Fsuwxman From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 439 posts, RR: 3 Posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 1156 times:
Hi all. I did a search on this topic but could not find the answer.
My question is: I was looking to purchase a ticket on the WN website for a flight from FLL- SJC. I know they fly to both airports (not nonstop though). After looking on a variety of dates, I come to find that they don't sell tickets for this route. Now, I understand that with the point to point flying they do, they cannot sell you a ticket through DAL (for example) but what would be the problem with selling lets say FLL-BWI-SJC? Why would (should) a customer have to make two reservation just to complete one flight? I am not in anyway computer illiterate, but for someone that was, trying to book this exact itenerary and had to fuss with the WN website, could go very easily to another airline and get it done with no hassle. Could some explain to me how WN sells their tickets (a short synopsis would be fine)
WMUPilot From United States of America, joined Jan 2003, 1473 posts, RR: 12 Reply 1, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 1144 times:
How many stops did you specify when you were looking for the route? I'm almost positive that you can't fly FLL - SJC on one stop on WN. You can do it on TZ. For WN you may need to make 2 or so stops.
PROSA From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5439 posts, RR: 5 Reply 2, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 1129 times:
Out of curiosity, I tried to book FLL-SLC, and got a "no flights" message too. There's nothing on WN's site that asks you for the maximum acceptable number of connections/stops.
"Let me think about it" = the coward's way of saying "no"
EA CO AS From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 12559 posts, RR: 64 Reply 3, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 1124 times:
Southwest doesn't have a published fare in the FLL-SJC market. You'd have to "break" the fare in BWI, as two separate FLL-BWI and BWI-SJC roundtrips.
"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem - government IS the problem." - Ronald Reagan
Fsuwxman From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 439 posts, RR: 3 Reply 4, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1057 times:
That is what I figured that you would have to do, my question though, is why? I would think, as a service to a customer which is trying to get from point A to point B, why not publish a fare to/ from all points in your system? What would be the advantage? The only reason, and this seems as a stretch, is to make more money. If the FLL-BWI sector is one price to compete with other airlines in that market and the BWI-SJC is at competitive levels on that sector, then adding the two would make the airline more...
ModernArt From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1048 times:
As a matter policy, Southwest no longer offers connecting flights that require three or more intermediate, enroute stops. One has to assume, that based on the current published timetable, that no opportunity exists to make it to SJC from FLL in less than three stops, either direct or with a reasonable connection.
Direct flights of 3 stops are still available for booking as long as they are published in the timetable.
I think that Southwest tries to move passengers "as the crow flies" where ever possible, although some routings may seem a tad bit of the way.
Luv2fly From United States of America, joined May 2003, 11957 posts, RR: 51 Reply 6, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1046 times:
Also remember WN considers itself a point to point airline and even says it operates no hubs in the true sense of the word....
WMUPilot From United States of America, joined Jan 2003, 1473 posts, RR: 12 Reply 7, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 1015 times:
Take TZ to SJC through MDW or get yourself over to PIE and fly SFO direct.
Rojo From Spain, joined Sep 2000, 2395 posts, RR: 10 Reply 8, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 981 times:
Fsuwxman
You have to consider that WN is a point to point airline with the LCC Model, so they want to have their planes in the air as much as they can. To do this, it is impossible for WN to sell connecting flights, which means that you will have to arrive to one airport on a flight that could be late and if you don't make your connection, they will have to protect you on another flight or even pay for your hotel and meals, which they don't want to do.
Goingboeing From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 4875 posts, RR: 19 Reply 9, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 963 times:
You have to consider that WN is a point to point airline with the LCC Model, so they want to have their planes in the air as much as they can. To do this, it is impossible for WN to sell connecting flights, which means that you will have to arrive to one airport on a flight that could be late and if you don't make your connection, they will have to protect you on another flight or even pay for your hotel and meals, which they don't want to do.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but WN sells connecting flights every day. As has been mentioned, they won't offer connecting service if doing so results in more than three stops. Southwest doesn't usually have to pay for hotel or meals because they have a greater frequency of flights - especially between the "connection" cities. So chances are good that they will get you where you're going without stranding you. And just like any other airline - if the delay or cancellation that might strand you is weather related, they are not obligated to provide meals or lodging.
Fsuwxman From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 439 posts, RR: 3 Reply 10, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 940 times:
WMUPILOT... OF course, the fact of driving over to SFO or OAK was also in my head, but I was just interested in the details of why wouldn't WN sell tickets from point A in their system to point B in one reservation, in some cases.
I was thinking the same thing as you GOINGBOEING. Just as in the example that I had given with FLL-BWI-SJC, I have looked up many other flights that have more than one connection and have found. That is why I have found it strange that I could not book this flight in one itenerary. It is very possible they could sell this trip with the one stop in BWI, without taking chances on having to reimburse. Even looking at all the flights, there are so many options that can do it in less than 3 connections that it still confuses me. Maybe I am still missing the point.
Goingboeing From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 4875 posts, RR: 19 Reply 11, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 926 times:
Actually, booking it "outside" the schedule can benefit you...if you can claim and recheck your bags, booking "two" trips via the internet gets you double credit - 8 credits to your RR account. You're halfway to a free trip with one trip. You need to scheduled enough time between flights though, since they are looked at as two separate round trips - if your original flight is delayed and you miss the "connection" you'll be stuck.
Rojo From Spain, joined Sep 2000, 2395 posts, RR: 10 Reply 12, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 926 times:
Goingboeing:
"Sorry to burst your bubble"... uhhh, I like that one, specially when people get angry about what other post!!! I know you are going to say please get inform before posting, but this is a forum to express our ideas and give our opinions, that is why I started my post with the words "you have to consider", and if you are wondering if I have flown Southwest, in fact I have and I try to follow their strategy and their business plan!! Maybe I did not explain myself correctly... they do sell some connecting flights, but in most of those connecting flights, fares tend to recognize the fare that you will pay for both legs, so actually you will end up paying as if you booked each segment separately!!! And this is because they are not a hub and spoke airline, they get their major business from point to point flights!!!
ModernArt From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 13, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 897 times:
Uh, Rojo, that is not necessarily correct. As an example...
San Antonio - Baltimore is offered nonstop and via connection at Hobby.
The fare for either choice is $287. (Incidentially, the HOU-BWI fare is $263)
they do sell some connecting flights...
Also, the sell a "hecka of a lot" of connecting flights...like 24%.
Here's a quip from a June 19, 2003 Dallas Morning news article Transfer strategy The transfer passes also may encourage more Southwest passengers to use connecting flights, Mr. Garfinkle said. The vast majority of its passengers -- 76 percent -- travel from one city to another without connecting.
"This will certainly make life easier for connections," Mr. Garfinkle said. The downside is that an increase in connecting tickets could chip away at Southwest's profit margin, since point-to-point tickets are more profitable. But with its airplanes running at about 70 percent full, "there's still plenty of capacity to take on connecting customers," Mr. Garfinkle said.
Rojo From Spain, joined Sep 2000, 2395 posts, RR: 10 Reply 14, posted (9 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 868 times:
Modern Art:
Why is it not necessary correct?? that is why I said "IN MOST OF THOSE CONNECTING FLIGHTS FARES TEND TO RECOGNIZE THE FARE YOU WILL PAY FOR BOTH LEGS"; in your example, you have a non-stop flight available, so do you think someone will take the connecting flight instead of the non-stop if the connecting flight was a lot more expensive??? In this case, Southwest gives you the option of a connecting flight in order to have more alternatives... correct me if I'm wrong. I mean, in the article you post it is stated clearly:
"The vast majority of its passengers -- 76 percent -- travel from one city to another without connecting."
In my last post I said: "And this is because they are not a hub and spoke airline, they get their major business from point to point flights"; the words major business could clearly be 76% of their passengers.
"The downside is that an increase in connecting tickets could chip away at Southwest's profit margin, since point-to-point tickets are more profitable"
Southwest knows exactly that they are not able to offer many connecting options to passengers since that will affect profits...
For example: I travel a lot between Houston and Columbus, OH and I always get the following option:
HOU-STL-CMH
Round Trip restricted fare for August = $536.00
Round Trip Fun Fare for August = $376.00
HOU-STL
Round Trip restricted fare for August = $312.00
Round Trip Fun Fare for August= $230.00
STL-CMH
Round Trip restricted fare for August = $170.00
Round Trip Fun Fare August = $112.00
Doing a little math: HOU-STL (Connection) STL-CMH bought in two separate tickets
Restricted Fare = $482.00
Fun Fare = $342.00
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