<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by nwr1txg:
Mikey – I have long wondered about the rational at SW as well. It is especially irksome if one must check a bag to stand in line once at check in and again at the gate. I’m sure there must be an economic reason for it but eludes me as well. Perhaps others at FT have an insight to share on this.</font>
This is one of the reasons I did not fly Southwest (WN) for a long time. However last year I began using them for my short, west coast flights and came to appreciate their business model. Yes, I still dislike
standing in line to stand in line, however they are almost never late.
They don't assign seats because it allows them to turn a plane in 20 minutes - pretty amazing. Because of this they are able to have more stops in more cities and carry more passengers.
Back to the original post, I agree 100%. I think many business travelers have decided if you're not going to get a meal, special services, etc. Why fly with AA/UA/NW/US when you can fly on a discount carrier that arrives on time. One more thing, I have yet to meet a rude Southwest employee.
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Ken in Sacramento