Southwest Airlines having a breakdown

justdoit19

justdoit19

Proud parent of an ANG, USNA X2, and a MidSib
5-Year Member
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Apr 9, 2017
Messages
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Oh boy!

Preemptively cancelling flights today and tomorrow in order to reset. No open booking available until after Saturday. Wowzers. What a mess. And just in time for millions of travelers.

Apparently, the storm was the catalyst for the further breakdown in their antiquated IT system, for crew scheduling. Exasperated by their point to point, VS hub and spoke, flight methodology.

What a mess. Crews are stranded all over as well. And cannot call into crew scheduling bc their phone banks have crashed. What. A. Mess.
 

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justdoit19 said:
Oh boy!

Preemptively cancelling flights today and tomorrow in order to reset. No open booking available until after Saturday. Wowzers. What a mess. And just in time for millions of travelers.

Apparently, the storm was the catalyst for the further breakdown in their antiquated IT system, for crew scheduling. Exasperated by their point to point, VS hub and spoke, flight methodology.

What a mess. Crews are stranded all over as well. And cannot call into crew scheduling bc their phone banks have crashed. What. A. Mess.
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Wow... we are so lucky and got our boy home from college, just before this hit as he came home on southwest. He'll go back at the end of break and hopefully Southwest will be back on track by then because if not, he will miss his connecting bus back to the University.
 
BBMomma said:
Wow... we are so lucky and got our boy home from college, just before this hit as he came home on southwest. He'll go back at the end of break and hopefully Southwest will be back on track by then because if not, he will miss his connecting bus back to the University.
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Mine was flying on SW on Jan 6. I’ve rebooked him on another carrier. I don’t trust this will be worked though, with all that’s going on.
 
justdoit19 said:
Mine was flying on SW on Jan 6. I’ve rebooked him on another carrier. I don’t trust this will be worked though, with all that’s going on.
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Very smart. Once launched onto the commissioned path, the horror of “missing ship’s movement,” for the sea services, is thoroughly baked in. If problems are clearly in evidence, an alternate plan with better operational risk profile will be the expected proactive move.
 
They may have a hard time digging out of this one.

Similar blowup in October 2021, they were forgiven and seemed to have won people back.

This one is another one. And a REALLY big mess.
 
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Capt MJ said:
Very smart. Once launched onto the commissioned path, the horror of “missing ship’s movement,” for the sea services, is thoroughly baked in. If problems are clearly in evidence, an alternate plan with better operational risk profile will be the expected proactive move.
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I clearly recall the utter horror on DH’s (then just newly engaged after a special trip to Sardinia) face, as my car broke down as it came off the ferry from Olbia to Civitavecchia (a port of Rome) enroute to da Vinci airport for DS to catch last TWA flight to New York and connection to Norfolk, where he was due to get underway the next day. We had cut it far too close (we were in love!!) and tempted Murphy. It would be a massive professional embarrassment to miss ship’s movement. I negotiated with the auto mechanic to have his brother drive DH to the airport at an Italian rate of speed, forked over $200 in U.S. dollars and a promise of cartons of Marlboros and some U.S. booze. I waved future DH off, who felt terrible about leaving me, but we had to get him to the airport. Thank God it was a workday morning and an early ferry. I called my boss in my Naples office, a very nice man who was a bit worried his LT was all alone in Civitavecchia at some auto repair shop. He put Salvatore, our local logistics employee, on the phone with the auto mechanic, and all was settled in classic Italian style. Salvatore came to rescue me and served as my negotiator with the auto mechanic, brought the additional “deal requirements,” for which I reimbursed him with a generous tip, and I bought pastries to be brought into the garage while they worked. Funny how all that came back to me. The one big thing, though, was DH Could Not Be Late. There might have been good reasons, but no excuse for poor planning that didn’t allow a time cushion.
 
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Oh boy. DS sons flight canceled-his ship isn’t leaving the dock but leave ends 700 am tomorrow-has a new flight Tomorrow! FUBAR at the airport. How much trouble will he be in?
 
Lucy said:
Oh boy. DS sons flight canceled-his ship isn’t leaving the dock but leave ends 700 am tomorrow-has a new flight Tomorrow! FUBAR at the airport. How much trouble will he be in?
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He should be fine as long as he keeps his chain of command informed. He should know who to call at this point. These things happen, and there will be many others similarly impacted. He should keep notes on who he talked to and when.
 
Capt MJ said:
He should be fine as long as he keeps his chain of command informed. He should know who to call at this point. These things happen, and there will be many others similarly impacted. He should keep notes on who he talked to and when.
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Thank you really stressful situation. He is really takes things seriously
 
Capt MJ said:
I clearly recall the utter horror on DH’s (then just newly engaged after a special trip to Sardinia) face, as my car broke down as it came off the ferry from Olbia to Civitavecchia (a port of Rome) enroute to da Vinci airport for DS to catch last TWA flight to New York and connection to Norfolk, where he was due to get underway the next day. We had cut it far too close (we were in love!!) and tempted Murphy. It would be a massive professional embarrassment to miss ship’s movement. I negotiated with the auto mechanic to have his brother drive DH to the airport at an Italian rate of speed, forked over $200 in U.S. dollars and a promise of cartons of Marlboros and some U.S. booze. I waved future DH off, who felt terrible about leaving me, but we had to get him to the airport. Thank God it was a workday morning and an early ferry. I called my boss in my Naples office, a very nice man who was a bit worried his LT was all alone in Civitavecchia at some auto repair shop. He put Salvatore, our local logistics employee, on the phone with the auto mechanic, and all was settled in classic Italian style. Salvatore came to rescue me and served as my negotiator with the auto mechanic, brought the additional “deal requirements,” for which I reimbursed him with a generous tip, and I bought pastries to be brought into the garage while they worked. Funny how all that came back to me. The one big thing, though, was DH Could Not Be Late. There might have been good reasons, but no excuse for poor planning that didn’t allow a time cushion.
Click to expand...
What, no "sciopero" to add to the excitement? We left some Sailors, Marines and a key civilian ashore in Ashdod, Israel when our ship had just underway. We had been moored pier side and the Captain wasn't about to put a boat in the water to collect them. He was a "tough luck" CO when it came to missing ship's movement. It was more like, "I'll see 'em at mast." When he found out that the PACE instructor (Program for Afloat College Education) wasn't onboard, he fired up our ship's Huey to return him and everyone back to the ship. I logged some flight time on that one. The CO had taken to the PACE instructor. He was an older Army vet and was fascinated with everything Navy. He taught general math and algebra. I was the ESO and the wise Captain wasn't going to let the crew go without a very popular college instructor on the transit. That was the instructor's first and last helo ride. He didn't miss any more movements and we still had four more ports to go before out-chop. Our next port visit was Athens.
 
justdoit19 said:
Mine was flying on SW on Jan 6. I’ve rebooked him on another carrier. I don’t trust this will be worked though, with all that’s going on.
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Mines booked that day as well, I'm thinking I'll do the same thing.
 
WT Door said:
What, no "sciopero" to add to the excitement? We left some Sailors, Marines and a key civilian ashore in Ashdod, Israel when our ship had just underway. We had been moored pier side and the Captain wasn't about to put a boat in the water to collect them. He was a "tough luck" CO when it came to missing ship's movement. It was more like, "I'll see 'em at mast." When he found out that the PACE instructor (Program for Afloat College Education) wasn't onboard, he fired up our ship's Huey to return him and everyone back to the ship. I logged some flight time on that one. The CO had taken to the PACE instructor. He was an older Army vet and was fascinated with everything Navy. He taught general math and algebra. I was the ESO and the wise Captain wasn't going to let the crew go without a very popular college instructor on the transit. That was the instructor's first and last helo ride. He didn't miss any more movements and we still had four more ports to go before out-chop. Our next port visit was Athens.
Click to expand...
Thankfully, no sciopero. No major soccer games that day. 🤣
 
BBMomma said:
Wow... we are so lucky and got our boy home from college, just before this hit as he came home on southwest. He'll go back at the end of break and hopefully Southwest will be back on track by then because if not, he will miss his connecting bus back to the University.
Click to expand...
We weren't so lucky. Cancellation notice from SW early this morning for tomorrows flight home for a 3 day visit to celebrate Christmas. Leave days are difficult to schedule/take in current assignment so paid for a new flight on United.... I'm sure it was $$$$. SW can't be reached for reimbursement so it's already been processed by American Express.
 
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