Originally Posted by
Haywood
The same myriad of complexities that takes most airlines 6-8 months to get figured out.
Most airlines have a system in place that already does most if not all of the things that a new system will replace. SWA does not. The current system which is being replaced does not have the ability to: assign seats, codeshare or facilitate dual class ticketing. Of course that makes some sense since up until recently SWA did not assign seats, codeshare or offer dual class ticketing.
Originally Posted by
MaxPowers
That's right.
And, just for the record, these changes aren't usually implemented into the existing "live" software, but are run on a parallel system, until the bugs are worked out. . . . More like having an engine built and run on a test stand, while the "real" car is being driven, if you want to continue to use the same poor analogy.
Again, running a parallel system is only possible if you have one to run. The current system in use can't be run in parallel because it doesn't have the ability to do the things that the new system will do. You run one until you're ready to start up the other one, then sit back and watch the chaos. And rest assured there will most likely be some chaos when the old is shut down and the new is turned on.