WillCAD

I see both side of this argument, but on balance I think I have to agree with the OP - if WN commits to keeping its ticketed passengers updated on their flight status via text message, then their system should be robust enough to be reliable, and should consistently include ALL schedule changes, forward or back, in realtime.

FTers tend to be frequent fliers who know that a rescheduled flight doesn’t actually operate on a schedule (basically it can take off any time after the originally-scheduled takeoff time). However, frequent fliers are not WN’s bread and butter, and anyone who isn’t a member of FT isn’t guaranteed to know the ins and outs of airline scheduling. Heck, I’ve been on FT for years and this is the first time I’ve heard that a delayed flight might actually depart earlier than the scheduled delay time.

The average non-frequent or first-time flier is not going to understand that a flight can take off any time following the originally-scheduled departure that it can be fit into the pattern. They’re only going to know that WN sent them a text saying, “Your flight takes off at 2:05” and is going to expect their flight to take off no earlier than 2:05, and certainly not at 1:15. The average non-frequent flier is going to have the same reaction to the incorrect information that the OP had: “They said 2:05 and then they took off at 1:15! If they changed the time again, they should have sent another text!”

This is all about communication and customer service. Any change in scheduled takeoff time should be communicated to the customer in a timely, efficient, and reliable fashion, by multiple methods to insure redundancy. If they delay by two hours but then move up by ninety minutes, that’s okay, but they should be notifying passengers at every change, by all available means (with customer opt-in to choose preferred method), including automated phone call, text message, email, app-based push notification, and the old reliable, a PA announcement in the terminal.

I mean, it’s simple courtesy.

Peoriaman1

The original post doesn't say, so I assume they didn't send another text.... But what if they did and it was lost in cyberspace for an hour? Or does that only happen to me? Not all phone plans are the same and I always take texts with a certain grain of salt as to their timeliness. Been there, done that.

aaronp84

Eh, SW (very often I might add) does not send a follow-up text saying your flight is back on time. I have close to 100 flights this year and can count on one hand the number of times that has happened. With that said, its still on the passenger to be aware of changes and not totally count on notifications from the airline, as some announcements are made at the gate as others have noted.