1st Q Numbers look great!

[swamt]

Yup, that's it.  Brings back some funny memories.  Had some fun on it thru the long, boring nights at times. LOL.
 
Here's some more positive news from the SWA camp.  I had a complete stranger ask me the other day, "hey, when is SWA gonna start flying to Mex?  I told him we just started this past Sun, but I could not remember from where here in the US (too many new cities being added lately).  I know we have seen this info before, but the 50 destinations I still believe is over the next 5 years, if so that's approx 10 new cities each ans every year.  They will miss the 10 total for 14 by 1, pretty sure that will be fixed following into 2015 once Houston opens up.  The growth looks great, ROIC looks better than great, record numbers in ALL categories.  Just Luv the positive press releases as of late.  Tired of the negative for some time now:-
 
Southwest Airlines Extends International Reach to Mexico

 

[WorldTraveler]

You apparently try really hard to forget that WN's current presence in Latin America is because of the FL merger.

WN will indeed add its own routes to Latin America but for now, WN's presence in Latin America is due to FL.

You would do well to recognize the accomplishments of your merger partner.

 

[does this plane go to paris]

You would do well to recognize the accomplishments of your merger partner.

With that way of thinking you could imply that Delta would be relagated to being a single hub airline based in ATL.  Sure they had a hub in DFW and closed it and CVG is a airline terminal ghost.   Northeastern brought that region in for Delta.  Chicago Southern brought them a hub  in ORD, which they closed.  Western brought in SLC, Pan Am brought in all of those European routes and Northwest gave them MSP and DTW.  The only successful hub that DL ever created was ATL.  Song and Delta Express were horrendous.  Delta needs to thank their merger partners more than any other airline

 

[WorldTraveler]

It is not that DL "did it on its own" but rather that simple gratitude requires acknowledging that merger partners played a key role in making DL what it is today.

DL is hardly the only airline that has merged.

And I have acknowledged the contributions that all of DL's merger partners have brought to the game.

I am simply saying that for now, talk about what WN is doing in Latin America really involves taking over what FL started and making a few minor tweaks.

WN will make its mark in Latin America in time.

 

[WNMECH]

It is not that DL "did it on its own" but rather that simple gratitude requires acknowledging that merger partners played a key role in making DL what it is today.

DL is hardly the only airline that has merged.

And I have acknowledged the contributions that all of DL's merger partners have brought to the game.

I am simply saying that for now, talk about what WN is doing in Latin America really involves taking over what FL started and making a few minor tweaks.

WN will make its mark in Latin America in time.

 
I don't consider WN spending over $150 million building an international terminal in Houston, or spending all the money on Amadeus minor tweeks.
The stories I read about our first international flights usually say they are just converted AirTran routes but that is just the first part of the whole process that is going on, not the whole thing.

 

[WorldTraveler]

and there hasn't been a single flight leave from that terminal yet, has there?

I never said that WN is not investing to operate its own int'l network - but for now, it is converted FL service.

The fact that WN had to finally spend money on a res system that is capable of pricing int'l itineraries does not increase or decrease what FL did up to this point; it simply provides a platform that WN can use to build its own system in the future.

 

[robbedagain]

Swamt or wn I had the pleasure of flying SWA this morning 2231 and I noticed the safety card says 737-300 737-500 n had the blended winglets Did SW convert the 300 and the 500 or whats the difference BTW love the leather seats excellent. Flight down to MCO

 

[blue collar]

Swamt or wn I had the pleasure of flying SWA this morning 2231 and I noticed the safety card says 737-300 737-500 n had the blended winglets Did SW convert the 300 and the 500 or whats the difference BTW love the leather seats excellent. Flight down to MCO

None of the -500s have winglets, only -300s.

 

[robbedagain]

Ok thanks.

 

[swamt]

Here we "grow" again, stock on its way to 32, and we are the first to offer free bags and no fees for international flights.  
 
Southwest's Expanding International Service Will Lift Its Growth In The Coming Years

 

[WorldTraveler]

uh, most US airlines allow some free baggage allowance for int'l flights... some countries/airlines allow 2 bags that weigh more than what is allowed domestically, so, no, WN will not be the first to offer free bags on int'l flights.

 

[does this plane go to paris]

Does Delta, the airline that cures cancer allow Customers to change their International itinerary without a change fee?

 

[WorldTraveler]

cure cancer? wow..... probably not, but they, like AA and UA do carry tens of thousands of bags around the world FREE every day.

here is AA's chart showing worldwide baggage allowances...

http://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/aacom_services_charges.jsp?anchorEvent=false&from=footer

and

DL's
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/baggage/before-your-trip/checked.html?icid=Policy_Ck_Baggage_Ongoing

in AA's parlance, note the number of times the word "complimentary" appears; in DL's lingo, the word is "FREE"

UA uses a different system to display baggage information but the principle is still the same.

DL won't cure cancer but they, like AA and UA have been carrying free bags on int'l flights far longer than WN has even been in existence.

So, if WN is counting on FREE BAGS as a differentiating factor in the marketplace, they might be disappointed to find that some free baggage allowance is the norm on int'l flights - including to Mexico and the Caribbean where free bags are part of the package and where WN's growth will be most focused.

And if WN decides to venture to Brazil, they better be prepared to haul 2 70 lb bags per person FOR FREE (those are the little red suitcases on DL's chart).


Since Wall Street is hot on B6's case to start collecting first baggage charges within the US, I'm betting that it won't be long before they start putting the same pressure on WN.

 

[does this plane go to paris]

cure cancer? wow..... probably not, but they, like AA and UA do carry tens of thousands of bags around the world FREE every day.

here is AA's chart showing worldwide baggage allowances...

http://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/aacom_services_charges.jsp?anchorEvent=false&from=footer

and

DL's
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/baggage/before-your-trip/checked.html?icid=Policy_Ck_Baggage_Ongoing

in AA's parlance, note the number of times the word "complimentary" appears; in DL's lingo, the word is "FREE"

UA uses a different system to display baggage information but the principle is still the same.

DL won't cure cancer but they, like AA and UA have been carrying free bags on int'l flights far longer than WN has even been in existence.

So, if WN is counting on FREE BAGS as a differentiating factor in the marketplace, they might be disappointed to find that some free baggage allowance is the norm on int'l flights - including to Mexico and the Caribbean where free bags are part of the package and where WN's growth will be most focused.

And if WN decides to venture to Brazil, they better be prepared to haul 2 70 lb bags per person FOR FREE (those are the little red suitcases on DL's chart).


Since Wall Street is hot on B6's case to start collecting first baggage charges within the US, I'm betting that it won't be long before they start putting the same pressure on WN.

Show me in my question to you where I was asking about carrying free bags.  Are you in a dance around the question as you normally are when confronted with such simple yet easy questions?  My question to you was the Change Fee's.  I happen to believe that by having these Customer friendly polices have driven more customers to WN than nickeling and dimeing them to death.  If you don't want to answer what Delta charges in fees to change an International Itinerary don't reply.

 

[WorldTraveler]

I was replying to this comment which was posted before your comment about cancer which neither DL or WN treat or cure.
 

Here we "grow" again, stock on its way to 32, and we are the first to offer free bags and no fees for international flights.  
 
Southwest's Expanding International Service Will Lift Its Growth In The Coming Years

I addressed the bags issue. It is factually inaccurate that WN will be the first carrier to offer free bags for international flights.

WN doesn't and won't offer no fees either. International travel is full of fees.

If he is talking about change fees, then WN might offer a higher percentage of fares that allow changes than the legacy carriers do but I'm not really sure that a lack of change fees is a big purchase driver for the leisure oriented markets in Latin America and the Caribbean where WN will be most likely to increase their service.

Again, also, look at the pressure that Wall Street is putting on Jet Blue for adopting customer friendly policies and practices at the expense of revenue maximization.

They will come after WN in time and WN mgmt. knows the amount of revenue that is being left on the table.

Right now, WN is maintaining its historic customer service policies because it is in a growth mode in new markets.

As WN stabilizes in the market, they will have no choice but to do what maximizes revenue, esp. if the want to placate their labor groups with increased salaries and revenue for the amount of bags that WN carriers for free compared to other carriers.