America West FlightFund (Discontinued Program) - FlightFund members: Why not Southwest?

What makes you stay with FlightFund? Inside Flyer magazine wants to know.
Post here, or feel free to email me at jjohnstone@insideflyer.com

Thanks,

Jeff Johnstone
Associate Editor
Inside Flyer

Jeff:

The benefits of elite status are enough reason for me. I travel every week and having a dedicated check-in line, security line & pre-boarding have become a necessity. Having elite status also helps when flying stand-by, etc. Having an assigned seat and the possiblity of a first class upgrade are icing on the cake. I have nothing against SWA, but as long as fares are competitive I'd go with HP everytime (and do).

As much as I dog their F product, I still enjoy sitting up front and enjoying a meal on longer flights. Elite status in itself is enough to sway me away from WN. Being able to preboard is key in this OSB frenzied world we live in.
I could never imagine flying only cattle on WN.

Hi,

After 2 years of Platinum on HP, I've completed a "gold challenge" on NW and plan to maintain Gold on NW and only Silver on HP.

I'll use HP on my short hops to LAX/SAN and ABQ (from PHX). NW will become my primary for eastbound travel simply because they offer true meal service in First Class.

That being said,
While I've been disappointed in HP's "make believe" First Class, I'm keeping them for my short hauls instead of switching to WN for the reasons already mentioned. In order of importance to me personally (when compared to WN):
1) Elite check-in / security lines
2) First Class upgrades
3) Awards for travel outside the 48 states (very limited but more than WN)
4) Membership Lounges (very limited but more than WN).

If I find that I can't maintain HP Silver after splitting my travel between 2 frequent flyer programs, then I would probably switch to Southwest in a heartbeat.

Steve

------------------
NW Gold
HP Platinum
HHonors Diamond
Airliner Nut ... www.hangar64.pair.com (http://www.hangar64.pair.com)

No First Class, seat assignments, or elite check-in/boarding makes Southwest a non-starter for me.

QL

Flying 2x a week... WN, must arrive 1.5 hours before flight to get my bag on board and have an aisle seat.... HP, arrive 0.5 hours before flight to preboard with Gold status...

2 hours per week, 100 hours per year saved by flying HP instead of WN.

That's like 2 weeks of "vacation" time.

Oh yeah, and free drinks. :-)

The fact that I can get to the airport later and not worry as much about the line at security (as an elite member) saves me a bunch of time. Work trips can be a pain in the behind so first class upgrades are nice. Yes it takes longer to get a free flight but your miles done expire. With Southwest you must use your vouchers within one year if I understand it correcty

HP http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif

My reason: I can't STAND flying SW. There I said it http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I too absolutely hate SWA. I refuse to be treated like cattle and until they have a better system it will never happen. I am even willing to pay a higher price for another airline. Their way of the boarding system is just hideous and I don't have time for it.

The Wright Amendment.

elite staus or not (ive got HP and CO), I cannot imagine flying without a seat assignment. i did it once from ABQ and will never again. also, on nearly every flight i have taken, and compared to WN, WN is always more than CO or HP.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by cowtowner:
The Wright Amendment.</font>


Yup, thats one reason for sure.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by phxleanconsultant:
Flying 2x a week... WN, must arrive 1.5 hours before flight to get my bag on board and have an aisle seat.... HP, arrive 0.5 hours before flight to preboard with Gold status...

2 hours per week, 100 hours per year saved by flying HP instead of WN.

That's like 2 weeks of "vacation" time.

Oh yeah, and free drinks. :-)</font>

It seems to me "free drinks" were stopped
about 10 years ago (unfortunately) and they
now charge $4 or so in Y. I do remember(1983) being
on HP from PHX to STL and boy did I get toasted. Probably the reason they stopped it.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by sanFF:
It seems to me "free drinks" were stopped
about 10 years ago</font>


I was just on HP from LAS to RNO in F 3 days ago and got all the free drinks I wanted.

Everybody serves free booze in F. I think the subject was for cattle.

There is a misperception about flying Southwest among many here on FlyerTalk. I'm Elite on three different airlines, including America West, (all earned by flying the miles) and I have no qualms about choosing Southwest over those other carriers for short flights.

Screw seat assignments. I like scoping out that empty row of three on lightly booked flights. On full flights, I like to find an open seat next to a passenger who won't be annoying. I am rarely on full flights to/fr Phoenix. The F seat isn't a big deal on 1hr flights.

I almost never find the lines to be too long, as I use the kiosk to check-in. For security, I can use one of my Elite frequent flyer cards to get past. In some airports, the standard Rapid Rewards card will get you through the priority security line. I rarely get to the airport more than an hour before the flight, yet I still consistently get either an A or B. Internet checkin will help to bring more people over to Southwest.

Out of PHX, Southwest has the best schedule of anyone. America West doesn't hold a candle to Southwest in frequencies or schedule convenience to places like LAX, SAN, LAS, ABQ, and ELP. I love the fact that buying a ticket, making changes, earning valuable awards, etc. is all so easy.

The perception that only toothless hicks with steamer trunks choose to fly Southwest is misguided.

Most importantly, FlightFund is now a terrible frequent flyer program. Even Rapid Rewards with the internet bonus cut in half is better.


Long haul is another ball game. On a flight of three or four hours, I covet a first class seat. Also, when flying longhaul Southwest loses the frequency advantage.

I totally agree. On long haul HP is the way to go as you can actually earn a reward with
5 rountrips or even three rountrips if you
choose a reward with a short distance below 750 miles. If you are Elite it even gets better and SW does not even compare. On short
one hour flights however it's SW hands down.

My first time on WN, I heard a woman behind me say, "This is Bubba Air!" She was not just talking about the pax.

I rarely fly short haul.

In order of importance:

1)Seat assignments. I am 6'2, 210# and almost never can get to the airport an hour ahead of time on my returns. I covet seat assignments in advance. And as an Elite I can even choose an exit row in advance.

2.)Elite priority check-in and security lines.

3.)First upgrades. Even as a silver, and even with all those "silver challenges", I still get the upgrade 70-80%. Nice. Esp on the longer flights.

------------------
Just trying to keep up with the gals in the trailer park next door.

-WN has too many traveling rude, uncultured businessmen and hicks.
-Boarding is a nightmare if you don't know the system.
-Using the WN terminal at LAX is a horror show. I cringe everytime I drive pass the terminal to fly UA becase the long lines are just plain scary (at check-in and at the gate)
-I hate to be critical but the sights, sounds and smells of WN customers at the gate remind me of being at a Greyhound bus station in downtown Cleveland. Not a pretty picture.

-HP has a decent F product transcon for a good price and excellent staff.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TransWorldOne:

The perception that only toothless hicks with steamer trunks choose to fly Southwest is misguided.
</font>

Huh? Are you serious? Just take a seat outside of security at Term 4 and watch the people leaving the SWA side. Ugh! I have never seen so many Nascar, cigarette and booze branded clothing articles in my life!
In my opinion, 1 in 10 has a roller board and the other 9 have the free bag they got with the purchase/exchange of cutting UPC's off of smoke boxes, etc.

NOW, on the other hand, I must say that in the last 6 months, I have noticed the increase of these same people on AWA thanks to the low fare structure...So look out....