Dunbar

Yesterday after touching down in PHX the FA ended the "welcome to Phoenix" speech with a pitch to support the end the Wright amendment. After he said "and you will see cheaper fares and more destinations" a lady yelled out "on another airline" Obviously she didn't quite agree with the FA. This is a contentious issue amongst DFW residents, should the FA's even be going there?

curbcrusher

Why not go there? It makes sense that WN's employees would want to spread the word since the repeal is a company initiative.

justageek

I find it a little annoying that WN pushes the issue on its web site, reservation line hold message, and inflight PA announcements. I mean, AA isn't campaigning against repeal in any of these venues.

(Personally I have no problem with the message on the web site or in the in-flight magazine, but I find the reservation line hold message and inflight PA announcement annoying because they are more intrusive than the other means.)

To be honest, I am pretty annoyed by the new Southwest attitude of "we're the most financially successful airline in the United States, but we still feel compelled to annoy passengers with political messages and devaluation of the frequent flyer program." Give me a break, please.

BizJet

The in-flight announcements are not just the ideas of some enterprising flight attendants -- it's a directive from Colleen Barrett.

Kaiserin

I personally don't like it, but I also don't care for any mindless chatter by the FA's (or pilots) when I'm flying. It has gotten incredibly old.

JS

Well, it beats "I am here for your safety ONLY" any day.

ByrdluvsAWACO

WN should put their views in their inflight magazine. Allowing or requiring FA's to monologue at the end of a flight is just poor taste.

curbcrusher

Nevermind...

curbcrusher

Nevermind...

ByrdluvsAWACO

Yes, but forcing an already captive audience to listen their one-sided argument is what I have a problem with. WN is acting like repealing WA is an important issue on the same level as starving kids in Niger or the war in Iraq.

curbcrusher

You don't fly WN, so who cares? Further, if it really bothers those that do fly WN, there is no shortage of anti-WA-speech-free alternative carriers.

StSebastian

No, but they are pushing it on the employees quite hard, and I hear they're making a number of comments locally in the Dallas area to push their case.

ByrdluvsAWACO

I have yet to hear any AA employee, from the ticket counter to baggage claim, mention anything about WA. I have never been forced to listen to any WA monologue either.

StSebastian

I think AA is taking the position that they should lobby locally in the Dallas area and get the employees to contact legislators rather than public announcements to the passengers.

HKG_Flyer1

AA and the DFW Airport Board have given a pile of cash and benefits to a whole host of local politicians, so they've pretty much got things "wired," notwithstanding overwhelming public sentiment for repeal. (Just to be sure, AA is encouraging uniformed FAs to pack constituent meetings for Reps. Marchant and Burgess planned for later this month, even if the FAs aren't actually constituents.)

The only way WN is going to be able to get moronic law repealed is to galvanize public support. In contrast, AA doesn't really need to do anything except to keep up the "care and feeding" of a handful of local politicians. It's also would be tough for AA to come up with a catchy in-flight campaign; "Save our monopoly!" "Let the gouging of DFW travelers continue!" or "Protect politically wired airport contractors!" don't really pack the same kind of punch.