WN System Crash

[projectx]

I feel for those who were trying to fly Southwest today. Or even tomorrow for that matter. Looks like they have a major system problem. 3 hour delays, flights grounded all over the country... sounds like a traveler's nightmare. What a mess!

http://www.click2houston.com/news/southwest-airlines-system-issue-causing-delays-across-country

 

[MarkD]

We were in the middle of the mess flying PHL-PHX-SMF. Our flight from PHL-PHX was delayed by 2.5 hours and our PHX-SMF flight was cancelled.

After a 2 hour wait in line we were able to get rebooked on a later PHX-SMF flight, but spent 16 hours getting from the east coast to the west coast arriving home at 1:30 AM.

I was looking at SWA's website for compensation rules. There was chatter in the PHX airport that SWA was NOT paying for hotels if you were stranded in the airport until the next day. I saw a lot of people sleeping in the airport chairs.

 

[chalkitup]

My wife was stuck in HOU from 3pm yesterday to 12pm today. They offered zero compensation, and of course this is the one flight I happened to have paid for with entirely gift cards! She wasn't even at IAH and able to enjoy the Centurion. Now two bags are lost, too.

 

[projectx]

I'll be the first to say I'm a Southwest fanboy. I recommend them to friends and family and stockpile as many points with them as possible.

But for the life of me I cannot figure out why they're getting a pass on this from the travel blogs. If I had not been trying to look at flights that day I would have known nothing about it. Even TBB, who often calls out missteps from the travel industry decided not to mention it. Why? Do things like this happen all the time and I've never noticed? From what I can tell, the depth of this meltdown was well beyond normal hiccups. This was an epic fail by Southwest and the way it was handled (no vouchers given) was bush league.

If the same situation involved Delta, would there be the same silence? I doubt it.

 

[Josh F]

I'll be the first to say I'm a Southwest fanboy. I recommend them to friends and family and stockpile as many points with them as possible.

But for the life of me I cannot figure out why they're getting a pass on this from the travel blogs. If I had not been trying to look at flights that day I would have known nothing about it. Even TBB, who often calls out missteps from the travel industry decided not to mention it. Why? Do things like this happen all the time and I've never noticed? From what I can tell, the depth of this meltdown was well beyond normal hiccups. This was an epic fail by Southwest and the way it was handled (no vouchers given) was bush league.

If the same situation involved Delta, would there be the same silence? I doubt it.

They don't care about Southwest - remember it's about the best lounge/flight/club experience not your actual destination.