03-04-2009
05:44 PM
2 Loves
In response to those posters (including SW staff) who are convinced that the airline's low fares will override some people's threats to boycott: the airline industry is putting much more faith in cheap tickets than they should be, even in this awful economy. I fly alot, for business and pleasure. I also watch my budget and that of my employer. If there's a $100 difference in price, no question that I'll take the cheaper fare. But if the difference is $10, $30, $50, other factors count. For years, I've avoided booking on SW because of its cattle-car approach to seating; I find it annoying and I'll only fly SW on short hauls, in off-hours and for personal rather than work purposes. I will never fly Air Tran again - probably the cheapest long-haul carrier out there - because its seats are a disgrace and the 2 times I tried it, they left us customers stranded due to airport delays (and not only found ways to skirt federal aviation law, but hid from customers to avoid answering questions). I rarely choose US AIr - again, one of the cheaper options - because the planes are inevitably filthy and poorly maintained. I'll pay a higher fare with Virgin or Jet Blue because from start to finish, these are the best experiences today. There are certainly people reading these postings who will take the $379 fare over the $380 one and that's OK. But I feel that if my options are a $350 fare with an airline that routinely has the worst seats, doesn't bother to clean off soggy Cheerios from my tray table or has flight attendants who hide for a five-hour flight, I'll pay $400 to have a more humane experience. And especially now when my dollars mean more than ever.
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03-04-2009
04:13 PM
2 Loves
Two points that don't come through most of the other postings. First: how much was Southwest paid by SI for this? Or earned in some kind of barter deal? It's somewhat naive to try and spin the public that this is just a publicity stunt when all of these arrangements nowadays involve $$$. And since the airline industry is suffering, it's ok to decide that you want to bring in revenue by pasting some boobs and another company's logo on your plane. That being said, is it insulting to women? It sure is. Unless SW Two has a buff nearly-naked guy in a Speedo painted on its side as well, this idea isn't "fun and edgy." It's sexist. It's cheap. It's catering to the lowest common denominator for a buck. And it speaks volumes to those of us professional women who fly frequently and who are the decision-makers as to airline choices. I don't have a problem with SI's annual T&A issue; I just don't buy it. I don't have a problem with Victoria's Secret TV lingerie fests; I just don't watch it or buy their products. I've been told that Hooters makes a great chicken salad, but I won't ever be eating it. They've all defined their audiences and they have chosen to exclude me. When it comes to these companies, I go elsewhere. I hope Southwest made a lot of money from SI, because it won't be getting mine in the future.
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