Southwest Airlines. What a terrible company.
Honestly, do these people even know what they’re doing?
All those smiling flight attendants cover a pit of failure. Are they even aware of what’s really going on? Southwest passengers are suffering so much that they probably don’t have the energy to express how unhappy they are.
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What? You think this is all my opinion? How can you?
No, this seems to be the feeling of the cohort that suddenly turned funny at United Airlines.
Or should that condescend to humour?
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I’m only asking because the airline just launched a website, heralding a new service, revealing United’s opinion that Southwest customers are poor idiots.
The site is called NotGroupC. And oh, that’s fun.
It begins with the story of a Southwest passenger who forgot to check in 24 hours before their flight and ends up in the dreaded Group C – especially scary right now because the plane is so full.
You may have to resort to the worst seats on the plane.
Now, in an act of haughty generosity, United are offering to offer these Southwest customers what they call a “Courtary-C Call” to remind them of their potential doom.
Now why would United want to do this, other than the happy hope of getting some customer data? Oh, because it claims to be “the airline that lets you choose your seat first.”
“What a good jape!” I hear you enthralled. “United has come a long way to become the airline that everyone hates, because it has rude passenger who don’t like being bumped from their seat. “
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But in this case, United will take them to faraway destinations. The site reminds Southwest United customers there is “no change fee. And flat seats. And … airport lounges anyone?”
Because I really need a flatbed and an airport lounge when flying from San Francisco to LA.
Please correct me if I’m being too lenient, but I’ve never been afraid to check in 24 hours before a flight. It is more than raising expectations.
However, United clearly believes this is a bad imposition, like exfoliating your own armpits.
Would your casual business traveler enjoy all of this? Is anyone? Probably. These days, many people are touched by the cruelty.
You know, ruthlessness gets you flying in Basic Economy and leaves you – look at it – with no choice of seat. Unless you, pay more, that is. God, isn’t that what United do? Why, it is. And it’s much harsher in its Basic Economy offering than Delta or American. How did that happen?
However, this is the (only) part that is really interesting to me. The Point Guy ponders that the campaign is running in three markets – Denver, Houston and Chicago.
At each of the cities’ airports where United and Southwest compete, United has a larger share of traffic.
So why would United want to do it Southwest’s way – especially on something relatively trivial and questionable?
When you are the market leader, you will not accept the people below you. It’s not if Apple makes too many ads mocking Microsoft these days, is it?
However, this is a market leader that is mocking a smaller player. What could have brought about that?
It can’t be fear, can it?
