Southwest is the best

[Lookingforfacts]

I fly SW. I generally like SW.

 

I'll give some negatives not already covered. Bad weather cancels flights. SW will almost never endorse your ticket over to another carrier.

 

Travel during a busy period, such as Presidents week, and you may be waiting days for an open flight. SW is not very generous with what they offer passengers to accept a bump. Anyone flying on a reward (frequent flyer) ticket is crazy to accept a bump. SW won't overbook to protect a displaced passenger. They use terms like priority standby which won't help you if the rest of the flights that day are also overbooked.

[greatam]

Just checked Southwest, Northwest and United fares from Minneapolis to Denver for October. Identical fares for all three airlines, all three offer non-stop flights. And this fare is CHEAPER than the other carriers were offering several months ago (was $50 higher BEFORE Southwest opened their schedule and fares for this route).

 

-no checked baggage fees with Southwest

 

-if price goes down even further, 100% of the price decrease is issued in the form of a credit, which ANYONE can use, not just the original passenger (legacy carriers charge $150 fee and only the original passenger can use the credit).

 

No Kool-Aid here, just taking advantage of sensible business practices.

 

Let's have a FAIR price comparison. SW just started the MSP/DEN route this week. They have been running CHEAP intro fares for the last month.

 

SW has been marketing the MSP arrival for about 6 months with dirt cheap fares. So yes, the other airlines "matched". NO surprises there-part of the "SW effect". The other part is once the intro fares are over and market share is made, people BELIEVE SW still has the lowest price. And THAT little bit of marketing genius is the catch. Wait for SW, get burned on the price.

 

Pick a route long established like Chicago/Florida or Dallas/Chicago to compare prices. THEN tell me about the great prices on SW.

[greatam]

Another option is to book a Business Select ticket. Not only are you the first to be called (getting your choice of seats up front) but you can also earn 1.5 or 2 full airline credits vs. the 1 you would normally get. It does cost a bit more but definitely worth it IMO.

 

A "bit more"???? On quite a few city pairs, the business select tickets are at least DOUBLE the price of the cheapest ticket. So you get two full credits-so what. And you get a "premium" drink. Whoop-ti-do. You could have purchased two of the cheapest seats, PAID for quite a few "premium" drinks and still saved money. PLUS you get two seats. MUCH better alternative.

[frugaltravel]

I sense "legacy carrier Kool Aid." :D

[greatam]

I sense "legacy carrier Kool Aid." :D

 

Oh, no!!! I do this stuff for a living, moving millions of pounds of freight worldwide and well over 800 "people" trips per year. And since I own the company, I am VERY cognizant of not only the bottom line fare differences but all the ramifications of the intangibles.

 

Your answer only proves you can't provide specifics about SW fares vs legacy carriers and the "perception" of "lowest cost carrier". Not even taking into consideration all the "intangibles" which are lacking on SW.

[billyjeff]

Why I like Southwest has very little to do with price -- it has everything to do with how they treat their customers. One case in point, we were connecting in Baltimore for our evening flight to Louisville. There were storms in the east and midwest. Our plane to Louisville was flying in from Chicago. Naturally there were delays in Chicago.

 

Southwest was right on top of it. They informed passengers of the delays, the reason for the delays, told us where the incoming plane was, gave us the status of that flight. Most importantly, Southwest told us that the plane would fly to Louisville that evening. Did not know when or what time we would arrive. But everyone knew then not to worry. Did not have to think about a hotel, another flight. So there was no anxiety and no angry passengers.

 

Southwest informed us when the plane left Chicago and kept us apprised on its status. And we did fly to Louisville - it was late but we got there.

 

That is why I fly Southwest whenever I can, whether I am paying for it or whether it is a business trip.

[frugaltravel]

Why I like Southwest has very little to do with price -- it has everything to do with how they treat their customers. One case in point, we were connecting in Baltimore for our evening flight to Louisville. There were storms in the east and midwest. Our plane to Louisville was flying in from Chicago. Naturally there were delays in Chicago.

 

Southwest was right on top of it. They informed passengers of the delays, the reason for the delays, told us where the incoming plane was, gave us the status of that flight. Most importantly, Southwest told us that the plane would fly to Louisville that evening. Did not know when or what time we would arrive. But everyone knew then not to worry. Did not have to think about a hotel, another flight. So there was no anxiety and no angry passengers.

 

Southwest informed us when the plane left Chicago and kept us apprised on its status. And we did fly to Louisville - it was late but we got there.

 

That is why I fly Southwest whenever I can, whether I am paying for it or whether it is a business trip.

 

Sounds like "intangibles" to me :D

[Lookingforfacts]

Oh, no!!! I do this stuff for a living, moving millions of pounds of freight worldwide and well over 800 "people" trips per year. And since I own the company, I am VERY cognizant of not only the bottom line fare differences but all the ramifications of the intangibles.

 

Your answer only proves you can't provide specifics about SW fares vs legacy carriers and the "perception" of "lowest cost carrier". Not even taking into consideration all the "intangibles" which are lacking on SW.

 

Legacy airlines work well for passengers who fly enough to earn elite status.

 

Even the cheapest SW DING fare gives a passenger who is a "no show" a full credit. A credit which doesn't have to used by the original passenger.

 

SW works great for passengers who want to take advantage of discounted fares but want the flexibility to change their reservations without change fees.

[pcur]

SW works great for passengers who want to take advantage of discounted fares but want the flexibility to change their reservations without change fees.

 

Which I just did about 15 minutes ago! Had to cancel last night, talked to my son regarding alternate dates, found one that worked for everyone, rebooked, used my ticketless travel funds from yesterday's cancellation, and we're set to go.

 

Oh, yeah, DH's flight will get him a free roundtrip once we're back, and mine moves me towards another one, because we use our SW Visa.

 

It's win-win for us.

 

I have no problem with seating, by the way. They don't fly longer than 4-ish hours, and I take my Bose headphones. I don't care where I sit. Only I will avoid the first row, because I got royally fried on this board for putting my personal belongings under my seat (when there was NO WHERE else within my eyesight, and my jewelry wasn't going in the hold as a gatecheck. But, that's off topic and another story!)

[frugaltravel]

Which I just did about 15 minutes ago! Had to cancel last night, talked to my son regarding alternate dates, found one that worked for everyone, rebooked, used my ticketless travel funds from yesterday's cancellation, and we're set to go.

 

Oh, yeah, DH's flight will get him a free roundtrip once we're back, and mine moves me towards another one, because we use our SW Visa.

 

It's win-win for us.

 

I have no problem with seating, by the way. They don't fly longer than 4-ish hours, and I take my Bose headphones. I don't care where I sit. Only I will avoid the first row, because I got royally fried on this board for putting my personal belongings under my seat (when there was NO WHERE else within my eyesight, and my jewelry wasn't going in the hold as a gatecheck. But, that's off topic and another story!)

 

I rarely fly Southwest due to their route structure but I have absolutely nothing against them, like some people on this board. "Different strokes for different folks." That's why there is both vanilla and chocolate :)

 

But hmm, putting personal belongings in the space that is meant for the person behind you, yes, I would get a little upset with that too if I were the person behind you. First row passengers have the seat pocket in front of them or the overhead bins. Alaska Air is good about that - they reserve the very first bin for such "bulkhead row" passengers. So no need to gate check your jewelry, just put it in the bin right above your seat.

[pcur]

But hmm, putting personal belongings in the space that is meant for the person behind you, yes, I would get a little upset with that too if I were the person behind you. First row passengers have the seat pocket in front of them or the overhead bins. Alaska Air is good about that - they reserve the very first bin for such "bulkhead row" passengers. So no need to gate check your jewelry, just put it in the bin right above your seat.

 

 

Sigh.....I know. I was in Group C and the overhead bin hogs had been having a wild party before I got on. There was no space overhead, and I could see my wallet and stuff was going to go half a plane behind me, so I did the bad thing. I have been duly chastised, and on my honor will never-ever-ever do it again. :o

[tiyana4]

A "bit more"???? On quite a few city pairs, the business select tickets are at least DOUBLE the price of the cheapest ticket. So you get two full credits-so what. And you get a "premium" drink. Whoop-ti-do. You could have purchased two of the cheapest seats, PAID for quite a few "premium" drinks and still saved money. PLUS you get two seats. MUCH better alternative.

 

I could have sworn I mentioned that Business Select was an OPTION. No, not everyone is willing to pay more for priority seating... some do. For those that do, that's their preference. If you prefer waiting until 24 hrs prior to flight time trying to get a boarding pass for section A or B seating, this is also an option. It comes down to convenience and what people are willing to pay for that convenience. It's the same reason other airlines charge extra for more leg room ($39 and up each way).

BTW, the pricing I have seen varies greatly depending on the day of travel (mid-week or weekend), the difference between a "Ding" or "Get Away" fare (which are generally limited sale fares), "Anytime fares" and of course the itinerary. There is generally very little difference ($15-20)between "Anytime Fares" and "Business Select". Perhaps pricing in the midwest is significantly higher than that on the East Coast.

[UpstateCruizer]

I had the same experience, but since I do not fly a lot I was not sure I would get to use my credit. My daughter needed to fly and she was able to use my credit for her ticket. No problem and I got the frequent flyer miles.

 

We too got the wonderful surprise of finding this out yesterday!! I decided to add my son in on our Miracle cruise as a surprise for him. On our last cruise one of the ladies in our group mentioned that SouthWest gives credit for price drops. I had no idea they did that. I saw a price drop one day and they gave me the credit. I figured we'd never use it since it had to be used by April 2010.

 

When I called yesterday to see if I could have it applied to a ticket I wanted to purchase for my son they walked me through the steps to do it online. It was cheaper to purchase the ticket online. Getting the $52 credit may not seem like much but it sure was a nice surprise :)

[UpstateCruizer]

I rarely fly Southwest due to their route structure but I have absolutely nothing against them, like some people on this board. "Different strokes for different folks." That's why there is both vanilla and chocolate :)

 

But hmm, putting personal belongings in the space that is meant for the person behind you, yes, I would get a little upset with that too if I were the person behind you. First row passengers have the seat pocket in front of them or the overhead bins. Alaska Air is good about that - they reserve the very first bin for such "bulkhead row" passengers. So no need to gate check your jewelry, just put it in the bin right above your seat.

 

Are you serious about the over head space?? I've seen people shoving their bags in any available space they can find. Back when I never used the over head bin there was always someone's carry on in the space where our seat was located. I never gave it a second thought. I figured the space was there for anyone who needed it. Since the added bag fees have started we have only taken one trip where we actually had a bag to put in the overhead bin. If there was already a bag there I would have pushed mine to the next available space. I did not realize that over head bins were alloted for the passengers sitting in the seats directly under them.

 

With the added bag fees I've seen those over head bins crammed full. The flight attendants are always looking for open spaces to put someones bags. Often times it's the seats where we are sitting since we don't use the space. I could care less since it seems silly to want "my space" that I'm not even using.

 

What I do find insane is when they make repeated announcements that over head space is limited and to please place all bags that will fit under the seat in front of you and do not use overhead bins for jackets .....there are always several suit jackets up there. I did see on a recent United flight the attendant asked the gentleman sitting there to remove his suit coat and place it under the seat or on the back of his seat.

 

I guess I don't fly often enough to see much of the issues many see that frequently fly. I'm lucky in that area~! :)

[6rugrats]

I did not realize that over head bins were alloted for the passengers sitting in the seats directly under them.

 

They aren't. You may place your bag in any open spot; you just are supposed to keep your bag in your ticketed cabin (as in don't put your bag up in F if you are ticketed in economy). It can be a free for all.

[UpstateCruizer]

They aren't. You may place your bag in any open spot; you just are supposed to keep your bag in your ticketed cabin (as in don't put your bag up in F if you are ticketed in economy). It can be a free for all.

 

Thanks for clearing that up. :)

[trevor182]

Oh, no!!! I do this stuff for a living, moving millions of pounds of freight worldwide and well over 800 "people" trips per year. And since I own the company, I am VERY cognizant of not only the bottom line fare differences but all the ramifications of the intangibles.

 

Your answer only proves you can't provide specifics about SW fares vs legacy carriers and the "perception" of "lowest cost carrier". Not even taking into consideration all the "intangibles" which are lacking on SW.

Apples and oranges. SWA isn't an international carrier. They have direct flights where legacy carriers force you to change planes at a hub to reach your final destination. If I can save 2 or 3 hours versus a carrier that gives me the perks of status, it's worth it to me. Time is money in my world.

 

Open seating has its ups and downs, but it always amazes me that the legacy airlines can't figure out how to load a plane and be off the ground in a short period of time the way SWA can.

[tatay]

I am not a frequent flyer (2 or 3 per year) and SW works very well for me. I have not had a negative experience overall.

I booked our August flights (4 tickets) once the schedule opened to make sure I get the direct flights. The next day there was a price drop and the adjustment was credited to my credit card. Since then there has been 2 drops and I now have $100 for future booking.

 

6 months ago, I flew with Delta (LGA to YYZ) and they misplaced my luggage. I had to wait 36 hours before they can deliver.:mad:

[frugaltravel]

I did not realize that over head bins were alloted for the passengers sitting in the seats directly under them.

 

As already stated, they are not. Only Alaska Air has one overhead bin door labeled for those in the first row of first class and the first row of economy class for those sitting in those rows. I have never heard of another airline doing that.

 

But the space under the seat in front of you is allotted for the passenger who is sitting behind that seat, not for the one sitting in that seat. That is why someone in a bulkhead or exit row has no space underneath a seat for carry ons.