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http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2...ing-line.html/
As Southwest continues the transformation from point-to-point service carrier to a hub-spoke carrier, higher profit products will be offered. First class, Business class whatever it is called, SW system has become too big. The airline's highest volume routes will eventually have high priced seats that are much more comfortable, with much more roomy and with a higher level of service from attendants.By Sheryl Jean
January 21, 2013
Southwest Airlines Co. is letting customers to move to the front of the line when boarding planes – for a fee.
Starting today, the Dallas-based carrier is letting travelers buy one of the earliest boarding positions – in the coveted “A” boarding group — for $40 per flight when available.
The mediator between the head and the hands must be the heart.
lol
"Liberalism: Moochers Electing Looters to Steal from Producers."
I get how unlikely (impossible) my observations are, and that is pretty funny, but the continued evolution of SW points directly to additional premium services and products. After decades of touting the intentional omission of a reserved seating, Southwest now sells reserved seating - it's packaged differently, called something else, and much more flexible than the traditional seating chart, but the product is essential the same. After decades of making a difference by using smaller airport and focusing on point-to-point tickets, SW now operates transfer hubs. The company will have to offer premium cabin amenities to keep making money.
The mediator between the head and the hands must be the heart.
You are correct about SWA changing in a changing world. Starting after 9/11 all the US airlines were forced to change, some adapted to the changed world better than others. With over 600 aircraft, a huge increase in the number of cites served, upcoming International operations high fuel costs, of course SWA has changed.....but not their core values, and not their cooperate culture. And to realize they now have fewer employees per aircraft than they did in 2001.Originally Posted by tamtagon
Recently SWA figured out a good way to add 6 seats to each 137 seat 737-700 without cutting into the space of any passenger. That expensive retrofit continues because it will make a rapid return on investment, and it was at a time many aircraft were coming due for a refresh of the interior. Millions are being spent on removing the first class seating from AirTran 737s and configuring them to match the rest of the SWA fleet. The new 737-800s and the new 737-800 ETOPS aircraft are being delivered with basically the same seating as the rest of the refreshed fleet, just more of them. The 737-Max will be the same. So I laugh out loud each time you write about bigger, fewer seats on a SWA 737.
In fact I say the chances of other airlines removing big seats is far far higher than SWA putting them in.
"Liberalism: Moochers Electing Looters to Steal from Producers."
The responsive, customer-oriented and rock solid core values is why Southwest is such a great company. It's also why, one day, they will find a way to deliver premium in-flight amenities at a lower cost than the remnant legacy airlines and with higher customer satisfaction. Thanks for the reminder about Southwest. Maybe they'll use different planes...?... of course SWA has changed.....but not their core values, and not their cooperate culture. ... So I laugh out loud each time you write about bigger, fewer seats on a SWA 737.In fact I say the chances of other airlines removing big seats is far far higher than SWA putting them in.
Southwest may not be the company to pioneer the "New Millineal(?)" premium seating, but just like SWA brought affordability to air travel, someone will bring affordability to first class service. It's not just the airline industry that needs to correct the legacy carrier first class pricing, the smaller, in town airports like Love Field will call for the change.
The mediator between the head and the hands must be the heart.
I am over six foot and have wide shoulders, I always board the plane last and try to have aisle seat. Reason being I hate having everyone and their carry on hit my shoulder as they walk past me and I have a few drinks on the flight so I will prob have to get up to use the restroom. SW "reserved seating" as you call it does me no good. I can either board early and get an aisle seat and have everyone and their bag hit my shoulder, or I can board last and have a middle seat at the rear of the plane. Every other airline, I pick my seat before the flight, board last and get the seat I wanted.
It's packaged differently, called something else and much more flexible because it is NOT reserved seating in any sense of the term.
It is tiresome and rude when people insist on injecting truculent political expressions in what should be apolitical settings.
Paying $40 extra for a chance to get the seat you want.....
The mediator between the head and the hands must be the heart.
Again, not reserved seating. As your own posts says, paying the extra $40 only gets you a chance to get the seat you want. You still have to jockey with the other $40 payers and, even then, if it's not the first flight of the day, the seat you want might already be occupied by a through-passenger.
It is tiresome and rude when people insist on injecting truculent political expressions in what should be apolitical settings.
This will suck for any passengers who are boarding a plane that originated in Dallas. Often times, when a DAL flight lands at it's first stop, half of the plane is still full of connecting passengers. I know that I would be a little upset if I paid for that in a city like El Paso and when I got to the plane the entire front half is full of people from DAL who are connecting.
It is not that big a deal. It only applies to the first 15 slots that are often near empty. The price seems pretty close to what business select price is. For that reason, incremental use may not be that much. This way you may get some business travelers whose firms do not allow non-coach fares except international. You buy the ticket on-line with the corp service and then get the boarding priority on your own card.
As an A-List member, this new "product" is really disappointing. The airline will not engender goodwill amongst its most loyal customers by allowing anyone to purchase his way to the front of the line. What should happen, but won't (likely because WN's IT department is still rather antiquated), is A-Listers bumped up to available BS slots and then the airline sells the positions that the A-List members previously held.
Reminds me of a somewhat similar issue: when Southwest started basing frequent-flier rewards on distance rather than trips/legs. Those same "most loyal" cried foul (for good reason), because they were accustomed to racking up loads of free flights shuttling between DAL and HOU (or SAT, AUS, et al.); now, they wouldn't get free flights nearly as quickly.
First, is that the still the case, or was the outcry so great that SWA switched back (or otherwise modified its rewards program)? And second, has there been a lasting effect on the morale of the, to borrow a term, "very heavy users?"
From what I understand, the people buying these boarding slots won't get the other perks that the A-List folks get (drink tix, etc). Not sure about moving the A-Listers up in the order. I will ask.
http://www.southwest.com/html/custom...and_conditions
"Liberalism: Moochers Electing Looters to Steal from Producers."
Thanks for that. It was a lot more information about the specifications than I really needed. But it was helpful and appreciated.
For the second, "softer" part of my original question: What do frequent SWA travellers (new and old) think about the "transition?"
A-List doesn't come with a drink chit, and to me, that's not really a perk, nor would I be offended if someone forking over $40 at the gate received a free drink. The issue is devaluing A-List status by allowing less frequent fliers to "line hop" for a fee. Especially because I'm willing to bet that many of these passengers (e.g. a family of four who decides decides to purchase BS positions at the gate) will not be as efficient at boarding as the passengers directly behind them in A16+.
What Southwest did was to base the amount of points awarded off fare. To me, that's a no-brainer. Obviously your best customers are the ones who spend the most money.
A-List and A-List preferred can be attained from segments, however, even if on quickie "shuttle" flights.
http://www.embraer.com/en-US/Imprens...atos-E175.aspx
Thank good they have something in place to get rid of those raggedy RJs. New livery looks better on this plane.Embraer and Republic Airways Holdings Inc., operator of the largest E-Jets fleet in the world, announced today a contract for the sale of 47 EMBRAER 175 jets. The agreement also includes options for an additional 47 aircraft, providing a potential for 94 E175s, which could reach a total value of approximately USD 4 billion, in 2013 economic conditions, at list price.
The new aircraft will be operated by Republic Airlines, a Republic subsidiary, under American Eagle brand in the American Airlines’ regional network. The deal is subject to court approval which is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2013. The E175 will be featured in a dual-class layout, seating up to 76 passengers and the first delivery is scheduled for mid-2013.
DALLAS –– Analysts warn airfares will likely rise once American finalizes a merger with US Airways to become the largest airline in the country.
“You’re going to be paying, in general, more for your airline tickets,” predicted Rick Seaney with FareCompare.com, an online travel site.
http://www.wfaa.com/news/business/am...190290361.html
"Liberalism: Moochers Electing Looters to Steal from Producers."
Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly recently sat down with VEGAS INC to discuss the airline’s future at McCarran, Southwest’s “bags fly free” program and the strategies the company is taking to stay profitable:
http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2013/fe...res-fees-and-/
"Liberalism: Moochers Electing Looters to Steal from Producers."
Ouch!DALLAS American Airlines flights across the country are grounded because of computer problems.
"We are now in a system-wide ground delay until 4 pm CT as we work to resolve this issue," the carrier said over its Twitter feed. "We apologize for any inconvenience."
American asked the Federal Aviation Administration to halt its flights until 5 p.m. EDT. Flights on regional affiliate American Eagle heading to Dallas, Chicago or New York's LaGuardia Airport have been stopped until 3:30 p.m. EDT.
Some passengers are stuck on planes while others can't make reservations.
Passengers are using social media to flood the airline with complaints.
American Airlines spokesman Kent Powell said Tuesday that the airline is trying to resolve the issues as quickly as it can.
On Twitter, American is sending out apologies but not offering customers much information about when the problem will be fixed.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_1...mputer-outage/
Last edited by TexasPlus; 16 April 2013 at 04:01 PM. Reason: Removed unrelated link
"Liberalism: Moochers Electing Looters to Steal from Producers."
Not long until the -300 -500 will be just a memory.Southwest Airlines to become launch customer for the Boeing 737 Max 7
Southwest Airlines had already placed an order for a bunch of Boeing 737 Max 8 airplanes, the replacement coming in 2017 for the Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft.
But it had not placed an order for the next version of the next size down, the Boeing 737 Max 7. That airplane is comparable to the airplane most common in the Southwest fleet, the Boeing 737-700, which itself was a replacement for an earlier generation, the Boeing 737-300.
In fact, Boeing hadn’t announced any orders to launch the airplane, not until Wednesday when Boeing and Southwest revealed that Southwest will be the launch customer for the 737 Max 7. The first airplanes will arrive in 2019, two years after Southwest gets its first Max 8 aircraft.
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Table of above numbers:
http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2...37-max-7.html/
Last edited by dfwcre8tive; 16 May 2013 at 11:32 AM. Reason: Edit article to only show introduction
"Liberalism: Moochers Electing Looters to Steal from Producers."
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