KCFlyer
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- Joined
- Aug 20, 2002
- Messages
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Just dropped a friend off at the airport for a flight from MCI to PHX. SWA was her only airline, she has the Southwest Visa card and everything. Got her new assigned seat. Unfortunately she paid the lowest fare so she got a middle seat assigned at check in. Lots of offers to "upgrade" to pick a seat. She didn't, but the flight was full.... If a customer decides to "upgrade" when they check in and there are nothing but center seats available, will they refund the fee? She took her bag inside to check it for the flight since there is a $3 fee that goes to Southwest to check it curbside. The definition of nickle and diming. She was in the last boarding group and said it was a cluster with people roaming the aisle to find overhaed bin space.
I've been a fan of Southwest for 50 years, but in the name of shareholder value, it seems that they took the shittiest policies from all the other airlines and combined them into one really shitty experience. It sure looks like it could piss off business flyers who sometimes book at the last minute. They were paying the highest fare, so all they had to do was "upgrade" to Business Select and insure they were the first to board and get a seat with open seating. Now all it promises is that they can get on early to use an overhead bin by their seat., which may well be a center seat.
I remember the old days when the attitude was that a plane sitting at a gate wasn't making money. I guess with all the fees that doesn't matter anymore. I remember the 10 minute turn and I've seen it used as recently as the early 2000's. My friends got to the airport for a 10:00 a.m flight and boarding started at 9:30. Just like any other airline. It will be interesting to see what my daughter and 8 year old grandson experience when they fly to South Carolina next month. I'm guessing they will both be in center seats in separate rows. Just playing around with my friends route I found that if someone wants to pick their seats in advance, it was $30 more each way. If they have carry ons and want to make sure they have overhead bin space and need to get in the last part of the "groups" (not general boarding), it will cost them another $80....$110 in fees EACH WAY.
Free bags and open seating is what set southwest apart from all the others, as well as the spirit of the People of Southwest. I hope that Elliot Investment Management remembers what Herb said about people...but seeing that Southwest has announced layoffs for the first time in it's history, I think that Esprit de Corps will soon be gone. They are asking the employees to shoulder the burden of differentiating Southwest. That's a hard job when the management team is being guided by "shareholder first" activists. This may be my friends last Southwest flight. It feels like she's lost something.
Maybe management should watch this again. I think if you listen closely you can hear Herb rolling in his grave
I've been a fan of Southwest for 50 years, but in the name of shareholder value, it seems that they took the shittiest policies from all the other airlines and combined them into one really shitty experience. It sure looks like it could piss off business flyers who sometimes book at the last minute. They were paying the highest fare, so all they had to do was "upgrade" to Business Select and insure they were the first to board and get a seat with open seating. Now all it promises is that they can get on early to use an overhead bin by their seat., which may well be a center seat.
I remember the old days when the attitude was that a plane sitting at a gate wasn't making money. I guess with all the fees that doesn't matter anymore. I remember the 10 minute turn and I've seen it used as recently as the early 2000's. My friends got to the airport for a 10:00 a.m flight and boarding started at 9:30. Just like any other airline. It will be interesting to see what my daughter and 8 year old grandson experience when they fly to South Carolina next month. I'm guessing they will both be in center seats in separate rows. Just playing around with my friends route I found that if someone wants to pick their seats in advance, it was $30 more each way. If they have carry ons and want to make sure they have overhead bin space and need to get in the last part of the "groups" (not general boarding), it will cost them another $80....$110 in fees EACH WAY.
Free bags and open seating is what set southwest apart from all the others, as well as the spirit of the People of Southwest. I hope that Elliot Investment Management remembers what Herb said about people...but seeing that Southwest has announced layoffs for the first time in it's history, I think that Esprit de Corps will soon be gone. They are asking the employees to shoulder the burden of differentiating Southwest. That's a hard job when the management team is being guided by "shareholder first" activists. This may be my friends last Southwest flight. It feels like she's lost something.
Maybe management should watch this again. I think if you listen closely you can hear Herb rolling in his grave
