01-09-2011
07:28 PM
3 Loves
Brian,
What many of us are upset about is you trying to sugar coat everything and make it seem like this new program is going to be great for EVERYONE. You have got to know that your core base is like myself. I mostly travel relatively short business trips two or three times a month. I also have to book the cheapest available fair. At least admit that for those like me, these changes are going to mean less free flights for me. We all know the hard core business traveler is not flying Southwest. They are traveling airlines where they can get to sit in first class, and typically fly longer routes. Yes, you are rewarding the people that fly longer flights and pay more money, but those are not your core customer base. Those are people that fly for vacation once or twice a year. These are not people that are racking up flights. I think Southwest came up with this new program because most of their rapid reward members were racking up a lot of free flights from flying short trips they wore paying as low as $50 each way for, and it was starting to hurt you on the bottom line. You see, I could understand that kind of explanation. It is insulting for you to try to tell me this system is better than the old one. As far as being able to use your points anytime, it's really a moot point. The cost of the last minute flight will be so expensive, you probably won't have enough points to buy the ticket anyway. I never had a problem redeeming my flights under the old system. My Grandmother recently passed away. She died on a Saturday, I was able to use a rapid reward to fly out the very next day. The ticket would have cost me $360 dollars. If I'm not mistaken, that would now cost me 3600 points to use that same rapid reward. The conversion for a current reward is 1200 points. That doesn't sound like change for the better for me. All a lot of us are asking is to just be more up front about why you changed the system. Don't insult us by telling us it is going to be better for everyone.
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I fly Southwest a lot for business. However, MY company makes me book the lowest airfare available. So what Southwest is telling me now is that someone who pays more for their ticket gets a whole lot more credit. The old system was simple. This one sucks. I averaged about four free flights a year with the old systm because I had it partnered with my Hilton Honors and Rapid Rewards Credit card also. I'll be lucky to get half that now. Just watch folks, paying for bags is just around the corner. I'm guessing it will start with just getting one bag free, then none. Every year they are becoming more and more like the other airlines they like to distance themselves so much from in their advertising.
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Wow, my beloved Southwest is becoming more and more a regular airline. I fly for business and they make me get the cheapest flight available. Screw Southwest for rewarding people that pay them the most money. The old system could not have been more simple. Just watch, paying for bags is not far behind. I can guarantee that.
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Bill,
I am yet another person that has been checking Southwest everyday to try to find out when I can book a flight past May 10. I fly Southwest quite a bit, and have three awards I plan to use to fly my wife and myself to Hawaii. I'm scared to death that I'll be to late to book and the flights won't be available for awards. Should I be worried?
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