How WN Will Beat US (And Others_

[vantheman63]

Bottom line, Southwest Airlines is the Walmart, or maybe even Target of the industry, and will always be around! Disney is even better example. Kudos to there perks and friendly employees! I want to work for DisneyWorld Airlines someday!!??? 🙂

I actually have a higher opinion of WN then Walmart....and probably Target as well. 😉 Definitely a higher opinion of WN then Walmart.

I haven't been in a Walmart in, probably 10 years...and I don't see myself visiting one anytime soon...

To me, where US management is taking US right now...they remind me more of Walmart or a closeout store.

 

[Travelpro72]

Southwest gets it. PERIOD! ! ! ! They understand their customer and treat their employees with respect. The ONLY lame comment you hear AGAINST Southwest is, "Mmmm hmmm wait until their fuel hedges run out". Listen, they have been profitable for years for a reason. They know the core fundamentals to running a good business. They are fair to the customer, make a profit and have employees that make sure those two things happen. USairways is an absolute joke and defending it will NOT secure your job nor will it make the company appreciate you one bit more. 🙄

 

[KCFlyer]

Southwest gets it. PERIOD! ! ! ! They understand their customer and treat their employees with respect. The ONLY lame comment you hear AGAINST Southwest is, "Mmmm hmmm wait until their fuel hedges run out". Listen, they have been profitable for years for a reason. They know the core fundamentals to running a good business. They are fair to the customer, make a profit and have employees that make sure those two things happen. USairways is an absolute joke and defending it will NOT secure your job nor will it make the company appreciate you one bit more. 🙄

Something else that is overlooked. While the other airlines are in a race to the bottom in the "leisure fare" tickets (which more businesses are taking advantage of), Southwest has quietly raised their refundable fares from a max of $300 each way to $387 ($412 for business select). They still carry more full fare paying passengers than any of the other airlines. Meanwhile, in arguments against Southwest, there is the ever popular "Southwest isn't always the lowest"....as if somehow that's a bad thing.

 

[WCT]

I actually have a higher opinion of WN then Walmart....and probably Target as well. 😉 Definitely a higher opinion of WN then Walmart.

I haven't been in a Walmart in, probably 10 years...and I don't see myself visiting one anytime soon...

To me, where US management is taking US right now...they remind me more of Walmart or a closeout store.

Walmart is not US! Target IS, remember higher RASM??? hmmm. The thrill gets me everytime. Target makes you think you are shopping cheaper!?? US anyone? I want Southwest to merge with the Disney franchise, and take over the WORLD!!

 

[hp_fa]

I just made a post in another thread that tracks with what Piney is saying and rather than repost those thoughts I will link the post here. When I posted there I had not seen the current discussion in this thread so I had not seen how this discussion was transpiring.

 

[sharktooth]

There are thousands of years of hatred here - no amount of talking is going to work.

OT, just one thought.

Iran does not like the warmonger actions of the government of Israel. Some 70% of Israelis do not like the warmonger actions of their own government. Israel has hundreds of nukes. Iran has none.

If interested further, read Seymour Hersh at: Preparing the Battlefield

 

[diogenes]

Because Ted Kennedy doesn't want the view from his deck in Hyannis spoiled by drilling rigs. :down:

Lil Bush's brother wasn't too keen on it, either.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8061702126.html

 

[Edward]

Folks lets get this one back to the original topic otherwise it will be moving to the Water Cooler.

 

[spike99]

WN will continue to outperform all other airlines because they have a company which is vested in it's own self interest. This started when Herb K. started the airline and only thought of it's benefits, while he continued to improve it. He didn't worry about how much he could pull out of the company and run, he actually cared about making his company better for everyone involved. He chose his replacements based on knowing they would carry on his legacy, and continue to grow the company for the benefit of all involved. The fuel hedge is only a byproduct of the companies culture.

The only other company close is Continental because Gordon B. tried to do the same thing, but had a few more obstacles to overcome. The rest of the industry is managed by the current crop of MBA's which only care about taking care of themselves and coulded care less about the employees, customers, or stockholders. Take US, Doug P has had how many DUI's, in any real profession, he would not be allowed to manage the Snack Bar. How about his next in charge, Scott Kirby, a USAFA graduate with a degree in OPS Research ( read general studies at the Academy) who was allowed to leave the military because of the post Cold War draw down. If he had been a leader at the Academy, he would have followed the profession the taxpayers paid for him. Yet these individuals are allowed to make decisions which effect thousands of employees, and houndreds of thousands customers. I wouldn't follow either of these two in a life or death situation, because they have no proven leadership IMHO.

Our only hope is there is only so much capacity out there, and everyone has to pay for fuel.

 

[Dog Wonder]

Southwest has already won.

The only question is when will the unconditional surrender come?

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

Having J/S on WN recently I'm curious how the VFF and FF feel about moving on to this option.

WN is nothing if not consistent.

Price apparently is good but if you travel more than 2 hours the seams begin to show.

Having been lucky enough to get a middle exit row seat as one of the last to board and over a period of time winning the "arm rest battle" I did not really see any extraordinary value for a FF.(over 2hours).

You do get to board under the A 1-10 sign and get a free drink coupon but what about that second drink? The "hoi polloi" still get to sit next to you.

Don't get me wrong WN is a machine and a very consistent machine and I respect them for what they do.

I do wonder what some at the conference/dinner party will say when asked "Who did you fly?" Most will say CO.

I wonder how many will fess up and say WN?

 

[Dog Wonder]

Give them a choice between fessing up and saying US Airways or Southwest.

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

Give them a choice between fessing up and saying US Airways or Southwest.

As you point out we have no FFs anymore.

The "Butt in seat" FF or the more elusive VFF have all flown the coop.

Are you the one who keeps upgrading all the SA7's?

It is tough to get to work from the 'burgh.

 

[KCFlyer]

Having been lucky enough to get a middle exit row seat as one of the last to board and over a period of time winning the "arm rest battle" I did not really see any extraordinary value for a FF.(over 2hours).

Here's the thing I don't get....Are they only 12 VFF's on every US flight? Because looking at seat maps - on most domestic US jets there are 12 to 18 first class seats (that separate the VFF from the "hoi polli") and 122 to 150 seats for the hoi polli, or at the very least, seats where the VFF will have to wage the "arm rest battle". Given the disparity in the number of F versus coach seats, one would think that the top priority would be to insure that those 12 to 18 seats were filled with F class fare paying passengers. Anybody have the number of F class seats that actually paid the F class fare?

 

[vantheman63]

Domestically, between 2 and 3 percent are paid F/C.

That would be an interesting stat to see. I have no idea what it is and ultimately Piney, you've forgotten more about this then I would know in my left, pinky toenail. Any comment or experience I would have is strictly subjective, not objective.

However, I do remember reading that US "claimed" it was selling, at full revenue, 30% of their F-Class seats. Now, when I read that I IMMEDIATELY said, "I don't believe that, maybe 30% of the transcon, but not 30% of the total."

And back when I was actually flying US as a CP, I think I was 100% on my upgrades....which doesn't seem feasible based on a 30% load factor.

Conversely, on CO....I know people who have been elite for YEARS and claim to have been upgraded on a CO transcon, two times in twn years. And for me, I know if I don't actually BUY the seat, EWR-SFO/SAN/SNA/LAX, etc...I know if I haven't actually PURCHASED the seat within 2 weeks of departure, I won't get one in F.

Overall, my upgrades on CO are, at BEST, 50% overall....maybe 50%...traveling to such fabulous places as MCO or MSP from EWR. EWR-ORD I'm 0-everything...I've never been upgraded, as a PE, even one time. Conversely, on US, I'm 100% PHL-ORD...

Again, that's not objective, but if that doesn't say it all, I'm not sure what does...

If WN had more options going N/S on the east coast, I'd be hard pressed not to at least try them given the recent changes announced.

Its an EXCELLENT product. It really is. The new Business Select and new boarding procedures have greatly enhanced their product. That was their "achilles heal" was the "cattle call," and they took care of that.