Southwest Airlines Community

Wow. You STILL don't get it. You seem to think that we're upset because we're confused, we just don't understand you, you didn't explain it well enough... Cut the patronizing noise, Southwest. We do understand. We, your loyal customers for many years now, are not stupid. We chose your airline because it was different. I'm a business traveler, ostensibly one who "benefits" by this change, because I can purchase the more expensive tickets - but I still think it's terrible. I don't fly Southwest because of the number of free tickets I get (are you still honoring the SWABIZ program, btw?) - I fly it because you are NOT LIKE every other airline out there. At least not 'til March 1st. I have to go SJC>SNA in mid-March, and SJC>Chicago at the end of the month. I was just about to book both flights on SWA, just as I have, oh, forever. (Oh - and I pay for those - I use my RR tickets to fly my kid to visit family, or to give to people from church, most of whom just go to SoCal. Not big costs there.) I'm seriously considering booking both flights on Alaska. Just as convenient, slightly cheaper in one case, and for Chicago, gets me to O'Hare, which is truthfully closer to where I need to be - but I've ALWAYS taken Southwest before. It's not that I don't understand. I do understand. You're taking a winning product, a market differentiator, and you're trashing it. I have your stock in my portfolio as well, because you were different, and I understand how much that difference has contributed to your success. Pretty sure it's time to drop that. You're not different anymore. Do you understand? ... View more

No, I don't think you get the POINT. This is NOT a good thing for the vast majority of your customers, including some of us who do ridiculous things with our schedules or travel plans just to fly Southwest. It's not the complexity of the system that's the problem. It's the fact that it flies (no pun intended) in the face of what you've built your brand identity around since what? - 1971? Seems you're missing the point entirely - how and why Southwest became a market leader, why you've been profitable during the worst industry recession in history, and why your customers are so wildly passionate about your product. Or maybe you just don't care about any of that. Thinking it's a good time to get out of your stock, though. This won't end well - unless it ends, and rapidly. (No pun intended there, either - especially since "rapid rewards" is a thing of the past. Nothing funny at all.) ... View more

I've tried. I read the email, I read the details, I read the fine print - and I'm sorry - this makes no sense. Think you're losing a customer here, and I book for 5 family members, too - I'll miss you, but this program change takes away what makes Southwest Southwest. I don't get it. You're the most successful US airline, you have tremendous brand loyalty, you're profitable, you have some of us who'd choose to fly you even if it's the same cost and we stop two times (or more!) between the West & East coasts - because you were *different*. Why trash that with something that's neither needed nor desirable? What was the problem that you were trying to solve? What's the business case for this change? It really smells like you brought in some high-paid consultant who had to produce something - anything - to justify their pay. Don't compound the loss by enacting this inane plan, please. Waiting to book my next trip - might just drive to LA instead. Ugh. ... View more