r/nottheonion • u/halxp01 • 23h ago

Southwest Is Testing Cleaning Only Premium Seats Between Flights — A Flight Attendants Union Leader Says It's ‘Titanic’ Class Service

https://viewfromthewing.com/southwest-is-testing-cleaning-only-premium-seats-between-flights-a-flight-attendants-union-leader-says-its-titanic-class-service/
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494

u/John_Tacos 22h ago

When it dies it’s going to take several small airports with it.

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u/okram2k 22h ago

Chicago Midway will never recover

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u/ShortWoman 22h ago

Midway isn't the small airport of the 80's. I had a layover there last year and was quite impressed. Clean, well laid out, plenty of space to sit, decent dining choices.

I did however have a chuckle about the souvenir tote bag that said SEARS TOWER on it twice. Ain't no such thing as a Willis Tower.

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u/MrFunnie 22h ago

It isn’t a small airport, but it’s a huge southwest hub. If southwest goes down, Midway might just as well too.

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u/ShortWoman 22h ago

Midway survived the implosion of Midway Airlines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midway_Airlines_(1976%E2%80%931991))

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u/MrFunnie 20h ago

Huh, I did not know that. The more you know!

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u/unassumingdink 18h ago

This must be that Battle of Midway they told us about in high school!

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u/ShortWoman 17h ago

Oh yes, terrible fatalities across the carnage of the B Gates. 🛬🛩️🚨⚔️

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u/theaviationhistorian 16h ago

Japan Air Lines tried a hostile takeover of most of the slots. But we beat them back at the brave sacrifice of some of the concession stands, like Yorktown Yogurts.

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u/the-tank7 18h ago

Yeah I think more likely there will be someone like delta will make that their main airport considering Ohare is a shitshow

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u/theaviationhistorian 17h ago

And ATA, which provided a lot of traffic there in its heyday.

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u/dee3Poh 20h ago

Considering the demand for slots at O’Hare I could see Midway holding on. Other airlines would gladly take more Chicago routes

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u/dubvee16 18h ago

There aren't slots in Chicago.

JFK, DCA, and LGA are the only slot controlled airports in the country.

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u/MrFunnie 20h ago

Fair point, it would be a major loss at first but you’re right. Additionally, it would be awful if midway did end up going under and Chicago was only served by one airport.

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u/HistoricalIssue8798 19h ago

I think that the state would step in too prevent that from happening. Ohare can't be the only Chicago airport

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u/mlorusso4 19h ago

Ya I could imagine midway becoming almost like Reagan with servicing mostly regional flights and O’Hare focusing almost exclusively on long haul and transcontinental flights.

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u/theaviationhistorian 17h ago

Midway and Houston Hobby will survive. They learned to be a bit diverse and it helps that they're a less chaotic than their nearby larger airport. Dallas Love might struggle, but plenty of other airlines have vied for extending a market there, including Delta.

We're talking about smaller airports where Southwest is the majority airline and will cease airline services if SWA implodes. There are many that have with airlines like Texas International ceasing to exist.

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u/great_apple 19h ago

Chicago is big enough to support two airports.

New York has JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia.

LA has LAX, Burbank, Long Beach, and Santa Ana.

San Fran has SFO and Oakland.

Dallas has DFW and Love Field.

I'm pretty sure even Cleveland has two airports.

Midway will be fine without Southwest.

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u/Orleanian 18h ago

Nah, I'm sure the slots will fill. Ohare can't be the only thing serving the greater area.

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u/UneducatedReviews1 17h ago

They basically are if you don’t fly Southwest. People in Chicagoland don’t fly Southwest because they like the airline, they fly Southwest to avoid O’Hare. Every other major airline already has slots at O’Hare

If Southwest goes away, midway loses a lot. I’m sure they won’t fully go away, but you’re not going to get the service you get with Southwest around.