10-01-2012
10:39 AM
44 Loves
I believe the "new look" is not new in the airline industry. It's like any other legacy carrier. It looks "professional" but lacks any pizzazz. Dresses? Heels? Boots? How do you spell "uncomfortable" for the type of work flight attendants do? Navy? How blah! I love the more casual look that was still classy. Why not do some designs in SWA colors. Perhaps the flight attendants will "like" it, but as a customer, I just think drab and "same old" "same old". I could just as well be on Delta or American. Where's the fun? You wear drab and uncomfortable, then you look and act drab and uncomfortable. Not cool!
... View more
While I think Southwest was over the top in their marketing on this rollout (too much hubris and self-congratulation, and not enough sensitivity to short haul travelers who used to be their bread and butter), I can understand why they made the changes. Yes, Southwest is not the airline it was 30 years ago, even 15 years ago. The Golden Years of Herb are gone (along with a lot of his humor). The airline has grown, the industry has changed for the worse, and Southwest has to take aggressive steps to become more profitable. They can only cut costs so much. The fact is long haul flights are more profitable and my guess is Southwest short haul flights are no longer the cash cow they once were (how can you make money on a $29 one way fare?). The business has changed and become more complex. While I hate it, I understand Southwest has had to add complexity to its mix in order to remain competitive. I plan to give the program a chance and see how it works for me. However, I do hope Southwest will consider toning down their rhetoric on how Fabulous this program is for EVERYONE. The short haul travelers, including me, have been loyal to Southwest and this program does not benefit them to the degree it will long haul and business travelers. Stating, figuratively, that the "small people" will see how FABULOUS this program is once they understand it better is not too far from the BP Chairman's remarks during the oil spill. A tad too condescending in my opinion. My recommendation: stop patting yourselves on the back at every media opportunity and think about the repercussions if you don't respect your frequent flyer short haul travelers more in terms of their concerns about the program. Right now they are the ones chafing at this. And here's hoping this program works well for a majority of Southwest customers. I'm a stock holder and would like to see profits increase along with the stock price !
... View more
I salute Southwest for changing their policy on carrying small pets. I empathize with those who have allergies but you'd have to deal with this on other airlines as well. I am sure Southwest's compassionate flight attendants will do everything possible to ensure those with allergies are not seated with other customers who are traveling with a pet.
... View more
07-21-2008
05:23 PM
11 Loves
Kristen,
Some things we are doing to be more green include: using reusable canvas tote bags to carry our groceries so we don't use paper or plastic grocery bags; using cloth towels rather than paper towels; hang our laundry out to dry rather than using clothes dryer; put in a window air conditioner in bedroom and crank up the central air to 90 at night so we only cool one room at night (program central to come back on at 6 a.m.); put all electrical objects on electric strips and turn strips off at night so minimize passive use of electricity (including television, microwave, etc.); wash and re-use plastic zip-lock bags; do not purchase styrofoam products (can't be recycled); researched on internet natural cleaning products that are cheap and easy to make (save a lot of money and save the environment); use non-toxic interior paint for re-painting rooms; purchase Ball glass jars on internet to store goods so reduce plastic storage containers; do not purchase water in plastic bottles - take filtered water from home to work in hard plastic -reusable container. These are just a few ideas!
... View more