Southwest Reality Show

[Twicebaked]

SouthWest to star in it's own reality show????

Wow, talk about some nice marketing. They are sure to crush us now.

Why is it that we don't have the brains in our marketing team to think of things like that?

Of course, our "reality" at US would make us lose customers anyway.

 

[usacrew3]

I suggested that we do this over a year ago and on this website. I thought it would be a great way to increase our revenue and get some positive publicity. These airline reality shows are prime time viewing in Europe right now.
Oh well.

 

[Hello Newman]

Yes, a show where psgrs stand in line for 30mins at an understaffed ticket counter and
then they are bullied into using the kiosk. Then they board a Mesa regional jet which
will depart behind schedule because no one can find the crew. Then they connect in
PHL with over 2.5 hours on the ground and their bags still will NOT make it to their
destination someone in management forgot to cover the shift. The winner will be the
one who holds his temper the longest. Then in episode 2 we have a lenghty mtc delay
while waiting for the mysterious part to be found. Just film a typical day's operation..

 

[Flying Titan]

Yes, a show where psgrs stand in line for 30mins at an understaffed ticket counter and
then they are bullied into using the kiosk. Then they board a Mesa regional jet which
will depart behind schedule because no one can find the crew. Then they connect in
PHL with over 2.5 hours on the ground and their bags still will NOT make it to their
destination someone in management forgot to cover the shift. The winner will be the
one who holds his temper the longest. Then in episode 2 we have a lenghty mtc delay
while waiting for the mysterious part to be found. Just film a typical day's operation..

Wow! Talk about knee-jerk negativity! Yes, there are problems at US - but if this were the experience I encountered on a regular basis, do you believe I, or anyone else for that matter, would continue to fly US? I remain a loyal US passenger primarily because of service. Those who started this thread are right. If someone could tell the story to the public of the things that go right - the vast majority of the time - at US, then that would be the best marketing that you could ever hope to have.

At some point, you (collectively and individually) have to be proud of the work you do and make sure that the public knows about it. The responsibility for that doesn't just fall on CCY. As a matter of fact, CCY could have the best marketing program in the industry and it wouldn't help a bit if this kind of negative attitude seeped through to the passengers.

Given all of the adversity that US has gone through - and continues to endure - I think there is a great story to tell here of how this carrier remains the top choice for so many FFs like me.

 

[700UW]

This is a US Airways Thread, not Southwest, move it to the southwest board.

 

[Flying Titan]

This is a US Airways Thread, not Southwest, move it to the southwest board.

I took this to be more of a US topic - along the lines of "Why not a US show?" or "What would happen if US had a show?"

 

[spanky]

Actually, A&E had preferred an international carrier for this show. All airlines turned A&E down. Even Southwest was hesitant. WN had no input on what was going to be shown. Hence, a lot of bad and ugly (negative PR) was included with good. The company was allowed to explain the its reasoning on some of the negative aspects, such as dealing with horizontally challenged customers (customers of size). A&E hopes to continue the show with another season, but remains mum on if WN will be used again. One could only guess they hope to get an international carrier to step up to the plate. Maybe US Airways will have a second chance at bat?

 

[AP Tech]

I think it would make a great comedy!!!!!

 

[Light Years]

The benefits of this would outweigh any negativity. I'm a big fan of "airline" on Discovery Wings, which covers several airlines at London Heathrow, and they never come off as bad. The theme is usually a hard-working airline employee solving problems. Its like a half-hour advertisment for the airline.

US Airways would be so much more interesting with a variety of operations- international, domestic, regional, Shuttle, first class etc. Southwest might get some more loopy passengers than us but it's not that exciting to see if the drunk gets to go to Nashville or not.

That said, with morale as low as it is, and and only very senior people still working the programme would probably come off as sad. And they would probably cover our alarming spiral towards the airline graveyard rather than things like a lost bag or a VIP.

 

[flyguy121]

Although it seems there are obvious advantages in having a show about a "real airline", it doesn't sound like the situations described in the article are all positive and could actually give Southwest some negative press:

"Along with constant shots of Southwest planes and people, the show includes frequent praise for Southwest's customer service - delivered matter-of-factly by the narrator.

At the same time, many of the scenes show unhappy travelers complaining about one thing or another. A few vow never to fly Southwest again, and the show's overall tone doesn't exactly glorify air travel.

A&E and Dallas-based Southwest said the airline didn't pay or receive money for taking part in the show and had no control over content. Southwest, however, was allowed to request a voice-over narration to give "context" to explain treatment of specific customer complaints."

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/s...ate/7614368.htm

I also have to think that just because this is a hit in the UK, doesn't mean that the American audience will react to it so favorbly. It's a contrast of audiences that have drastically different: opinions, experiences, outlooks and humorisms.

 

[Light Years]

Perhaps some of us could have become stars out of it and be the next Bachelor or Paris Hilton.

 

[Flying Titan]

Piney -
Agreed.
- Titan

 

[Light Years]

They could call it "Who wants to make Dave Siegel a Millionaire?"

And then in the not too shocking ending he would be voted off the island.

 

[pitguy]

Perhaps some of us could have become stars out of it and be the next Bachelor or Paris Hilton.

You could always start by making your own Paris Hilton type home video.

 

[Light Years]