The Definitive Us Airways Versus Southwest Thread

[ELP_WN_Psgr]

Gimme a break....US STILL has far more ammenities onboard than SWA, even with all they've cut back on! You cannot get a meal at all on SWA, or even watch a movie on SWA, or listen to Audio programming on SWA, no assigned seats on SWA either, and from my observation assigned seating is a MAJOR plus with these passengers! And at least US has Buy on Board meals, if anybody wants a meal. And at least if a passenger wants an ENTIRE can of soda on US it's given to them! Try asking for it on SWA, you'd think you would of asked them for a million dollars!

You know, I wasn't going to wade into this one.

But I can't abide lies or liars.

Here are just a few things Southwest offers that USAirways doesn't.

Clean aircraft.
Big aircraft...no mystery RJ operated by Name-on-request-commuter-shuttle airways or Mom's International Airlines dba Mesa.
Reasonably proficient luggage service.
Reasonably courteous employees who are not disgruntled about working for less than they could make at the Wendy's drive-thru window.
Clean gate areas.
Leather seats.
Decent legroom in Y.
A crew with enough "time" to operate our flight showing up at the appointed time and place for departure.
Full beverage service on short flights. HOU-AUS 28 air minutes I get a drink. MDT-PIT scheduled for 53 minutes I get told "due to the short duration of the flight there will be no beverage service."

And yes, if you want a full can of soda, just ask for one. Southwest doesn't mind. However, if you forget to ask for it....the FA will be back around to inquire if you want a refill. I can't think of a time on USAirways where I've ever seen that. Even PIT-DFW.

As far as the assigned seat deal is concerned, I find it unsettling that adults are so insecure that they have to be "told" where to sit on an airplane.

Bottom line: USAirways has removed practically all the "frills" and all that's left is a formerly "full service airline" that is incapable of providing the basics of air transportation. With Southwest you have a carrier that never provided a whole lot in the way of frills, but has gotten "doing the basics" down to a high art form.

Again, the business about a whole can of soda is a lie....a lie, I tell you!

 

[Whatnow?]

Big A/C on SWA......I thought they had nothing but 737's.....those are the smallest in the US mainline fleet. And I'm not talking about short flights with beverage services.....I was talking about long haul flights that US flies that offer Buy on Board meals, movies, short subjects, and audio entertainment. As for clean A/C, well that's where SWA has a one up on US, I'll agree! And yes it just depends on what type of flight you are flying on at US to determine the amount of service that is offered. There are still hot meals in coach on TransAtlantic flights, and Buy on Board meals on flights of 2 hours or more, the rest are simply beverage and pretzels flights similar to SWA. At least there is a wide range of ammenities offered at US compared to SWA standard cup and crackers cross country! 🙄 Just my observation.

 

[JS]

1) Buy on board is not an amenity.

2) An in-flight movie is not an amenity. I want to look out the window, and when I'm requested to lower the window shade so that other people can watch a movie, it's a big negative. Criminy, bring a book, or if you have ADHD and must be constantly entertained, bring a portable DVD player. They're small, cheap, and you can watch any movie you want.

3) SWA offers far better snacks than does US.

4) The comparison is SWA and US Airways the product, not US Airways the operating certificate, so the fact that the smallest plane in the US mainline fleet is a 737 is moot.

 

[Whatnow?]

Here's another observation.......why should you even compare the two airlines, you're right they are TOTALLY different. There's no comparison its obvious, you're comparing a Legacy carrier with far reaching International presence to a LCC shuttling throughout the US. Yes, right now US service levels have declined from what they used to be, but remember they are trying to survive and find the right niche in the market and still provide their customers the ability to fly to Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, as well as the US. And why do you people get soo defensive about SWA, they're really nothing to brag about as far as service goes.

 

[Finish or Ignore]

Here's another observation.......why should you even compare the two airlines, you're right they are TOTALLY different. There's no comparison its obvious, you're comparing a Legacy carrier with far reaching International presence to a LCC shuttling throughout the US. Yes, right now US service levels have declined from what they used to be, but remember they are trying to survive and find the right niche in the market and still provide their customers the ability to fly to Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, as well as the US. And why do you people get soo defensive about SWA, they're really nothing to brag about as far as service goes.

[post="261326"][/post]​

Yes TOTALLY. One makes money, one doesn't. One has happy employees making a good wage, one doesn't. CCY couldn't see the difference with a microscope. And, one does fly longer routes, FOR NOW. BUT DON'T LOOK BACK.

 

[duke]

USAirways could just apply the PIEDMONT principals, circa 1986. They have all the information at their finger tips. Enough said!

 

[polyonymous]

while I personally dislike the open seat policy southwest has (I am always late late late), I must say that I prefer flying them over US these days. with southwest I have a pretty good chance at getting exactly what I expected, no nasty suprises. US is a bit of a gamble these days. you pray nothing goes wrong because when it does, nobody will do more than they absolutely have to to help you out. as a pax, you get shrugging shoulders a lot from us and that frustrates me. of course, there are exceptions to the rule.

 

[TechBoy]

As far as the assigned seat deal is concerned, I find it unsettling that adults are so insecure that they have to be "told" where to sit on an airplane.

[post="261307"][/post]​

Puhleaze!

The reason that frequent flyers like assigned seating is that we prefer to know before getting to the airport whether we will have a decent seat. And we don't want to have to fuss to get into a decent "boarding group." You really lower yourself by suggesting that it has to do with insecurities.

Many of your points about WN are quite accurate. Personally, I will avoid WN until they provide assigned seating.

I suggest that you stick to WN's virtues (reasonable fares, reliability, Y leg room, lower pax loads and therefore more empty middle seats) rather than psychoanalysing why customers think that certain features are important.

 

[WNjetdoc]

Dude you need to put the crack pipe down, 😛 . You are delusional and living in denial if you actually believe your stupid post.

Our passengers are soooo spoiled that they will not accept a LCC service from US! You say act like a LCC. How can you when the pax will not accept change. All you hear on here is complaints about the service.

Oh and by the way.......Southwest is a ghetto airline with usually bottom of the food chain pax. If that is what you like. GO FOR IT!!!!

[post="261204"][/post]​

 

[KCFlyer]

Puhleaze!

The reason that frequent flyers like assigned seating is that we prefer to know before getting to the airport whether we will have a decent seat.

[post="261643"][/post]​

Would you mind if I asked what you do if you look at your reservation and find that you have been assigned the crappiest seat on the aircraft? Does it mean you order up a double at the airport club prior to boarding?

 

[CanyonBlue]

Perhaps you shouldn't be concerned about the "class" of passenger SWA carries. At SWA, they carry any and all PEOPLE, regardless of "status".
I suggest you look at yourselves, and more importantly, your "upper crust" management.
If it makes you feel better, take solace in catering to the privileged and do your little happy dance.
Calling SWA a "ghetto airline" apparently makes you feel superior. Remember this, if your outfit isn't put on a successful course soon, the only ticket you'll be able to afford will be on SWA. Will that make you part of the "ghetto" clientele?
You'll still be welcomed on a SWA flight and treated the same as the well-dressed individual next to you, even if your the unwashed one wearing flip-flops.
Furthermore, if you arrived before they did, you'll have the better seat.

Bottom line: judging a carrier by their passenger demographic is ridiculous. An airline has one mission. Transporting you safely from point A to point B. The fact that SWA does it on-time, comfortably, and with a smile is why they continue to be successful. If your only source of pride is the financial status of your customers, and not your ability to provide timely, courteous service, then perhaps, it is you who operates a "ghetto" airline.

 

[TechBoy]

Would you mind if I asked what you do if you look at your reservation and find that you have been assigned the crappiest seat on the aircraft? Does it mean you order up a double at the airport club prior to boarding?

[post="261693"][/post]​

Yes. Wouldn't you? 😀

Seriously, sometimes I change flights in order to get seats where I stand a reasonable chance of doing some work -- or to get E+ as I usually fly UA. With WN, it's a crapshoot until I actually get on the plane. It makes it very difficult to plan on doing work on the plane.

I think it you polled frequent business travellers, you would find that this matters a lot to them. Doesn't mean that they won't fly WN, particularly when the fare difference is huge. But it's a long term issue for WN if they want to tap greater market share.

 

[Hope777]

Legroom in Y on SWA for the most part does have legroom. Just DO NOT sit in emergency exit room where seats race each other. There is MINIMAL leg room there, unlike U's emergency exit leg room.

And just an FYI, the B737 IS NOT U's smallest aircraft ( and no I am not including the EMB-170 ).

 

[KCFlyer]

Legroom in Y on SWA for the most part does have legroom. Just DO NOT sit in emergency exit room where seats race each other. There is MINIMAL leg room there, unlike U's emergency exit leg room.

And just an FYI, the B737 IS NOT U's smallest aircraft ( and no I am not including the EMB-170 ).

[post="261700"][/post]​

Lounge seating is pretty much a thing of the past. None of the 700's have it, and most of the 300's have been or are in the process of being converted to the new interiors.

 

[TomBascom]

Lounge seating is pretty much a thing of the past. None of the 700's have it, and most of the 300's have been or are in the process of being converted to the new interiors.

[post="261706"][/post]​

Darn! I kind of like it...