Southwest management has had opportunity to fix, resolve, and get ahead of potential issues but still seems to fail at every opportunity. The whole executive team should be fired at this point. Selling everything.
When I started cruising and started reading about the horror stories from travelers all around the world I realized that some kind of insurance was a necessity. Fortunately I have not yet had to file a claim but sinc I fly first class everywhere I usually get a call from American as to possible alternative routings. So I now have basic trip insurance and emergency evacuation insurance that will get me home from just about anywhere.
It’s funny how Southwest isn’t t responding to customers like this while ads are all die Delta vacations. Southwest so could have delt with this then gets twice slammed again because it doesn’t deal with it’s issues to and then had it’s competition advertise in news articles where they could have delt with it. Go delta… Scr southwest.
In a meltdown like this – 1,000,000 passengers impacted, travel insurance companies would probably fail if a significant number of passengers bought the “insurance.” And, passengers might only get a fraction of their actual cost.
Still, buying the coverage is probably a smart idea.
I agree with you on purchasing insurance on international trips however good luck collecting if you have a claim. We went to Kenya on safari and were supposed to spend another week in Cape Town but COVID flared up. Had to reschedule flights, cancel our condo. It’s been a year and a half and still no payment. They keep asking for more irrelevant documents. They asked for a letter from the state department stating we could not travel to South Africa. Of course I didn’t get one of these but it was common knowledge the country was closed to tourism. They are happy to take your money but have little intention in giving any of it back.
Flew from Honolulu to Tokyo on New Years and been staying at Haneda Hotel. Delta seemed to cancel almost all flights including HNL ones and Hawaiian have canceled 2-3 every day. Is there an issue with Delta or Hawaiian? Perhaps they have staffing issues in Japan. Every day I see long snaking lines and customers looking annoyed. Interesting it has not attracted journalist attention.
We aren’t aware of any issue other than Japan tourism to Hawaii isn’t back to any significant degree, But at the same time, the long lines seem to contradict that. Thanks for over 200 comments!
In regards to lost luggage…while I don’t really like air tags, they came in really handy the last time we traveled to Hawaii. We shipped our luggage because we were spending 6 week on the islands, and we put an air tag in each box. We knew exactly where those boxes were at all times. While the luggage still might not be where you want it to be when you get there, it may help you get it back sooner (or at all) if you can prove to the airline exactly where it is located.
Air tags are great and it was reassuring knowing where my luggage was. Just make sure the battery is new or still has a lot of life for the duration of your trip.
Every time I go to Hawaii, I purchase trip insurance. It’s a no-brainer. Who wants to be stuck on Maui when a medivac can easily cost you $50K to $100K to get to Oahu or Mainland for a serious medical situation? The healthcare system on Maui and the outer islands is deplorable. You can’t have it your way when you are on an island in the South Pacific. Meds can take up to days or weeks to arrive. It is the reality of living in this beautiful tropical paradise. I have zero sympathy for people who do not purchase trip insurance. Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, and his extraneous cancelation policy overruled the vast majority of owners who lost $ thousands in bookings as a result of sympathetic guests who failed to purchase the trip insurance.
I don’t understand why some are calling Southwest a failure. They had a bad week or 10 days. So di other airlines, SWA was worse.
But, a failure doesn’t have 123,300,000 passengers in 2021. 55,000 employees, 121 destinations, 3,000 flights a day…
My employees will continue to fly SWA even as they upgrade their tech.
Lose the hate, it’s not a good look.
Southwest management has had opportunity to fix, resolve, and get ahead of potential issues but still seems to fail at every opportunity. The whole executive team should be fired at this point. Selling everything.
When I started cruising and started reading about the horror stories from travelers all around the world I realized that some kind of insurance was a necessity. Fortunately I have not yet had to file a claim but sinc I fly first class everywhere I usually get a call from American as to possible alternative routings. So I now have basic trip insurance and emergency evacuation insurance that will get me home from just about anywhere.
It’s funny how Southwest isn’t t responding to customers like this while ads are all die Delta vacations. Southwest so could have delt with this then gets twice slammed again because it doesn’t deal with it’s issues to and then had it’s competition advertise in news articles where they could have delt with it. Go delta… Scr southwest.
In English please.
BOH,
In a meltdown like this – 1,000,000 passengers impacted, travel insurance companies would probably fail if a significant number of passengers bought the “insurance.” And, passengers might only get a fraction of their actual cost.
Still, buying the coverage is probably a smart idea.
Happy New Year,
Rod
Hi Rod.
Thanks. Happy New Year to you too!
Aloha.
The realisation of individual responsibility certainly comes into focus when you don’t have a ride. Run Forest! Run!
No airline is responsible for prepaid expenses. For this reason it is always highly recommended to get trip insurance.
I agree with you on purchasing insurance on international trips however good luck collecting if you have a claim. We went to Kenya on safari and were supposed to spend another week in Cape Town but COVID flared up. Had to reschedule flights, cancel our condo. It’s been a year and a half and still no payment. They keep asking for more irrelevant documents. They asked for a letter from the state department stating we could not travel to South Africa. Of course I didn’t get one of these but it was common knowledge the country was closed to tourism. They are happy to take your money but have little intention in giving any of it back.
Absolutely true, and the devil is always in the details. The exceptions are always so numerous that they can almost always find a way not to pay.
Flew from Honolulu to Tokyo on New Years and been staying at Haneda Hotel. Delta seemed to cancel almost all flights including HNL ones and Hawaiian have canceled 2-3 every day. Is there an issue with Delta or Hawaiian? Perhaps they have staffing issues in Japan. Every day I see long snaking lines and customers looking annoyed. Interesting it has not attracted journalist attention.
Hi Rich.
We aren’t aware of any issue other than Japan tourism to Hawaii isn’t back to any significant degree, But at the same time, the long lines seem to contradict that. Thanks for over 200 comments!
Aloha.
In regards to lost luggage…while I don’t really like air tags, they came in really handy the last time we traveled to Hawaii. We shipped our luggage because we were spending 6 week on the islands, and we put an air tag in each box. We knew exactly where those boxes were at all times. While the luggage still might not be where you want it to be when you get there, it may help you get it back sooner (or at all) if you can prove to the airline exactly where it is located.
Air tags are great and it was reassuring knowing where my luggage was. Just make sure the battery is new or still has a lot of life for the duration of your trip.
Happy New Year, BOH!
An airtag sounds wonderful! Where can i buy one?
Hi Lisa,
I bought mine on Amazon and a cover for it. You can also buy them at Target or an Apple Store.
Thank you!
Happy New Year 🎉
Every time I go to Hawaii, I purchase trip insurance. It’s a no-brainer. Who wants to be stuck on Maui when a medivac can easily cost you $50K to $100K to get to Oahu or Mainland for a serious medical situation? The healthcare system on Maui and the outer islands is deplorable. You can’t have it your way when you are on an island in the South Pacific. Meds can take up to days or weeks to arrive. It is the reality of living in this beautiful tropical paradise. I have zero sympathy for people who do not purchase trip insurance. Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, and his extraneous cancelation policy overruled the vast majority of owners who lost $ thousands in bookings as a result of sympathetic guests who failed to purchase the trip insurance.