Free changes for MAX8 flights

Old Jun 13, 2019, 9:32 pm
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by mke9499
Just to clarify, I am getting the message for optional rebooking as far out as my Oct 1 flight, but not for any flights just a few days later.
Understood. Officially the end date for the protected period is September 2; earlier it was mentioned that changes were working through September 30, now you're reporting it's as late as October 1. (My October 4th flight is not protected.)

This, like the 30-day instead of 14-day period for changes I mentioned, are most likely either glitches, system limitations or just bad programming. But in any case, I'd take advantage of it quickly.



NOTE: I've edited this back (from nsx's change to "October 2") to my original statement that the official end date is September 2. This is the date announced today by Southwest as the end of the period for which they are pulling MAX aircraft out of the schedule:

With the timing of the MAX’s return-to-service still uncertain, we are again revising our plans to remove the MAX from our schedule through Sept. 2.
For what it's worth.
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Last edited by ursine1; Jun 13, 2019 at 11:10 pm Reason: typo
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Old Jun 13, 2019, 9:59 pm
  #32  
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I'm not at all worried about the repaired MAX8. I made a special effort to find MAX8 flights and book them today, figuring either the flight will be more empty or I will get a free change.
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 1:36 am
  #33  
 
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Anyone try refunding one of these yet? Once it's been changed, it looks like you have to call it in. I refunded one from the last round, but it's been several days, and the points still haven't returned to my account.
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 5:23 am
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by synk
Anyone try refunding one of these yet? Once it's been changed, it looks like you have to call it in. I refunded one from the last round, but it's been several days, and the points still haven't returned to my account.
I cancelled a flight that was not within the "free" change window, and I am waiting for the points to be returned to my account. It makes you wonder if they are just overwhelmed by all of this activity.

The thought just occurred to me that refaring will not be as easy as selecting to "change" a reservation. The refaring process for flights under the "free change" umbrella will need to be changed to searching for a new booking, and then compare that fare to the existing reservation.

Last edited by mke9499; Jun 14, 2019 at 5:32 am
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 11:19 am
  #35  
 
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Refunded

Originally Posted by synk
Anyone try refunding one of these yet? Once it's been changed, it looks like you have to call it in. I refunded one from the last round, but it's been several days, and the points still haven't returned to my account.
I just cancelled a "changed" reservation after I read your post and points were immediately back into my account after cancelling.
Transaction all online - no calling in.
I did it from the mobile app instead of the web - for some reason I find it a little more user friendly and I think there is a precedent that sometimes one thing or another can only be accomplished thru one medium or another: Firefox vs Chrome, Droid v iOs v web - it's def not a universal WN experience across all platforms.
Maybe that could have been it?
Just wanted to give you a data point.
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 11:30 am
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by nsx
I I made a special effort to find MAX8 flights
Could you share how you go about this? And most-importantly, were the fares lower than "normal" on those flights?
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 11:31 am
  #37  
 
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I tried to cancel in Chrome and the Android app, but either way I get an error message telling me to call in.
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 12:36 pm
  #38  
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Originally Posted by kennycrudup
Could you share how you go about this? And most-importantly, were the fares lower than "normal" on those flights?
I picked the city pair and date then clicked every flight number to check aircraft type. I checked alternate dates before making a final selection.

I haven't seen lower prices on MAX8 than -800, but I have seen that the lowest price tends to be on a 175-seater more frequently than the fraction of 175-seaters in the fleet. A lower fare is required to sell 175 seats than 143.
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 1:53 pm
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by nsx
I haven't seen lower prices on MAX8 than -800, but I have seen that the lowest price tends to be on a 175-seater more frequently than the fraction of 175-seaters in the fleet. A lower fare is required to sell 175 seats than 143.
Revenue management sets fares based on demand. As seats are sold, fares increase. Flights with more unsold availability have lower fares.

Yesterday I received a flight change notice for a flight in August, Southwest had pushed departure back 45 minutes. When I booked, I chose this flight (800) because it was the cheapest of the day. The flight immediately before mine was scheduled to be on a MAX and now doesn't exist, presumably Southwest moved those pax into my flight (possibly among others as well). Now my flight is the most expensive of the day.

(And now I've changed to a flight with more convenient timing, for free.)


The lowest fare on any particular day is the flight with the most available unsold seats. That is likely an 800 (or MAX), but if there's a 700 with more availability it may be cheaper.
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 5:34 pm
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by ursine1
Yesterday I received a flight change notice for a flight in August ...
Same. I didn't even figure this was a MAX-8 related change because I'd bought these tickets as part of the fare sale last week and had figured by then WN had taken all MAX-8s off the schedule by now. Huh.
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 5:51 pm
  #41  
 
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I also got a flight change for mid-August.
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 7:48 pm
  #42  
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I'm curious: The MAX8's are not in "dry" storage in most cases right now. They're parked in all sorts of places, including Everett, WA at the airport there.

How long until there are worries about seals and other bits beginning to fail?
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 12:16 pm
  #43  
 
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Southwest does not charge to change flights. Or did this change.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 12:34 pm
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by buckeyefanflyer
Southwest does not charge to change flights. Or did this change.
But they usually charge the fare difference. This is the third(?) time this year where they have allowed people to book one flight and then change their flight, route, date, even coterminal, and not pay the fare difference.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 1:35 pm
  #45  
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Originally Posted by DenverBrian
I'm curious: The MAX8's are not in "dry" storage in most cases right now. They're parked in all sorts of places, including Everett, WA at the airport there.

How long until there are worries about seals and other bits beginning to fail?
I surely do not KNOW - but I would assume they do some sort of maint - open and close doors. Maybe even fire up the engines?
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