The Definitive Us Airways Versus Southwest Thread

[JS]

We always discuss this as a tangent to some other topic.

My two cents:

I usually fly Delta, then US Airways or United, and sometimes Southwest. I don't fly Southwest very often only because they usually don't fly where I am or where I'm going.

Delta is my #1 choice because of the value of SkyMiles and their good operations. US/UA are #2 because UA miles aren't as valuable, their service often sucks, but their network is quite large, and there are many places on the East Coast where I can take a US Dash-8 turboprop instead of being crammed into a Delta CRJ.

I used to hate Southwest, but with so many cutbacks on the majors, Southwest is a joy to fly, relatively speaking (if you are going to fly coach). They have leather seats, more legroom, friendly employees, a beverage service even on short flights, and peanuts as a snack on short flights. Those pretzels US serves are just disgusting, like salt-coated salt sticks.

Recently on Southwest I got a B boarding pass even though I checked in two hours before departure (all others have been A). This was in HOU going to CRP. Even then, with a lot of through passengers, I still got a window seat because I was at the front of the B line.

I love seat assignments as long as I can get the seat I want. But if I misconnect, or there is an equipment swap, or someone wants to switch seats because they were assigned split seats, then seat assignments really suck.

No seating method will be perfect for everyone, but I must say that I am a convert from the old days of refusing to fly on a plane with open seating. It's really not that bad.

 

[luvn737s]

As often as Southwest asks for direct, they must always be late. Create a reasonable schedule and operate it consistently and you don't have to beg for direct to stay on-time. If you create a historical series of block-times that is unrealistically short because you've always begged for direct you've set yourself up to provide something you can't deliver consistently.

Plus it's SO irritating to listen to them whining!!

 

[etops1]

so then go fly wn.

 

[bwipilot]

As often as Southwest asks for direct, they must always be late.

[post="260715"][/post]​

You're a little off track. When I look for shortcuts I check the FMC to see how much time/distance it saves. If more than 2mi (only about 20 sec) I ask. If I can shave 15 miles (2-3) minutes off flying time that translates into a fuel savings of 150 lbs (20 gals). That's about $30. When an airline makes only $80 a flight in net profit, the "annoying" requests for shortcuts contribute directly to the bottom line. To those who get profit sharing it's an incentive to be efficient.

 

[SWAFA30]

Flamewar commencing in 3....2....1........

 

[Light Years]

Actually, the threads been around all day and thankfully no one has bothered.

Some people like strawberry ice cream, some like vanilla. Some don't have a very active forum. *yawn*

 

[luvn737s]

You're a little off track. When I look for shortcuts I check the FMC to see how much time/distance it saves. If more than 2mi (only about 20 sec) I ask. If I can shave 15 miles (2-3) minutes off flying time that translates into a fuel savings of 150 lbs (20 gals). That's about $30. When an airline makes only $80 a flight in net profit, the "annoying" requests for shortcuts contribute directly to the bottom line. To those who get profit sharing it's an incentive to be efficient.

[post="260754"][/post]​

That answers alot. If you think a 2 mile savings off the FMC route is worth asking the rest of the world to step aside, I think you're mistaken. Unless you have some super FMC that can upload winds aloft for every station near your new direct route, there is no way to accurately predict how much, if anything you'll save by going direct.

But many times when a controller allows a direct, it impacts other flights that are on their filed route by forcing them to turn or slow down to put the direct guy back in the flow over the arrival gate.

Now one aircraft is maybe slightly early, one flight has had to alter course and consume more fuel and everyone has had to endure one more "Anychanceofdirectsomewheredowntheroad" for the 500th time!

You want direct? File direct.

 

[justaumechanic]

so then go fly wn.

[post="260716"][/post]​

They are flying Southwest and leaving US Airways behind..

That was the point..

US service stinks.. Bottom line.. Stinks..

Read and understand. This is a major wake up call.

You want to be a LCC then start acting like one.

 

[Twicebaked]

Our passengers are soooo spoiled that they will not accept a LCC service from US! You say act like a LCC. How can you when the pax will not accept change. All you hear on here is complaints about the service.

Oh and by the way.......Southwest is a ghetto airline with usually bottom of the food chain pax. If that is what you like. GO FOR IT!!!!

 

[Cfm56]

SWA has nearly 2900 flights a day. Save a few gallons on each one and it starts adding up. The reason so many other airlines don't ask for direct is that those pilots get paid by the minute.

"Ghetto" airline? Please visit Dallas Love and view the business men boarding SWA flights to Houston. Go to San Jose, CA and watch the high tech people boarding flights. Watch the suits carrying briefcases boarding the flights in Chicago and Cleveland. Same for the Kansas City - Chicago flights...packed with business people. The list goes on because these business people learned a long time ago that a reliable, dependable airline with good frequency is a better value than any airline with "clubs" and all the "Preferred Gold Chairman Select Platinum blah blah blah BS" who can't be counted on to simply deliver their checked bags. Throw in families looking for a good deal and you have an airline that has a great mix...and all their money is the same.

The airline you called a "ghetto" airline pays their suppliers and contractors. They don't throw people on the street and create nightmares for families. They give their employees raises instead of demanding give backs. For you to call SWA a "ghetto" airline is beyond absurd. People often demean things they are jealously envious of or what they can't have or aren't a part of.

 

[JS]

Our passengers are soooo spoiled that they will not accept a LCC service from US! You say act like a LCC. How can you when the pax will not accept change. All you hear on here is complaints about the service.

Oh and by the way.......Southwest is a ghetto airline with usually bottom of the food chain pax. If that is what you like. GO FOR IT!!!!

[post="261204"][/post]​

US already has LCC service. Meals are gone. Re-routing to a different airline is next to impossible. Inter-line baggage delivery is de facto gone since the bag won't even make it past the connecting point anyway. The service is better on the actual LCC than it is on US Airways. Just give up and close the doors.

 

[airbiiguy]

Great post!

SWA has nearly 2900 flights a day. Save a few gallons on each one and it starts adding up. The reason so many other airlines don't ask for direct is that those pilots get paid by the minute.

"Ghetto" airline? Please visit Dallas Love and view the business men boarding SWA flights to Houston. Go to San Jose, CA and watch the high tech people boarding flights. Watch the suits carrying briefcases boarding the flights in Chicago and Cleveland. Same for the Kansas City - Chicago flights...packed with business people. The list goes on because these business people learned a long time ago that a reliable, dependable airline with good frequency is a better value than any airline with "clubs" and all the "Preferred Gold Chairman Select Platinum blah blah blah BS" who can't be counted on to simply deliver their checked bags. Throw in families looking for a good deal and you have an airline that has a great mix...and all their money is the same.

The airline you called a "ghetto" airline pays their suppliers and contractors. They don't throw people on the street and create nightmares for families. They give their employees raises instead of demanding give backs. For you to call SWA a "ghetto" airline is beyond absurd. People often demean things they are jealously envious of or what they can't have or aren't a part of.

[post="261210"][/post]​

 

[sfb]

Our passengers are soooo spoiled that they will not accept a LCC service from US! You say act like a LCC. How can you when the pax will not accept change. All you hear on here is complaints about the service.

No, your passengers won't accept service that's WORSE than the LCC's at higher fares. How much have we heard about dirty planes, dirty terminals, unreliable operations, poor on-time performance, baggage mishaps, etc. at US Airways in the last several months? I don't think most of your passengers expect much anymore -- but if you can't get the basics right (i.e. reliable operation, polite/friendly and expedient customer service, bags arriving with passengers), the LCC's are beating you on service!

Oh and by the way.......Southwest is a ghetto airline with usually bottom of the food chain pax. If that is what you like. GO FOR IT!!!!

Sure, and that's why over 30% of their tickets are sold at the full, refundable fare. And somehow all those ghetto/bottom of the food chain passengers have gotten on the Internet since 59% of their 2004 passenger revenue came from southwest.com.

 

[Whatnow?]

US already has LCC service. Meals are gone. Re-routing to a different airline is next to impossible. Inter-line baggage delivery is de facto gone since the bag won't even make it past the connecting point anyway. The service is better on the actual LCC than it is on US Airways. Just give up and close the doors.

[post="261244"][/post]​

Gimme a break....US STILL has far more ammenities onboard than SWA, even with all they've cut back on! You cannot get a meal at all on SWA, or even watch a movie on SWA, or listen to Audio programming on SWA, no assigned seats on SWA either, and from my observation assigned seating is a MAJOR plus with these passengers! And at least US has Buy on Board meals, if anybody wants a meal. And at least if a passenger wants an ENTIRE can of soda on US it's given to them! Try asking for it on SWA, you'd think you would of asked them for a million dollars! :down:

 

[besafe2]

Once in a while, I am forced to fly Southwest. They make US look pretty good. Of course I have no luggage checked.