Southwest's A list is more like the F list (Updated 12/21)

[NIKV69]

Southwest Airlines is on set to become the worlds largest airline (in terms of passengers boarded), including International, which yes I know WN doesn't even fly Intl routes, this is due to being SWA flies more passengers then the current largest airline in the world, American Airlines.

Again Alex, WN may board a lot of pax but the miles flown is very small compared to the big airlines in the world. Sure in the continental US your one of the biggest but in the world you are still a small fish.

No, it really isn't funny, it is quite sad, that one of the best customers for SWA, Tommy is all of a sudden mad at the airline he bragged about and gave the airline free advertising using his license plate. I took it upon myself not only as a friend but as a WN Employee to FIND OUT why he was upset, make excuses stating one thing if needed, and make calls and stuff to my co workers at the company to find out what happened and why he got the pass he did. I got my reasons, explained it to him, apologized, and encouraged him to call Colleen again or write in, as any of you that don't like what WN is offering and complain. WN is ONLY as good as the customer makes it, if you make it a bad flight its GOING to be a bad flight period. The same goes for ANY Airline, and believe it or not WN DOES CARE and WILL respond effectively ASAP to try to come to a reason between you the Customer and Southwest the Airline.

We know Alex, Tommy just experienced somerthing that most in his position will with this new boarding procedure since you hace now put someone who just plops down more money than someone who has flown more. The rest is all lip service. Whether Tommy files other airlines in the future is up to him but the treatment he is looking for can only be found on another carrier.

[T-Bird76]

Again Alex, WN may board a lot of pax but the miles flown is very small compared to the big airlines in the world. Sure in the continental US your one of the biggest but in the world you are still a small fish.

Nick your statement is very silly....WN is a worldwide admired company, they are not small fish by any means in the airline industry. WN is an industry leader and to be the largest most profitable airline in the nation based on passengers boarded speaks volumes. WN is very much a big fish on the world stage.

I still think WN is a great airline and a great company, I'm just not thrilled at all with this new procedure which I'm hoping they will change.

[NIKV69]

WN is an industry leader and to be the largest most profitable airline in the nation based on passengers boarded speaks volumes. WN is very much a big fish on the world stage.

Nation yes, World hardly. They are great if you want to hopscotch the US. But after that if you need to go long haul it's time to book CO or someone.

[T-Bird76]

WN is an industry leader and to be the largest most profitable airline in the nation based on passengers boarded speaks volumes. WN is very much a big fish on the world stage.

Nation yes, World hardly. They are great if you want to hopscotch the US. But after that if you need to go long haul it's time to book CO or someone.

Nick no one is saying WN is global airline...they aren't but on an industry stage from a business point of view WN is a highly respected company which has had its business model copied more times them most companies. So again they are no small fish. As a matter of fact WN is larger then many global airlines.

[Alex T]

WN is an industry leader and to be the largest most profitable airline in the nation based on passengers boarded speaks volumes. WN is very much a big fish on the world stage.

Nation yes, World hardly. They are great if you want to hopscotch the US. But after that if you need to go long haul it's time to book CO or someone.

Nick, that is NOT what the subject is, who is the best to book intl flights.

World wise WN is set to become the LARGEST AIRLINE in the World because of the amount of passengers they carry which is already surpassing American Airlines, recently the worlds largest, this is defined by passenger carried, this has nothing to do where they fly.

Most of the LCC in the EU and other countries all looked to one Airline-Southwest Airlines. All and most carriers look to WN for the success WN has and try to model it after SWA.

So this by far very definetly proves WN is a big fish in the World.

Even your beloved CO worshipped SWA enough to create their own LCC-Continental Lite, 100% based after WN, which failed miserably. As did Shuttle By United, Delta Express, Metrojet, all were created by the airlines because they admired WN, all also failed.

Alex

[NIKV69]

Alex it's easy to use that stat because it favors WN. Use the stat of pax miles carried and your beloved WN doesn't even crack the top 5. I would think that carries more weight seeing that any body can cram people into a plane and short hop all over the place. WN has done with their model and it has served them well but I hardly think they are a player on the world scale. In the US sure but that is about it.

[PhilDernerJr]

When measuring the success fo an airline, I think that the amoung of people you fly is far more important than how far you are flying them.

Airlines make money by the amount of tickets they sell, not how far their planes go.

As you said, it's easy to use THAT stat because it DOESN'T favor Southwest. Ask anyone in the industry and they'll tell you that distance is irrelevant.

I'm not a huge fan of Southwest, but another solid statistic to use is financial standing. Southwest is the ONLY airline I know of, perhaps in the world, that has stayed in the black for DECADES.

Compare them to domestic airlines in other countries and they also win hands down.

I would also like to say that I don't care for Southwest's seating arrangements, new or old. I either feel anxiety when I don't know where I'm going to sit, or I cannot relax or get excited about my trip until I'm seated because I have to keep my "game face" on to battle people for a good seat. If I'm not going to have a good seat, just let me know ahead of time so I can at least prepare myself and relax.

[T-Bird76]

Alex it's easy to use that stat because it favors WN. Use the stat of pax miles carried and your beloved WN doesn't even crack the top 5. I would think that carries more weight seeing that any body can cram people into a plane and short hop all over the place. WN has done with their model and it has served them well but I hardly think they are a player on the world scale. In the US sure but that is about it.

Nick what are you basing your opinion on that WN isn't a player on the world scale? WN has more influence on the global airline business then airlines that fly worldwide. If we were to follow your logic then airlines like EOS, Silverjet, and Maxjet would be global players simply because they fly over the Atlantic, certainly a great distance farther then WN. Your assumption that an airline that fly's globally means they have more say in the industry is just bullocks... Business decisions made by WN in the Dallas area have a huge affect on AA's global network. Why do you think AA wants to keep WN nice and little at Love Field? Give WN the chance at DFW and AA risks losing a wealth of connecting traffic from south of the boarder. I hate to tell you Nick but the fact that WN is the largest airline in the nation based on passengers boarded makes them a very powerful player in any market, domestically and internationally. I'm sorry but your assumptions are just plain incorrect.

[NIKV69]

WN has more influence on the global airline business then airlines that fly worldwide

How? They are a domestic airline that has stolen a lot of low fare people from the regular carriers that's all.

If we were to follow your logic then airlines like EOS, Silverjet, and Maxjet would be global players simply because they fly over the Atlantic

Your putting some CCN spin on this. Has nothing to do with what we are discussing. If these three carriers chose to try to invent their own niche of carrying a one class of first or biz over the Atlantic for cheaper fares. I doubt it has anything to do with WN.

Why do you think AA wants to keep WN nice and little at Love Field? Give WN the chance at DFW and AA risks losing a wealth of connecting traffic from south of the boarder

So? Your telling me that if B6 was able to get gates at ISP they wouldn't give WN a run for their money? I have never flown airbus but I tell you if the fares and routes were the same I would chose B6 or any other carrier over them. All they have going for them is the fact that they are the only game in town on some of these routes. I mean it's not even a question of fare anymore because they aren't the rock bottom cheapest anymore and their service to some people suck. Just because you and Alex and others here have this love fest for them doesn't mean it's shared by others. I am sure a percentage of WN travelers fly them but are not in love with them.

Most of the LCC in the EU and other countries all looked to one Airline-Southwest Airlines. All and most carriers look to WN for the success WN has and try to model it after SWA.

I'm not a huge fan of Southwest, but another solid statistic to use is financial standing. Southwest is the ONLY airline I know of, perhaps in the world, that has stayed in the black for DECADES.

Well it is easy to just cut everything down to nothing and take away all the services and basically have a bus company with wings. You could put in charge of it's fiances and they would turn a profit. If you want to admire a business plan I would encourage you to buy "From worst to first" from Gordon Bethune or a book written by Lee Iacocca. Men who got the same results without dropping their pants and cutting all services.

[T-Bird76]

How? They are a domestic airline that has stolen a lot of low fare people from the regular carriers that's all.

Nick you don't think that because WN's model has been copied successfully in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Mid East they don't have an influence on the global industry?

Your putting some CCN spin on this. Has nothing to do with what we are discussing. If these three carriers chose to try to invent their own niche of carrying a one class of first or biz over the Atlantic for cheaper fares. I doubt it has anything to do with WN.

Nick you just totally contradicted your argument. You clearly said in a few above posts that airlines that fly greater distances then WN have more influence on the global airline market. Oh btw WN is also one class of service, the business model works in both directions.

So? Your telling me that if B6 was able to get gates at ISP they wouldn't give WN a run for their money? I have never flown airbus but I tell you if the fares and routes were the same I would chose B6 or any other carrier over them. All they have going for them is the fact that they are the only game in town on some of these routes. I mean it's not even a question of fare anymore because they aren't the rock bottom cheapest anymore and their service to some people suck. Just because you and Alex and others here have this love fest for them doesn't mean it's shared by others. I am sure a percentage of WN travelers fly them but are not in love with them.

A love fest? If I had a love fest for them I don't think I'd be complaining to their VP Colleen Barret about their new boarding procedure. B6 would certainly give WN a run for the money must like WN would give AA a run for the money which I clearly stated but you turned around into some baseless love fest statement.

Well it is easy to just cut everything down to nothing and take away all the services and basically have a bus company with wings. You could put Imagein charge of it's fiances and they would turn a profit. If you want to admire a business plan I would encourage you to buy "From worst to first" from Gordon Bethune or a book written by Lee Iacocca. Men who got the same results without dropping their pants and cutting all services.

Wow is that a false statement...Nick do you remember People's Express? They had a very barebones operation, packed their planes full and guess what?? They went under! No one is saying Gordon Bethune isn't a great leader, he was however Lee Iacocca??? Perhaps the other authors of Iacocca's book should be "The American Tax Payer."

[NIKV69]

You clearly said in a few above posts that airlines that fly greater distances then WN have more influence on the global airline market.

Never said that. I responded to Alex when he said that WN was the biggest airline in the world simply because they board the most bodies. Wel no kidding, you will board more people than an airline such as Qantas when you are flying short hops all the time and Qantas is flying people around the world. It's a totally misleading stat.
I mean you can use any topic you want and get different Carriers. Use average amount of mile flown per passenger and who will you get? It's smoke and mirrors.

Nick do you remember People's Express? They had a very barebones operation, packed their planes full and guess what?? They went under

This means nothing Tommy, what about B6? They came in and were successful. There is always going to be success and failure with every venture, there is always unknown circumstances that can cause failure.

Perhaps the other authors of Iacocca's book should be "The American Tax Payer."

Didn't say Bethune was Iacocca, I used them as two seperate exmaples.