Southwest cancelling 1,000 daily flights starting Sunday March 22
Mar 20, 2020, 4:08 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 4,007
Southwest cancelling 1,000 daily flights starting Sunday March 22
Link to Dallas Business Journal story (breaking as of 5 PM Eastern Friday 3/20/20):
https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/n...ellations.html
I'm surprised that domestic airlines in the US haven't reacted quicker to COVID-19 and the giant drop in travel demand. Southwest looks to be in a better cash position than some of their competitors, but this is the right move at this point IMHO. No details released yet, but I wonder if some routes will be axed completely for the rest of the spring?
https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/n...ellations.html
I'm surprised that domestic airlines in the US haven't reacted quicker to COVID-19 and the giant drop in travel demand. Southwest looks to be in a better cash position than some of their competitors, but this is the right move at this point IMHO. No details released yet, but I wonder if some routes will be axed completely for the rest of the spring?
Mar 20, 2020, 4:47 pm
#2
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Link to Dallas Business Journal story (breaking as of 5 PM Eastern Friday 3/20/20):
https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/n...ellations.html
I'm surprised that domestic airlines in the US haven't reacted quicker to COVID-19 and the giant drop in travel demand. Southwest looks to be in a better cash position than some of their competitors, but this is the right move at this point IMHO. No details released yet, but I wonder if some routes will be axed completely for the rest of the spring?
https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/n...ellations.html
I'm surprised that domestic airlines in the US haven't reacted quicker to COVID-19 and the giant drop in travel demand. Southwest looks to be in a better cash position than some of their competitors, but this is the right move at this point IMHO. No details released yet, but I wonder if some routes will be axed completely for the rest of the spring?
"...service with the goal of cancelling flights that have alternate flight or route options and that affect the fewest number of Customers."
Mar 20, 2020, 7:50 pm
#3
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,620
Smart move. If all LAX-OAK flights had the 9 customers like my flight yesterday, Southwest could have carried the whole day's worth on one flight. Not that I would have been willing to fly without an empty middle seat. I appreciated having 8 feet of separation to the nearest passenger, but I didn't pay for a private jet.
Mar 20, 2020, 8:14 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,509
GK's still paid 90% salary. Might be time to match the other CEOs.
Most of their pay is incentive and share-based.
Source
Most of their pay is incentive and share-based.
Airlines
Delta (DAL) CEO Ed Bastian: 100 percent pay cut through the next six months. DAL Board of Directors, the same.
Alaska Air (ALK) CEO Brad Tilden cutting base salary to zero
United (UAL) CEO Oscar Munoz and President Scott Kirby “will forego their base salary at least through June 2020.”
Southwest (LUV) CEO Gary Kelly taking a 10% pay cut.
JetBlue (JBLU) CEO Robin Hayes is taking a 20% pay cut.
Allegiant (ALGT) CEO Maurice Gallagher and President John Redmond take full pay cut.
Spirit (SPRT) CEO Edward Christie is taking a 30% pay cut.
Delta (DAL) CEO Ed Bastian: 100 percent pay cut through the next six months. DAL Board of Directors, the same.
Alaska Air (ALK) CEO Brad Tilden cutting base salary to zero
United (UAL) CEO Oscar Munoz and President Scott Kirby “will forego their base salary at least through June 2020.”
Southwest (LUV) CEO Gary Kelly taking a 10% pay cut.
JetBlue (JBLU) CEO Robin Hayes is taking a 20% pay cut.
Allegiant (ALGT) CEO Maurice Gallagher and President John Redmond take full pay cut.
Spirit (SPRT) CEO Edward Christie is taking a 30% pay cut.
Mar 21, 2020, 9:52 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Atlanta but Washington DC will always be home.
Programs: Marriott LTP, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold, Hyatt Explorist,, Delta Plat,
Posts: 2,070
Cancellations definitely starting to hit. Got 18 rebooking notices overnight. Unfortunately, most of the changes don't work for my schedule so I'll spend part of today seeing if there are other WN flights that work, and if not check Delta to see if they have something that works better and cancel my WN flights entirely. If neither Delta nor WN have flights that work...guess it's my schedule that will have to change! What a crazy time....To think 2 weeks ago....
Mar 21, 2020, 10:47 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: AA Plat Pto, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,536
I tried booking some fall travel as I would rather have speculative tickets and ran into the "you can't get there from here" error with some frequency. MSP/CVG went from 10 not great options to zero. Both of those were 5 daily to MDW and now none align for a connection?!
Mar 21, 2020, 10:54 am
#7
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Link to Dallas Business Journal story (breaking as of 5 PM Eastern Friday 3/20/20):
https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/n...ellations.html
I'm surprised that domestic airlines in the US haven't reacted quicker to COVID-19 and the giant drop in travel demand. Southwest looks to be in a better cash position than some of their competitors, but this is the right move at this point IMHO. No details released yet, but I wonder if some routes will be axed completely for the rest of the spring?
https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/n...ellations.html
I'm surprised that domestic airlines in the US haven't reacted quicker to COVID-19 and the giant drop in travel demand. Southwest looks to be in a better cash position than some of their competitors, but this is the right move at this point IMHO. No details released yet, but I wonder if some routes will be axed completely for the rest of the spring?
Suffice it to say, airliners are acting as quickly as possible to downsize. On the other side of this crises, it could take them a few weeks to get back to "normal" demand as well -- so we have that to look forward to.
Mar 21, 2020, 2:35 pm
#8
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
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GK's still paid 90% salary. Might be time to match the other CEOs.
Most of their pay is incentive and share-based.
Source
Most of their pay is incentive and share-based.
Source
Mar 21, 2020, 3:24 pm
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
WN is definitely behind the curve and it has burned a lot of cash it will need in the months to come. The CEO salary thing is a gimmick.
If you've been cancelled or your flight significantly changed, make sure you fight for a refund, not WN funny money.
If you've been cancelled or your flight significantly changed, make sure you fight for a refund, not WN funny money.
Mar 21, 2020, 4:10 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Northern Nevada
Programs: DL,EK
Posts: 1,652
I have a small airplane and went flying around the Reno area today. While there were far more light aircraft in the sky than on a typical Saturday, the number of airliners was far less. I needed to get my landing currency updated before they possibly close the whole state and airspace down.
Mar 21, 2020, 4:46 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
I think its only a matter of time given the current hysteria. If I can't get within 6' of anyone at Costco, how long can they justify flying in a cramped metal tube where everyone has to pass through a common 3 foot wide door? Everyone then would have to sit at the window every 3rd row.
Get it done, I've had to do 3 touch and goes while my passengers waited/watched to be legal (VFR daylight only)....
Get it done, I've had to do 3 touch and goes while my passengers waited/watched to be legal (VFR daylight only)....
Last edited by joshua362; Mar 21, 2020 at 4:51 pm
Mar 22, 2020, 1:20 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
I think its only a matter of time given the current hysteria. If I can't get within 6' of anyone at Costco, how long can they justify flying in a cramped metal tube where everyone has to pass through a common 3 foot wide door? Everyone then would have to sit at the window every 3rd row.
Get it done, I've had to do 3 touch and goes while my passengers waited/watched to be legal (VFR daylight only)....
Get it done, I've had to do 3 touch and goes while my passengers waited/watched to be legal (VFR daylight only)....
Mar 22, 2020, 7:06 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PIT, BWI, or IPT
Programs: Dividend Miles, WorldPerks
Posts: 1,302
So do we know how this "cancel 1000 flights per day" thing will work? Will you just know at T-24 when you check your flight status? I am struggling to find any flights cancelled this week when looking at what is available to purchase.
For example, this weekend, I have a two segment flight coming up that I would like to take. However, it is not available for sale using married logic...but each individual segment is available for sale? If my flight is canceled, that is ok too and I will not make the trip.
Second question is...if my flight is cancelled, do I have any chance of getting a monetary refund for a flight purchased with a VDB voucher? (I imagine the answer is no)
For example, this weekend, I have a two segment flight coming up that I would like to take. However, it is not available for sale using married logic...but each individual segment is available for sale? If my flight is canceled, that is ok too and I will not make the trip.
Second question is...if my flight is cancelled, do I have any chance of getting a monetary refund for a flight purchased with a VDB voucher? (I imagine the answer is no)
Mar 22, 2020, 7:08 pm
#14
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If there was a reason for me to fly, I would 100% assume my scheduled flight might not fly. Look at the "normal" alternatives and be prepared.
The effort to reduce 1000 flights is not simple. And I expect in the middle of it, they will drop another 1,000.
Mar 22, 2020, 7:13 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PIT, BWI, or IPT
Programs: Dividend Miles, WorldPerks
Posts: 1,302
Any answers about specific flights has a very good chance of being wrong.
If there was a reason for me to fly, I would 100% assume my scheduled flight might not fly. Look at the "normal" alternatives and be prepared.
The effort to reduce 1000 flights is not simple. And I expect in the middle of it, they will drop another 1,000.
If there was a reason for me to fly, I would 100% assume my scheduled flight might not fly. Look at the "normal" alternatives and be prepared.
The effort to reduce 1000 flights is not simple. And I expect in the middle of it, they will drop another 1,000.