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Started By
Message
re: Southwest will switch back within 4 months
Posted on 1/28/26 at 3:31 pm to LSUfan4444
Posted on 1/28/26 at 3:31 pm to LSUfan4444
Again, it's never ever going to change my user experience. I don't think I have been more that A 25 within the past five years. It will be nice not having to hold a seat for my wife and kids and get cursed out by some Karen. Now I can book them on my status and pick their seats.
We spend a little over $1M with SWA every year, so I got to go to a business town hall with them last February.
Their main goals were to recover the $MMMs lost in baggage fees. They did comprehensive analysis and people weren't picking flights with baggage fees in thought. People shop for the lowest priced flight and baggage fees are a thought when you check in. And if you think about that for a minute, you know they're right.
Second they wanted to enhance the user experience. So for those of you that claim you are loyal, you likely have some form of status. So now you are eligible for an enhanced user experience of priority group boarding (likely more overhead space), and in addition to that you might be eligible to get extra legroom.
Lastly, they even clowned on the miracle flights. They may have referred to them as hallelujah flights. But they knew they were a problem and wanted to address it. As I understood it, the pre-boarders will be gone as they will now have a group to which they are assigned based on status or ticket class.
I think it's a good move on their part. It will bolster rapid rewards users and increase the value for current, SWA loyalist. Plus, they'll make a shitload on those baggage fees now. That should help keep them competitive with pricing.
We spend a little over $1M with SWA every year, so I got to go to a business town hall with them last February.
Their main goals were to recover the $MMMs lost in baggage fees. They did comprehensive analysis and people weren't picking flights with baggage fees in thought. People shop for the lowest priced flight and baggage fees are a thought when you check in. And if you think about that for a minute, you know they're right.
Second they wanted to enhance the user experience. So for those of you that claim you are loyal, you likely have some form of status. So now you are eligible for an enhanced user experience of priority group boarding (likely more overhead space), and in addition to that you might be eligible to get extra legroom.
Lastly, they even clowned on the miracle flights. They may have referred to them as hallelujah flights. But they knew they were a problem and wanted to address it. As I understood it, the pre-boarders will be gone as they will now have a group to which they are assigned based on status or ticket class.
I think it's a good move on their part. It will bolster rapid rewards users and increase the value for current, SWA loyalist. Plus, they'll make a shitload on those baggage fees now. That should help keep them competitive with pricing.
This post was edited on 1/28/26 at 3:35 pm
2
Posted on 1/28/26 at 3:46 pm to TheWiz
Just saw the flash around SW
They aren't going back in 4 months if they are expecting that kind of growth with the change.
quote:
Southwest Airlines
on Wednesday forecast a surge in 2026 profits well above analysts’ expectations as the carrier has overhauled its half-century-old business model to include new moneymakers like bag and seat assignments.
The airline expects to earn at minimum, an adjusted $4 a share this year, exceeding the $3.19 analysts expected, according to estimates from LSEG, with capacity growth of 2% to 3% compared with 2025.
In the first quarter, Southwest said it expects revenue per seat mile to rise 9.5%, above the 8.5% analysts expected. The carrier forecast adjusted earnings of 45 cents for the first quarter, above the 33 cents Wall Street projected.
Here’s how Southwest performed in fourth quarter compared with Wall Street expectations, according to consensus estimates from LSEG:
Earnings per share: 58 cents adjusted vs. 58 cents cents expected
Revenue: $7.44 billion vs. $7.51 billion expected
They aren't going back in 4 months if they are expecting that kind of growth with the change.
Posted on 1/28/26 at 7:23 pm to Novastar
Non Southwest question but related maybe. On international flights coming into the U.S. flights from India I always see dozens of wheelchair passengers. I always wonder why but it does remind me of flying Southwest.
Posted on 1/28/26 at 10:08 pm to cornerstore
quote:
What a dumb move to change the boarding/seating/rewards. It took 20 years to build the industry’s best loyalty program only to destroy it in 20 minutes.
Every other airline in the country says you're wrong.
Southwest was great for people with families that didn't travel much because everybody was equal.
Posted on 1/28/26 at 11:43 pm to TheWiz
quote:If pre-boarders wouldn't have abused the system so much, I might be a little more upset with the changes. Having said that, I file this under "we can't have anything nice" because of these jackasses and so I'm happy to pay for my seat now.
bypass the miracle fliers
Posted on 1/29/26 at 7:27 am to LemmyLives
quote:
American has been openly turning people trying to board before their group away
It is kind of awesome. The scanner will legitimately beep and flag them
Posted on 1/29/26 at 8:04 am to TheWiz
quote:
As A-List preferred, I'm excited to bypass the miracle fliers, gain priority group boarding, and get better seats than most.
I have my first flight with them next week, what is the process of getting upgraded to extra legroom within 48 hours of departure for A list preferred?
Posted on 1/29/26 at 8:43 am to H2O Tiger
quote:
Every other airline in the country says you're wrong.
Southwest was great for people with families that didn't travel much because everybody was equal.
However, for better or worse, Southwest had product differentiation that it doesn't have now. It's now just like every other airline except it doesn't have what those airlines have, especially lounges. They are now trying to build those out.
Should be an interesting case study.
Posted on 1/29/26 at 9:38 am to TheWiz
Now all of your A-list Preferred benefits can be had with a credit card. Good luck getting those seats up front when anyone that flies Southwest twice a year has the same perks. SW has murdered A-List with the changes.
Posted on 1/29/26 at 9:50 am to TheChiefHasArrived
Anyone know if the check in process if you are A-List is any different? Do you still check in 24 hours before your flight or does that not matter anymore with the new changes? I am worried about bin space & having to walk farther back to put my luggage up instead of right above my seat & hold everyone up when trying to leave. My first flight in this new system is in about 2 weeks so I’m trying to get prepared.
Posted on 1/29/26 at 9:54 am to TheChiefHasArrived
quote:
Now all of your A-list Preferred benefits can be had with a credit card. Good luck getting those seats up front when anyone that flies Southwest twice a year has the same perks. SW has murdered A-List with the changes.
That's true for basically every domestic carrier.
You can earn status exclusively through CC spend. If I didn't value the flexibility of AmEx points so much I'd me all-in on an airline card. I know multiple AA EXPs that fly 1-2 times a year.
Posted on 1/29/26 at 11:39 am to LemmyLives
quote:
most of the gate lice "hover" in the area
Drives me nuts
Posted on 1/31/26 at 7:36 am to Chucktown_Badger
Just wait until people start hovering over the boarding group areas for SW. Rather than being put in groups of 5 with A, B and C now it's just first come, first serve in each group that could relate to over 20+ people between the first person in the group and the last person in the group.
They took the smoothest boarding process in domestic air travel, unless you were trying to save seats OR you didn't want to check a bag and refused to sit in a middle seat because you didn't want to pay for an upgraded boarding position for yourself or your entire family / group , and made it what will soon be the worst.
They took the smoothest boarding process in domestic air travel, unless you were trying to save seats OR you didn't want to check a bag and refused to sit in a middle seat because you didn't want to pay for an upgraded boarding position for yourself or your entire family / group , and made it what will soon be the worst.
Posted on 1/31/26 at 9:34 am to LSUfan4444
quote:
They took the smoothest boarding process in domestic air travel,
If you were 1/4 of the plane that needed a wheelchair during boarding, but not during arrival.
Posted on 1/31/26 at 11:11 am to LemmyLives
True for everyone unless you were trying to save seats OR you didn't want to check a bag and refused to sit in a middle seat because you didn't want to pay for an upgraded boarding position for yourself or your entire family / group; the previous boarding process was smoother than any other domestic carrier with dozens of gate lurkers.
Bottom line is people got all upset because someone got on the plane before them even though it had zero impact on their travel time, had very little impact (maybe 180 seconds) on their actual aircraft exit and virtually zero effect on their overhead bin availability so long as they were A-list or purchased a premium boarding assignment.
The lunacy that SW convinced their loyalists this is a better experience (when it's purely about profit) using rage bait pre-boarding (which isn''t going to decrease) is propaganda 101.
Bottom line is people got all upset because someone got on the plane before them even though it had zero impact on their travel time, had very little impact (maybe 180 seconds) on their actual aircraft exit and virtually zero effect on their overhead bin availability so long as they were A-list or purchased a premium boarding assignment.
The lunacy that SW convinced their loyalists this is a better experience (when it's purely about profit) using rage bait pre-boarding (which isn''t going to decrease) is propaganda 101.
This post was edited on 1/31/26 at 11:26 am
Posted on 1/31/26 at 11:43 am to LSUfan4444
Over the last 10 + years SW has changed their model which used to be a "budget" airline that prioritized direct, nonstop flights making it different than other domestic hub models used by other carriers like American, Delta and United; 5% reduction in passengers flying non-stop in just the last 4 years.
They've expanded their geographic coverage at a cost of over a 26% increase in fares in just the last three years (as compared to 16% for the industry average). This doesn't even begin to hit the additional costs they've added now with baggage fees.
They've done this without lounges, without seatback entertainment, no flights with meal service, without glassware or premium alcohol dedicated flight attendants for certain fares, pods / lay flat beds.
The SW experience in their top tiers Choice Extra fare is closer to say Delta's Comfort (which includes free alcohol) and except for many travelers is more expensive that Delta with fewer direct options offering a longer, more expensive option.
But, they've convinced the loyalists that pre-boarders are the enemy
.
They've expanded their geographic coverage at a cost of over a 26% increase in fares in just the last three years (as compared to 16% for the industry average). This doesn't even begin to hit the additional costs they've added now with baggage fees.
They've done this without lounges, without seatback entertainment, no flights with meal service, without glassware or premium alcohol dedicated flight attendants for certain fares, pods / lay flat beds.
The SW experience in their top tiers Choice Extra fare is closer to say Delta's Comfort (which includes free alcohol) and except for many travelers is more expensive that Delta with fewer direct options offering a longer, more expensive option.
But, they've convinced the loyalists that pre-boarders are the enemy
. Posted on 1/31/26 at 3:03 pm to LSUfan4444
quote:
Choice Extra fare is closer to say Delta's Comfort (which includes free alcohol)
SW Choice Extra includes free alcohol just like Delta Comfort+ along with 2 checked bags, and I don't think Delta even gives 1 (please correct me if wrong).
I only know this because I had to fly my son from Nashville to New Orleans next week and SW was the only direct flight. Cost was on par with other airlines, but no layover or baggage fee.
We will see how his experience is.
ETA: I prioritize the cheapest direct flight at the time I want to fly over a particular airline.
This post was edited on 1/31/26 at 3:14 pm
Posted on 1/31/26 at 11:39 pm to H2O Tiger
Getting the 200K for ExPlat by CC spend or even the 40K for Gold is not attainable by 99% of the country and light years different than simply owning the $99 SW Plus.
Posted on 2/2/26 at 7:09 am to TheChiefHasArrived
So has anyone flown under the new process yet? I know a few said they have upcoming flights, but anyone done it yet?
Posted on 2/2/26 at 8:04 am to Lsut81
I fly next week and will try to report back.
I have been reading online that there have been a few instances where everyone sits in their assigned seats, and then shortly after takeoff people sitting in the back attempt to move forward into the empty seats. These are extra legroom seats and the flight attendants had to make several announcements that moving upward in class is not permitted.
I have been reading online that there have been a few instances where everyone sits in their assigned seats, and then shortly after takeoff people sitting in the back attempt to move forward into the empty seats. These are extra legroom seats and the flight attendants had to make several announcements that moving upward in class is not permitted.
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