Wait until AA gets sued for discrimination against women!
I mentioned this in a comment on another thread, but at today's Shareholder Meeting, Gary Kelly took time to emphasize that SWA still allows two free bags and that we don't charge change fees.
Programs: Marriott Platinum, NW Gold, UA 3P, NCL Gold
Posts: 1,469
Quote:
Originally Posted by FCfree
What is really unfair about the first checked bag for $15 is that it is almost impossible to travel anymore without a checked bag, since you need certain liquids, gels, etc. that can't go through security. Further, it is a pain to reduce those liquids, gels, etc. into 3.5 oz containers, where the sum of all containers does not exceed the one quart zip lock bag.
What is so amazing is that Southwest really doesn't have to do anything. Just sit back and watch the legacies screw themselves. Then every once in a while, come up with a super great idea like the A-list and numbered, ordered open seating. I think the jury is still out on Business Select, but right now, it is not hurting the loyal customers, while bringing in some (albeit limited) additional revenue. I'm amazed by the number of people that buy Business Select and then don't take an exit row. Shhhhhhh... Don't tell them!
Like Reagan and the Soviets.
Seriously, this is getting out of hand. I do have to commend WN for staying out of this fray.
That doesn't necessarily translate into a proportional share of passengers, though. A lot of the UX flights operated by SkyWest are on EMB-120 planes, which hold only 30 passengers. Only a few of the non-UX flights are on the EMB-120; most are on 50-70 seat planes.
Lines are bad because people are dumb... and don't go up to an open kiosk. Also, if the party has finished using the kiosk, but is waiting for the bag tag, they don't go up because they fear they are invading their space... If WN had a volunteer network where people could direct people to open kiosks, I'd signup in a heartbeat - though here at PHL the check in area is small so people can get a good view of all kiosks while in line...
I have the same pet peeve, but wouldn't limit it to WN - it's true on almost every airline I've flown. If there's a bank of kiosks, people will wait for an airline rep to tell them to go to a kiosk. If I'm in line close behind, I try to help out by pointing them to empty kiosks (as an added benefit, I don't feel guilty cutting in front of them if they choose to keep standing there waiting...)
EDIT:
*Plus, not mentioned before, I don't think: On reaching 1P, three transcon, or East Coast-DEN, or West Coast-ORD roundtrips yield ~25K -- a freebie.
Can you explain your math here?
By my calculation:
BWI-DEN = 1490 miles
1490 x 6 = 8940
8940 * 2 = 17880
17880 < 25000
one of the best things about southwest is how fast they deplane. the agent is ready and waiting with the jetbridge.. pop the door open and let the people off. it's a very simple task that most airlines manage to delay / screw up..
I'm amazed by that, both at Southwest (good job) and the other airlines (bad job). Here comes this multi-ton long metal tube out of the sky. It has a radio. There is radar. It takes 5 minutes to taxi from the runway to the gate. There is an air marshall down below to guide the plane in. Yet, the legacy carriers can't get the person to the gate to move the jetway and pop the door? Penny wise and pound foolish. When a Southwest plane arrives, all the players on the ground are right there to get that plane turned around. That is their trademark way to make money.
Programs: UA 2MM, DL 500k, SW CP, GP 1M, HH Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
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My bases are BOS and the Bay Area. Three SFO-ORD RT bring 22,252 RDM. Three BOS-DEN RT are 21,048. Three BOS-SFO RT are 32,448, or 32,364 (new math). Point taken. Point taken?
Programs: UA 2MM, DL 500k, SW CP, GP 1M, HH Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
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By the way, when I was looking back to see what I'd said (), I quickly scanned the thread, and didn't see a disadvantage of Southwest mentioned, and I think it's a big one:
Programs: WN A-List, IC Plat AMB. generic cheapskate
Posts: 637
Quote:
Originally Posted by Firewind
By the way, when I was looking back to see what I'd said (), I quickly scanned the thread, and didn't see a disadvantage of Southwest mentioned, and I think it's a big one:
Southwest doesn't fly to a lot of places.
Sort of OT: Yeah - that's something that is really going to bite me (this is completely without sarcasm) because next year I have a summer assignment outside of Pensacola, FL...the nearest WN airports are JAX and MSY - FOUR hours away!
At least DL is deciding not to go ahead (yet) with the $15 first checked bag fee.
__________________
"I disapprove of what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Voltaire
My bases are BOS and the Bay Area. Three SFO-ORD RT bring 22,252 RDM. Three BOS-DEN RT are 21,048. Three BOS-SFO RT are 32,448, or 32,364 (new math). Point taken. Point taken?
And if you throw in miles earned from staying at Hiltons on those trips and getting a rental car from Hertz or Alamo and using the available promotions, how does that comparison look?
I'm on a trip from MCI-LIT right now ... I could have flown US down here, gotten 344 miles each way on US or UA under the new no 500 mile minimum rules, gotten 100 miles for my Hampton last night, 500 miles for my Hilton stay tonight, then 300 miles for my two-day car rental (assuming I could get a triple miles promotion) ... grand total of 1,588 miles ... 6.4% of a free domestic ticket ...
On WN I'm getting 2 credits for the flights, .5 credits for the Hampton stay, .5 credits for the Hilton stay, and triple credits for the rental car, so 1.5 ... 4.5 credits for the trip ... 28% of the way to a free trip (of course, with my companion pass, that's actually two tickets!). Same math applies to longer trips too ... I guess on the transcons you'd still come out a bit ahead using a legacy carrier if you're getting 100% mileage bonus.
My bases are BOS and the Bay Area. Three SFO-ORD RT bring 22,252 RDM. Three BOS-DEN RT are 21,048. Three BOS-SFO RT are 32,448, or 32,364 (new math). Point taken. Point taken?
By the way, when I was looking back to see what I'd said (), I quickly scanned the thread, and didn't see a disadvantage of Southwest mentioned, and I think it's a big one:
Southwest doesn't fly to a lot of places.
I think of this as both a strength and a weakness. If, like gmax58 above, you need to go to Pensacola, FL and the closest WN cities are 4 hours away, its a weakness. Fortunately, there are alternatives (Delta in this case). Southwest just isn't one of them.
But, Southwest also keeps its focus and therefore stays profitable by serving the cities where there is enough demand. They are not bleeding the US Gov't by serving cities that the gov't subsidizes. These subsidies are what are keeping some of the regional carriers in business.
But, Southwest also keeps its focus and therefore stays profitable by serving the cities where there is enough demand. They are not bleeding the US Gov't by serving cities that the gov't subsidizes. These subsidies are what are keeping some of the regional carriers in business.
Like MSP, CVG, ATL? And of course your comment is non-responsive to Firewind
Programs: UA 2MM, DL 500k, SW CP, GP 1M, HH Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
Posts: 3,916
I'm sorry, but you're just not going to get the same dogmatic response. I, too, set my bits and pieces to go to RR for the same reasons as you. (Those 500-mile tokens are only good for keeping accounts alive.) But I try to keep up with promotions for those bits and pieces. Watching and sticking just with Southwest bit me lately when I didn't. I rented twice from Budget and got 2.0 RR credits twice. I was pretty happy. Meanwhile, Avis was giving 5,000 DL miles per rental (min. one day), and Budget itself was/is giving 5,000 DL miles. Dayam... Fortunately, I corrected and earned a freebie on DL in short order.
As a poster said above, and I could have written it, I fly UA for the long hauls, and Southwest for the short ones now (except for using my freebies from Southwest's Fall Madness). For ALL the above reasons in this thread.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beckles
And if you throw in miles earned from staying at Hiltons on those trips and getting a rental car from Hertz or Alamo and using the available promotions, how does that comparison look?
I'm on a trip from MCI-LIT right now ... I could have flown US down here, gotten 344 miles each way on US or UA under the new no 500 mile minimum rules, gotten 100 miles for my Hampton last night, 500 miles for my Hilton stay tonight, then 300 miles for my two-day car rental (assuming I could get a triple miles promotion) ... grand total of 1,588 miles ... 6.4% of a free domestic ticket ...
On WN I'm getting 2 credits for the flights, .5 credits for the Hampton stay, .5 credits for the Hilton stay, and triple credits for the rental car, so 1.5 ... 4.5 credits for the trip ... 28% of the way to a free trip (of course, with my companion pass, that's actually two tickets!). Same math applies to longer trips too ... I guess on the transcons you'd still come out a bit ahead using a legacy carrier if you're getting 100% mileage bonus.
), I quickly scanned the thread, and didn't see a disadvantage of Southwest mentioned, and I think it's a big one: 
