The Southwest airlines, based in Dallas is one of the best airlines that carry exemplary customer care service and pairs it with cheap flights and low fares at all times. The airlines operate a network of more than a hundred destinations in the united states and also caters to ten international cities.
The airline has expanded its service to several new destinations, including Hawaii in the year 2019. The airlines were incorporated in the year 1967 and have been in operation for more than four decades. They have come to be known as the largest low-cost airline carrier in the world. The airlines have definitely carved a niche for itself with two major aspects, the airline offers up to two checked bags for free and does not charge for changes made with flight reservations.
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Airfare categories with Southwest Airlines:
The southwest reservation are offered at three major categories, namely ‘business select’, ‘wanna get away’, and ‘anytime’. The business select category caters to business travelers and enjoys frequent flyer payoffs. These travelers also get priority boarding and a complimentary drink along with priority access to ticket counters and security checks. The Wanna getaway category enjoys the lowest airfare but is nonrefundable.
The anytime category has refundable fares and enjoys higher and frequent flyer payoffs under the rapid rewards program of the airlines. All of these categories allow two checked in hand baggage and no fee for changes in the flight. The airline also offers cash backs for senior travelers.
Low fare flights with excellent amenities:
Though the southwest airlines offer the most affordable airfares for their passengers, they do not skimp down on the amenities. Each of the flights has complimentary snacks and soft drinks and also offer free TV and WIFI on demand. The travelers need not pay to take advantage of its iMessage option and to use the pre-downloaded applications.
Seating arrangements with southwest flights:
The system they follow with seat allocations is unique to this airline. They board their passengers by groups and there are no seating arrangements instead. The passengers are assigned a boarding group such as A, B or C and a position from 1-60 when they check-in for the flight.
The best tip to avail the best seat is to check-in earlier. It is possible to check-in 24 hours before the flight time to have a better chance of getting in the A group. Passengers in the A group have better seating options and overhead space to store baggage.
More recently the airline has also upgraded its reservation platform and allows passengers to check through multiple ways. These are curbside check-in, early bird check-in, online check-in through its web portal, mobile check-in with the help of digital boarding pass, self-service check-in at the airport, and check-in at the ticket counter at least 30 minutes before the departure.
Low-cost airline ticketing system:
One of the major advantages that the southwest airlines features it that they are consistently able to offer low and competitive airfares compared with other carriers. They follow a philosophy which is much different than the hub and spoke system that most of the airlines in the US.
Majority of the airlines base their operations on central hub cities and serve other cities trough one-stop service. But southwest airlines employ a point to point service, that allows for more non-stop routes to smaller cities.
Staying ahead of the technology curve:
The airlines have the track record of staying consistently ahead of the learning curve. It has indeed debuted some of the trendy features of the aviation industry. They created the first airline website knows as the southwest airlines home gate. By the year 2017, all of the planes have WiFi for passenger use.
They also partnered with Pratt and Whitney to indulge in a pressure washing system, that allows the airline to clean its engine turbine blades at the gate. This initiative is expected to save fuel and eliminate million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.
Cancellation policies at the southwest airlines:
In case the flights are delayed by more than ten minutes and if the passenger attempts to reschedule ahead of the airlines, it is important to remind the airlines do not charge for the fare difference. The southwest reward flights are based on the air ticket price and are completely refundable. The tickets can be canceled right up to the flight time.
Little extras with the southwest airlines:
The passenger should ensure to double-check the kiosk printed receipts for a free drink coupon or the WIFI code that is printed on the receipt. At times, these offers pop up randomly. If the flight is pretty empty, the passengers in the C group can request for better seats and settle themselves at their preferred seat location.
The passengers can register with the airline’s promotions while doing the southwest airlines reservation online so as to get notified on price drop and on promotions. Along with free checked bags, the airline allows each ticketed passenger to check one stroller and one car seat free of charge, to delight families.
Final words:
The southwest airlines have a strong and loyal consumer base who continue to be pretty high on the airline. They are consistently at the number one position when it comes to customer satisfaction index. Understanding the mechanism of the airlines helps in customizing and maximizing the southwest experience.
