IRROPS handling
Jun 19, 2019, 9:49 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: ABQ
Programs: Delta Platinum, Southwest A-List
Posts: 1,426
IRROPS handling
I started flying SW about two years ago due to the companion pass. Since then, things have been mostly ok. I have A list and for the most part things have been smooth. However, in May I was flying from LGA - ABQ and I received a text message the day before the departure telling me that one of my flights the next day was cancelled and I’d have to call and rebook. This would have never happened on DL or even AA - they would have rebooked me and called me, or sent me a msg telling me what my new flights were. But southwest makes you call and does not do anything to proactively try to rebook you in order to get you to your destination.
But then comes the day that took the prize. I was at a conference in Durham earlier this month. The afternoon I was going to fly home on June 9, I get the dreaded text msg from SW that my second flight from Dallas to ABQ was cancelled. I was once again asked to call. I tried calling twice and spoke to two different agents that claimed there were no flights with availability to get me home that day. Furthermore, they stated that only me and not my companion could be accommodated as he was not on a paid ticket.
I quickly grabbed my phone and started looking at the flights out of Durham that would take me to airports that had connections to ABQ. Low and behold I found a flight with a long layover that would get home home around 1 am that evening/next morning. I went to the airport and once again they claimed there were no flights with capacity. I told them about the flights I found and miraculously they were able to put me on them.
I’m sorry but this is really crappy service. Most customers would not have known what to look for and would have just been stranded in either Durham or Dallas. I had to get home that night and knew what to do... but Southwest should not be dropping the ball like that and not giving a crap about their flyers.
This whole debacle and the way it was handled is really making me question my choice to fly with SW. Not only do they seem to be canceling flights left and right, but they don’t seem to care and agents are seemingly not trained on how to navigate their system to get people to their destination aside from just looking at whatever comes up on their screens...
But then comes the day that took the prize. I was at a conference in Durham earlier this month. The afternoon I was going to fly home on June 9, I get the dreaded text msg from SW that my second flight from Dallas to ABQ was cancelled. I was once again asked to call. I tried calling twice and spoke to two different agents that claimed there were no flights with availability to get me home that day. Furthermore, they stated that only me and not my companion could be accommodated as he was not on a paid ticket.
I quickly grabbed my phone and started looking at the flights out of Durham that would take me to airports that had connections to ABQ. Low and behold I found a flight with a long layover that would get home home around 1 am that evening/next morning. I went to the airport and once again they claimed there were no flights with capacity. I told them about the flights I found and miraculously they were able to put me on them.
I’m sorry but this is really crappy service. Most customers would not have known what to look for and would have just been stranded in either Durham or Dallas. I had to get home that night and knew what to do... but Southwest should not be dropping the ball like that and not giving a crap about their flyers.
This whole debacle and the way it was handled is really making me question my choice to fly with SW. Not only do they seem to be canceling flights left and right, but they don’t seem to care and agents are seemingly not trained on how to navigate their system to get people to their destination aside from just looking at whatever comes up on their screens...
Last edited by Juanefny; Nov 4, 2021 at 12:01 pm
Jun 19, 2019, 10:07 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 349
I started flying SW about two years ago due to the companion pass. Since then, things have been mostly ok. I have A list and for the most part things have been smooth. However, in May I was flying from LGA - ABQ and I received a text message the day before the departure telling me that one of my flights the next day was cancelled and I’d have to call and rebook. This would have never happened on DL or even AA - they would have rebooked me and called me, or sent me a msg telling me what my new flights were. But southwest makes you call and does not do anything to proactively try to rebook you in order to get you to your destination.
But then comes the day that took the prize. I was at a conference in Durham earlier this month. The afternoon I was going to fly home on June 9, I get he dreaded text msg from SW that my second flight from Dallas to ABQ was cancelled. I was once again asked to call. I tried calling twice and spoke to two different agents that claimed there were no flights with availability to get me home that day. Furthermore, they stated that only me and not my companion could be accommodated as he was not on a paid ticket.
I quickly grabbed my phone and started looking at the flights out of Durham that would take me to airports that had connections to ABQ. Low and behold I found a flight with a long layover that would get home home around 1 am that evening/next morning. I went to the airport and once again they claimed there were no flights with capacity. I told them about the flights I found and miraculously they were able to put me one them.
I’m sorry but this is really crappy service. Most customers would not have known what to look for and would have just been stranded in either Durham or Dallas. I had to get home that night and knew what to do... but Southwest should not be dropping the ball like that and not giving a crap about their flyers.
This whole debacle and the way it was handled is really making me question my choice to fly with SW. Not only do they seem to be canceling flights left and right, but they don’t seem to care and agents are seemingly not trained on how to navigate their system to get people to their destination aside from just looking at whatever comes up on their screens...
But then comes the day that took the prize. I was at a conference in Durham earlier this month. The afternoon I was going to fly home on June 9, I get he dreaded text msg from SW that my second flight from Dallas to ABQ was cancelled. I was once again asked to call. I tried calling twice and spoke to two different agents that claimed there were no flights with availability to get me home that day. Furthermore, they stated that only me and not my companion could be accommodated as he was not on a paid ticket.
I quickly grabbed my phone and started looking at the flights out of Durham that would take me to airports that had connections to ABQ. Low and behold I found a flight with a long layover that would get home home around 1 am that evening/next morning. I went to the airport and once again they claimed there were no flights with capacity. I told them about the flights I found and miraculously they were able to put me one them.
I’m sorry but this is really crappy service. Most customers would not have known what to look for and would have just been stranded in either Durham or Dallas. I had to get home that night and knew what to do... but Southwest should not be dropping the ball like that and not giving a crap about their flyers.
This whole debacle and the way it was handled is really making me question my choice to fly with SW. Not only do they seem to be canceling flights left and right, but they don’t seem to care and agents are seemingly not trained on how to navigate their system to get people to their destination aside from just looking at whatever comes up on their screens...
It's weird to me to see you say you had a problem with a companion accommodation, I'm usually the companion on my wife's tickets and we've never had that issue before. Perhaps they meant that one of the flights you were shooting for only had one seat available, and thus you were not qualified for that since you'd need two seats. As far as I understand they can't split a companion and the pass holder, there has to be two seats available no matter what.
I think the MAX8 fiasco is really taking it's toll on WN, hopefully once that is cleared up things will start to get back to "normal," although normal for WN still involves IRROPS that are usually much worse than other carriers.
Jun 19, 2019, 10:24 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
We have not had any cancels, but I do worry it is going to happen one of these days and the handling will be nothing like I had as an Elite on Delta.
Jun 19, 2019, 10:32 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,509
DAL had massive storms June 9 and WN pro-actively cancelled ops. Ideally, you should have been re-booked, but there was no way of knowing how long the storm would sit over the field. Re-scheduling after it past was haphazard. Many planes never made it in while a few flights that were cancelled actually did. I could see the chaos watching the board at MCI. Props for your persistence and ingenuity.
Jun 19, 2019, 10:52 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
With airlines in general, IRROPS seems to never be a priority (particularly for those of us with no status). Look at the available options and make a suggestion -- the agents can only look at what the computer says. Sometime the computer doesn't have a certain connection or the agent doesn't page down or whatever. It's best to research the options and call ASAP.
Jun 19, 2019, 2:58 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: ABQ
Programs: Delta Platinum, Southwest A-List
Posts: 1,426
DAL had massive storms June 9 and WN pro-actively cancelled ops. Ideally, you should have been re-booked, but there was no way of knowing how long the storm would sit over the field. Re-scheduling after it past was haphazard. Many planes never made it in while a few flights that were cancelled actually did. I could see the chaos watching the board at MCI. Props for your persistence and ingenuity.
Jun 19, 2019, 3:18 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,509
There's total disarray until DAL re-opens and out-of-place connections require re-setting the system. I would never accept the first agent's stonewalling. It's an unfolding dynamic. If this had been DL and ATL was shut tight, any opportune work-around would still be precarious. Glad you made it and I agree WN's IRROPS management is lacking.
Jun 19, 2019, 5:23 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Atlanta Metro
Programs: DL , AC, BA, Hhonors Diamond, IH Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,354
It's been said many times on these forums (not just by me!): Southwest sucks at IRROPS. I mean, sucks the big one.
Let me guess--they quickly offered to give you a refund and leave you to your own devices? Southwest feels no obligation to fulfill their commitment to transport you as promised--they seem to REALLY prefer to just refund you and move on.
Let me guess--they quickly offered to give you a refund and leave you to your own devices? Southwest feels no obligation to fulfill their commitment to transport you as promised--they seem to REALLY prefer to just refund you and move on.
Jun 19, 2019, 5:59 pm
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Rapid Rewards, AAdvantage, SkyMiles
Posts: 2,931
Glad I'm not the only one with this opinion. I love WN but their IRROPS is terrible, possibly the worst in the business. When I've had IRROPS with UA, AA, DL, B6, and even NK (yes, you heard that right, NK) they all seemed to be going through every OK way to get me home in a timely manner. WN's philosophy is "too bad, so sad, take a refund or wait a week". All my IRROP recovery on WN has been salvaged under my own merit alone & taking quick action, their employees couldn't care less.
Jun 19, 2019, 6:27 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Not only all of the above, but WN does not have interline agreements with any other carrier.
If you insist on flying WN, this is what will happen. You will need to be proactive in the extreme in IRROPS and look to either booking new tickets out of pocket on another carrier or waiting until WN has availability.
If you insist on flying WN, this is what will happen. You will need to be proactive in the extreme in IRROPS and look to either booking new tickets out of pocket on another carrier or waiting until WN has availability.
Jun 19, 2019, 11:18 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
Not only all of the above, but WN does not have interline agreements with any other carrier.
If you insist on flying WN, this is what will happen. You will need to be proactive in the extreme in IRROPS and look to either booking new tickets out of pocket on another carrier or waiting until WN has availability.
If you insist on flying WN, this is what will happen. You will need to be proactive in the extreme in IRROPS and look to either booking new tickets out of pocket on another carrier or waiting until WN has availability.
My experience is that the legacies will not interline low status passengers and will only interline high status passengers.
Can you provide any assurance that the legacy carriers will interline no status passengers.
In any event any major disruption will cause the legacies to put high status passengers first.
Jun 19, 2019, 11:38 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2019
Programs: Marriott Titanium; WN A-list; UA Silver
Posts: 482
I've had 3 IIROPS in the last 12 months.
SMF-BUR was cancelled while I was on the plane due to a dent on the plane. They managed to get all the a-lists and business selects on the next plane and gave me a $100 voucher. I suspect non a-lists were stuck for a bit as these flights ll seem to run 80%+ load.
BUR-SMF was cancelled at some point by WN never contacted me via text, my preferred method as I don't get work email on my phone. I was automatically rebooked on the next flight with an B1 boarding card. I was not happy about the lack of notice, but I can't be sure Concu didn't screw up the ntice as WN told me my email was set as primary.
SMF-MEX-SMF (via HOU) cancelled like 3 months out due to a schedule change. WN called me and booked me on a UAL flight with basically the same time, so apparently WN will do some interlining (note that they literally just bought a ticket for me on concur with the WN credit card). That UAL flight then went IIROPS and UAL messed it up big time, but I can't blame WN for that.
So, not amazing, but ok.
Delta always rebooks me on flights where I'll miss connections, and UAL stranded me in SFO for 12 hours because they just wouldn't cancel the flight and rebook for way too long, so I missed my connection.
The west coast is a bit cheaty thouh as they're running like 10 flights/day between every city pair.
SMF-BUR was cancelled while I was on the plane due to a dent on the plane. They managed to get all the a-lists and business selects on the next plane and gave me a $100 voucher. I suspect non a-lists were stuck for a bit as these flights ll seem to run 80%+ load.
BUR-SMF was cancelled at some point by WN never contacted me via text, my preferred method as I don't get work email on my phone. I was automatically rebooked on the next flight with an B1 boarding card. I was not happy about the lack of notice, but I can't be sure Concu didn't screw up the ntice as WN told me my email was set as primary.
SMF-MEX-SMF (via HOU) cancelled like 3 months out due to a schedule change. WN called me and booked me on a UAL flight with basically the same time, so apparently WN will do some interlining (note that they literally just bought a ticket for me on concur with the WN credit card). That UAL flight then went IIROPS and UAL messed it up big time, but I can't blame WN for that.
So, not amazing, but ok.
Delta always rebooks me on flights where I'll miss connections, and UAL stranded me in SFO for 12 hours because they just wouldn't cancel the flight and rebook for way too long, so I missed my connection.
The west coast is a bit cheaty thouh as they're running like 10 flights/day between every city pair.
Jun 20, 2019, 7:07 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,189
I think WN needs to rethink not participating in interlining with other carriers.
Perhaps it made sense when it was the scrappy little low-cost/fare airline flying to secondary airports and fighting the big guys, but the situation has massively changed over the last few years.
I do not fly for business, but if I did I think I would seriously have to consider looking elsewhere. I doubt I could take these risks of waiting a day or two for carriage at the drop of a hat. Especially ex-Chicago where the weather sucks much of the time.
Perhaps it made sense when it was the scrappy little low-cost/fare airline flying to secondary airports and fighting the big guys, but the situation has massively changed over the last few years.
I do not fly for business, but if I did I think I would seriously have to consider looking elsewhere. I doubt I could take these risks of waiting a day or two for carriage at the drop of a hat. Especially ex-Chicago where the weather sucks much of the time.
Jun 20, 2019, 7:42 am
#14
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 349
Definitely agree. Thankfully my job has an agreement with UA for work flights, but I fly WN for personal travel because of the CP. When I book personal travel I usually block off at least one extra day on my calendar for the return, because at this point in time there seems to be a reasonable chance that my flight will be canceled and I'll be stuck somewhere overnight. UA cancels sometimes too but overall they seem to have a much better current track record of getting me home.
Jun 20, 2019, 7:52 am
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
You keep beating the interline drum.
My experience is that the legacies will not interline low status passengers and will only interline high status passengers.
Can you provide any assurance that the legacy carriers will interline no status passengers.
In any event any major disruption will cause the legacies to put high status passengers first.
My experience is that the legacies will not interline low status passengers and will only interline high status passengers.
Can you provide any assurance that the legacy carriers will interline no status passengers.
In any event any major disruption will cause the legacies to put high status passengers first.
Seriously, JonNYC has posted AA's non-public policy. While it favors premium and status passengers over the commoners, in significant IRROPS pretty much everybody gets rerouted OA.
The problem lies in expectation-setting. If you face an overnight and there are interline alternatives, you will likely get it. But, the key is that it won't likely be offered. You will have to ask for it.
WN does not interline because it cannot interline. Even if other carriers would want to interline with WN (not likely), WN would have to rip out and repalace its entire IT architecture to "talk to" one of the GDS, its baggage systems would have to be redone to deal with interline bags, and its entire customer-facing workforce would have to be retrained to deal with FIM's and the process of rebooking OA. Perhaps a long way of saying that it's not in the cards.
If your time is valuable or you have mission critical time commitments, there are not that many routes where you can't find an alternative and that is what you ought to book.