Comments on: The Southwest Effect in Ireland? http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/ Aviation buzz and bold opinion Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:27:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Singapore Airlines to Cut Pilot, Management Salaries (Update1) (Bloomberg) | change-direction.com http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/comment-page-1/#comment-82011 Singapore Airlines to Cut Pilot, Management Salaries (Update1) (Bloomberg) | change-direction.com Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:08:58 +0000 http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/#comment-82011 [...] The Southwest Effect in Ireland? For as long as I can remember, Southwest Airlines, now the largest U.S. domestic airline, created in the 1970s by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King, has been the low-cost airline others most want to emulate. The need to copy isn’t just about money, although Southwest has a profit history better than any other airline in the world. Most Southwest look-a-likes have, in fact, been dismal failures. Southwest has a record of solid labor relations - despite last week’s pilot contract rejection - and a c [...] [...] The Southwest Effect in Ireland? For as long as I can remember, Southwest Airlines, now the largest U.S. domestic airline, created in the 1970s by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King, has been the low-cost airline others most want to emulate. The need to copy isn’t just about money, although Southwest has a profit history better than any other airline in the world. Most Southwest look-a-likes have, in fact, been dismal failures. Southwest has a record of solid labor relations – despite last week’s pilot contract rejection – and a c [...]

]]> By: Paul Cox http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/comment-page-1/#comment-81276 Paul Cox Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:53:34 +0000 http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/#comment-81276 My wife and I have, in the past few years, flown on a number of low-cost carriers around the world: AirAsia RyanAir Transavia Vueling Nok Air EasyJet Southwest Jetstar (Valuair) It's been an eye-opening experience. They've ranged from pretty good to pretty crummy. I thought Ryan Air was actually one of the worst of the bunch; it's one thing to charge fees, but when those fees are utterly ridiculous and designed to rape you at the airport (as Ryanair's baggage fees are) by charging WAY more than is reasonable, things are messed up. The reality is that some of these airlines truly are just "cheap", as opposed to being inexpensive. But people view air travel as a commodity, and as long as we do (I'm as guilty of it as anyone) we're going to get this kind of treatment. Oh, and the true thing that people miss about Southwest is that the company really does put its employees above everything else as much as any corporation can- and as a result, those employees give back. Southwest's actual policies and actions aren't really much different than, say, United; it's just that their employees come to work with such a different attitude that it can't help but rub off as a positive experience for the customer. My wife and I have, in the past few years, flown on a number of low-cost carriers around the world:

AirAsia
RyanAir
Transavia
Vueling
Nok Air
EasyJet
Southwest
Jetstar (Valuair)

It’s been an eye-opening experience. They’ve ranged from pretty good to pretty crummy.

I thought Ryan Air was actually one of the worst of the bunch; it’s one thing to charge fees, but when those fees are utterly ridiculous and designed to rape you at the airport (as Ryanair’s baggage fees are) by charging WAY more than is reasonable, things are messed up.

The reality is that some of these airlines truly are just “cheap”, as opposed to being inexpensive.

But people view air travel as a commodity, and as long as we do (I’m as guilty of it as anyone) we’re going to get this kind of treatment.

Oh, and the true thing that people miss about Southwest is that the company really does put its employees above everything else as much as any corporation can- and as a result, those employees give back.

Southwest’s actual policies and actions aren’t really much different than, say, United; it’s just that their employees come to work with such a different attitude that it can’t help but rub off as a positive experience for the customer.

]]> By: andyash http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/comment-page-1/#comment-80818 andyash Sat, 13 Jun 2009 07:53:16 +0000 http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/#comment-80818 Peter, your links date back to the first announcement and stepping back from it in March. But there was a second announcement recently referred to in this posting. Peter, your links date back to the first announcement and stepping back from it in March. But there was a second announcement recently referred to in this posting.

]]> By: The Southwest Effect in Ireland? - Jetwhine: Aviation Buzz and … | Ireland today http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/comment-page-1/#comment-79921 The Southwest Effect in Ireland? - Jetwhine: Aviation Buzz and … | Ireland today Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:53:48 +0000 http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/#comment-79921 [...] here: The Southwest Effect in Ireland? - Jetwhine: Aviation Buzz and … Tags: a-few-times, business, dublin-based, modeled-on-the, opportunity, ryanair, success [...] [...] here: The Southwest Effect in Ireland? – Jetwhine: Aviation Buzz and … Tags: a-few-times, business, dublin-based, modeled-on-the, opportunity, ryanair, success [...]

]]> By: Robert Mark http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/comment-page-1/#comment-79908 Robert Mark Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:19:42 +0000 http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/#comment-79908 I didn't see any articles Peter. Can you send me the links? rob@jetwhine.com I didn’t see any articles Peter. Can you send me the links? rob@jetwhine.com

]]> By: Peter Sweeney http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/comment-page-1/#comment-79904 Peter Sweeney Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:45:14 +0000 http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/#comment-79904 It's very true, the news articles I provided also backup my claim. I live in Ireland, I heard this being confirmed weeks ago. It’s very true, the news articles I provided also backup my claim. I live in Ireland, I heard this being confirmed weeks ago.

]]> By: Robert Mark http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/comment-page-1/#comment-79903 Robert Mark Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:43:38 +0000 http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/#comment-79903 Publicity stunt. I'd say this one backfired if your claim is true. Publicity stunt. I’d say this one backfired if your claim is true.

]]> By: Peter Sweeney http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/comment-page-1/#comment-79896 Peter Sweeney Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:48:30 +0000 http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/06/the-southwest-effect-in-ireland/#comment-79896 This isn't so true, you might need to make adjustments to this article as that was recently confirmed to be a publicity stunt and is no more than a joke. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0307/1224242448956.html http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/toilet-charge-just-a-joke-ryanair-now-claims-20090313-8wyr.html This isn’t so true, you might need to make adjustments to this article as that was recently confirmed to be a publicity stunt and is no more than a joke.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0307/1224242448956.html

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/toilet-charge-just-a-joke-ryanair-now-claims-20090313-8wyr.html

]]>