Southwest Airlines says technology issues delay some flights

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines is asking travelers to arrive at least two hours before their scheduled departures as technical issues are forcing it to process customers manually.

At Los Angeles International Airport, several dozen people crowded the Southwest terminal, waiting to be issued hand-written tickets. The Dallas-based company said that as of 12 p.m. local time, nearly 250 of the 3,600 flights set to operate for the day had been affected by delays.

The long lines at check-in may mean some passengers didn't make their flights.

Emily Mitnick, who was flying to Detroit from Denver International Airport, said she missed her 10 a.m. flight, even though she parked her car around 8 a.m. She estimated that about 1,000 people were online at the check-in for a boarding pass. When she went downstairs to the curb-side check-in, she said there were about a couple hundred people in line there as well.

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/fcfe72c88e804a5087baac96c852c202/southwest-airlines-says-technology-issues-delay-some

[SheilaT]

1. Oh, my goodness.

I worked in the airline industry back in the day when all tickets were hand written, and I'm horrified at what the agents are going through. Trust me, it's at least as bad as what the passengers are. At least back then we had enough agents on duty to write all those tickets by hand. Now, the assumption is that most people just do electronic stuff and check themselves in at the kiosks.

That's the main reason delays and cancellations are so awful now. Back in the day there was never enough staff on hand for the busiest days, such as the day before Thanksgiving, and when those flights started to back, as they almost always did, it was dreadful. So I sympathize with the passengers, but with the airline agents even more.

[SoapBox]

2. And now days...

Many agents are stumped if they can't Point and Click.

The old guard, those with common sense and knowing how to deal with various situations are disappearing rapidly, as they retire. The newer generation of employees...ugh...they only know what pops up on screen.

[SheilaT]

4. Well yeah. Most of them were hired

long after the machinery to print the tickets, so we no longer had to hand write everything, came into use. That was in the late 1970's, so anyone with less than 40 years on the job never hand wrote tickets.

Just like most cashiers under the age of 60 haven't a clue how to properly count back change. Recently in a store where their terminals weren't working, I actually taught a young person how to count back the change. Luckily there was no one waiting behind me to be served, so I could go over it a couple of times with her, and she was incredibly appreciative.

I, on the other hand, am often challenged by electronic devices that a younger person has no trouble with.

[SoapBox]

5. Yes!

Oh my gosh...we are endlessly amazed by the "can't count back change" thing.

And today's electronic stuff...I don't do Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc...I don't have texting or internet on my dumb phone (but there is wifi in the house...gawd forbid anything go wrong with it!)...still running Windows 7 on a, gasp, desktop computer. Ok fine, I do have a tablet. Email even became a curse of overload.

I've said for ages that I've been left behind...but now I'm thinking that maybe it's not so bad.

[olddots]

3. LAX is the crappiest airport in America

Okay maybe not the crappiest but way up there .If you have to arrive at LAX bring food ,reading materialetc......

[voteearlyvoteoften]

6. I flew sw today

Almost missed my flight! Computer system delays .Checking bags was the problem otherwise the kiosk did work ,just slow. It was a madhouse at MCO this am! ProblemProbably started @ 8am. Eastern.

[marlakay]

7. I am flying with them to Dallas Thursday

Hope they work it out by then. Thanks for the heads up, I had no idea.

[Skittles]

8. I always arrive super early for Southwest

I love them but their on-time status isn't always so great (not too much of a problem for me)