As a kid, one of my first memories flying Southwest Airlines was the flight attendant telling jokes throughout the flight over the PA and then serenading the plane when we landed. That kind of thing was phased out in the early 2000s as the airline became focused on business travel.
But because the company hired people for positive personality traits and treated the employees well, the high standard for warmth and customer service still survived.
I really don’t care for Southwest’s open seating policy and the planes have hardly any legroom. But I’ve always considered them the good guys airline that treated passengers with dignity—unlike all the others. But this week Southwest Airlines announced they were ending their “Bags Fly Free” policy, and I don’t know if I can see them that way anymore.
This is just one of the changes that activist hedge fund Elliott Investment Management, which has an 11% stake in Southwest, has implemented to make the stumbling airline more profitable. They’ve also gotten rid of the open seating, implemented a bunch of complicated caveats for using airline miles during a limited time frame, and laid off a lot of workers, which likely will not enhance their customer service.
Stripping the “Bags Fly Free” is stupid for a number of reasons. Number one, in an industry where just about all the players look the same, it was one of the few things that set apart Southwest’s brand. It was a value-added benefit the airline could brag about that the others could not. Also, many say that more checked bags creates better efficiency because lots of carry-ons causes boarding delays.
But the other thing that getting rid of “Bags Fly Free” does is bring Southwest closer to all the other jerks in an airline industry synonymous with chintziness. Charging for bags, charging for six extra inches, charging for bringing a bag on, charging for this snack or that snack—while giving me a chance to pay slightly less money, it makes me feel cheap. Just because I don’t have the resources or desire to sit in business class, shouldn’t make me feel poor. On Southwest, I felt a little less like that. Maybe it was because we were all slumming together it in coach with no assigned seats and no video screens. Maybe it was because at least I didn’t have to pay to check my bags.
I want to feel positive about my travel experience. Being reliable and on time is the first step, of which Southwest has fallen off its game. Being served by nice and professional people is the second step. And then I don’t want to feel cheap.
Do you think about how your customers or employees might FEEL when making a business decision. Do you think they feel valued? Maybe a little cheap?
Questions:
What are your greatest airline experiences?
What are your worst airline experiences?
2 Comments
My only flying experience at all was in the right seat of a Cessna 152 or 172, not sure, with my grandpa flying, mainly out of Shelby County down in Shelbyville, IL. Simple bump around in the summer sky in the pattern. Can’t say much for comfort and always came back to where we started, but good fun. I like recreating that in MS flight simulator.
Thanks for sharing, James!
I like that comment, because it means that your greatest flying experience was not on an airline!
Case in point, airlines suck. Though I have heard Emirates and Singapore Airlines are great experiences! My in-laws flew Emirates in their trip to Africa last year and they did say it was one of the highlights of their trip.
I suppose flying business class or first class on most airlines is fairly pleasant, but nothing I’d really look forward to.
Though I do look forward to plane rides alone sometimes if I have enough legroom. Quiet for me to work, or listen to podcasts, or watch a movie or write for a few hours.
As long as I don’t have to sleep, of course.