I do like WN & didn't mind the open seating especially since I had early bird check in & travelling solo the 3 times I've flown them. I imagine it could be an issue if travelling as a group. As long as they keep the 2 free check bags, their fares competitive and friendly customer service they should do fine.
Live in Chicago and I’m not giving up on Southwest for now. I flew them for the first time out of Midway last year and loved it. Midway is a lot better than O’Hare for domestic flights and Southwest does give pretty good service. Also, for context, most of the flights I’ve been on in the past decade have been on American Eagle Embraer 145s, especially domestic flights. I’m definitely nostalgic for the E145, but at the same time, it’s a small plane that isn’t that comfy to fly on for more than an hour, so anything is better by comparison.
We have had broken jetways at OMA and we have one backup gate we use just for originators and terminators only which can be used for turns but need airport permission to use that gate (have 4 gates total only use 3 for turns).
The old 8600 -800 cabins I know very well as an employee of Southwest Airlines Ops Agent and when planning flights, Ops Suite is very picky on these cabins for weight and balance reasons due to it only having one galley as opposed to the 8500 -800 cabins which have two front galleys. This means loading bags non standard for pretty full flights or do a three zone count standard load. I actually worked a flight with this exact same aircraft from OMA to ATL on December 23rd and had roughly 155 of 175 passengers. Had no major issues with bags since it was half local and half transfer bags (locals usually in front transfers in back standard non-standard is transfers in front locals in the back).
I live 25 min from midway so I always fly out of there vs the chaos at ohare. And the assigned seating is fine with me as ppl get pissed when others are saving seats for ppl with B or C boarding.
From what I heard late this year is when assigned seat flights will be open for booking but will not take place until 2026. Red eyes will start sometime this year.
I still miss the “Pretty Boeings and Ugly Airbuses” flight attendant. Southwest is always a secondary airline for me. I only consider Southwest if United’s airfare becomes outrageous.
I don't mind paying extra for premium seating but agree that the open seating policy is what made Southwest unique. My issue with Southwest is that their pricing has already gotten to the point where, for me, I'm better off flying out of ORD on American or United. I love Midway but the travel times to and from are a deal breaker, especially when the cost of the flight is basically higher now than AAL or UAL out of ORD.
Planning flights into MDW need to be light on fuel due to the short runways and in the summer time my airport sometimes gets flight diversions from there for planes headed to the west coast due to a full load of passengers, bags, and not enough fuel due to the short runways and ends up being a fuel and go type situation.
Here’s what I think about the seating thing. I love open seating and it makes me really sad to see it go. It also upsets me that Southwest will be charging for basic economy seat selection as well. If they keep the basic economy seat selection free then that will be ok and I’ll continue to fly them. If they charge for basic seat selection I’m done I will start flying other airlines
I lived in Dallas an had to fly WN 3 times; always over 30 minutes late; rude gate agents and rude FAs; Flying out of DAL I would always fly Delta or Continental.
I personally refuse to fly Southwest. I think it's totally ridiculous for a single airline to dominate an ENTIRE airport. Midway only has 43 gates. If I'm not mistaken; Southwest uses around 38 or 39 gates; leaving only 5 gates for Frontier, Delta. Allegiant, and Volaris to vie for. In MY opinion; bad news for the flying public and for the competing airlines. With 43 available gates. at least 10 or 15 should be allocated to the other airlines. Plus I have heard that Southwest is not exactly a low cost airline any longer. I honestly can't think of the advantages of going all the way to Midway just for a flight on a tacky airline. I'll stick with UNITED or DELTA at ORD.
Those little pretzel snacks on SW taste wonderful. Best snacks in the entire industry.
Finally seeing you fly to MDW!
Can't wait until the construction is finished at ALB! While the airside isn't too bad, the landside is quite the mess. 🚧
I been on this one to Orlando last year!!!
Thanks for featuring ALB, my hometown
Glad you enjoyed, I'm frequently in ALB as I've got family there!
@ : I’m actually retired from WN in ALB so double good on you!
Your trip reports are always very interesting and informative. Keep up the great work!
Thank you will do my best!
glad to see you flying to my home again! and on an awesome plane too!
I remember flying on Missouri One 2 weeks before the holiday meltdown. It was only my 2nd Southwest flight!
What a story!
Nice job listing the waypoints along the way. Appreciate your efforts😊
One of my favorite things to do when flying is to look out and see what I can identify. Fun to include them in the video too!
I do like WN & didn't mind the open seating especially since I had early bird check in & travelling solo the 3 times I've flown them. I imagine it could be an issue if travelling as a group. As long as they keep the 2 free check bags, their fares competitive and friendly customer service they should do fine.
I think that the 2 free checked bags is Southwests major selling point, I'd like to know where I'm sitting in advance even if that means paying extra
Assigned seating is coming this year.😊
Live in Chicago and I’m not giving up on Southwest for now. I flew them for the first time out of Midway last year and loved it.
Midway is a lot better than O’Hare for domestic flights and Southwest does give pretty good service.
Also, for context, most of the flights I’ve been on in the past decade have been on American Eagle Embraer 145s, especially domestic flights.
I’m definitely nostalgic for the E145, but at the same time, it’s a small plane that isn’t that comfy to fly on for more than an hour, so anything is better by comparison.
We have had broken jetways at OMA and we have one backup gate we use just for originators and terminators only which can be used for turns but need airport permission to use that gate (have 4 gates total only use 3 for turns).
The old 8600 -800 cabins I know very well as an employee of Southwest Airlines Ops Agent and when planning flights, Ops Suite is very picky on these cabins for weight and balance reasons due to it only having one galley as opposed to the 8500 -800 cabins which have two front galleys. This means loading bags non standard for pretty full flights or do a three zone count standard load. I actually worked a flight with this exact same aircraft from OMA to ATL on December 23rd and had roughly 155 of 175 passengers. Had no major issues with bags since it was half local and half transfer bags (locals usually in front transfers in back standard non-standard is transfers in front locals in the back).
I live 25 min from midway so I always fly out of there vs the chaos at ohare. And the assigned seating is fine with me as ppl get pissed when others are saving seats for ppl with B or C boarding.
From what I heard late this year is when assigned seat flights will be open for booking but will not take place until 2026. Red eyes will start sometime this year.
Takeoffs out of MDW are full throttle then level off due to the short runways then climb and accelerate then level off again due to ORD traffic.
I still miss the “Pretty Boeings and Ugly Airbuses” flight attendant.
Southwest is always a secondary airline for me. I only consider Southwest if United’s airfare becomes outrageous.
Only WN special I’ve gotten to fly is Florida one. Pretty livery but still waiting to fly California one
Arriving at the gate at exactly 7:37pm (except gate decided to not gate). Nice lol.
Exactly my thoughts lol
I don't mind paying extra for premium seating but agree that the open seating policy is what made Southwest unique. My issue with Southwest is that their pricing has already gotten to the point where, for me, I'm better off flying out of ORD on American or United. I love Midway but the travel times to and from are a deal breaker, especially when the cost of the flight is basically higher now than AAL or UAL out of ORD.
Planning flights into MDW need to be light on fuel due to the short runways and in the summer time my airport sometimes gets flight diversions from there for planes headed to the west coast due to a full load of passengers, bags, and not enough fuel due to the short runways and ends up being a fuel and go type situation.
Here’s what I think about the seating thing. I love open seating and it makes me really sad to see it go. It also upsets me that Southwest will be charging for basic economy seat selection as well. If they keep the basic economy seat selection free then that will be ok and I’ll continue to fly them. If they charge for basic seat selection I’m done I will start flying other airlines
I lived in Dallas an had to fly WN 3 times; always over 30 minutes late; rude gate agents and rude FAs; Flying out of DAL I would always fly Delta or Continental.
Ohare didnt open in 44
It opened in Feb '44, at least not to commercial traffic until 1955.
Bro is California Three
At this point yeah XD
I personally refuse to fly Southwest. I think it's totally ridiculous for a single airline to dominate an ENTIRE airport. Midway only has 43 gates. If I'm not mistaken; Southwest uses around 38 or 39 gates; leaving only 5 gates for Frontier, Delta. Allegiant, and Volaris to vie for. In MY opinion; bad news for the flying public and for the competing airlines. With 43 available gates. at least 10 or 15 should be allocated to the other airlines. Plus I have heard that Southwest is not exactly a low cost airline any longer. I honestly can't think of the advantages of going all the way to Midway just for a flight on a tacky airline. I'll stick with UNITED or DELTA at ORD.
I was just in Albany