Just had a chance to fly SW from Memphis on one of their $99 introductory, round-trip fares. I never knew flying could be so easy, pleasant and sensible. Very friendly employees at all stages. Very user-friendly website, innovative boarding procedure, and free bag check. Even a free cocktail.
Flights were about 20 minutes delayed on each leg, but they communicated it honestly and made up the time in the air.
Please choose Southwest when you can so they will keep adding flights.
(Never realized Delta was SO horrible.)
I take it that was your first time flying Southwest. That's who they are.
Hopefully the flights that you were on both out of and back into Memphis were relatively full. That's what will keep them here and adding more destinations. Phoenix really needs to be a nonstop after we lost them from two separate carriers.
I have done the Little Rock drive before they came here. Now that they are here, unless you get a sale or introductory , their prices are higher than Delta or US Airways to my east coast destinations. I hope that changes as time goes on.
For the love of all that is holy please avoid US Airways. Complete nightmare. Pay more. Fly to another city and drive the rest of the way. Rent a camel. Walk if necessary.
(01-12-2014 07:54 PM)shere khan Wrote: [ -> ]For the love of all that is holy please avoid US Airways. Complete nightmare. Pay more. Fly to another city and drive the rest of the way. Rent a camel. Walk if necessary.
Used them plenty of times. No issues. Flying to Charlotte and DC they have always done me right.
US Airways has always seemed like a rather unpleasant discount airline with smaller planes.
I haven't priced SW against other airlines here, but hopefully their prices will decrease on their East Coast routes when they fully integrate AirTran this year.
The SW flight I took from Memphis to Sarasota was only 1/3 full, and the one I flew out of Chicago to Memphis had about 50 empty seats.
I think many Memphians are either using up their Delta sky miles, or they just don't realize SW is here yet. I don't think SW is sold through Travelocity, either.
(01-12-2014 08:07 PM)Sheldon Cooper Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 07:54 PM)shere khan Wrote: [ -> ]For the love of all that is holy please avoid US Airways. Complete nightmare. Pay more. Fly to another city and drive the rest of the way. Rent a camel. Walk if necessary.
Used them plenty of times. No issues. Flying to Charlotte and DC they have always done me right.
same here
(01-12-2014 08:35 PM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote: [ -> ]US Airways has always seemed like a rather unpleasant discount airline with smaller planes.
I haven't priced SW against other airlines here, but hopefully their prices will decrease on their East Coast routes when they fully integrate AirTran this year.
The SW flight I took from Memphis to Sarasota was only 1/3 full, and the one I flew out of Chicago to Memphis had about 50 empty seats.
I think many Memphians are either using up their Delta sky miles, or they just don't realize SW is here yet. I don't think SW is sold through Travelocity, either.
I don't think you can see their prices anywhere but their website. Their prices are about $50 to $75 more than anyone else to Charlotte and Charleston. I want to use them but I am making multiple trips with my wife and the price difference adds up fast.
Counting the days for the Wright Amendment to expire so I can fly direct to Memphis from Dallas.
My daughter flew Southwest from Memphis to Tampa a few weeks ago, I am glad they are FINALLY there.
(01-12-2014 10:19 PM)Tiger46 Wrote: [ -> ]Counting the days for the Wright Amendment to expire so I can fly direct to Memphis from Dallas.
My daughter flew Southwest from Memphis to Tampa a few weeks ago, I am glad they are FINALLY there.
That situation always confused me. I know Perot is behind Alliance. Would he not benefit if things were changed? Where does he stand and beside the large trucking operation at Alliance, what else is going on there.
(01-12-2014 10:49 PM)Sheldon Cooper Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 10:19 PM)Tiger46 Wrote: [ -> ]Counting the days for the Wright Amendment to expire so I can fly direct to Memphis from Dallas.
My daughter flew Southwest from Memphis to Tampa a few weeks ago, I am glad they are FINALLY there.
That situation always confused me. I know Perot is behind Alliance. Would he not benefit if things were changed? Where does he stand and beside the large trucking operation at Alliance, what else is going on there.
Perot doesn't have a say in the Southwest Airlines/Wright Amendment regulations.
Perot's Alliance is a heavy cargo airport; UPS, FedEx and the other big boys, with rail to air services. No doubt that in the future they will seek some commercial traffic. I am sure there are some private jets that use that airport. F-18s do touch and goes there when traffic permits. Used to play golf close to there and they would come screaming over. Perot owns land out there for dozens of square miles.
The Wright Amendment was to keep Southwest from putting American Airlines out of business because of low fares. It demanded that no Southwest flight originating in Dallas could fly any further than an adjoining state. So for me to fly to Memphis I have to fly from Dallas to Houston and Houston to Memphis and many other scenarios like that. That will expire this year after about 35 years of law.
BS law I might add. Southwest has always been above board and American has been through all kinds of financial troubles.
(01-12-2014 09:12 PM)Sheldon Cooper Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 08:35 PM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote: [ -> ]US Airways has always seemed like a rather unpleasant discount airline with smaller planes.
I haven't priced SW against other airlines here, but hopefully their prices will decrease on their East Coast routes when they fully integrate AirTran this year.
The SW flight I took from Memphis to Sarasota was only 1/3 full, and the one I flew out of Chicago to Memphis had about 50 empty seats.
I think many Memphians are either using up their Delta sky miles, or they just don't realize SW is here yet. I don't think SW is sold through Travelocity, either.
I don't think you can see their prices anywhere but their website. Their prices are about $50 to $75 more than anyone else to Charlotte and Charleston. I want to use them but I am making multiple trips with my wife and the price difference adds up fast.
No extra baggage fees on Southwest, not a big deal for the business traveler that only brings a carry on, but can be for family travel.
Right now, I can get a direct from Raleigh to Memphis for about the same price as I can go SWest with a stop, so they've got some work to do on pricing. Glad to see that Southwest is flying to/from Memphis now, that's fantastic news.
(01-12-2014 11:08 PM)NigelTufnel Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 09:12 PM)Sheldon Cooper Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2014 08:35 PM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote: [ -> ]US Airways has always seemed like a rather unpleasant discount airline with smaller planes.
I haven't priced SW against other airlines here, but hopefully their prices will decrease on their East Coast routes when they fully integrate AirTran this year.
The SW flight I took from Memphis to Sarasota was only 1/3 full, and the one I flew out of Chicago to Memphis had about 50 empty seats.
I think many Memphians are either using up their Delta sky miles, or they just don't realize SW is here yet. I don't think SW is sold through Travelocity, either.
I don't think you can see their prices anywhere but their website. Their prices are about $50 to $75 more than anyone else to Charlotte and Charleston. I want to use them but I am making multiple trips with my wife and the price difference adds up fast.
No extra baggage fees on Southwest, not a big deal for the business traveler that only brings a carry on, but can be for family travel.
Right now, I can get a direct from Raleigh to Memphis for about the same price as I can go SWest with a stop. Glad to see that Southwest is flying to/from Memphis now, that's fantastic news.
Just made Delta reservations for my next trip to Charleston and SW was almost $80 more and just one departure while Delta had numerous times. I am sure SW will be a success, they are not the largest domestic airline for nothing.
(01-12-2014 04:49 PM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote: [ -> ]Just had a chance to fly SW from Memphis on one of their $99 introductory, round-trip fares. I never knew flying could be so easy, pleasant and sensible. Very friendly employees at all stages. Very user-friendly website, innovative boarding procedure, and free bag check. Even a free cocktail.
Flights were about 20 minutes delayed on each leg, but they communicated it honestly and made up the time in the air.
Please choose Southwest when you can so they will keep adding flights.
(Never realized Delta was SO horrible.)
My brother and sister in law are both retired from Southwest; they loved working there. Also, when I book flights and they are all lined up side by side, SW is usually cheaper. It's great not having to change websites all the time. Great airline.
My daughter is going to Pittsburgh next month via Chicago Midway. It was about $40 cheaper than US Air via Charlotte. It's our first experience with Southwest. Is it really 'open' seating? You just board and sit where you want?
(01-13-2014 12:02 AM)UofMark Wrote: [ -> ]My daughter is going to Pittsburgh next month via Chicago Midway. It was about $40 cheaper than US Air via Charlotte. It's our first experience with Southwest. Is it really 'open' seating? You just board and sit where you want?
First come first serve. They give you a boarding number.
they board in zones - A, B, C, D
What you do is 24 hours before your flight, login and checkin - you stand a better chance of being in the A or B group - that means you board first - the last groups who boards a full flight usually has their pick of the middle seat on either side - the seats are 3 and 3
Non-stop flights out of Memphis on Southwest are pretty cheap, especially to Baltimore. But it gets expensive when you start adding multiple stops.
Just don't fly to Branson and land at the wrong airport. Oops
(01-13-2014 09:44 AM)Tiger46 Wrote: [ -> ] (01-13-2014 12:02 AM)UofMark Wrote: [ -> ]My daughter is going to Pittsburgh next month via Chicago Midway. It was about $40 cheaper than US Air via Charlotte. It's our first experience with Southwest. Is it really 'open' seating? You just board and sit where you want?
First come first serve. They give you a boarding number.
Makes it much easier to reseat everybody in the event a plane can't fly.