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Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

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Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#31

Post by WaxProlix »

CSSer wrote: post #27

This is going to sound like an ad, but I exclusively fly SW domestically. As noted, they used to look like a worse value but only because of the way competition handled fees. Couple this with the standard rewards program and I think SW is a steal. Did you know that SW is also the only domestic airline to have never filed bankruptcy? I’m glad to see the rest of the world being forced to compete more honestly. I’m sad…

Might be the case in some parts of the US, but Delta and sometimes Alaska tend to be price competitive with SW, and the flying experience is leagues better (imo).

Are the rewards that much better than others?

Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#32

Post by vasco »

parl_match wrote: post #29
CSSer wrote: post #27

This is going to sound like an ad, but I exclusively fly SW domestically. As noted, they used to look like a worse value but only because of the way competition handled fees. Couple this with the standard rewards program and I think SW is a steal. Did you know that SW is also the only domestic airline to have never filed bankruptcy? I’m glad to see the rest of the world being forced to compete more honestly. I’m sad…

I just can't put up with the unassigned seating zoo, lack of premium class options, and other niceties.

> unassigned seating zoo

I never flew SW, can you or someone explain what the problem is with unassigned seats (what makes it a zoo)? I've used long distance trains and buses and it has been fine.

Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#33

Post by wil421 »

CSSer wrote: post #27

This is going to sound like an ad, but I exclusively fly SW domestically. As noted, they used to look like a worse value but only because of the way competition handled fees. Couple this with the standard rewards program and I think SW is a steal. Did you know that SW is also the only domestic airline to have never filed bankruptcy? I’m glad to see the rest of the world being forced to compete more honestly. I’m sad…

Except you have to deal with Southwest customers, no seating, and being charged for everything.

I’ll gladly take Delta over SW or Spirit but I’m at a huge hub. Delta is about as cheap as SW if I account for my Amex discounts.

Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#34

Post by lvspiff »

vasco wrote: post #32
parl_match wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just can't put up with the unassigned seating zoo, lack of premium class options, and other niceties.

> unassigned seating zoo I never flew SW, can you or someone explain what the problem is with unassigned seats (what makes it a zoo)? I've used long distance trains and buses and it has been fine.

If you board in later groups (i.e. not one of the first 100 or so people) you are essentially stuck waiting in a line in a cramped isle for people to put their bags up and are likely to be relegated to a middle seat.

Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#35

Post by fragmede »

CSSer wrote: post #27

This is going to sound like an ad, but I exclusively fly SW domestically. As noted, they used to look like a worse value but only because of the way competition handled fees. Couple this with the standard rewards program and I think SW is a steal. Did you know that SW is also the only domestic airline to have never filed bankruptcy? I’m glad to see the rest of the world being forced to compete more honestly. I’m sad…

What is the signal being derived never having declared bankruptcy? Doesn't that mean, comparatively, they're extracting more money from customers than the rest of the industry and spending less on things like maintenance? Both of those sound like bad things to me.

Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#37

Post by fragmede »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #15
catapart wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Understood, but trusting Google to do something (in perpetuity) that it is not legally obligated to do is a hard sell to shareholders wondering why you would let your prices be misrepresented (in relation to other airline tickets) in that way.

What was the misrepresentation? The lowest price offered by Southwest is still the same. Southwest having a different pricing strategy does not make it misrepresentation. Edit to respond to fragmede below: If a customer selects 0 or 1 checked bags, would it be better for the customer if Google flights did not show Southwest as an option at all?

The UI displaying the SW price for two checked bags next to the Delta price for zero checked bags is the issue. it's like comparing "the cheapest Mac laptop vs the cheapest windows laptop" vs "the cheapest Mac laptop vs equivalently spec'd windows laptop", and not trusting consumers or the price comparison UI to know the difference.

Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#38

Post by cbhl »

fragmede wrote: post #35
CSSer wrote: post #27

This is going to sound like an ad, but I exclusively fly SW domestically. As noted, they used to look like a worse value but only because of the way competition handled fees. Couple this with the standard rewards program and I think SW is a steal. Did you know that SW is also the only domestic airline to have never filed bankruptcy? I’m glad to see the rest of the world being forced to compete more honestly. I’m sad…

What is the signal being derived never having declared bankruptcy? Doesn't that mean, comparatively, they're extracting more money from customers than the rest of the industry and spending less on things like maintenance? Both of those sound like bad things to me.

If you buy a plane ticket for the future, in a bankruptcy, you become an unsecured creditor of the airline.

That means the airline could have taken your money, spent it, and the bankruptcy court can say that they don't actually have to honor your ticket because it falls below the line of the things the airline has money to actually pay people back for. And then you have to go buy another ticket on another airline.

Beyond that, Southwest is known for loading and unloading their planes efficiently: https://www.npr.org/2015/06/28/418147961/the-man-who-saved-s...

Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#39

Post by oldpersonintx »

CSSer wrote: post #27

This is going to sound like an ad, but I exclusively fly SW domestically. As noted, they used to look like a worse value but only because of the way competition handled fees. Couple this with the standard rewards program and I think SW is a steal. Did you know that SW is also the only domestic airline to have never filed bankruptcy? I’m glad to see the rest of the world being forced to compete more honestly. I’m sad…

[dead]

Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#40

Post by fshbbdssbbgdd »

parl_match wrote: post #29
CSSer wrote: post #27

This is going to sound like an ad, but I exclusively fly SW domestically. As noted, they used to look like a worse value but only because of the way competition handled fees. Couple this with the standard rewards program and I think SW is a steal. Did you know that SW is also the only domestic airline to have never filed bankruptcy? I’m glad to see the rest of the world being forced to compete more honestly. I’m sad…

I just can't put up with the unassigned seating zoo, lack of premium class options, and other niceties.

I just pay for upgraded boarding ($30) which means that I have my pick of aisle/window seats before it gets crowded.

Lack of premium class seating is real, Southwest is not the airline for you if you require >17 inch seat width or >31 inch legroom.

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