How does WN do it?

[T-Bird76]

So I'm beginning to plan my trip out to LAS and LAX for Feb and I was shocked to see how much lower WN was compared to all the other airlines, with the exception of JetBlue who was really close.

For a ISP-LAX-LAX-LAS-LAS-ISP it was $258. JetBlue was close at $319 but not worth going into JFK for me, but the other airlines were allot more money for the same dates, same time slots. The only difference was I would be leaving out of JFK or LGA. American was $381, Delta $385, United $597 out of LGA and US/HP was $364 out of LGA and ISP. So my question is how does WN pull off being $100 lower, while offering big jet service, high frequency, and on-board service that's better then the majors while still making money?

You can say what you want about WN but when they are more then $100 lower in price and still manage to offer on-board service equal or better then the legacy carriers one has to ask why fly anyone else? The same goes for JetBlue out of JFK. For anyone leaving out of JFK you would have to be nuts to fly the other carriers and spend that much more.

[mirrodie]

WN can do ISP-LAX nonstop?
Last time I used WN I did ISP-MDW-LAX, LAS-BWI-ISP, I forget the cost.

How do they do it? well, how do viruses replicate? They kick you while you are down. ;)
Just kidding, remember I still hold a warm spot for WN, albeit a small one.

Cant tell you how but I will say this, from a pax POV.

A)Though I LOVE flying, if I can do a non-stop both ways and it costs me $100 more, nowadays I would pay the higher price. (a year ago, I would have taken the cheaper trip with extra lets solely for the enjoyment.)

B) I like having my miles with a legacy carrier. My rewards with WN were limited to the USA. With AAdvantage rewards, I've hit Europe and now Australia already. Just a personal preference. And at the time, JetBLues TrueBlue was non-existent.

C) I really dont see what is expecially better about Jetblue's or WN's product. The leather seats arent doing it for me nor does the IFE TV. But since many others perceive that as value, good on them. In all honesty, whether you are in a leather seat with TVs in the seats or not, its not making me forget that I am in this aluminum tube for a few hours breathing condensed air.

Now, what I DO enjoy is my greater than average real estate on the plane. I mean I like my room! On AA flights you can seat block(with status), etc and chance a better than average seat. Go with a confirmed Upgrade and I've got more real estate:). If you told me Wn and JB had awesome seat pitch and were sooper dooper roomy, I'd be sold.

PS, that is why I like what Max Jet offers. Their idea is great.

Back to how....well? Fuel hedging is the biggie I can think of right now. Also, Herbs book gives a few more points but I cant think of them right now.

[T-Bird76]

If you told me Wn and JB had awesome seat pitch and were sooper dooper roomy, I'd be sold.

Jetblue does have better seat pitch then AA. In fact in the back of their buses they offer more seat pitch then when AA had MRTC. I've just been very disillusioned with AA the last few times I've flown them. Even though I can use my miles for international travel I'm totally turned off by them and the other US international carriers. I've already decided when I go to Europe in May I'm flying Virgin Upper Class. AA, DAL, UAL, and even CO don't even come close when it comes to value for the money for a first class product. AA was 2000 dollars more then Virgin and doesn't offer a quarter of what Virgin will give me for the money.

[Alex T]

Simply put, SWA offers a GREAT and Excellent service at low or reasonable prices people are willing to pay for.
As Seat pitch...

AA-Coach is 32 inches on the MD80, 738. 757 and A300 is 31.
SWA-33 inches
B6-32 inches at the front, and 34 inches at the back.


So if your lucky to get the back of the bus on B6 great but your graunrateed a 33 seat pitch on SWA on every flight, every time no matter what the aircraft.

SWA also offers NO change fees except the price difference, and whats even better if you see a lower airfare on SWA you can change it to that price and you KEEP THE CREDIT! You dont pay for the change and you get the money back in the form of a credit for future flights.

Service- SWA gives you unlimited FULL can of soda and peanut bags on flights 1 hr or less, between 2 hrs and 1 hr of flight time you get unlimited drinks, bags of peanuts and a snack mix, then flights 2 hrs or longer on SWA you get, unlimited drinks, peanuts bag, snack pack. thats a HELL lot more then what AA offers -which is now NOTHING w/o buying it.

I could go on and on, but SWA serves me just fine, and at a cheap price, and your guranteed a full service jet everytime.

In fact I am planning my next 3 trips all on SWA like Tommy is, I am not even looking at the other carriers because I know I will probably have to change planes, or pay more or worse be stuck on an RJ. SWA is the ONLY Airline I will be willing to pay MORE for.

Alex