The following letter was sent to Southwest (NYSE:LUV) CEO Bob Jordan (bob.jordan@wnco.com) and Tony Roach, EVP Customer and Brand (tony.roach@wnco.com).
Like a great many Southwest customers, I want to express my shock, anger and disgust at your recent decision to eliminate your “Bags Fly Free” policy. This has been a hallmark of Southwest for more than half a century and the single most important differentiator between you and the rest of the U.S. airline industry, which seems to be engaged in a race to the bottom.
As recently as your September 2024 earnings day, less than 6 months ago, Southwest said its own research showed that additional revenue from baggage charges would be more than offset by lost revenue and that “Bags Fly Free” was here to stay. Despite that promise, you allowed yourselves to be bullied by “activist investors” into a 180-degree turnabout.
I predict the fallout will be significant.
Like a great many Southwest customers, I want to express my shock, anger and disgust at your recent decision to eliminate your “Bags Fly Free” policy. This has been a hallmark of Southwest for more than half a century and the single most important differentiator between you and the rest of the U.S. airline industry, which seems to be engaged in a race to the bottom.
As recently as your September 2024 earnings day, less than 6 months ago, Southwest said its own research showed that additional revenue from baggage charges would be more than offset by lost revenue and that “Bags Fly Free” was here to stay. Despite that promise, you allowed yourselves to be bullied by “activist investors” into a 180-degree turnabout.
I predict the fallout will be significant.
Charging to check bags will inevitably mean more carry-ons and therefore longer boarding and deplaning times. Quick turn-arounds have, in significant measure, contributed to Southwest’s success to date.
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| Larger overhead bins; part of the transition Photo provided by Southwest |
No longer will free checked bags offset any other minor inconvenience such as a less-than-ideal flight schedule or even "open seating" (a/k/a “cattle-call boarding.") As just one example, my wife and I frequently fly to California to visit family. Though the return flights are usually later in the day than we'd prefer, we stick with Southwest because of the net savings of about $90 in round-trip fares because of "Bags Fly Free." Now that you're surrendering that advantage, we will consider other carriers with perhaps more favorable schedules. I expect a significant number of our fellow travelers will do the same.
Assigned seating and the opportunity to purchase seats with extra legroom are welcome changes. But checked bag fees and more “choices” in air fare mean Southwest is becoming more like the reviled Spirit/Frontier/Allegiant triumvirate. (Maybe it’s partly because a former Spirit executive now sits on your board?)
Since I doubt that I or anyone else will be able to convince the powers that be to step away from what many (most?) loyal Southwest passengers are convinced is exactly the wrong move, it is my sincere hope that your research proves to be correct and that you will lose more than you gain from these hated baggage charges. Maybe in another nine months, you’ll be saying, “We heard you loud and clear, and our ‘Bags Fly Free’ policy is back!”
We can certainly hope. In the meantime, we will be voting with our travel dollars.
Visit my main page at TheTravelPro.us for more news, reviews, and personal observations on the world of upmarket travel.
Assigned seating and the opportunity to purchase seats with extra legroom are welcome changes. But checked bag fees and more “choices” in air fare mean Southwest is becoming more like the reviled Spirit/Frontier/Allegiant triumvirate. (Maybe it’s partly because a former Spirit executive now sits on your board?)
Since I doubt that I or anyone else will be able to convince the powers that be to step away from what many (most?) loyal Southwest passengers are convinced is exactly the wrong move, it is my sincere hope that your research proves to be correct and that you will lose more than you gain from these hated baggage charges. Maybe in another nine months, you’ll be saying, “We heard you loud and clear, and our ‘Bags Fly Free’ policy is back!”
We can certainly hope. In the meantime, we will be voting with our travel dollars.
Visit my main page at TheTravelPro.us for more news, reviews, and personal observations on the world of upmarket travel.
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