STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Southwest Airlines vs/ other low-cost
dc


Dooney & Bourke

Status: Offline
Posts: 923
Date:
Southwest Airlines vs/ other low-cost
Permalink Closed


You know, I think I dislike Southwest Airlines.  I know I am supposed to think they're cool and low-cost, and all cheeky and irreverent with their joking and singing and all that.  But I don't.  The only reason I flew them this weekend was because I was using up Amex rewards points and it's the only direct flight to ABQ from the DC area.  I hated the "group a" "group b" etc seating.  How do they decide what group you're in?  I got to the ABQ airport 2 hours ahead and STILL was in group B and had to sit in the last row next to the bathroom.  I HATED not getting to pick my seat ahead of time (MUST MUST have aisle... and got middle on the way out to NM.  I had to get up 3 times in 4 hours so the poor lady next to me suffered).  What does the cattle call accomplish, exactly?  How does that save $$ (esp sicne I don't find SW to be cheaper anyway -  I have noticed while fare shopping in the past that their fares aren't even that great. 


Frontier is ALWAYS cheaper (usually around $200 RT to NM for me), and IMO has better service and features (direct TV, etc).  And I like the little animal pictures they have on the planes (ok, that is juvenile).  The only thing I can say for Southwest is that I appreciated the free drink tickets they sent me for some reason. 


Any other thoughts on southwest or other low-cost carriers?



-- Edited by dc at 14:57, 2005-08-23

__________________
~ dc "Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination" - Oscar Wilde


Gucci

Status: Offline
Posts: 2902
Date:
Permalink Closed

I hear the trick with Southwest is to do the 24 hour advance check in before you get to the airport and you can get in Group A. I've never flown with them so I don't know of anything firsthand with them.

__________________
Kel


Coach

Status: Offline
Posts: 1765
Date:
Permalink Closed

I don't know if they are still considered low-cost but I love Jet Blue. I always travel with them. Also SONG is pretty good too. I second that with Frontier, I flew out to CO with them, and I thought that they were pretty good.

__________________
jj


Kate Spade

Status: Offline
Posts: 1212
Date:
Permalink Closed

Yep, you gotta check in on-line to get group A.  I've never been sure why no seat assignments = saving money.  It's tough for the return trip, if you are staying at a hotel (you may have a laptop, but probably not a printer).  My parents fly SW all the time because there are lots of cheap flights around the west coast, and my mom gets the hotel concierge to print their boarding passes.  She's pretty resourceful.

__________________


Coach

Status: Offline
Posts: 1789
Date:
Permalink Closed

I LOATHE Southwest. I honestly think it's no better than a bus. I get airsick and I need to sit my a window and so not being able to book my own ticket always is a problem. But sometimes when I'm booking last minute it's the only airline that'll work.


I LOVE Song (budget line of Delta), however. I've only flown it once but it was great. The plane was decorated in bright colors, cheesy but I liked it. Normally Delta flight attendants are mean trolls, but Song flight attendants were really nice. There is a martini menu, which I didn't partake from, but I thought it was a cute gimmick and if I got bored on a long flight I would probably buy a $7 fruit-tini. I also loved being able to watch live tv, movies, and play games on the personal tvs. There isn't a first class so I don't think I could fly Song on a long trip (I have long legs and need the leg space) but I loved it otherwise.


I don't know it AirTran is considered like Southwest, but I've been pleased with that. The planes are older but I liked being to upgrade to 1st class for only $30 at check-in. Of course you can only do that when there are available seats. The flight attendants were nice and the snacks were really good. I remember sitting in coach and getting a full size Nature's Valley granola bar AND a pack of Fig Newtons. Yes, I'm a pig and these things mean a lot to me.


I'm flying Ted in October when I go to Chicago. My roundtrip ticket from Tampa was only $118 including all fees! Coming from Atlanta where Delta basically rules and you fly where Delta goes at the price they set, this was very refreshing. I'll post a review later what it's like.


I have a couple of friends that fly Idependance Air. They like it and I think you can book your seat like other civilized air lines.



__________________
SFC


Kate Spade

Status: Offline
Posts: 1213
Date:
Permalink Closed

sfclinevandy wrote:


I LOATHE Southwest. I honestly think it's no better than a bus.


Ditto!  I haven't flown them in years because I hate how they do things, and most of the time, they don't even save me that much $$ when I look.


I love JetBlue and Independence Air.



__________________


Coach

Status: Offline
Posts: 1550
Date:
Permalink Closed

we call it "southworst" and it is exactly like a bus.  sometimes you can't beat the fares, though, and it's worth the inconvenience.  especially the $30 each way fares to/from Vegas from LAX--if you get on the friday evening flight out it is absolutely like getting on the school bus to go away for the weekend with all of the other people--it's actually kind of funny.  i don't hate it, but i could see how it would be easy to. 

__________________


Hermes

Status: Offline
Posts: 5131
Date:
Permalink Closed

I used to take southwest between DC and Albany and it wasn't too bad, but it was only about a 45 minute flight. I don't think I could handle nay longer than that. I remember one time I was dying of thirst and the attendant wouldn't bring me a drink- wtf? I just wanted some water, but she said we already got our drinks and we were only allowed to have one. Ew.


FH downright refuses to take them, because of their policy of making larger people pay for two seats, so now that he lives down here too I never really take them anymore. I like Jet Blue a lot though, so for budget arlines we'll usually just take them.



__________________
"Life's too short to wear ugly shoes."

My recipe blog: healthy-delicious.com


Kate Spade

Status: Offline
Posts: 1181
Date:
Permalink Closed

Southwest is ok... I normally only fly them to LA or San Diego, though so 1 hour flights tops.  If I'm flying transcontinental I definitely choose another airline.


If you guys hate SW, watch out for the low cost European airlines that fly within Europe.  I think they might have changed this, but Ryanair used to have no organized seating, so everyone lined up and waited to get on the plane.  It was chaos and everyone's nasty side came out fighting for seats. 


The good part was they sell their tickets at insanely low prices (plus tax which normally was more than the ticket)... but they fly to crappy airports in the middle of nowhere also, which usually cost like $20 on their chartered buses to get to so everything adds up in the end. 


Anyway, I'm going off on a tangent, but fyi watch out for those airlines



__________________


Coach

Status: Offline
Posts: 1862
Date:
Permalink Closed

ILoveChoo wrote:


I used to take southwest between DC and Albany and it wasn't too bad, but it was only about a 45 minute flight. I don't think I could handle nay longer than that. I remember one time I was dying of thirst and the attendant wouldn't bring me a drink- wtf? I just wanted some water, but she said we already got our drinks and we were only allowed to have one. Ew. FH downright refuses to take them, because of their policy of making larger people pay for two seats, so now that he lives down here too I never really take them anymore. I like Jet Blue a lot though, so for budget arlines we'll usually just take them.

No way!!! They make larger ppl pay for two seats??? How is that justifiable?

__________________


Coach

Status: Offline
Posts: 1550
Date:
Permalink Closed


i could be wrong, but i think it's becoming standard practice in the airline industry.  for people over a certain weight limit. the airlines feel that it is uncomfortable for both that person and the people sitting next to them if they are spilling over onto a second seat, so they make them buy two because that is the square footage they actually require (i think southwest's seats are particularly small and close together also, so that might be why they insist). 


rocky wrote:





ILoveChoo wrote: I used to take southwest between DC and Albany and it wasn't too bad, but it was only about a 45 minute flight. I don't think I could handle nay longer than that. I remember one time I was dying of thirst and the attendant wouldn't bring me a drink- wtf? I just wanted some water, but she said we already got our drinks and we were only allowed to have one. Ew. FH downright refuses to take them, because of their policy of making larger people pay for two seats, so now that he lives down here too I never really take them anymore. I like Jet Blue a lot though, so for budget arlines we'll usually just take them. No way!!! They make larger ppl pay for two seats??? How is that justifiable?






__________________


Hermes

Status: Offline
Posts: 5131
Date:
Permalink Closed

bumblebee wrote:


i could be wrong, but i think it's becoming standard practice in the airline industry.  for people over a certain weight limit. the airlines feel that it is uncomfortable for both that person and the people sitting next to them if they are spilling over onto a second seat, so they make them buy two because that is the square footage they actually require (i think southwest's seats are particularly small and close together also, so that might be why they insist).  rocky wrote: ILoveChoo wrote: I used to take southwest between DC and Albany and it wasn't too bad, but it was only about a 45 minute flight. I don't think I could handle nay longer than that. I remember one time I was dying of thirst and the attendant wouldn't bring me a drink- wtf? I just wanted some water, but she said we already got our drinks and we were only allowed to have one. Ew. FH downright refuses to take them, because of their policy of making larger people pay for two seats, so now that he lives down here too I never really take them anymore. I like Jet Blue a lot though, so for budget arlines we'll usually just take them. No way!!! They make larger ppl pay for two seats??? How is that justifiable?


yeah, it is becomming pretty standard. I have mixed feelings about it: I've had to sit next to FH on flight before and it's pretty squished since he takes up a little of my seat...If I didn't know hi I would be pretty pissed, so I see where thet are coming from. At the same time though, they still have to wear a seatbelt so its not like they'd be able to sit in the middle of two seats anyway...


sorry, this is a bit of an issue for me. FH and i argue about it constantly. 



__________________
"Life's too short to wear ugly shoes."

My recipe blog: healthy-delicious.com
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard