Do business people hate Southwest now?

[Andy]

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.

I got to 1K status at UAL on business travel. But that was in a DoD position where the DoD negotiated bulk fares with the airlines. Since I was in DC and most city pairs had a UAL choice, I aimed almost all of my flying to UAL with AMR being my second choice.
That kind of model works fine for a large company with a lot of employees who travel.

In my brother's case, he does not have a large travel budget. He does not have the power to negotiate good rates with any airline because his employees don't travel very often - perhaps an annual product training event or conference for the employee. He also has very little turnover in spite of his stingy travel budget. Funny, his employees understand that if my brother pays a bunch of money for airfare and a hotel room, they won't get paid as much money. They prefer pay over preassigned seating and a nice hotel.

I find a comparison between Southwest and Major carriers to be apples to oranges. Frankly, I'm surprised that Southwest is even mentioned in the publication. I suspect that Southwest making the list is a recent phenomenom and instead of being dismissed, this should cause great concern among pilots at legacy carriers.

 

[Sacha]

Funny....those airlines that cater to the Elites rather than the "scum" that fly on SWA rarely are profitable. Some, like Flopguts airline Continental, have gone Bankrupt....
Not once....But twice and was barely able to avoid bankruptcy a third and final time....

Funny how SWA manages to be profitable year in and year out for almost 40 years.....

If you add up all the losses over the last 30 years of these First Rate Airlines, you might have the equivalent to the outstanding student loans of all the trust-fund babies protesting down on Wall Street...

As a matter of fact, there is a remarkable similarity to the intelligence and logic of the Einstein's down there and the posters on this thread......

 

[madjack]

I am sure that our position on the list (dead last) is a big concern for our mgmt...we would love to have the corporate FF business...tough business

 

[gobyebye]

I find a comparison between Southwest and Major carriers to be apples to oranges. Frankly, I'm surprised that Southwest is even mentioned in the publication. I suspect that Southwest making the list is a recent phenomenom and instead of being dismissed, this should cause great concern among pilots at legacy carriers.

I agree, it seems like they have really only pushed hard for business travelers in the last 5 yrs or so. To make the list at number five is actually pretty impressive for swa.

 

[KNOTS]

If you add up all the losses over the last 30 years of these First Rate Airlines, you might have the equivalent to the outstanding student loans of all the trust-fund babies protesting down on Wall Street...

Huhhh?

 

[humveedriver]

Some people travel internationally on a frequent basis. Some people live close to a airport that is served by a certain carrier. Domestic low fare flying has everything to do with SWA. Long haul international, not so much. Maybe one day the legacies will stop providing the club rooms and two/three class service. There is nothing wrong with SWA's business model. Like Andy said it's apples to oranges.

 

[Flopgut]

Funny....those airlines that cater to the Elites rather than the "scum" that fly on SWA rarely are profitable. Some, like Flopguts airline Continental, have gone Bankrupt....
Not once....But twice and was barely able to avoid bankruptcy a third and final time....

Funny how SWA manages to be profitable year in and year out for almost 40 years.....

If you add up all the losses over the last 30 years of these First Rate Airlines, you might have the equivalent to the outstanding student loans of all the trust-fund babies protesting down on Wall Street...

As a matter of fact, there is a remarkable similarity to the intelligence and logic of the Einstein's down there and the posters on this thread......

You've got a hard-on for CAL because you got shot down by them in the late 70's and ended up at EAL? Right? That and the obvious stuff too, I'm sure. Except I have my doubts as to whether or not you're fully comfortable with the scab question...

 

[Flopgut]

A product/service that sustains a drastic and emotionally charged change (9-11 and the great recession) will see customers gravitate in two directions: cheap and premium. Thats the major reasons both SWA and bizjet stuff have grown so much. Legacies have been stuck in the middle, but are set to earn back customers from all areas.

 

[Sacha]

Huhhh?

There you go....an OWS genius on FI......I rest my case.....

 

[Sacha]

You've got a hard-on for CAL because you got shot down by them in the late 70's and ended up at EAL? Right? That and the obvious stuff too, I'm sure. Except I have my doubts as to whether or not you're fully comfortable with the scab question...

Nice deflection Floppy....I was still in the Military in the late 70's and Continental wasn't hiring anyway....

You are not too comfortable with the dismal financial and service history of Continental over the last 35 years which is why you have an obsession with SWA accomplishing everything CO could not...

I'll take Herb over Frank Lorenzo any day.....

Now how about a little Reality Check.......I would invite those of you who are employed by Elite Global Airlines to read the WSJ today. In particular, focus on the lead story on the front page. After that, flip over to page A8 and read the articles relating to World finances.....

Now tell me how strong worldwide business travel is going to be for the next 5 years or so. In particular, how does this reality affect those airlines like Continental/United who are struggling to merge their operations in the middle of this?

Flopgut, in your case, get your Dad to explain this to you since you most likely don't know what the WSJ is.....

Flopgut....better hope you have between 10% and 20% of the seniority list below you......

P.S. I do like your Avatar picture....I just can't decide if those two guys represent your ALPA MEC Chairmen....or your respective CEO's....

Either way it is spot on!!!......