Southwest and Redeyes...

[BillJBrake]

Southwest doesn't fly Redeyes, a well known fact. Why? I've never gotten a clear answer/reason.

Will the acquisition of AirTran change this? From a customer standpoint, their lack of redeyes is a HUGE dealbreaker for me. Any time I fly transcon, I fly a redeye on the eastbound leg, this has forced southwest out of the market for me, or I only take them oneway on the westbound.

And profitability? Bullsh*t, those flights are always packed, and I'm sure Southwest would have no problem filling them.

 

[Mike man]

FIRST.

In all seriousness (but just a WAG), I would think it is related to their route structure. Who want to go from LAS or LAX to arrive in OKC, ABQ or PNS at 500AM? AirTran (or DAL, AA, USAir, etc) red eyes are spokes into the hub so folks can connect at 600AM to luxurious destinations like CLE or BUF.

 

[BillJBrake]

SAN-BWI
OAK-MDW
SEA-MDW
LAS-PHL/BWI/MCO/MDW
PHX-PHL/BWI/MCO/MDW

these could all be great routes and folks could connect to their destinations.

 

[IslandDriver]

I would be happy to fly them!

 

[BarbrPole2theOM]

I think it has something to do with the bus's from the trailer park stop going to the airport after 3 pm.....

 

[waveflyer]

i was told that it creates problems for both a/c and crew scheduling- a definitive end of the night means a reset every day regardless of the previous day's delays- in a 24 hour flight schedule the ripple effect can be felt downline for much longer.

I'm glad you'll fly them though- the sleep and schedule consistency at southwest is one of the biggest perks for me.

 

[CX880]

Redeyes as a pax make sense until you actually try them. You feel like a zombie the whole day wondering why you didn't fly during the day like the rest of the world. If you're one of those people that can sleep with a jet engine next to you, all the power to you.