Pax poll on what is most important when flying

[AFcitrus]

Touchy, Touchy

Hey Canyon,

Are we a bit sensitive today? Usually a remark like yours on this board is met with a comment about insecurity. I'll save my opinions. But as for the facts, there are millions of passengers just like "furloughed dude" who will jump the SW ship in a heartbeat if an airline with comparitive prices and a quality experience enters that market. Don't ask me, check with your own airline. Thank goodness for SW's sake that you are not in any kind of corporate decision making position.

And if you don't think SW is afraid of any competition, which has been mentioned several times on this board, then why did they pay 87 million dollars for six gates that they don't need just to keep a rival (seat assignment) airline from gaining a presence at that airport.

How's that for "mouthing off" you arrogant a**

Oh, and have a nice day.

 

[TexaSWA]

...if an airline with comparitive prices and a quality experience enters that market... QUOTE]

if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle.

 

[TexaSWA]

#*!@$

 

[gunfyter]

YGBSM! You complain about SWA seating but when I fly legacy carriers half the time I am on RJs for way too long of a flight. Talk about Discomfort.

 

[Sy-bill]

Hey Canyon,

Are we a bit sensitive today? Usually a remark like yours on this board is met with a comment about insecurity. I'll save my opinions. But as for the facts, there are millions of passengers just like "furloughed dude" who will jump the SW ship in a heartbeat if an airline with comparitive prices and a quality experience enters that market. Don't ask me, check with your own airline. Thank goodness for SW's sake that you are not in any kind of corporate decision making position.

And if you don't think SW is afraid of any competition, which has been mentioned several times on this board, then why did they pay 87 million dollars for six gates that they don't need just to keep a rival (seat assignment) airline from gaining a presence at that airport.

How's that for "mouthing off" you arrogant a**

Oh, and have a nice day.

Talk about an ass.

 

[freddriver]

I appreciate your view on getting the large family all to sit together. That was one angle I had not considered. However, later in your post you described what I call the "Southwest mentality" i.e. as soon as the CSR grabs the hand mike, the passengers all rise from their seat to push in so they can be "ahead of the other guy". Unfortunately, this attitude is infectionus and I see it all over the place now: shopping malls, movie theaters, etc. Not the Southwest began this undignified tradition, but their seating policy propogates it. I even see it in the legacy carriers passenger areas. The good thing, though, is that I see the legacy CSRs being very blunt with those passengers who cannot figure out it's not their time to board yet. I just wish one CSR would announce "you're not flying Southwest today, so please refere to your boarding pass for your boarding group and seat assignment."

 

[canyonblue]

I appreciate your view on getting the large family all to sit together. That was one angle I had not considered. However, later in your post you described what I call the "Southwest mentality" i.e. as soon as the CSR grabs the hand mike, the passengers all rise from their seat to push in so they can be "ahead of the other guy". Unfortunately, this attitude is infectionus and I see it all over the place now: shopping malls, movie theaters, etc. Not the Southwest began this undignified tradition, but their seating policy . I even see it in the legacy carriers passenger areas. The good thing, though, is that I see the legacy CSRs being very blunt with those passengers who cannot figure out it's not their time to board yet. I just wish one CSR would announce "you're not flying Southwest today, so please refere to your boarding pass for your boarding group and seat assignment."

Sorry kernel, that's not the boarding process. The gate area is more civil, with designated lines for groups, it's the other way that propagates it. If you read his post correctly you would see that he meant that the scramble for the gate and blocking the door was on the other carriers. I just can't keep explaining it, so come to town, take our passengers, and then your wonderful boarding experience can be enjoyed by all!!!

 

[freddriver]

My pax are not in such a hurry to board since their destination is not to a vacation. Note the picture. Crowding at the gate is not a problem at my present employer. BTW you should probably keep the "kernel" thing to yourself. An awful lot of SW folks have spent a number of years wearing the nations uniform.

 

[canyonblue]

Aye aye, Skipper!

 

[cactuspilot]

At swa the boarding process is the SAME at all airports, all flights, all gates, 365 days a year. People know exactly what to expect and when. People like to know whats going on.

Won't mention any names but at a one (major) I was involved with, EVERY flight was different. The term GOAT ROPE usually came to mind every time I had to dh.
Then about halfway through the goat rope "ding ding" can you please call the agent down to sort out these seat dupes.
Average delay about 10 min. " Pissing off America, 150 at a time"

 

[Vector4fun]

The SWA boarding policy doesn't bother me a whit. I want to get where I'm going somewhere close to on time, and have my baggage arrive with me. I avoid major hubs whenever possible, I book direct flights when I can. Can't remember when I had 2 connections or more and arrived on time. Not that it's a big deal to me that there's a flight scheduled every 40 minutes, just hate sitting for hours in airports, especially not knowing if/when I'll ever get on. I'd pay 10% more easy to get on a direct flight over a connection in one of the hubs that backs up five days a week or more. I'll fly to a different airport an hour away and rent a car if it saves a few bucks or keeps me out of "hub-he!!" with outrageous rental car fees, security lines with a hundred or more pax, and mile long hikes between gates, etc.


I'm anti-social, hate crowds.

 

[JimNtexas]

Southwest is OK Austin to San Antonio to Dallas, but I hate it for anything longer and won't fly them for anything longer because of the Darwinian seat assignment system.

The last time I flew them, about 2 years ago, they switched gates at the last minute. Fine , it happens. So I rush to the new gate. As I enter jetway the gate agent screams "RUN RUN". I answered "NO"! I guess technically I should have been arrested for disobeying an order from an airline employee.

I didn't see the need to run into my middle seat on the back row.

Thank God I have a share in a C-177!

 

[Yahtzee]

And if you don't think SW is afraid of any competition, which has been mentioned several times on this board, then why did they pay 87 million dollars for six gates that they don't need just to keep a rival (seat assignment) airline from gaining a presence at that airport.

For a unbiased opinion you can read about the SWA-ATA deal in the latest issue of www.planebusiness.com

or if you don't care to subscribe, I'll paraphrase it for you...GK is a smart man and this deal looked like a knockdown four seconds into Round One. Neither AirTran nor the rest of the industry expected a deal like this. SW isn't afraid of competition, but rather very aware of it.

 

[Steeler Fan]

Sorry kernel, that's not the boarding process.

"kernel" ???? I'm thinking that was over the top...I'm assuming there are more than a handful of SWA pilots who have proudly served in the military and wondering exactly where you're going with that. All the Southwest pilots I've associated with are great, and to see this comment kind of threw me.

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, and the opportunity to clarify what you meant here...Maybe I'm too sensitive here, but slamming a servicemember is NOT the type of comment I expected from a Southwest Pilot...


BTW...


I think Canyonblue and AF Citrus would make an excellent Pay-Per-View match

 

[TexaSWA]

...Darwinian seat assignment system.

I dont get the analogy.

 

[N1kawotg]

the boarding process follows the K.I.S.S. method. Its simple and it works for SWA. Instead of 5 gate agents dealing with changing peoples unwanted seat assignments and taking an hour plus , SWA has 1 or 2 that lead them down the jetway, smiles, and shuts the door in 25 min or less. Efficient and works.

 

[canyonblue]

"kernel" ???? I'm thinking that was over the top

Then quit thinking. Actually the "kernel" remark has nothing to do with my disparaging a SWA employee that may have been in the military. It was actually a "stolen" line from the many military pilots that I have flown with at SWA. I had never been privy to such a remark until I was hired here. Apparently when a former military pilot is acting like an a$$, they would all say, another frickin' kernel . I have heard that few are great to fly with though so I probably should not join in the generalization. I don't ask, nor do I care, what "rank" a pilot at SWA attained in their former job, we are all civilian pilots at Southwest. I have probably flown with a few "kernel's", but it didn't get through to me as I would not know the difference. 99.9% of the pilots I have flown with here have been awesome, ex-military and ex-other airline. So as far as the kernal remark meaning anything or an SWA ex-military pilot being offended, they are the ones who taught it to me. The only other thing I have learned from ex-military pilots at SWA is that the fighter guys tell me the non-fighter guys all suck, and the non-fighter guys tell me that the fighter guys suck. So can you see my grasp of military flying.

 

[Steeler Fan]

Then quit thinking. Actually the "kernel" remark has nothing to do with my disparaging a SWA employee that may have been in the military.

I THINK that this forum is a great place for people to express differences of opinion. Obviously you and AFCitrus disagree, and I think it's pretty funny watching you two go at each other.

I never said nor accused you of disparaging a SWA employee that may have been in the military. I was implying that I thought you went into attack mode on FredDriver for no reason (that's where you were directing the "kernel" and "Aye aye, Skipper" comments, NOT at a SWA employee)...What I was saying is that it seemed pretty condescending and unwarranted...That's what I thought--FredDriver obviously felt the same way, and if some of your former military SWA pilots read your posts, they very well may have thought the way I did.

I just don't THINK that Fred's input warranted what you tossed back at him. btw, I like thinking...it sure beats the alternative.