SWA raises fees at SWA and FL

[gizmo_sc]

SWA announced today that new bag fees on the SWA side will increase shortly. First and second bag will still be free however oversized and third bag fee will go from 50 to 75. On the FL side the $20 first bag goes to 25 and second bag goes from 25 to 25. Back on the SWA side passengers no longer advising SWA they will not be taking their flight will have to pay a fee not yet decided to be able to use their flight.
Airline advisors estimate these new fees could add $300.00 million to the SWA bottom line.

 

[superman32870]

Have to do something since SWA backed itself into a corner with the "bags fly free."

 

[gizmo_sc]

SWA needs to get with the program like all other carriers. Passengers still bring overstuffed bags onboard NOW. They will cram what they can get into a suitcase and try to shove it into the overhead bins. Lots of time getting wedged or breaking the overhead bin doors. If you advise them at the boarding door that their bag is oversized they snap back with WELL IT FIT ON THE LAST FLIGHT. Most passengers do not realize that even tho SWA has all 737's all the 737 bins are not the same. All these manufactures that make all these bags are to blame. They try to put multiple zippers to allow a bag to increase in size. I have seen roller bags that are was fat as they are tall. Again when you tell a passenger their bag is to large it is like committing a felony. They will argue with you to the end. If they attempt to put their bag in the sizer box and it binds I tell them they need to check it. After all it is FREE. SWA should allow one bag fee and charge just 15-20 bucks for that second bag. I would generate some revenue BIG TIME. With the amount of bags SWA carries on a regular basis somewhere around 2.4 million per day now multiply that by say just 300 days per year and INSTANT PROFIT.
If Spirit can get by with all the things they can charge for, then SWA needs to get on that band wagon.

 

[swamt]

I too think we will be charging for bags soon. I see fees for 2nd and 3rd bags in the beginning, then there will be fees for all but at a much lower cost than all the others. Carry ons will then get rediculous, and they will have to address that probablem as well. There is a masive profit margin out there for SWA, even if we lose a few customers over it. The baggage fees are too lucritive to pass up on...

 

[SharoninSAT]

Say hello to the "no-cancel fee."

http://aviationblog....r-tickets.html/

 

[jimntx]

SWA needs to get with the program like all other carriers. Passengers still bring overstuffed bags onboard NOW. They will cram what they can get into a suitcase and try to shove it into the overhead bins. Lots of time getting wedged or breaking the overhead bin doors. If you advise them at the boarding door that their bag is oversized they snap back with WELL IT FIT ON THE LAST FLIGHT.

We get that all the time on AA as well. My response is "Oh look, we're not on your last flight."

Most passengers do not realize that even tho SWA has all 737's all the 737 bins are not the same. All these manufactures that make all these bags are to blame. They try to put multiple zippers to allow a bag to increase in size. I have seen roller bags that are was fat as they are tall. Again when you tell a passenger their bag is to large it is like committing a felony. They will argue with you to the end. If they attempt to put their bag in the sizer box and it binds I tell them they need to check it. After all it is FREE. SWA should allow one bag fee and charge just 15-20 bucks for that second bag. I would generate some revenue BIG TIME. With the amount of bags SWA carries on a regular basis somewhere around 2.4 million per day now multiply that by say just 300 days per year and INSTANT PROFIT.
If Spirit can get by with all the things they can charge for, then SWA needs to get on that band wagon.

What we all ought to do is charge a nominal fee if they check it at the counter, and charge them through the nose if it has to be checked at the gate.

 

[WorldTraveler]

that's the purpose of sizers.... if it fits in the sizer, it should fit in the overhead bin. The ORDER of boarding shouldn't determine whether you pay or not, however. If you happen to be the unlucky soul who is last to board - perhaps because of a close connection which the airline sold you - you shouldn't be penalized by having to pay to check your bag.

Specific to the topic, WN recognizes the value of incidental revenue and will try to do everything they can to increase it, esp. as long as the FL brand exists in which they can do so.

WN is becoming more and more just like another airline and as much as people want to complain about it, people do understand and accept that checking bags may or may not be apart of the price of the ticket.

WN has undoubtedly done alot of analyses to determine the value of the revenue they could gain - and also recognize that the revenue to be gained is far more than the perception of the public that could damage their brand.

WN will charge for bags eventually. They, like other airlines, are just slowly nibbling around the edges as long as they can.

 

[jimntx]

that's the purpose of sizers.... if it fits in the sizer, it should fit in the overhead bin.

Yeah, and after 5000 years of fighting among those Semitic first cousins, there SHOULD be peace in the Middle East. And, passengers SHOULD put their smaller bag in the space beneath the seat in front of them. And, gate agents SHOULD stop passengers with a rollerboard and a backpack containing a 6-man tent and a camp stove (the backpack being their "small" personal item) and make them check one. But. ya know, WT, those things just don't happen.

 

[SharoninSAT]

http://aviationblog....r-tickets.html/

No-show fee coming up in the near future!

 

[SharoninSAT]

No-show fee coming up in the near future!

Southwest Airlines announces a new "No Show" policy to start next month

http://aviationblog....ext-month.html/

 

[SharoninSAT]

No-show fee coming up in the near future!

Southwest Airlines announces a new "No Show" policy to start next month

Effective Friday, May 10, 2013, we are implementing a No Show Policy that applies to most nonrefundable tickets. All Customers with reservations for travel Friday, September 13, 2013 or later who no show or do not cancel their reservations will forfeit all the funds associated with that booking.

[color=rgb(0.000000%, 0.000000%, 100.000000%)]What is the No Show Policy? [/color]
Southwest is implementing a no show policy that applies to nonrefundable tickets that are not cancelled by a Customer prior to travel.
If a Customer has booked a nonrefundable fare in their itinerary and that portion of the flight is not used and not cancelled by the Customer at least 10 minutes prior to flight departure, all funds on the itinerary will be lost and the complete reservation will be cancelled by Southwest.
This policy does not apply to Military Fares, Senior Fares, Government Fares, Rapid Rewards, Companion Pass, or travel during irregular operations.

 

[KCFlyer]

We get that all the time on AA as well. My response is "Oh look, we're not on your last flight."

Maybe a little off topic here jimntx, but a few years ago I was flying AA out of DFW and the last guy to board had some sort of amplifier he was dragging behind him. The FA told him that he'd have to gate check it - she was very nice about it. He refused and insisted that it would stay on the plane. She maintained her composure and tried to assure him that it would be carried down the steps and placed in the baggage compartment and everything would be fine. He still adamantly refused. Departure time had passed, and she announced in a pleasant, but much louder voice "Sir, you have 2 options - if you'd like to fly to Kansas City, that is going to be checked. If you must stay with it, you are welcomed to get off this plane and do just that". The cabin ERUPTED in applause. He checked it.

 

[I'mRayFlyMe]

IMHO WN should revisit their "don't be a bin hog" campaign. They rolled this out back in 1998 to address the issue with passengers bringing on too many or way oversized carryon bags. It made an impact back then, but unfortunately it's gotten out of control again.

 

[gizmo_sc]

I heard that program got complaints but I think it was BRILLIANT. Who ever invented these bags with 4 wheels should be SHOT. Pax all the time try to push down the aisle they can not control the bag so they spend forever trying to keep it straight. I make the announcement your roller bag will perform much better if you PULL it behind you, it will follow you like a PUPPY DOG.