Southwest Airlines Community

Thanks to everyone for commenting on this issue. The topic spurred a lively discussion. No new issues have been raised for the past day or so, and the comments have devolved into personal issues between commenters, so this is a good time to close the discussion. The Blog Team ... View more

this excerpt from the Financial Post is very disappointing! I thought Southwest was better prepared and not so stagnant! The end of the Westjet deal seems to make me think WN is becoming stagnant and not like it once was. New WestJet chief eyes global flight path Scott Deveau, Financial Post Published: Ftriday, March 26, 2010 In this story Canwest News Service Gregg Saretsky in the pilot's seat as WestJet aims to shed its stagnant low-cost model to become a true global player When Gregg Saretsky was just out of university, working in the financial sector in the early 1980s, the woman who would eventually become his wife asked him what his ambition in life was. Without missing a beat, the Montreal native, who put himself through university as a flight attendant for Air Canada, told her, "I want to run my own airline." His wife, Deb, reminded him of that conversation last Monday, 25 years after he returned to the business, when the board of WestJet Airlines Ltd. unexpectedly appointed Mr. Saretsky, 50, its new chief executive less than a year after joining the airline and only five months after becoming its head of operations. While his rapid rise at Canada's No. 2 carrier is notable for his own career, it's also a pivotal horse-for-the-course transition that WestJet's board hopes will finally allow the carrier to shed the stagnant low-cost model it adopted from Southwest Airlines 14 years ago to become a true global player. "It's a great opportunity for me, to be in the seat I have, to really help write the next chapter in our story," Mr. Saretsky said in an interview Friday. Paramount in making WestJet a major player in the North American market will be the successful implementation of several strategic partnerships with international carriers. These so-called code-share deals have been made possible after the rather rocky transition to WestJet's new SabreSonic reservation system in recent months. The problems implementing the new system contributed to the unexpected departure of Sean Durfy as its chief executive effective April 1. Code-share deals will allow WestJet to seamlessly pass its passengers onto the planes of its international partners, and help fill its domestic flights with other airlines' customers. WestJet has been laying the groundwork for such a deal with Air France/KLM and China Airlines. Before it fully implements those deals, WestJet appears to be prioritizing a partnership with a U.S. carrier due to the high amount of traffic crossing the border, Mr. Saretsky said. Fitting WestJet's new ambition, Mr. Saretsky said it is now more likely it will first partner with U.S. legacy carrier Delta Air Lines rather than the expected deal with Southwest Airlines. While WestJet has often strived to be the Canadian version of Southwest, the U.S. low-cost carrier lacks a reservation system capable of code-sharing. A deal with Delta has been made all the more probable now that WestJet is also lined up to receive five daily slots at New York's LaGuardia airport as an offshoot of a slot swap between Delta and U.S. Airways. The deal is subject to regulatory approval. The slots would allow WestJet to reinstate its Toronto-New York service after a five-year hiatus, and a deal with Delta could see it expand to Atlanta, Boston, and Washington, D.C., all locations where the Atlanta-based carrier has a strong presence, Mr. Saretsky said. "[Delta] has an interest. They have a capability. We like the Southwest partnership, but they've signalled to us that they're not going to be ready," Mr. Saretsky said. "We're going to move on and tee things up with another partner Read more: http://www.financialpost.com/news-sectors/story.html?id=2731968#ixzz0jXFDQkDy The Financial Post is now on Facebook. Join our fan community today. ... View more

Congratulations on your new venture Richard. I am sure you will make the best "high maintenance Customer" ever. Southwest is a great company to have had the pleasure of being a part of as well as fond memories to enjoy. Good luck to you. Just a customer who luvs flying SWA, J ... View more

I love southwest.. I am a college student who has attended three different universities, and taken countless cross country flights. At first I had a typical love/hate realtionship with southwest.. cheap tickets-love it.. small airplane-hate it. UNTIL I flew Northwest and AirTran and US Airways only to realize.. I loved southwest. COmpletely and utterly loved southwest. They have the largest seats, and some of the newest airplanes because while everyone else is going bankrupt.. they are actually running a terrific business. I LOVE YOU SOUTHWEST!!! ... View more

Southwest Airlines will never, ever come to Fresno. I'm trying to think negative. Expect the worst. Maybe a surprise. Someday. ... View more

I am a huge SWA fan but the beer selection is frustrating. I don't know anyone who drinks the lagers they serve. Yes, real beer costs more but if it is worth doing it is worth doing well. I'd gladly pay more for an IPA or Bock or, well, you get the picture. I suspect some small brewery would be glad to offer SWA a deep discount for the ability to get their name in front of thousands of SWA flyers every day. Cheers ... View more

Wow. I never realized there was such a demand for nonstop service between BHM and MSY. I know that when we (BHM) restarted service to MSY it was a big deal, but I never knew it was this desired. Well, looks like everyone got what they asked for! ... View more

Regarding the customer of size issue, as a SWA customer service agent we have been trained to discreetly ask questions if we feel that a customer will not fit comfortably with the armrests down. But realizing that it is a sensitive issue, it is NOT an easy task to begin asking those initial questions. That's where the lack of consistency comes from! I have even had a customer tell me "yes, I can put the armrests down" and the boarding agent tell me later that "no, he could not". To have an actual "seat for sizing" would be awful; pullleeeze, we do have compassion not to embarrass someone! Annnd.......we LUV our business travelers! But we can spot them a mile away, no matter how they dress! I think it's that "preoccupation of the last/next meeting" look.....LOL. Being in Florida, we also have a lot of vacationers, so our flights have a mixed bag of nuts! (no offense intended) You know, I really think that chocolate-covered peanuts should be served on every flight to make everyone happy.... : )))))) Make time to laugh & eat chocolate; it's as simple as that~! ... View more