Many here have posted that they opposed the Government requiring the airlines to include ALL costs in the posted and advertised prices of flights.
Many have confused this as the Government forbidding the airline from itemizing.
THIS IS NOT THE CASE. The airlines are still free to itemize all charges! They can at anytime! However, when the post a SINGLE price, THAT price must be inclusive of the fees. And, while I feel I am an educated flyer, I would have to agree a novice would be better and more informed in the single price being inclusive rather than what it has been in past.
Let's also realize that this law requires information within 30 minutes! Come on, this means the industry was caught withholding honest information on delayed and canceled flights well beyond 30 minutes! Sad, the industry required a law to change that!
Let's be careful not to jump to conclusion that new government rules are bad. Frankly, many of these types of laws are in response to the underlying lobbyists and consumer activist groups that include consumer and industry representation. I am sure many airlines would have loved to be posting all-inclusive, but because enough used essentially a bait-and-switch tactic, they could not afford to be honest and lose business for perceived better deals.
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Steve, while I am feeling like I am in the minority of customer posts here (I actually am optomistic about the new program), I find your article causing me to react about the same way I do when I hear the average auto dealer advertisement.
You don't say it, but you imply that you think its easy to explain. Steve, SWA is moving from the easiest to the most complex in the industry. There are 6 conversion levels, three for earning, and three for redeeming. You are right, you need audio files and a website to learn it.
SWA makes it clear, and we all should get it: those that purchase higher priced tickets will get more of the "reward" cut. For me, I can accept that, even though I normally am a "get away" fare purchaser. I also understood it in 2006 when you made a big deal out of removing blackout dates! I knew, that seat capacity controls was going to be a bigger limitation, and bigger devaluing of my "free" benefits, even though you (just like the car dealers) really only shouted "No More Blackout Dates!"
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I AM NOT MAD, but I have some important comments.
I am an avid elite traveler on SWA and AA. While I remain personally optomistic about the new program, SWA has gone from the most simple, to the most complex of frequent flier programs in the industry. Complex calculations are involved in both earnind and redeeming. While I don't mind this, I will say I fear the casual SWA traveler will be lost.
THE BIG DOWNER?
Under the old 1.0 RR, redeeming for last minute or within a few days of travel was easy. If ample empty seats were unsold, SWA was great to make the seats available with just a "standard award."...a good thing for both customer and SWA!
Since these seats will now be available based on the available fare.....we all know these seats will be priced higher since it is less than 7 days prior to departure.....no "get away" fares, and thus no lower-point-redemption inventory. With only premium fare seats available, they will be a premium price in points to acquire. The result? Waste. We will not be able to obtain likely empty seats at a good rate, and this, will be a lose/lose for both SWA and Customer!
This is the one part of the new program I feel is terribly wasteful. And I think it merits a modifation to the 2.0 plan.
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