Do business people hate Southwest now?

[General Lee]

US Airways No. 3 for business travel, Southwest last

Business Journal by Erin Kennedy

Date: Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 11:52am MST

USAir improved its ranking from last place in 2010 to third place for 2011 for business travel, according to the Business Travel News Annual Airline Survey.


The survey from Business Travel News ranked five airlines on their business travel experience. Data came from 400 travel managers’ and buyers’ assessments.

For the first time, Delta Air Lines took first place in the business travel experience survey, followed by United Airlines. American Airlines ranked fourth and Southwest Airlines took last place.


Within the past year, Tempe-based US Airways (NYSE:LCC) increased corporate sales efforts by creating more than 100 new accounts for North America, according to the report. After merging with America West Airlines in 2005, US Airways set itself as a “low-cost carrier,” gathered corporate accounts, and cut back on sales staff. However, since 2009, the airline has moved its focus to the corporate market, said Business Travel News.

US Airways ranked first for overall price value and value of relationships with account managers and sales reps. The overall average score consisted of scores from those categories in addition to others.






With the Southwest culture taking a NASTY hit due to the merger problems with Airtran, you just have to wonder if this is going to continue, the last place finishes???


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Taco Rocket]

"You don't understand our business model"
"Why don't you worry about yourself?"
"Gary will take care of it!"

 

[General Lee]

"You don't understand our business model"
"Why don't you worry about yourself?"
"Gary will take care of it!"

Bring back Herb and Colleen, they'll convince ANYONE to follow them....



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Captain Morgan]

Ive flown on southwest and had a business woman seated next to me in the very back. She kept reiterating how she doesn't usually fly southwest. It was a very akward flight as it was painfully obvious that she was embarrassed. I think business travel departments clamped down on travel expenditures in the recent years and some are forced against their will. If times get better or if in fact it is true that SWA isnt the cheapest, they'll be dropped pretty quick.

 

[General Lee]

Ive flown on southwest and had a business woman seated next to me in the very back. She kept reiterating how she doesn't usually fly southwest. It was a very akward flight as it was painfully obvious that she was embarrassed. I think business travel departments clamped down on travel expenditures in the recent years and some are forced against their will. If times get better or if in fact it is true that SWA isnt the cheapest, they'll be dropped pretty quick.

What are the perks for Business people to travel on Southwest? The travel department might be able to get a free ticket now and then, but what do the business people who fly on the plane get? Extra peanuts? They get to sit in a cramped flight from Providence to Vegas for 5 hours? They want perks, like bigger seats, more room, an edible snack or meal on longer flights, maybe a movie, free tickets to nice places like Hawaii or St Thomas. Oh well. Higher ticket prices won't help them. But, at least they are saving money by NOT paying Airtran 717 pilots better pay because they turned down the first bad deal......



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Andy]

GL, my brother owns a small business. He has employees travel on occasion but he's not big enough for any airline to be interested in a corporate travel arrangement. He uses Southwest quite a bit because they have the lowest fully refundable tickets. He also books the cheapest hotels, usually something like Best Western.

 

[General Lee]

GL, my brother owns a small business. He has employees travel on occasion but he's not big enough for any airline to be interested in a corporate travel arrangement. He uses Southwest quite a bit because they have the lowest fully refundable tickets. He also books the cheapest hotels, usually something like Best Western.

This survey tends to disagree with your brother's point of view.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Fox-Tree]

GL, my brother owns a small business. He has employees travel on occasion but he's not big enough for any airline to be interested in a corporate travel arrangement. He uses Southwest quite a bit because they have the lowest fully refundable tickets. He also books the cheapest hotels, usually something like Best Western.

So......... your brother's a cheap @ss. If his employees weren't just happy to have a job in this economy, they'd probably walk or revolt. What's your point? At least they only travel "on occasion".


You're making GL's point for him. Employers with folks on the road weekly with multiple flights and overnights know better than to do that to their people. They won't get people to stay in the job very long or be productive sitting them in a corn-dog next to Bubba on their way to a Best Western.

 

[Flying the Line]

I've never heard of business travel news. But I am guessing it is large corporate travel departments that read it. I sure the readership is huge. Anyway, Delta is the greatest airline ever.

 

[humveedriver]

I've never heard of business travel news. But I am guessing it is large corporate travel departments that read it. I sure the readership is huge. Anyway, Delta is the greatest airline ever.

According to BTN's website they have 46,759 subscribers that spend 239 Billion dollars a year annually. My Dad is a subscriber. What ever the highest level of frequent flier status you can have with Continental is, he has it. I think that's the sorta person who reads and cares about that stuff. I think there is a difference between traveling on business and a business traveller. The business traveller spends money on travel as a cost of doing business. Traveling on business implies you just need to get from point a to b to get the job done. It really isn't realistic to compare the level of service offered by a legacy carrier to any of the LCC's. The LCC's will get a portion of business transports who are attempting to curb costs. But the airport clubs, first/business class and global reach puts the legacies in a different class of service.