berari wrote:

Doesn't Westjet already do this? From what I recall they don't overbook.

I don't know about Westjet but I know Ryanair doesn't overbook. But then again, Ryanair is about the most non-flexible airline in the world. You buy a ticket for one specific flight and that cannot be changed or refunded. You want to take another flight? You buy a new ticket for that flight. Very simple and it's one of the reasons Ryanair is my favourite airline. Their flights are always full, rarely any empty seats because everyone just shows up for the flight they selected.

Ryanair also doesn't have standby passengers. If there are no-shows those seats will be empty, but Ryanair still makes money on them. They have been sold and no-shows are a problem for the passengers, not for the airline. But like I said earlier, there hardly are any no-shows on Ryanair. Tickets are non-changable and non-refundable, so if you miss your flight it's your own problem.

ikramerica wrote:

My brother is a big WN flyer and is constantly changing his tickets because he can. Without over booking on heavy routes, WN would be sending out empty seats on peak flights.

Are they going to count standby as "overbooking"?

That's just the whole problem, changing your ticket because you can. If airlines were to eliminate that (like Ryanair does) there'd be no need for overbooking and the planes would still be full.

rta wrote:

Yeah I don't really understand how this works. I'm sure there are many people (including myself at times) who cancel/rebook their tickets at short notice. I would think that WN needs overbooking more than anyone else, but maybe not.

Such passengers are a real pain in the ass for airlines. I think Southwest is going the Ryanair way: no changes and no refunds.

KentB27 wrote:

They'll just put people on standby then. There's almost no such thing as a Southwest flight that's not completely sold out these days.

Neither is there a Ryanair flight that isn't sold out, and Ryanair doesn't overbook. But Ryanair doesn't have a standby list either. Either you buy a ticket and you got a place or the flight is fully booked and you can't buy a ticket anymore.

PatrickZ80 wrote:

I think Southwest is going the Ryanair way: no changes and no refunds.

Clearly you don't understand what Southwest does. They are not Ryanair, they are the antithesis of them actually...

airliner371 wrote:

Clearly you don't understand what Southwest does. They are not Ryanair, they are the antithesis of them actually...

Still Southwest was the source of inspiration for Ryanair. At least, Southwest in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Appearantly since then Southwest has changed, and not in a good way if you ask me. All this flexibility costs truckloads of money and Ryanair is saving that by not offering flexibility. Southwest could have done the same.

PatrickZ80 wrote:

airliner371 wrote:

Clearly you don't understand what Southwest does. They are not Ryanair, they are the antithesis of them actually...

Still Southwest was the source of inspiration for Ryanair. At least, Southwest in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Apparently since then Southwest has changed, and not in a good way if you ask me. All this flexibility costs truckloads of money and Ryanair is saving that by not offering flexibility. Southwest could have done the same.

That's what Spirit and Frontier are for here in the states. Southwest is a LCC (not an ULCC like NK, F9 or FR) and it's brand is all about flexibility, everyone being equal (hence their coach class only approach) and "doing what's right" for the customer.

Southwest may not be the lowest fare airline anymore (though they did invent the model) but the idea of Southwest is you pay a decent fare, you're treated well and you know exactly what your experience is going to be every time. Two free bags, no change fee, no cancelation fee, free streaming live television, free snacks and drinks, no seat assignments, and a very strong rewards program are all a part of it. Southwest acknowledges that they are not the airline for everyone (from the CEO down) and they don't try to please everyone. However they have a strong following of people who like the Southwest way (similar to how Ryanair has a following, though minus all the negative publicity).

Comparing Southwest to Ryanair is like comparing Apple computers to apples the fruit. They're not at all the same.

WN from the beginning, while offering limited services, always emphasized a comfortable passenger experience (and expected passengers to ensure FAs and other passengers a comfortable experience).

Brick wrote:

flyguychi wrote:

Gary Kelly the CEO of Southwest, said they have been working for years toward no overbookings and will not do so going forward.

Nice corporate speak. He is essentially saying "We're trying to try to not overbook". Either allow overbooking or do not. As Yoda said, "Do or do not. There is no try".

Uh..no..this is what he DID say..."I've made the decision, the company has made the decision, that we will cease to overbook going forward," Kelly said. "We've been taking steps over the last few years to prepare for this anyway."

Kelly didn't say when exactly the new policy will be put in place, but said "it's something that we will be discontinuing here very shortly." Southwest joins JetBlue in the commitment to end overbooking.

How exactly is this corporate speak? Sounds very plain and direct to me

airliner371 wrote:

PatrickZ80 wrote:

airliner371 wrote:

Clearly you don't understand what Southwest does. They are not Ryanair, they are the antithesis of them actually...

Still Southwest was the source of inspiration for Ryanair. At least, Southwest in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Apparently since then Southwest has changed, and not in a good way if you ask me. All this flexibility costs truckloads of money and Ryanair is saving that by not offering flexibility. Southwest could have done the same.

That's what Spirit and Frontier are for here in the states. Southwest is a LCC (not an ULCC like NK, F9 or FR) and it's brand is all about flexibility, everyone being equal (hence their coach class only approach) and "doing what's right" for the customer.

Southwest may not be the lowest fare airline anymore (though they did invent the model) but the idea of Southwest is you pay a decent fare, you're treated well and you know exactly what your experience is going to be every time. Two free bags, no change fee, no cancelation fee, free streaming live television, free snacks and drinks, no seat assignments, and a very strong rewards program are all a part of it. Southwest acknowledges that they are not the airline for everyone (from the CEO down) and they don't try to please everyone. However they have a strong following of people who like the Southwest way (similar to how Ryanair has a following, though minus all the negative publicity).

Comparing Southwest to Ryanair is like comparing Apple computers to apples the fruit. They're not at all the same.

Well said.

Just force the airlines to PAY the DBC in CASH $$$ and OB ends quietly!

PatrickZ80 wrote:

ikramerica wrote:

My brother is a big WN flyer and is constantly changing his tickets because he can. Without over booking on heavy routes, WN would be sending out empty seats on peak flights.

Are they going to count standby as "overbooking"?

That's just the whole problem, changing your ticket because you can. If airlines were to eliminate that (like Ryanair does) there'd be no need for overbooking and the planes would still be full.

rta wrote:

Yeah I don't really understand how this works. I'm sure there are many people (including myself at times) who cancel/rebook their tickets at short notice. I would think that WN needs overbooking more than anyone else, but maybe not.

Such passengers are a real pain in the ass for airlines. I think Southwest is going the Ryanair way: no changes and no refunds.

What ?! People pay good money for that flexibility. The most important customers... business customers. They pay for that valuable, flexible product. To stop selling that product would be ludicrous for WN, fixing something that is not broken.

Ikramerica pointed out a good question, the idea that if "overbooking" is not allowed, then you simply won't be "booked" onto a flight during reaccomodations or last minute emergencies; instead you will be given far weaker "standby" seats, where you are essentially INVOL'd for NO compensation, because now, they will not "book" you in the first place if the plane is full!!! Way worse than today's arrangement imo!