Business Travelers Like Wn? Say It Isn't So....

[ELP_WN_Psgr]

I am posting this found on another airline board. I found it interesting that the airline that business travelers won't fly ranks third in being mentioned as business traveler's favorite carrier.

I know Bob & Art (from the US boards) won't buy into this, but it is thought provoking nonetheless.

Good to hear that despite the times, people look past financial performance to determine what airline they fly.


http://ypbr.ypbri.com/page_loader.ph...v4&...wsletter&curr=1



Business travelers still prefer the “legacy carriers†when it comes time to hit the road, but one low-cost carrier, Southwest, now ranks among the top five preferred airline brands according to the YPB&R/Yankelovich Partners 2005 National Business Travel Monitor™. And although its recent financial performance has been the subject of critical coverage in the business press, Delta still reigns as the preferred airline for business travelers as reflected in the following table:


AIRLINE PERCENT MENTIONS
Delta 52%
American 42%
Southwest 39%
United 29%
Northwest 20%
*Percentage of active business travelers who mentioned the airline as among their “preferred three†when traveling for business.

Interestingly, respondents display no significant difference in measured preference for the “legacy†airline brands by either age or household income, suggesting that every traditional market segment is now “fair game†for airline marketers.

When it comes to the services and amenities sought from an airline by business travelers, the “basics†rise to the top. Specifically, 92% of business travelers mention “excellent safety record,†and “regularly departs on time.†Another 91% mention “friendly and efficient service,†and 88% site “ample leg room†(up from 83% in 2004, a statistically significant increase). Fully 83% of business travelers expect to receive discounts for advance reservations, 72% expect upgrades for frequent flyers, and 72% express an interest in airline programs that permit “at the counter redemption of frequent flyer miles for upgrades†(up from 65% in 2004). And although a distant memory, fully 61% of business travelers site “at least a snack, not just a beverage†on every flight, 54% mention “a selection of several movies†(up from 40% in 2004) and 44% mention “in-flight television broadcasts†(up from 37% in 2004). Just over one-third (36%) of business travelers now mention in-flight Internet access as an amenity of interest, up from 27% last year.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the greatest differences in what business travelers look for in an airline are evident across generational groups, with “GenXers†far more likely than “Boomers†or “Matures†to express interest in “in-flight power connections for laptop computers,†“in-flight telephone service,†“a selection of several movies,†“in-flight television broadcasts†and “in-flight Internet access.†Matures (those born in 1945 or prior) are most likely to express concern about the airline's safety record (99%).

 

[JS]

It makes sense to me. You can count me as one of the converted in the last few years. I have left US Airways and am not going back.

That doesn't mean I'm in favor of Southwest's plan to monopolize Love Field, though. Move to DFW dammit.

 

[corl737]

That doesn't mean I'm in favor of Southwest's plan to monopolize Love Field, though. Move to DFW dammit.

FYI, JS, Southwest doesn't have any intention of creating a monopoly at Love. Their purpose in repealing the Wright Amendment is purely to open the airport up to additional opportunities. They knew full well that the risk of repeal was the increase in competition.

Just today AirTran indicated an interest in making flights into Love Field. Southwest responded with this quote from the article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram [free registration]:

Southwest spokesman Ed Stewart said his airline would welcome competition from AirTran. "That's beautiful," he said. "We have nothing but love for AirTran."

Sure doesn't sound like the voice of someone trying to avoid competition, does it?

Keep on flyin SWA in the meantime, ok? Thanks!

 

[JS]

If you guys are going to fly out of alternate airports to avoid delays, why in the world do you fly to PHL? I HATE flying to PHL, although it is a little less painful on Southwest than it is on US Airways. Fly to TTN or Wilmington, DE (ILG?). DFW is a walk in the park compared to PHL!

 

[corl737]

If you guys are going to fly out of alternate airports to avoid delays, why in the world do you fly to PHL?

PHL was the perfect market for SWA. It had a huge passenger base that was terribly overpriced by a less than admired dominate carrier. Within a year SWA has generated 46 nonstop flights a day to 17 cities making PHL the fasting growing new market in SWA history. In this case, the delays, while miserable, were acceptable in the big picture.

Note the flight schedule times for PHL -> PIT are 1:20. In reality, only about 40 minutes of flying is required from takeoff to landing. The rest is padding to reflect the PHL delays. Every carrier knows what the problems are and tries to add the estimated delay into the published schedule to achieve better "on time" performance. The goal is to balance "on time" vs. aircraft utilization. SWA schedules very tightly to get more flights/aircraft and keep costs lower. An airline that consistently has over 85% "on time" either has no variables (Hawaiian rarely has any weather to deal with between the west coast and Hawaii) or isn't being efficient with their assets.

I HATE flying to PHL, although it is a little less painful on Southwest than it is on US Airways. ... DFW is a walk in the park compared to PHL!

I dislike flying into PHL, too! And while DFW is a "park" it is an extremely large-acerage park that makes for a very lengthy drive in that park!

 

[JS]

I dislike flying into PHL, too! And while DFW is a "park" it is an extremely large-acerage park that makes for a very lengthy drive in that park!

[post="284242"][/post]​

A drive in a large park at 20 MPH sure beats a drive in a small park at 5 MPH, 0, 5, 0, 5, 0, ..., 45 minutes later, you're done.

 

[luvn737s]

I just saw the new announcement about WN's in-flight entertainment: Beginning in October, they are printing still frames on the edges of each page of the Spirit magazine so that when you flip the pages fast enough, you get to see a cat do a somersault, or a clown ride a motorcycle. The cartoons are scheduled to change each month.

Ride Southwest PHL-PHX. The Official Airline of "Are We There Yet?"

 

[tug_slug]

I just saw the new announcement about WN's in-flight entertainment: Beginning in October, they are printing still frames on the edges of each page of the Spirit magazine so that when you flip the pages fast enough, you get to see a cat do a somersault, or a clown ride a motorcycle. The cartoons are scheduled to change each month.

Ride Southwest PHL-PHX. The Official Airline of "Are We There Yet?"

[post="284272"][/post]​

From what I understand US Airways were thinking of doing something similar but half the magazines were missing and the ones that were there the pages were stuck together from all the filth.

Rather then fix the problem management said screw it gave them selves a raise and went and played a round of golf. :blink:

 

[jimntx]

And while DFW is a "park" it is an extremely large-acerage park that makes for a very lengthy drive in that park!

[post="284242"][/post]​

Now, that's something that you and I can agree on without reservation! Earlier this year I was on a flight that it took us longer to get from touchdown to the gate than it took us to get from SAT to DFW! (Of course, part of that was waiting on a gate during bad weather, but...)