New fees at Southwest called ‘starting point’

CRJDriver

CRJDriver

Well-Known Member
New fees at Southwest called ‘starting point’

Southwest Airlines Co., which has bashed competitors for charging fees, said Friday it will add new fees for passengers who bring small pets onboard and for unaccompanied minors.

It also will raise the charge for checking a third piece of luggage or an overweight bag. Other airlines have raised hundreds of millions of dollars since last year with new fees that include charges for checking one or two pieces of luggage and talking to reservations agents on the phone.

On Friday, Southwest officials defended their own new fees, which Chief Executive Gary Kelly called “just the starting point” for more changes later this year.
 
CRJDriver said:
New fees at Southwest called ‘starting point’

Southwest Airlines Co., which has bashed competitors for charging fees, said Friday it will add new fees for passengers who bring small pets onboard and for unaccompanied minors.

It also will raise the charge for checking a third piece of luggage or an overweight bag. Other airlines have raised hundreds of millions of dollars since last year with new fees that include charges for checking one or two pieces of luggage and talking to reservations agents on the phone.

On Friday, Southwest officials defended their own new fees, which Chief Executive Gary Kelly called “just the starting point” for more changes later this year.
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Someone should make a spoof of the SWA commercials now.... "hey, we're hypocrites for bashing the competition then turning around and doing the SAME thing!"
 
Wow that's really too bad to see SWA going the way of everybody else... and what a dumb quote by their chief exec.
 
E_Dawg said:
Wow that's really too bad to see SWA going the way of everybody else... and what a dumb quote by their chief exec.
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Guess at the end of the day, SWA is just another airline.....just like any other.
 
CRJDriver said:
New fees at Southwest called ‘starting point’

Southwest Airlines Co., which has bashed competitors for charging fees, said Friday it will add new fees for passengers who bring small pets onboard and for unaccompanied minors.

It also will raise the charge for checking a third piece of luggage or an overweight bag. Other airlines have raised hundreds of millions of dollars since last year with new fees that include charges for checking one or two pieces of luggage and talking to reservations agents on the phone.

On Friday, Southwest officials defended their own new fees, which Chief Executive Gary Kelly called “just the starting point” for more changes later this year.
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Next thing they're going to charge you for is the peanuts, drinks and the flight attendant talent shows!:rolleyes:
 
MikeD said:
Guess at the end of the day, SWA is just another airline.....just like any other.
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They prided themselves on relentlessly being different....

It'll be written off as a "mature" business "looking to keep costs low, but improve profits [to get a short term stock gain to keep the institutional investors from dropping their stock like a hot potato] through unconventional (yet everyone else is) means embodying the 'Warrior Spirit'".

Is the magic wearing off, or are they just reloading? Time will tell.

My bet: Just like everyone else that left a niche that they had cornered, it will fundamentally change the airline and it's well formed culture. (Not based on any moves by airlines historically....:rolleyes:)

It's too bad too....integrity, you can't put a price on it. SWA had so much corporate integrity, and worked hard to protect that. Prolly just got thrown awan....
 
Polar742 said:
My bet: Just like everyone else that left a niche that they had cornered, it will fundamentally change the airline and it's well formed culture. (Not based on any moves by airlines historically....:rolleyes:)
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Ya that's the biggest problem. Whatever small amount they stand to gain by adding fees, they will lose much more by destroying their image of being different. Too bad!

I mean their entire product from a marketing standpoint is going to need revising. Just as a 'starting point'.
 
cencal83406 said:
Yeah but no other carrier spent more in advertising bashing the competition for doing exactly what they are announcing to do.
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Delta ran some ads bashing NWA and CAL for flying some narrowbody aircraft trans-Atlantic, then six months later, "Ooh, American's offering us WHAT kind of deal for those former TWA 757 ER's? Gimme gimme gimme!!11one!"
 
They may as well assign seats. And go ahead and tackle the international and Hawaii market.

As they are restructuring their route structure, and flying longer legs, I'll bet their employee count per airplane will go up.
 
Polar742 said:
They may as well assign seats. And go ahead and tackle the international and Hawaii market.

As they are restructuring their route structure, and flying longer legs, I'll bet their employee count per airplane will go up.
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And start flying something different too. Get an Airbus 319. :D
 
And as a red-blooded, heterosexual, Boeing-loving American, I hate to admit that I'd rather fly on a full-to-the-brim A319 than a 90% full 737 NG as a passenger.
 
Their Press Release (with my emphasis added. ;)). All I can say is, sadly, McSame.

I didn't even find this until after my previous post.

<storycontent> The Carrier Introduces new Pet Policy; Modifies Unaccompanied Minor and Third and Overweight Bag Policies


<location>DALLAS</location>, <chron>May 29</chron> /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pets will now have the "Freedom to Fly" on Southwest Airlines. Southwest will soon allow Customers to bring along small cats and dogs in the aircraft cabin for a special low "pet fare" of <money>$75</money> each way. All pets must be in a carrier that fits under the airplane seat, and the carrier will count as the Customer's carryon bag. Customers can begin purchasing tickets for their small cats and dogs on <chron>June 1, 2009</chron>, for travel beginning <chron>June 17, 2009</chron>. For more information and a video on Southwest's new pet fare, visit www.blogsouthwest.com.



"We know from Customer and Employee feedback that our new 'pet' Customers will be a welcomed addition to any flight," said Southwest Airlines Chairman, President, and CEO
Gary Kelly</storycontent>. "Our enhanced boarding process has opened the window, allowing us to accommodate small pets comfortably on a Southwest flight - without impacting our efficiency."
The new pet policy is one of several programs and processes that Southwest Airlines is implementing in an effort to enhance the service the Carrier provides, and at the same time, create opportunities for incremental revenue growth. Read more on these programs and processes in a blog post by Kelly at www.blogsouthwest.com.


"These new programs and processes are just the starting point with additional initiatives planned for later this year," Kelly said. "It is always our goal to be upfront with our Customers and to set the right Customer expectations. Our changes today associate a charge for items that are truly an extra service."


Southwest Airlines has long absorbed the additional cost associated with the administrative work and extra care necessary to safely transport Unaccompanied Minors (Customers ages five through 11 traveling without an adult), which represent less than one percent of our Customers.


Southwest will soon implement a <money>$25</money> each way service charge, in addition to the fare or Rapid Rewards Award ticket, for Customers who are traveling as an Unaccompanied Minor. The Unaccompanied Minor service charge will apply to tickets purchased <chron>June 1, 2009</chron>, and later, for travel beginning <chron>June 17, 2009</chron>. Unaccompanied Minors may only travel on nonstop or direct flights (no change of planes).


"We are proud to offer an outstanding service for our young Customers traveling alone but realize that the extra service does come at a cost to the Company," Kelly said. "This service charge will help us cover our added costs and still maintain our competitive Low Fare advantage."


Additionally, Southwest will increase its already existing service charge to check a third and overweight bag (weighing 51 to 70 pounds). Currently, Southwest Customers pay <money>$25</money> to check a third or overweight bag on the airline. Customers traveling on or after <chron>June 17</chron> will be charged <money>$50</money> to check a third or overweight bag. Southwest continues to be one of the only airlines that allows Customers to check their first two bags without a fee.



"We continue to allow our Customers to check two bags on Southwest for free, making our baggage policy far and away the most generous in the Industry," Kelly said. "The increase in the baggage charge impacts approximately one percent of our Customers."
For additional information on Southwest's Pet; Unaccompanied Minor; and Bag Policies, visit the www.southwest.com/pets. You can also check out the Company's blog at www.blogouthwest.com.
After almost 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading low-fare carrier, is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience. Southwest offers all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom with a young all-Boeing 737 fleet. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) currently serves 65 cities in 33 states, with service beginning to New York LaGuardia, Boston Logan, and <location>Milwaukee</location> later this year. Based in <location>Dallas</location>, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide.
www.southwest.com

<!-- Render Story Content ends here --> SOURCE Southwest Airlines
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