US should attempt to follow WN's lead

[trvlr64]

Received an email from WN today. It seems they are improving their product to entice the business traveler.

Here are some examples:

Enhanced Boarding – Now when you check in you’ll be assigned a boarding group (A, B, or C) and a position within that group (ex: A32) so there’s no need to wait in line. Simply board the plane when your group is called and find your favorite seat

Business Select – When you purchase this new fare, you can guarantee that you’ll be among the first to board, and you’ll also get extra Rapid Rewards credit and a free drink to boot!

Simplified Fare Choices – Our fare choices are now even simpler! We’ve done the shopping for you, so it’s easy to find the perfect fare to meet all your travel needs. they went from 8 fare classes to 3!
Updated Gate Areas – We’re redesigning our gate areas to give you a more comfortable and productive space that will include comfy seats, power stations, a family area in which to enjoy those preflight moments!



It seems even WN knows they have to compete for the business traveler while US continues to drive them away.

Interesting. And I especially like this.......

http://www.southwest.com/fares/pop_fareCompare.html

 

[PHX PHLyer]

Received an email from WN today. It seems they are improving their product to entice the business traveler.

Here are some examples:

Enhanced Boarding – Now when you check in you’ll be assigned a boarding group (A, B, or C) and a position within that group (ex: A32) so there’s no need to wait in line. Simply board the plane when your group is called and find your favorite seat

Business Select – When you purchase this new fare, you can guarantee that you’ll be among the first to board, and you’ll also get extra Rapid Rewards credit and a free drink to boot!

Simplified Fare Choices – Our fare choices are now even simpler! We’ve done the shopping for you, so it’s easy to find the perfect fare to meet all your travel needs. they went from 8 fare classes to 3!
Updated Gate Areas – We’re redesigning our gate areas to give you a more comfortable and productive space that will include comfy seats, power stations, a family area in which to enjoy those preflight moments!
It seems even WN knows they have to compete for the business traveler while US continues to drive them away.

Interesting. And I especially like this.......

http://www.southwest.com/fares/pop_fareCompare.html

It's a smart business move for them, but it doesn't necessarily mean that what they are offering is better.

They say "enhanced boarding" so that you can board when you are called....the only problem is....what if you are like me and don't like to be the first to board the plane? On US I can board into my exit row, aisle seat, bulkhead, or even first class seat when I am the last person on the plane to board. On WN, I would be stuck in the back middle. If I am taking a long flight...I don't always want to rush on a plane to just be on it longer than the 5 hours I will already be in the air.

"Business Select Fare" says that you get to board first, extra reward credits, and a free drink. But I can pay a leisure fare on US if I want and my status can get me anywhere from an exit row to a first class seat (which would have free booze, snack basket, and possibly a meal). I also automatically earn extra mileage for flying US based on my status regardless of what kind if fare I buy.....and once again board whenever I want and not have to worry about getting a crappy seat.

And that "Simplified Fare Structure" does not mean that there are only 3 fares available for purchase on each flight....it means that based on the type of fare that you buy (which can have several subclasses within it) that you are eligible to get different perks like priority boarding, better reward credits and free booze. But once again, I can get all of that regardless of whether I am buying a $49 leisure fare or a $400 business fare.

And the gate redesign is a nice feature...but the thought of building a family play area so that kids have even more things to play with and scream about makes me want no part of a boarding area with a playground. Powerports would definitely be a nice feature. And I happen to think that the redesigned gates at Philly are just fine.

 

[N965VJ]

Business Select; now where have I heard that before?

 

[FlyGuyBWI]

Shouldn't we have some sort of copyright or trademark on that product name -- short-lived and problematic as it was.

 

[SS255]

Updated Gate Areas – We’re redesigning our gate areas to give you a more comfortable and productive space that will include comfy seats, power stations, a family area in which to enjoy those preflight moments!

Interesting. I believe WN shares some gates at LAX with US. I wonder if they're going to "re-design" any of the gates they share with US. And imagine how incongruous T-1 at LAX will look with half the gates "re-designed" and the other half shabby?

 

[BoeingBoy]

Shouldn't we have some sort of copyright or trademark on that product name -- short-lived and problematic as it was.

US did as of the filing for BK2 - it was listed among all the other assets. Don't know what's happened since.

Jim

 

[SKY HIGH]

It's a smart business move for them, but it doesn't necessarily mean that what they are offering is better.

sky high states: Bingo! Ok, we're talking about ROAD WARRIORS here. Where's the power port to work inflight? Where's the Movie for intertainment? Where's the value in their FF program/no partners? Where's the possibility of Upgrading to business or first class?

What WN is finally realizing is that many passengers HATE TO STAND in their A, B, C lines. Older, more mature passengers arrive early to the airport, only to lose their ability to board early because they cant stand for an hour or two before the flight leaves. They take the seats in the boarding area. You see people sitting on the dirty floor in line to board WN flights. How attractive. Also during boarding, passengers lay down in an entire row, so passengers boarding are forced to look elsewhere for seating on half full flights.
LOL, I'd like to see them change the gate areas. Sheeshhh, it looks like a refugee camp with most laying on the floor.

only stating opinions

 

[BoeingBoy]

Where's the power port to work inflight?

Certainly not on the East 737's. Or the West fleet. Or USX.

Where's the Movie for intertainment?

Where's the movie on most US flights? On any USX flight?

What WN is finally realizing is that many passengers HATE TO STAND in their A, B, C lines.

Obviously, since they recently changed their boarding procedures. With this additional change, Passengers choosing Business Select won't have to stand in line at all.

Older, more mature passengers arrive early to the airport, only to lose their ability to board early because they cant stand for an hour or two before the flight leaves.

The previous change pretty much eliminated that.

Jim

 

[SKY HIGH]

Certainly not on the East 737's. Or the West fleet. Or USX.
Where's the movie on most US flights? On any USX flight?

sky high states: YOU MISS THE POINT, they do NOT exist on ANY WN AIRCRAFT. EVER.

Is this simple, PAY MORE TO BOARD (first). That's it.

Didnt they have a commercial several years ago, where they made FUN of the legacy carriers for nickel and diming the customer? WHAT'S THIS CALLED?


only stating opinions

 

[US1YFARE]

sky high states: YOU MISS THE POINT, they do NOT exist on ANY WN AIRCRAFT. EVER.

Is this simple, PAY MORE TO BOARD. That's it.

only stating opinions

You can't bash WN on this....at least they are listening to their customers unlike US. It's not like you folks have any decent entertainment or a decent FC to upgrade to. Now, an airline like CO shows a movie between CLE and MCO yet you need to fly to West of Denver to get a movie on US. You need to fly 3 1/2 or 4 hours to get food on US while airlines like CO serve food on flights just 1 1/2 hours as does AA and UA on flights 2 or more hours. US's product stinks. I don't fly WN, but at least they are responding to their customers.

 

[SKY HIGH]

I don't fly WN, but at least they are responding to their customers.

SKY High states: Are they responding to the customer? OR responding to what doesnt work anymore? Or what will make them MONEY? Now, there's a debate!

only stating opinions

 

[phlus2]

It's a smart business move for them, but it doesn't necessarily mean that what they are offering is better.

They say "enhanced boarding" so that you can board when you are called....the only problem is....what if you are like me and don't like to be the first to board the plane? On US I can board into my exit row, aisle seat, bulkhead, or even first class seat when I am the last person on the plane to board. On WN, I would be stuck in the back middle. If I am taking a long flight...I don't always want to rush on a plane to just be on it longer than the 5 hours I will already be in the air.

"Business Select Fare" says that you get to board first, extra reward credits, and a free drink. But I can pay a leisure fare on US if I want and my status can get me anywhere from an exit row to a first class seat (which would have free booze, snack basket, and possibly a meal). I also automatically earn extra mileage for flying US based on my status regardless of what kind if fare I buy.....and once again board whenever I want and not have to worry about getting a crappy seat.

And that "Simplified Fare Structure" does not mean that there are only 3 fares available for purchase on each flight....it means that based on the type of fare that you buy (which can have several subclasses within it) that you are eligible to get different perks like priority boarding, better reward credits and free booze. But once again, I can get all of that regardless of whether I am buying a $49 leisure fare or a $400 business fare.

And the gate redesign is a nice feature...but the thought of building a family play area so that kids have even more things to play with and scream about makes me want no part of a boarding area with a playground. Powerports would definitely be a nice feature. And I happen to think that the redesigned gates at Philly are just fine.

Wow - the Kool Aid just gets better and better.

 

[PHX PHLyer]

Wow - the Kool Aid just gets better and better.

Call it what you want but the fact of the matter is, Southwest wants you to pay more (per flight) for benefits like boarding first, and receiving extra mileage credit. If you don't pay their previous full fare PLUS the extra amount for these new amenities, you can't get the benefits. I can get all of this and more on US when I pay $99 for a flight to Florida.

I don't think the Kool Aid is getting better, I just think everyone on here's sense of being objective and practical has gone to the wasteside in favor of being always negatively partial to US.

 

[US1YFARE]

Call it what you want but the fact of the matter is, Southwest wants you to pay more (per flight) for benefits like boarding first, and receiving extra mileage credit. If you don't pay their previous full fare PLUS the extra amount for these new amenities, you can't get the benefits. I can get all of this and more on US when I pay $99 for a flight to Florida.

I don't think the Kool Aid is getting better, I just think everyone on here's sense of being objective and practical has gone to the wasteside in favor of being always negatively partial to US.

You are so WRONG WRONG WRONG.

US does not give you bonuses (unlike CO, DL, NW, UA, and AA) for flying on high coach fares.

US charges more than its competitors for a subpar product. I won't fly US in Y and US in FC is nothing compared to the big boys.

You've been talking to much to the people in Tempe. Take a careful look at what US is doing and you will see that they are not competitive and it is catching up with them.

And, sky high, you are right...good debate...but the bottom line is WN listened to their customers and US is not.

 

[PHX PHLyer]

You are so WRONG WRONG WRONG.

US does not give you bonuses (unlike CO, DL, NW, UA, and AA) for flying on high coach fares.

Ok, I am talking as a preferred member, I receive extra mileage no matter what fare I pay. So you want to see my mileage bonus for the $89 one-way fares I recently flew from DCA-DFW-DCA?

The fact of the matter is, WN is asking you to PAY MORE to get more mileage and board first priority. If you even pay the previous full fare (which still exists) you don't get any of it....you need to pay the extra on top of that. I always receive a mileage bonus for my patronage and business.....WN will only give it to you if you pay the full fare and then some.