Originally Posted by
uastarflyer
With everyone making significant $ on bags, WN offering it on Basic fares was shooting its own balance sheet. It’s not a charity.
The risk though is WN overall doesn’t offer many of the same aspects as the others. Matching others only in some money grabs and having a gap in aspirational things is a risk.
UA CEO Kirby says WN removing the sacred cow is the only logical move and won’t cause nearly as many defections as people might think. He’s probably right, but I bet the defections skew spendy types.
Exactly. Kirby is right. It is not like any other airline offers free checked bags and WN flyers didnt care about lounges or an international network anyway. WN controls many midsized markets domestically and provides so many more nonstops than other U.S. airlines. We will see little defections from the average WN flyer as the other airlines don't provide anything better. Airlines in the U.S. are basically all the same in terms of on board service with a just small differences between them in terms if service for a non status flyer. Those who value international or premium services like First/lounges would have been loyal WN flyers anyway. United, AA and Delta will not see some major increase in deflecting WN flyers.