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8 Ways WestJet has deviated from the Southwest Model


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8 ways Southwest is different than any other CVG airline

Kate Murphy , kmurphy@enquirer.com Published 12:28 p.m. ET May 31, 2017 | Updated 2 hours ago
   
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Southwest Airlines now leads the industry in customer satisfaction.

(Photo: Southwest Airlines)

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Cincinnati travelers are about to feel the LUV from Southwest Airlines. The low-cost carrier's planes, which carry more passengers in the United States than any other airline, will touch down at CVG airport for the first time Sunday, offering daily flights to and from Chicago Midway and Baltimore.

Here are a few things you can expect to be different when you fly Southwest:

  1. Bags fly free.
    • Yes, free. So, pack an extra outfit (or five) and those shoes you probably won't wear. Southwest is the only carrier where you don’t have to pay a single dollar for up to two pieces of checked luggage and a carry-on. That includes musical instruments! Now, you won't have to worry about lugging all your stuff through the airport to save money; let them take care of it.
  2. You pick your seat once you’re on the plane.
    • The days of glaring down the aisle hoping approaching passengers with crying babies and smelly food aren't assigned to sit next to you are over. And you won’t have to ask other passengers to move when you want to sit next to your friends or keep your family in the same row. Who knows, maybe someone a few rows back will catch your eye and you’ll find love at 35,000 feet.
    • But, this does mean it’s very important to check in to your flight on time (24 hours before departure) so you can be at the front of the line for boarding. And don’t be late for your flight, because then you might get stuck in the middle seat right next to the bathroom or have no space in the overhead bins.
  3. You don’t have to pay extra to change your flight.
    • So, you booked a flight on the wrong weekend for your best friend's bachelor party. Or you found out your daughter's soccer team made it to the state championship and that family vacation is going to have to wait. Or the weather forecast calls for thunderstorms during your weekend getaway to Cancun. Have no fear. You can change your flight without taking a financial hit. Some airlines charge a $200 fee if you change your flight more than 24 hours after booking. With Southwest, you just pay the fare difference, if there is one.
  4. You could see a live concert on your plane.
    • I'm all about the free TV and flight tracker on the seat in front of me, but this sounds just a little more fun. Southwest has an ongoing series featuring live performances onboard flights at 35,000 feet. That’s legit in-flight entertainment from bands like Blue October and up-and-coming artists like Drake White. 
  5. $5 happy hour, every hour.
    • Jack and Coke, bloody Mary, margarita, gin and tonic ... take your pick! It's a better deal than a lot of the bars Downtown and a good start to your trip.
    • Plus, if you're traveling during the holidays they'll "get the fun started with a stiff drink free of charge – if you’re of age, of course."
    • Sodas, juices, coffee and snacks are still free, too. Peanuts or pretzels? I think I'll take both. Thank you.
  6. If you’re super loyal, your friends can fly for free.
    • You can choose one person to fly free with you every time you purchase or redeem points for a flight with Southwest’s Companion Pass. They just pay the tax on the flight. How do you earn it? Fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 110,000 qualifying points in a calendar year, and you’ll get the perk for the rest of the year, plus another full year.
  7. No more using cheap flight-finder sites.
    • You won't find Southwest options listed on aggregate websites like Kayak, Orbitz or Travelocity. Passengers can only search for flights and buy tickets at www.southwest.com.
  8. Southwest employees like to have a good time. 
    • The Dallas-based airline encourages its crews to have fun and take a light hand toward passengers.  There's a chance the security announcements at the beginning of the flight will turn into a comedy monologue from the captain. A flight attendant might also compliment your new scarf, which could lead to a nice chat and a vigorous online search for similar knitted accessories by that flight attendant and the guy sitting next you.

As one frequent Southwest flyer said: "In an era of TSA, jammed flights and people being pulled off planes, I still find Southwest refreshing."

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Way back when WestJet based their airline on Southwest, Southwest has stuck to their model, WestJet seems to want to be a big, high cost carrier. By the by, I see their ads now refer to themselves as "the most Canadian, Canadian Airline". :box:

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