BuffettNews.com

OK so I was called on for an answer about air travel..
two pholks at work ask me.. "because you fly a lot"
I tried to tell them I don't fly SWA..
I think the last time was two years ago..
so Here is the question..

Does Southwest allow "flying Standby"?
I could call.. but then the agent on the phone will want my flight number
(which I don't have) and Where I am flying to. (which I am not going anywhere.. . much less on Southwest)


anyone???

Yes they do, but as full as flights are these days it's not too likely to get on a popular flight....

SchoolGirlHeart wrote:Yes they do, but as full as flights are these days it's not too likely to get on a popular flight....

I didn't ask..

ragtopW wrote:OK so I was called on for an answer about air travel..
two pholks at work ask me.. "because you fly a lot"
I tried to tell them I don't fly SWA..
I think the last time was two years ago..
so Here is the question..

Does Southwest allow "flying Standby"?
I could call.. but then the agent on the phone will want my flight number
(which I don't have) and Where I am flying to. (which I am not going anywhere.. . much less on Southwest)


anyone???

could give you my info to FLL if you want to ask.

springparrot wrote:http://www.southwest.com/

I found the "change flight schedule" thanks I will have them
call and ask..

RinglingRingling wrote:

ragtopW wrote:OK so I was called on for an answer about air travel..
two pholks at work ask me.. "because you fly a lot"
I tried to tell them I don't fly SWA..
I think the last time was two years ago..
so Here is the question..

Does Southwest allow "flying Standby"?
I could call.. but then the agent on the phone will want my flight number
(which I don't have) and Where I am flying to. (which I am not going anywhere.. . much less on Southwest)


anyone???

could give you my info to FLL if you want to ask.

It might be too tempting to route you to .. say MSY..

I am gonna have them contact SWA..

I had the most wonderful experience with Southwest a month or so ago. I stopped at Buffalo airport to pick up a boarding pass for the next day, and discovered to my horror that I'd made my return reservation for the wrong day! Worse yet, my first flight had taken off!!!

Well, I explained my situation to the helpful lady at the counter, and she started pecking away at the terminal at her station. After a minute or so, she said, "I think we can do it, but it might cost you more." I agreed that it was reasonable, as it was *my* screwup. After a few more minutes and her wandering away once or twice to check with other people, she presented me with a revised itinerary for roughly when I wanted to fly, at no extra charge!!!!

Wayne, my bud, I don't know what's soured you on Southwest. But between that and being able to carry my guitar on board, and being able to do things like swap a Phoenix roundtrip for a round trip to Ft. Lauderdale so I could attend MOTM this year, with *no* additional fees...I am extremely sold on Southwest. I will fly them by preference from now on, until something changes.

But I do agree with SGH; the flights are often *way* full and hard to get onto standby.

TropicalTroubador wrote:I had the most wonderful experience with Southwest a month or so ago. I stopped at Buffalo airport to pick up a boarding pass for the next day, and discovered to my horror that I'd made my return reservation for the wrong day! Worse yet, my first flight had taken off!!!

Well, I explained my situation to the helpful lady at the counter, and she started pecking away at the terminal at her station. After a minute or so, she said, "I think we can do it, but it might cost you more." I agreed that it was reasonable, as it was *my* screwup. After a few more minutes and her wandering away once or twice to check with other people, she presented me with a revised itinerary for roughly when I wanted to fly, at no extra charge!!!!

Wayne, my bud, I don't know what's soured you on Southwest. But between that and being able to carry my guitar on board, and being able to do things like swap a Phoenix roundtrip for a round trip to Ft. Lauderdale so I could attend MOTM this year, with *no* additional fees...I am extremely sold on Southwest. I will fly them by preference from now on, until something changes.

But I do agree with SGH; the flights are often *way* full and hard to get onto standby.

nothing has.. Soured me on them.. it's just where I fly
they are not the best value or time..
this year.. Houston, Dallas. and Newark..
last year.. Austin, Houston, Denver and FLL..
an average of $100 more and 4 hours more (if SWA flew there)

If I fly
to say, the Bay or Seattle they are great.. but across country.. From Boise?? not always the best route..

Only 6 more years before I can fly SWA from Dallas to grandma's house in Wichita w/o stopping in OKC.

TropicalTroubador wrote:I had the most wonderful experience with Southwest a month or so ago. I stopped at Buffalo airport to pick up a boarding pass for the next day, and discovered to my horror that I'd made my return reservation for the wrong day! Worse yet, my first flight had taken off!!!

Well, I explained my situation to the helpful lady at the counter, and she started pecking away at the terminal at her station. After a minute or so, she said, "I think we can do it, but it might cost you more." I agreed that it was reasonable, as it was *my* screwup. After a few more minutes and her wandering away once or twice to check with other people, she presented me with a revised itinerary for roughly when I wanted to fly, at no extra charge!!!!

Wayne, my bud, I don't know what's soured you on Southwest. But between that and being able to carry my guitar on board, and being able to do things like swap a Phoenix roundtrip for a round trip to Ft. Lauderdale so I could attend MOTM this year, with *no* additional fees...I am extremely sold on Southwest. I will fly them by preference from now on, until something changes.

But I do agree with SGH; the flights are often *way* full and hard to get onto standby.

BTW.. that is a great customer service story..
not a lot of those around anymore..

Southwest doesn't operate their standby the same way other airlines do. For example, if you purchase a ticket 2 months prior to departure and stay over a weekend on Delta, you can standby without paying the difference between what you paid at the time of purchase and what it is today. Delta does charge a fee if they confirm you but it is a flat fee.

Southwest will allow you to standby at no cost if your ticketed fare is the same as if the ticket were purchased today. If there is a price difference, you get to pay that before they will board you.

Having said that gate agents have a lot of leeway and some will waive the additional collection if you are nice or have a great story. That is the exception, rather than the policy though.

I've never had a problem with Southwest, I just don't like their "festival seating" policy.

ragtopW wrote:

TropicalTroubador wrote:I had the most wonderful experience with Southwest a month or so ago. I stopped at Buffalo airport to pick up a boarding pass for the next day, and discovered to my horror that I'd made my return reservation for the wrong day! Worse yet, my first flight had taken off!!!

Well, I explained my situation to the helpful lady at the counter, and she started pecking away at the terminal at her station. After a minute or so, she said, "I think we can do it, but it might cost you more." I agreed that it was reasonable, as it was *my* screwup. After a few more minutes and her wandering away once or twice to check with other people, she presented me with a revised itinerary for roughly when I wanted to fly, at no extra charge!!!!

Wayne, my bud, I don't know what's soured you on Southwest. But between that and being able to carry my guitar on board, and being able to do things like swap a Phoenix roundtrip for a round trip to Ft. Lauderdale so I could attend MOTM this year, with *no* additional fees...I am extremely sold on Southwest. I will fly them by preference from now on, until something changes.

But I do agree with SGH; the flights are often *way* full and hard to get onto standby.

BTW.. that is a great customer service story..
not a lot of those around anymore..

OK...along the same Customer service lines..... When we still lived in Dutch harbor we would fly out for various reasons (business, vacation, visiting friends/familly etc) When you live in Dutch, you fly if you want to go anywhere.... Anyway, I was down working on boat that should have only taken a week or 2 at the most.....Wifey-poo was at home with the kids 3, 6months and 6months.......at 5 weeks gone she was pulling her hair out and decided to fly down to Bellingham and let me help out.....she flew into Anchorage on a 737-200 combi (the typical DH jet). The flight attendant looked at all the kids, car seats and gear and scooped up a girl and car seat, called the flight deck, out of the cargo area comes the pilot and 1st and they each scoop up a kid and car seat and escort my wife through the airport and get her settled on her connecting flight.......the next flight crew pampered her down to SEA......I LOVE ALASKA AIR!!!!!

LIPH wrote:I've never had a problem with Southwest, I just don't like their "festival seating" policy.

that has changed of late. They still board a-group, b-group, and c-group, but now when you register online, you are given a number within the group. It does work, and isn't any worse than Delta's Zones 1-7

Flew Southwest only a couple of times, lived in cities that aren't really served by them. It was either Manchester, NH, Providence, Philly, Islip, or BWI (for all the places I lived).

RinglingRingling wrote:

LIPH wrote:I've never had a problem with Southwest, I just don't like their "festival seating" policy.

that has changed of late. They still board a-group, b-group, and c-group, but now when you register online, you are given a number within the group. It does work, and isn't any worse than Delta's Zones 1-7

I haven't flown SW in the last 2 years. They only fly out of Islip in this area, that's 40 miles from where I live and it's $12.50/day to park the car. I can take the train to JFK with my monthly LIRR ticket then $5 each way for the AirTrain. SW would have to be a lot cheaper for it to be worthwhile and lately they haven't been that much lower than other carriers.

ragtopW wrote:OK so I was called on for an answer about air travel..
two pholks at work ask me.. "because you fly a lot"
I tried to tell them I don't fly SWA..
I think the last time was two years ago..
so Here is the question..

Does Southwest allow "flying Standby"?
I could call.. but then the agent on the phone will want my flight number
(which I don't have) and Where I am flying to. (which I am not going anywhere.. . much less on Southwest)


anyone???

I can find out for you, I just need your flight number and where are you flying to.

BottleofRum wrote:

ragtopW wrote:OK so I was called on for an answer about air travel..
two pholks at work ask me.. "because you fly a lot"
I tried to tell them I don't fly SWA..
I think the last time was two years ago..
so Here is the question..

Does Southwest allow "flying Standby"?
I could call.. but then the agent on the phone will want my flight number
(which I don't have) and Where I am flying to. (which I am not going anywhere.. . much less on Southwest)


anyone???

I can find out for you, I just need your flight number and where are you flying to.

ragtopW wrote:OK so I was called on for an answer about air travel..
two pholks at work ask me.. "because you fly a lot"
I tried to tell them I don't fly SWA..
I think the last time was two years ago..
so Here is the question..

Does Southwest allow "flying Standby"?
I could call.. but then the agent on the phone will want my flight number
(which I don't have) and Where I am flying to. (which I am not going anywhere.. . much less on Southwest)


anyone???

i'm not sure any one actually answered your original question, so here goes.
last year i flew southwest to vegas from the bay area, and decided at some point, that because of plenty of time to wait, i would ask about standby. the answer at that time was it would cost $100 more.

member of the parrothead nation