MSY seems to have seen a few frequency increases for a high of 57 departures. Notably the 2nd AUS which starts in the spring is extended, as is the Sunday only IND and PIT service. I've also noticed MCI getting a second flight on Sundays. FLL is increased to 3x daily, up from 1-2, which is a big jump considering B6 just started MSY-FLL and NK is going 2x daily in May.

I don't see anything new route wise. At least from IND.

There are some crazy routings that show up in the booking engine. Like 4+ stops, not sure if that is supposed to be there or is a glitch.

How do you guys find the new numbers easily? Like route increases and decreases? Thanks

Sounds like ALL new flying got pushed back until July and August 2017.
But The go LIVE date for daily operations for airport staff and support for ONE RES is MAY 6 2017.
Makes sense not to roll out new cities in the middle of major IT release.

Latest rumors is WN is going to restart Full etops qualifications.

Flyguy

crazytoaster wrote:

I don't see anything new route wise. At least from IND.

There are some crazy routings that show up in the booking engine. Like 4+ stops, not sure if that is supposed to be there or is a glitch.

I noticed the same thing -- I think Southwest limited valid itineraries to no more than two intermediate stops in the past but I'm seeing some exceptions.

MKE is status quo -- seems the last schedule was simply pushed out a handful of weeks -- I didn't notice any time or aircraft changes.

Jshank83 wrote:

How do you guys find the new numbers easily? Like route increases and decreases? Thanks

Most of the time Southwest releases a change list from the previous schedule to the new one so you can see the frequency adjustments. That usually is out within 24 hours of the schedule going public. It doesn't compare year-over-year, though, so the increases/decreases shown on it may be truly new or discontinued stuff, or just routine seasonal changes.

Beyond that, including the early "here's what I found" types off posts are a.net are simply from people doing booking inquiries on southwest.com. For those with enough time and interest they'll look up all arrivals and departures for a city (typically using a weekday) and plot them in Excel to see if the schedule "works out" or not. I don't think anybody goes that far for the biggest stations, but several of us do for one or more medium or smaller station.

The Southwest route map also helps, but (a) it sometimes shows scheduled charter fights like a single Columbus-Oklahoma City football charter could add CMH-OKC misleadingly to the route map and (b) routes being discontinued still show until they have stopped flying, so if XXX-YYY were to be dropped with the newest schedule it would still be on the map for months until the last flight flew.

So if you can wait a bit there's about a 90% chance with any Southwest schedule update there will be a blog post which includes the route-by-route changes, and somebody here will post the link. But if you want to dig in deeper or not wait so long, it's a whole lotta booking inquiries on their website.

knope2001 wrote:

crazytoaster wrote:

I don't see anything new route wise. At least from IND.

There are some crazy routings that show up in the booking engine. Like 4+ stops, not sure if that is supposed to be there or is a glitch.

I noticed the same thing -- I think Southwest limited valid itineraries to no more than two intermediate stops in the past but I'm seeing some exceptions.

MKE is status quo -- seems the last schedule was simply pushed out a handful of weeks -- I didn't notice any time or aircraft changes.

It's been a long time since I worked in Customer Service for WN, and things may have changed, but that was indeed the case then. We could not sell a seat further than the 3rd downline station on a through flight. I've heard that the airline saves money some how by using the flight number on as many flights as possible. Can anyone shed some light on that?

Wow! There sure are a lot more options offered in a city pair than there used to be! What I think WN needs now is an option on the schedule display for "Nonstops Only".

I just checked SAN-LAS's weekly schedule for mid-May and got 20 screens full of options! (On my computer, that's about 6 flight options per screen, so I got roughly 120 options for SAN-LAS, which offers 11 nonstop flights!) Come on now, just how many 1-stop options need to be offered in a 258-mile city-pair with 1:15 nonstops?

For SAN, there are absolutely no changes (in weekday nonstop flights) from the previous schedule release of April 25. (And still no sign of a summary for this release.)

bb

Southwest is definitely offering a lot more connections than before. For example, previously on MSY-HOU (a pretty short flight with around 10 daily nonstops), they only allowed nonstop bookings. Now, connections can be booked from MSY to HOU through DAL, and AUS. Maybe it provides some flexibility in overbooking or multi-stop situations.

wnflyguy wrote:

WN next scheduled release is coming in a few days just May flying. Along with the December 6 release the following December 8 GK will be speaking at NY Wings club luncheon.
Rumors,predictions and speculation Have FLL getting 7 new international markets with one being a completely new WN destination.
In Addition AUS is rumored to be getting 3 new none Daily international flights for the summer.

First is my AUS predictions

AUS-MBJ Wednesday and Sundays
AUS-SJD Tuesday,Thursday and Saturday's
AUS-PUJ Monday and Friday

My FLL predictions
FLL-SJO Monday,Tuesday,Thursday,Saturday
FLL-LIR Wednesday,Friday,Sunday
FLL-AUA Tuesday ,Thursday,Saturday
FLL-BZE Wednesday,Sunday
FLL-PUJ Monday ,Friday
FLL-MBJ Daily
FLL-CUN Daily
FLL-LIM one Daily new city.

Enjoy
Flyguy

It's missing daily FLL-KIN.

wnflyguy wrote:

Sounds like ALL new flying got pushed back until July and August 2017.
But The go LIVE date for daily operations for airport staff and support for ONE RES is MAY 6 2017.
Makes sense not to roll out new cities in the middle of major IT release.

Latest rumors is WN is going to restart Full etops qualifications.

Flyguy

ONE RES goes live for airport employees MAY 9 2017

Flyguy

SANFan wrote:

What I think WN needs now is an option on the schedule display for "Nonstops Only".

It's available through a filter: Filter My Results, then check Nonstop.

Q3 2016 v. Q3 2015: Seat % Increase / (Decrease) for top 10 airports by seat quantity:

MDW (0.2%)
LAS 2.5%
BWI 1.1%
DEN 11.7%
DAL 5.9%
PHX 5.2%
HOU 5.5%
ATL 0.2%
LAX 2.8%
OAK 12.3%
MCO 0.2%

Total (all US airports): 4.0%

msycajun wrote:

Southwest is definitely offering a lot more connections than before. For example, previously on MSY-HOU (a pretty short flight with around 10 daily nonstops), they only allowed nonstop bookings. Now, connections can be booked from MSY to HOU through DAL, and AUS. Maybe it provides some flexibility in overbooking or multi-stop situations.

For advance bookings, they list plenty of 1-stops where they can. But for example, buying PHL-MCO seat on a flight in March with just a week out on short notice, WN will sell nonstop seats at a premium (like $300 one-way) and not show PHL-ATL-MCO seats even if one can buy PHL-ATL for a discounted $69 fare (implying many seats are available) and ATL-MCO (say $100) with seats available. WN wants the pax to buy the nonstop seat at a premium and not be on a connection at that point of time.

Definitely a lot more connections offered than previously.

phluser wrote:

SANFan wrote:

What I think WN needs now is an option on the schedule display for "Nonstops Only".

It's available through a filter: Filter My Results, then check Nonstop.

wnflyguy wrote:

Sounds like ALL new flying got pushed back until July and August 2017.
But The go LIVE date for daily operations for airport staff and support for ONE RES is MAY 6 2017.
Makes sense not to roll out new cities in the middle of major IT release.

Latest rumors is WN is going to restart Full etops qualifications.

Relax with the rumors man. New flights weren't pushed back, they didn't have plans for new flights today because of IT... which you didn't realize until another user and I pointed it out.

And I'm sure ETOPS is going to move forward soon... because of the MAX... that's been rumored for years now.

Your rumors really just seem like guesses on your part... if that's what they are, just call them that. You've really lost all credibility from just a few years ago.

jbmitt wrote:

No changes to DSM.

I'm surprised people think DSM will be axed. Every time I've flown MDW/STL-DSM, the flight was packed.

DSM load factor for 2016 (through August):
2016 1 77.86
2016 2 82.82
2016 3 85.00
2016 4 85.36
2016 5 90.88
2016 6 94.25
2016 7 92.59
2016 8 89.41
2016 TOTAL 87.15

So glad OAK had the highest % of flight increases. Virtually every flight I take out of OAK has a butt in every seat. So strange to see WN back in Terminal 1.

Some of you on here need to relax. The OP is obviously an employee. I am sure he hears many different things in whatever he job capacity (guessing FA or pilot due to user name). He has clearly stated in the last several WN update threads that what he is posting are rumors and speculation. The OP has previously had some very good info. Maybe his sources are not as reliable me as they have been in the past.

I enjoy reading this threads as I am hoping some of these things actually happen. Also maybe you are not all reading other threads as there is rumor and speculation all the time. Including on these WN threads. How many times have some claimed WN will be closing DSM DAY GRR GSP CAK and probably a few others. Last time I checked all these were still open for WN flights.

If you don't like the rumors, speculation and opinions of some then I suggest you ignore thread in which wnflyguy is involved.

I would like to add I do see WN adding a few carriers with codeshare in 2017. They have the res system in place and he ok from the pilots. I see ETOPS restarting soon and be complete before the end of 2017. I hope red eyes are also coming soon.

This schedule always about what I expected with it being the first to be accepted on the new system. Hope this goes smoothly.


WW

phluser wrote:

SANFan wrote:

What I think WN needs now is an option on the schedule display for "Nonstops Only".

It's available through a filter: Filter My Results, then check Nonstop.

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm referring to the FLIGHT SCHEDULE display, found here:
https://www.southwest.com/air/flight-sc ... index.html
and not the booking engine.

I use the Flight Schedules since I can get a look at a week's worth of flights at a time rather than just a random day. For my purposes, this is the best and most realistic display of flight frequencies offered. If there is a way to filter the Flight Skeds -- to see only the nonstops -- I can't find it!

bb

They should come to SBA. Just saying

They should come to SBA. Just saying

good idea

Here are the changes for PHX (dates used are Wednesday, April 19 and Wednesday, May 17):

City: April May Change
ABQ 6 7 1
ATL 2 2 0
AUS 4 4 0
BWI 4 3 -1
BUF 1 1 0
BUR 6 6 0
MDW 8 8 0
CLE 2 2 0
CMH 1 1 0
DAL 6 6 0
DEN 11 11 0
DTW 2 2 0
ELP 3 4 1
FLL 1 1 0
HOU 5 5 0
IND 2 2 0
MCI 5 3 -2
LAS 11 11 0
LIT 1 1 0
LAX 9 9 0
SDF 1 1 0
MKE 4 3 -1
MSP 4 2 -2
BNA 3 3 0
MSY 1 1 0
EWR 1 1 0
OAK 6 6 0
OKC 2 2 0
OMA 4 2 -2
ONT 6 6 0
SNA 7 7 0
MCO 1 2 1
PHL 1 1 0
PIT 1 1 0
PDX 3 3 0
RNO 2 2 0
SMF 5 5 0
SLC 6 6 0
SAT 3 3 0
SAN 11 10 -1
SFO 5 5 0
SJC 5 5 0
SEA 4 4 0
GEG 1 1 0
STL 4 4 0
TPA 1 2 1
TUL 2 1 -1
ICT 1 1 0
RDU 1 1 0

TOTAL: 186 180 -6

SteveXC500 wrote:

DSM load factor for 2016 (through August):
2016 1 77.86
2016 2 82.82
2016 3 85.00
2016 4 85.36
2016 5 90.88
2016 6 94.25
2016 7 92.59
2016 8 89.41
2016 TOTAL 87.15

Dumb that down for me. Is that pretty good in the grand scheme of things or just "meh"?

evanbu wrote:

SteveXC500 wrote:

DSM load factor for 2016 (through August):
2016 1 77.86
2016 2 82.82
2016 3 85.00
2016 4 85.36
2016 5 90.88
2016 6 94.25
2016 7 92.59
2016 8 89.41
2016 TOTAL 87.15

Dumb that down for me. Is that pretty good in the grand scheme of things or just "meh"?

87% is pretty darn good load factor. But load factor does not = profitability, so who knows how good the performance is.

87% is good. WN system-wide in the U.S. had about an 84.5 in August, with 83.88 as their YTD number. So, DSM is ahead of the WN system. I found the same for MSP.

SteveXC500 wrote:

87% is good. WN system-wide in the U.S. had about an 84.5 in August, with 83.88 as their YTD number. So, DSM is ahead of the WN system. I found the same for MSP.

Any idea what the LF has been for FNT, ICT, CRP, GRR, or any other small WN stations?

http://www.transtats.bts.gov/Data_Elements.aspx

YTD #s
FNT 78.49
ICT 75.06
CRP 56.90
GRR 83.92
JAX 82.5

MKE 80.81
MSP 86.75
BOS 83.67
MDW 87.27

But, as many will tell you, LF does not tell the entire story. Revenue, costs, profit, etc also would likely impact an airline's decision to cease operations at a station. Case in point, GRR is outperforming MKE on LF, but MKE has far more flights. What it might tell someone is WN is keeping only the flights it needs at GRR in order to meet their goals, which again are more than just LF.

Anyone else with stronger knowledge than me, please jump in.

SteveXC500 wrote:

http://www.transtats.bts.gov/Data_Elements.aspx

But, as many will tell you, LF does not tell the entire story. Revenue, costs, profit, etc also would likely impact an airline's decision to cease operations at a station. .

Factor in competition too. Running at a small loss to hopefully discourage another carrier from entering or adding to a market is a consideration.

Frontier 14

They seem to be very focused on International expansion, as well as intrastate California

n471wn wrote:

So glad OAK had the highest % of flight increases. Virtually every flight I take out of OAK has a butt in every seat. So strange to see WN back in Terminal 1.

I flew STL-OAK-RNO in September with a change at OAK and never had to leave T-1. Never had to leave Gate 4 actually, was kind of disappointed as I was hoping to explore OAK a bit having never been there, but not enough time.

msycajun wrote:

Southwest is definitely offering a lot more connections than before. For example, previously on MSY-HOU (a pretty short flight with around 10 daily nonstops), they only allowed nonstop bookings. Now, connections can be booked from MSY to HOU through DAL, and AUS. Maybe it provides some flexibility in overbooking or multi-stop situations.

Having STL as my home airport I can tell you that I get some truly funky connecting opportunities on WN. And the fares are cheaper as well when you choose the funky options. Since my travel is leisure oriented and being an av-geek I will usually pick the weird routing if the times are decent. In the past few years I've managed to get (or was offered) some of the following:

STL-TPA-BWI-PWM with no change of plane STL-TPA-BWI and a connection at BWI to PWM. Booked it, cheaper than STL-BWI-PWM.
RNO-LAS-ICT-STL with a connection in LAS and no change LAS-ICT-STL. Booked it, cheaper than the RNO-LAS-STL option.
STL-MCO-RIC with a connection at MCO. Almost booked it but got a cheaper option on DL STL-LGA-RIC.
STL-DCA-FLL. Decided to go to SJU instead. FLL beach hotels are obscene $$$ in February. SJU was the same fare within $10 and the hotels on the beach half as much or less.

And back when WN was building their DEN operation, every single option west of STL I looked at was cheaper by far if booked through DEN rather than PHX, LAS or the nonstop. The magic of revenue management even with their older computer system. And before DAL opened up but through-ticketing was allowed there was my favorite WN option of the past several years: STL-DAL-ABQ-change-PHX-SAN. Almost booked that but I was treating my Mom to a SAN vacation and settled for the slightly more expensive STL-LAS-SAN-DEN-STL.

Any news from GK at the luncheon today?

LGA-MCI will also be departing earlier in the day in the spring. The flight typically departed LGA between 4 and 6 PM eastern, will now depart between 12:30 and 1 PM.

I don't know if I should start a new thread or just ask in the existing WN threads... What's up with ALL of the new LAX-Mexico flights (LAX-CUN/PVR/SJD) being canceled? Some kind of issue getting Mexican approval? Services including LAX-LIR and SNA-Mexico are operating normally...

crazytoaster wrote:

I don't see anything new route wise. At least from IND.

There are some crazy routings that show up in the booking engine. Like 4+ stops, not sure if that is supposed to be there or is a glitch.

I thought the crazy routes would have been removed by now, but my first search from GSP to PDX yielded a GSP-ATL-MCO-MCI-LAX-PDX routing! Another example is PWM-BWI-DTW-PHX-SAN.