"No Frills Southwest May Start Charging for Some Frills"
Feb 8, 2019, 5:50 pm
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 579
"No Frills Southwest May Start Charging for Some Frills"
According to this article, https://www.chicagotribune.com/busin...208-story.html, Southwest is working on something to bring about ancillary revenue. Is anyone else concerned about this? I worry that this may be a slippery slope away from the current status of not being charged for extras on Southwest.
My biggest worry is that they may not always allow free changes on the cheapest tickets. I see the lack of change fees as the place where I get the most value out of Southwest.
My biggest worry is that they may not always allow free changes on the cheapest tickets. I see the lack of change fees as the place where I get the most value out of Southwest.
Feb 8, 2019, 6:21 pm
#2
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Well i think that alot of people might be taking advantage of Early Bird check-in. I am flying tommorow on WN 3566 from MCO to PHL. I checked 35-40 minutes after T-24 and I got C-16. Which for this flight means its more like c-45 due to the excessive family boarding at MCO. Luckily for me I'm a COS/POS and I will preboard but if not for that i would likely be in a middle seat in the back and no one in my row would be happy about that. I know my flight is a thru flight but not one that makes sense for people its MDW-MCO-PHL
Last edited by Jerseyguy; Feb 8, 2019 at 6:27 pm
Feb 8, 2019, 7:04 pm
#3
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I read it as they are "thinking" about it. Nothing in the immediate future.
I would agree that the family boarding thing is getting a bit out of control. They get on before lots of people that paid extra.
Though it really not cost most people anything, their current cancel policy is - well - stupid. I am talking about the 10 minute rule. They need to change that a bit. And the thing where no-shows on award tickets get their points back. Fixing those two things might give them a chance to sell a few more seats - probably not many.
Selling food maybe?
Or drop to one checked bag?
I would agree that the family boarding thing is getting a bit out of control. They get on before lots of people that paid extra.
Though it really not cost most people anything, their current cancel policy is - well - stupid. I am talking about the 10 minute rule. They need to change that a bit. And the thing where no-shows on award tickets get their points back. Fixing those two things might give them a chance to sell a few more seats - probably not many.
Selling food maybe?
Or drop to one checked bag?
Feb 9, 2019, 2:16 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
Selling food on board might be good, especially on long flights. That might require modifying the galleys.
I don't see abandoning bags fly free or adding cancellation or change fees, they've invested too much in that and it would take awhile to recover.
I don't see abandoning bags fly free or adding cancellation or change fees, they've invested too much in that and it would take awhile to recover.
Feb 9, 2019, 2:22 pm
#6
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Presumably the full scope is proprietary, but the part which is being publicly reported is from financial advisors (banks) who suggest that a quasi-seat assignment would be created by blocking some number of what are thought to be the most desireable seats and selling those at a premium, thus allowing people to pay more to board last and have a guaranteed good seat as well as reserved OH. These passengers would also largely exit first at the destination simply because most of those seats, exit rows aside, are near the front.
Feb 9, 2019, 3:22 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,501
Presumably the full scope is proprietary, but the part which is being publicly reported is from financial advisors (banks) who suggest that a quasi-seat assignment would be created by blocking some number of what are thought to be the most desireable seats and selling those at a premium, thus allowing people to pay more to board last and have a guaranteed good seat as well as reserved OH. These passengers would also largely exit first at the destination simply because most of those seats, exit rows aside, are near the front.
Not convinced that road warriors would ante up for 4B or 4E when 5C and D are more desirable - and free. A hybrid of open seating is a pig's breakfast. Rows 1-4 would need extra legroom and maybe power ports for this scheme to work.
Feb 9, 2019, 3:34 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 54
If these new revenues affect change fees or luggage, SWA will be close enough to other airlines that I will just pick the cheapest/most convenient option and not be as loyal as I have been. They have built up a lot of good will; I hope they don’t flush it down the drain with one short-sighted move.
Feb 9, 2019, 7:21 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2016
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Some ancillary fees could be done with boarding without requiring any significant investments or costs to Southwest, and without taking away the things that make them unique (no change/cancel fees, open seating, free checked bags).
For instance, they could block off A16-30 to be dedicated as at-gate buy-up positions (like how extra A1-15 positions are sold now). Then the first A+/A position starts at A31.
Or an EBCI for BS to get to the very very front of the line.
Or an EBCI subscription, like United's economy plus subscription product.
For instance, they could block off A16-30 to be dedicated as at-gate buy-up positions (like how extra A1-15 positions are sold now). Then the first A+/A position starts at A31.
Or an EBCI for BS to get to the very very front of the line.
Or an EBCI subscription, like United's economy plus subscription product.
Feb 9, 2019, 7:42 pm
#11
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Part of WN's (successful) business model is to turn around aricraft quickly. Given that, I think it's unlikely that they will begin to charge fees for the first checked bag.
Feb 9, 2019, 8:12 pm
#12
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An EBCI annual subscription which gives you A- boarding order, so in front of the rest of the EBCIs regardless of when you bought your ticket. No other A- benefits such as standby.
EBCI is close to useless for many routes for people buying 7-9 days in advance.
EBCI is close to useless for many routes for people buying 7-9 days in advance.
Feb 9, 2019, 8:42 pm
#13
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Yes, you can bring your own foods from concessions. If you bring your own foods from home. They won't be issued.
Feb 10, 2019, 6:05 am
#14
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,867
I'd personally like to see some additional food offerings - shelf stable snack boxes with cheese, meats, and crackers, perhaps? I can't imagine them offering food that requires prep or refrigeration, but I'd love to see other options. On short flights, pretzels are fine, and I've gotten used to packing my own extra food, but I'd definitely purchase a reasonably priced meat and cheese box.
All I care about fee wise is that change fees stay away. I can handle almost any other change, even checked bag fees, because of the way I pack. Change fees would be the end of WN for me.
All I care about fee wise is that change fees stay away. I can handle almost any other change, even checked bag fees, because of the way I pack. Change fees would be the end of WN for me.
