was supposed to be cancelled. It eventually made it to El Paso on Sunday, and made it back to Nashville on Monday. My luggage traveled more than I did.
No compensation was offered. I did get a full refund (minus the early bird fee on the return).
I have been a long time flyer of Southwest, but I think we need to see other people for a while until they get their issues straightened out.
Mar 13, 2019, 7:53 pm
#74
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: SWA CP, UA MP, Hilton G, SPG G
Posts: 69
With the grounding of the Max, it will not get better.
I never made my flights last Saturday, and I am kind of glad I cancelled the vacation due to weather and uncertainty over SW ability to run planes.
Even with Denver being a United hub and shut down due to storms, SW still managed to have the most cancellations today of any airline in the US and that was before the grounding of the MAX. Southwest cancelled 442 flights or 10% of their operating schedule today (Wednesday). They have already cancelled 156 flights for tomorrow.
To add complications to my futile day on Saturday, my luggage never was pulled off the flight that was supposed to be cancelled. It eventually made it to El Paso on Sunday, and made it back to Nashville on Monday. My luggage traveled more than I did.
No compensation was offered. I did get a full refund (minus the early bird fee on the return).
I have been a long time flyer of Southwest, but I think we need to see other people for a while until they get their issues straightened out.
I never made my flights last Saturday, and I am kind of glad I cancelled the vacation due to weather and uncertainty over SW ability to run planes.
Even with Denver being a United hub and shut down due to storms, SW still managed to have the most cancellations today of any airline in the US and that was before the grounding of the MAX. Southwest cancelled 442 flights or 10% of their operating schedule today (Wednesday). They have already cancelled 156 flights for tomorrow.
To add complications to my futile day on Saturday, my luggage never was pulled off the flight that was supposed to be cancelled. It eventually made it to El Paso on Sunday, and made it back to Nashville on Monday. My luggage traveled more than I did.
No compensation was offered. I did get a full refund (minus the early bird fee on the return).
I have been a long time flyer of Southwest, but I think we need to see other people for a while until they get their issues straightened out.
but this will get worse before it gets better.
Mar 14, 2019, 8:59 am
#75
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,967