Southwest Airlines vs. Hidden Fees on Other Airlines

I like the Southwest Airlines (USA) TV ad that highlight the hidden fees
now being tagged on by many airlines:

$69 base one-way fare

$15 first checked bag fee
$25 second checked bag fee
$20 window or aisle seat fee
$ 2 curbside check-in fee
$15 phone reservation fee
---
$146 total one-way fare for the "other guys" vs. $69 on Southwest

You've really got to keep on top of these new hidden fees when
comparing airline fares. While the above doesn't show the whole picture
(yes, its one-way and excludes taxes) it points out the need of paying
attention to the matter. Guess I'm planning on checking out Southwest
more often!

-- Rik


--
Rik Brown
Message Origin: TRAVEL.com

Rik Brown wrote:
I like the Southwest Airlines (USA) TV ad that highlight the hidden fees
now being tagged on by many airlines:

$69 base one-way fare

$15 first checked bag fee
$25 second checked bag fee
$20 window or aisle seat fee
$ 2 curbside check-in fee
$15 phone reservation fee
---
$146 total one-way fare for the "other guys" vs. $69 on Southwest

You've really got to keep on top of these new hidden fees when
comparing airline fares. While the above doesn't show the whole picture
(yes, its one-way and excludes taxes) it points out the need of paying
attention to the matter. Guess I'm planning on checking out Southwest
more often!

Canadian airlines have started removing fees now that oil prices have
come down so much.

"http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=9793d17b-15d2-4693-93e2-4765f9735784"

I'm sure the U.S. airlines will soon follow suit, LOL.

While the Southwest ads are cute, realistically for most people the only
fees they'd ever pay are the first checked bag fee, and maybe the
curbside check-in fee to save time.

I've been flying Delta lately, which suddenly has begun to have the best
fares on the routes I go on, besides not charging a fee for the first
checked bag. Of course if another airline had a fare that was low enough
to make up for the difference between their fare and Delta's fare, I'd
just pay the fee, or do all carry-on. I tend to check my roller-board
rather than mess with it in the cabin, but I'd take it aboard to save $15.

"Rik Brown" wrote in message
...

I like the Southwest Airlines (USA) TV ad that highlight the hidden fees
now being tagged on by many airlines:

$69 base one-way fare

$15 first checked bag fee
$25 second checked bag fee
$20 window or aisle seat fee
$ 2 curbside check-in fee
$15 phone reservation fee
---
$146 total one-way fare for the "other guys" vs. $69 on Southwest

You've really got to keep on top of these new hidden fees when
comparing airline fares. While the above doesn't show the whole picture
(yes, its one-way and excludes taxes) it points out the need of paying
attention to the matter. Guess I'm planning on checking out Southwest
more often!

Actually, the above missed a lot of things. Now - on to the real world.

Let's say I have to get to Chicago, on Monday 9/22. (This is reaistic for
me.)

Houston to Chicago, with a carry-on and computer case.
Southwest - $ 349.00 one way. (Some flights have a stop in St. Louis)
Continental - $ 349.00 one way.
I'll take CO and get a sandwich & bag of chips too.

"Jim Davis" wrote in message
m...

Let's say I have to get to Chicago, on Monday 9/22. (This is reaistic for
me.)

Houston to Chicago, with a carry-on and computer case.
Southwest - $ 349.00 one way. (Some flights have a stop in St. Louis)
Continental - $ 349.00 one way.
I'll take CO and get a sandwich & bag of chips too.



But--over the weekend I find that I must change may flight to Tuesday, 9/23.
Continental says that will be $150 please, but Southwest says there will be
no charge!

"TEP" wrote in message
...

"Jim Davis" wrote in message
m...

Let's say I have to get to Chicago, on Monday 9/22. (This is reaistic
for me.)

Houston to Chicago, with a carry-on and computer case.
Southwest - $ 349.00 one way. (Some flights have a stop in St. Louis)
Continental - $ 349.00 one way.
I'll take CO and get a sandwich & bag of chips too.



But--over the weekend I find that I must change may flight to Tuesday,
9/23. Continental says that will be $150 please, but Southwest says there
will be no charge!

Not always. That is a fully refundable ticket. If they want to charge a
fee at any time, my travel agent voids it, and rebooks for the next day.
This happens quite often in my line of work.

But my original point was that WN is not always as cheap as people think.
And those who don't find out the facts, won't save a thing, and sometimes
will pay more.

I'm so close to MDW it would have to take a pretty big difference to
fly out of ORD. There are times flights from ORD are cheaper and
when SWA may be cheaper I'm sure the ones by ORD follow the same logic
and just fly out of the closest airport unless the differential is
perhaps at least $100 per person?

I have a sis that flies from SEA and has both a UAL mileage card and a
SWA Rapid Rewards. Unless she is flying to Chicago most likely she
will use UAL, but she doesn't mind the "Southwest Experience"
either. One time sis got the Norwalk(sp) Virus and canceled and
rebooked several times on SW (she had it bad and it ended up lasting 4
days). That did save her some $$ as they were not refundable tix.

In do check flights after I book and if I see something drop to a
lower fare that is "doable" I will switch and use the funds at a later
date. IMHO, that is their strongest point in booking.

"Duh_OZ" wrote in message
...
I'm so close to MDW it would have to take a pretty big difference to
fly out of ORD. There are times flights from ORD are cheaper and
when SWA may be cheaper I'm sure the ones by ORD follow the same logic
and just fly out of the closest airport unless the differential is
perhaps at least $100 per person?

I have a sis that flies from SEA and has both a UAL mileage card and a
SWA Rapid Rewards. Unless she is flying to Chicago most likely she
will use UAL, but she doesn't mind the "Southwest Experience"
either. One time sis got the Norwalk(sp) Virus and canceled and
rebooked several times on SW (she had it bad and it ended up lasting 4
days). That did save her some $$ as they were not refundable tix.

In do check flights after I book and if I see something drop to a
lower fare that is "doable" I will switch and use the funds at a later
date. IMHO, that is their strongest point in booking.

For me, it doesn't matter. I'm 37mi. from IAH and HOU (Almost to the mile.)
I fly on the best price, but also figuring in travel time. Sometimes travel
time cost will outweigh certain ticket prices. WN is good for me on short
hops, but cross country can be a bitch with all the stops. Most of the
airlines have very competitive prices to cities served by WN.

Rik Brown wrote:
I like the Southwest Airlines (USA) TV ad that highlight the hidden fees
now being tagged on by many airlines:

$69 base one-way fare

$15 first checked bag fee
$25 second checked bag fee
$20 window or aisle seat fee
$ 2 curbside check-in fee
$15 phone reservation fee
---
$146 total one-way fare for the "other guys" vs. $69 on Southwest

You've really got to keep on top of these new hidden fees when
comparing airline fares. While the above doesn't show the whole picture
(yes, its one-way and excludes taxes) it points out the need of paying
attention to the matter. Guess I'm planning on checking out Southwest
more often!

Southwest has a little program you can download called "Ding!" It alerts
you to cheap flights for cities you have set up. I flew in to
Philadelphia last August from Harlingen, Texas via San Antonio for the
outgoing and Houston Hobby for the return trip and got a really good
price as compared to straight website booking.

All 4 flights came in early and my luggage traveled perfectly even
though I had to change planes.

I'm really happy with Southwest. I only wish they flew more places and
could use IAH.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

"Janet Wilder" wrote in message
...
Southwest has a little program you can download called "Ding!" It alerts
you to cheap flights for cities you have set up. I flew in to Philadelphia
last August from Harlingen, Texas via San Antonio for the outgoing and
Houston Hobby for the return trip and got a really good price as compared
to straight website booking.

Southwest is great if you know where you're going 21 days in advance, and
don't mind extra time for a few stops. If your plans can tolerate it, it's
the best way to go. Some of us travel on last minute one ways. In our
case, Southwest can, at times, be more expensive and time consuming.

All 4 flights came in early and my luggage traveled perfectly even though
I had to change planes.

They've always been great with luggage. I never lost a bag while flying
with them.

I'm really happy with Southwest. I only wish they flew more places and
could use IAH.

They *do* (or did) have a flight or two at IAH, but thinking about it, I
don't recall seeing their ticket counter in Terminal A lately. (Maybe I
just haven't paid attention.)

Glad one Airline gets it...........

---
http://www.moviesitearchive.com/travel

On Sep 19, 1:05*pm, Rik Brown Rik.Brown.3g0...@no-
mx.forums.travel.com wrote:
I like the Southwest Airlines (USA) TV ad that highlight the hidden fees
now being tagged on by many airlines:

$69 base one-way fare

$15 first checked bag fee
$25 second checked bag fee
$20 window or aisle seat fee
$ 2 curbside check-in fee
$15 phone reservation fee
---
$146 total one-way fare for the "other guys" vs. $69 on Southwest

You've really got to keep on top of these new hidden fees when
comparing airline fares. While the above doesn't show the whole picture
(yes, its one-way and excludes taxes) it points out the need of paying
attention to the matter. Guess I'm planning on checking out Southwest
more often!

-- Rik

--
Rik Brown
Message Origin: TRAVEL.com