New Fees Coming on WN: Sale of BP slots at gate begins 12/20/2012
Dec 15, 12, 10:29 am
#31
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,399
They're boxed in, as you say, by the public's accepting the fees. Unless I missed it, the cost benefit of offering no fees is nowhere cited in quarterly revenue reporting. FL bag fees are touted for improving the bottom line.
Dec 15, 12, 12:04 pm
#32
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,429
DOT rules make that illegal. Once a ticket is issued, it can't be repriced and the ancillary fees needed to be disclosed at the time of purchase. Thus, when WN imposes a new fee, it can only apply effective a given date and only for tickets purchased after it makes its announcement and corrects its website and other disclosures.
Dec 15, 12, 1:14 pm
#34
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,591
Dec 15, 12, 1:34 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,264
As long as you call before the flight leaves will they waive the fee? I know they have problems with people gaming the system by booking an earlier flight that is cheaper and claiming the flat tire rule (although I wouldn't want to do it because it means a lousy boarding pass/seat) and if someone checks in and doesn't show up it makes it harder for the GA on a full flight that is oversold as far as getting others on.
But there have been two times on DTW/MDW flights where they were so Delayed I just drove to Chicago and was there before the plane got to MDW. in fact one time a plane was delayed five hours and I was in my hotel in Chicago before the plane even landed at DTW. If it's a 6 p.m. flight and ends up getting delayed until 11 p.m. and someone at 6:30 knows there the flight is so delayed they are better off driving on a short distance route like DTW/MDW or BNA/BHM will WN charge them the fare as long as the call and cancel if the plane is that delayed or will they charge since the person didn't cancel in a certain time frame?
In the case I mentioned before it is not gaming the system at all if I had every intention of taking the flight if it wouldn't have been seriously delayed.
But there have been two times on DTW/MDW flights where they were so Delayed I just drove to Chicago and was there before the plane got to MDW. in fact one time a plane was delayed five hours and I was in my hotel in Chicago before the plane even landed at DTW. If it's a 6 p.m. flight and ends up getting delayed until 11 p.m. and someone at 6:30 knows there the flight is so delayed they are better off driving on a short distance route like DTW/MDW or BNA/BHM will WN charge them the fare as long as the call and cancel if the plane is that delayed or will they charge since the person didn't cancel in a certain time frame?
In the case I mentioned before it is not gaming the system at all if I had every intention of taking the flight if it wouldn't have been seriously delayed.
Dec 15, 12, 1:42 pm
#37
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I honestly wonder how many people game the system that way? I can't imaging the number is very large. The unanswered question is whether Southwest will have any sort of accommodation for people who show up at the airport late and miss their flight (ie. flat tire rule) vs those who don't fly at all and previously would just let the credit happen.
Dec 15, 12, 2:11 pm
#38
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,439
What's not answered is whether a fee would apply to redeposit of points after a no-show on an award ticket. My guess is that they will impose a 25% haircut *if* they have the software development resources to implement it. Otherwise point reservations may enjoy privileged status for a while longer.
Dec 15, 12, 2:54 pm
#39
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I think you may be misunderstanding my point; I'll rephrase. What's unanswered is if the "flat tire rule" will still in fact be the practice, or if someone arriving late and missing their flight will need to pay the new fee in order to get on another flight.
Dec 15, 12, 3:36 pm
#40
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,439
The fee is for re-using funds when purchasing a new ticket. For a flat-tire standby there is no new ticket. You fly on your original ticket. As I said, there is no re-use of funds, just use of the original ticket.
Dec 15, 12, 4:23 pm
#42
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,399
The slogan may have to be re-construed at some point next year:
Southwest Steps Away From No-Frills Image With Fees
Kelly didn't rule out that other fees may be added in the future, saying "we don't have a first-bag fee idea for 2013 or a change fee."
Dec 15, 12, 4:49 pm
#43
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK/STS
Programs: Alaska MVPG, Delta PM, AA Plat Pro, Wannabe SkyWest 1K
Posts: 618
Gary's Spirit envy is getting ridiculous. Just put another row in the plane, or add an E+ section for less price sensitive business pax. There's no competitive advantage hanging around this indecisive middle ground between NK and UA.
Dec 15, 12, 4:55 pm
#44
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
My understanding is that the "flat tire rule" isn't in the COC, correct?
While I think it's not likely Southwest would drop the policy, I've been surprised before.
So... is the overweight bag fee now $100 (as mentioned in the webcast) or $75 (as stated on the just-updated website)?
http://www.southwest.com/html/custom...-bags-pol.html
While I think it's not likely Southwest would drop the policy, I've been surprised before.
So... is the overweight bag fee now $100 (as mentioned in the webcast) or $75 (as stated on the just-updated website)?
Weight and Size Allowance:
Maximum weight is 50 pounds and maximum size is 62 inches (length + width + height) per checked piece of luggage. Effective for tickets purchased on or after December 15, 2012, for travel on or after February 13, 2013, overweight items from 51 to 100 pounds and oversized items in excess of 62 inches but not more than 80 inches (e.g.; surfboards, bicycles, vaulting poles) will be accepted for an overweight and oversize baggage fee of $75 per item.
Maximum weight is 50 pounds and maximum size is 62 inches (length + width + height) per checked piece of luggage. Effective for tickets purchased on or after December 15, 2012, for travel on or after February 13, 2013, overweight items from 51 to 100 pounds and oversized items in excess of 62 inches but not more than 80 inches (e.g.; surfboards, bicycles, vaulting poles) will be accepted for an overweight and oversize baggage fee of $75 per item.
Dec 15, 12, 4:55 pm
#45
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
