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Southwest Airlines to Begin Charging for Checked Bags?

Discussion in 'Getting There & Getting Around' started by Huddler, Oct 25, 2013.

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  1. Huddler

    Huddler VIP Whale

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  2. topcard

    topcard Here's to $10 3:2 two-deck, $5 Craps, and $5 UTH!

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    I would be far more sympathetic to 'baggage fees' if they did something of value for those wh check their bags - like allowing customers with zero carry-ons to board first and exit the plane before those with carry-ons.

    In my opinion, the airlines ought to 'mag-lock' the overhead bins until those not using them can deplane.
    If they did that, I would check my bags every time (I usually do anyway), and I would never complain about a baggage fee.
     
    Annual Spring Trip!
  3. sco5123

    sco5123 VIP Whale

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    Until consumers take a stand against fees, we will continue to be subjected to them. But I hate that people are tacking on fees for no added value. But I feel powerless to stop it because there is only strength in numbers here...and we teach ourselves to submit to all fees.
     
  4. kel3420

    kel3420 VIP Whale

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    This new guy is making a lot of unpopular decisions
     
  5. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    That would just suck and they would no longer be my go to airline. Then I might as well fly with a carrier where I can get an assigned seat.
     
  6. ams722

    ams722 Side Bet Shunner

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    There it is again! That lame ass "our customers WANT us to charge them more" excuse that we always see when corporations add new fees to their existing services.
     
  7. IDoLuvVegas

    IDoLuvVegas Low-Roller

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    I agree with both Topcard and Joe. We fly SW because of no baggage fees. If they institute those fees we might as well fly other airlines. The SW price would be no cheaper and we would not have to pay for the privilege of getting an early seat since it would be assigned.

    Topcard's idea of allowing those with no overhead stored carry ons to deplane first is a great idea. I would not have to wait as I watch someone trying to get their carry on, that is really oversized and too big to be a carry on, out of the overhead bin. If the airlines would start monitoring the size of carry ons before people board, there would be a lot less time deplaning since many of those carry ons would have been checked in baggage because of their size.
     
  8. codingkw

    codingkw High-Roller

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    This does not surprise me at all. I always thought it was weird that they never stopped charging fees on Airtran. I am from the east coast so AT and SW are my two main airlines. AT only changed some of the policies that benefitted them. It would be really nice to make the two uniform with one policy. I prefer AT because I upgrade to business class with my points and don't pay fees.
     
  9. saintpauljeff

    saintpauljeff VIP Whale

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    Everytime i've flown Southwest most ppl seem to carry on their luggage anyways, not surprised by this development
     
  10. Huddler

    Huddler VIP Whale

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    I typically fly SWA and always check my bag. I could get by with a carry on I guess, but just prefer to check my bag at the curb and not worry about lugging that thing plus my laptop across the airport. I will have to re-think this if and when they begin charging baggage fees...
     
  11. runningonthehub

    runningonthehub VIP Whale

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    If they are even discussing this, you can bet they WILL institute baggage fees.

    It IS going to happen. They might start at only $10/bag, but they will eventually charge what other airlines charge.

    I fly out of Chicago-Midway, because I only live seven miles away. I hate that Southwest does not have any real competition in the Midway -Las Vegas market. It lets them do pretty much what they want to do. I could fly other airlines out of O'Hare, but that is a 30 mile drive. I would have to see a huge savings in airfare to fly out of O'Hare.

    So, it looks like I will be stuck with Southwest. I will just take my bag on board with me. Hopefully, they will not start charging for carry on baggage.

    As Southwest gets larger, it becomes more and more like the other airlines. Southwest is losing a lot of its cachet with me.
     
  12. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    If they do, they do and I'll still fly them, cause they have the best service and track record of any domestic air-carrier that I have available here in Reno. This isn't gonna be like the resort-fee threads is it… where everyone threatens to patronize only those without fees… Enjoy flying Spirt and Allegiant all… or maybe Horizon still has no fee with their prop-driven planes.
     
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2013
  13. vegas superfan

    vegas superfan VIP Whale

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    Spirit has fees for both checked luggage and carry on luggage.
     
  14. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    Well… there ya go… one less option.
     
  15. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    And doesn't Allegiant charge to pressurize the cabin and provide air?
     
  16. Jimbo338

    Jimbo338 VIP Whale

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    When I started flying with SWA about 15 years ago it was a lot different. The emplyees seemed like old friends; it was obvious that they loved their jobs. They joked, made you laugh and broke the monotony of long trip. They had great service, handled baggage quickly, used smaller airports and had lots of flights and even added one non-stop a day from out little airport in NH. Systemwide internet sales were great (remember when the DING alert went off all day long?)
    As they grew, attendents got more business like, sales on the internet became less frequent, the number of flights went down and the one non-stop was eliminated. Blankets and pillows were the next to disappear, and now they consider charging for bags? It seems that the very thing that made them grow, prosper and blossom while others were going out of business is now disappearing as they become what they defeated.

    Perhaps they are setting the stage for a start up airline to do to them what they did to the others. I took an abbreviated vacation to LV in May and took just my laptop and a carryon. I could do it for my normal stay of 8-9 days with a trip to the laundermat now that I know of 2 that are easy to access. Doing away with the luggage retrieval was a nice perk. This new relevation is food for thought.

    Jmbo338
     
  17. win4me

    win4me VIP Whale

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    Please read the whole article folks...

    Southwest's AirTran Airways unit, which it bought in 2011, continues to charge for bags. Late last year, Southwest raised the fee for checking one bag on AirTran by $5 to $25, and raised the fee for a second bag by $10 to $35. Southwest plans to eliminate those fees once it fully folds AirTran into the Southwest brand by the end of 2014.
     
  18. Funkhouser

    Funkhouser In Charge of the Big Door

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    I talked to a swa pilot on a hop from dallas to BWI about 6 months. He was picking up his flight in BWI, and noticed I was delta skymiles elite. Basically asked my why I was loyal to Delta. Since SWA wants a bigger piece of the business flyers. I said I wouldn't even consider flying SWA for personal without the no baggage fees, since they offer very little in perks in comparison to other carriers.

    Basically what he had heard internally was that the bean counters at SWA had been asked about 2yr growth projections, and how SWA could grow revenue in the face of recent consolidations and economic pressures.

    The management views the no checked bag fees as a greater liability to the company then the marketing asset since the general public has accepted it from other carriers. Now this is just seen as lost revenue by management. Since they weathered the storm when they switched the frequently flyer program, and they have to start thinking about how to change there message.

    Look for SWA advertising to talk less about no checked bag fees, etc. You may have already noticed it. The question is how they will up their game to prevent customers from defecting to other carriers. They are also looking for in flight perks they can offer like free wifi streaming in cabin.
     
  19. ams722

    ams722 Side Bet Shunner

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    I've pretty much already defected away from SWA.

    Their prices have risen A LOT over the last year. Flew them four times (last December, January, March and May) in the last year to Vegas from Detroit.

    For my July, September, and upcoming November and January trips, Delta has been cheaper, even after the $50 I'll pay for baggage.

    Delta has more nonstops from DTW to LAS, better terminals at both airports, and their planes often have TVs in the seats or at least overhead. SWA has none of that. SWA's advantage comes from better customer service policies and (until recently) lower prices.

    Get rid of the lower prices, and SWA is worthless to me.
     
  20. Busyman

    Busyman VIP Whale

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    There is no charge for bags on AirTran if booked on SWA's website.

    Whatever site you book with, you are subject to those baggage fees and frequent flyer rules.
     
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