Originally Posted by
exp96
There is more to "bags fly free" then just bag fees. Our customers know that they can check bags for free and do so. On full flights, we rarely tag bags, and when we do it is usually only a hand full. By comparison, I commute on USAirways about 3 times a month. The flights are always full, and since passengers don't want to pony up for the bag fee, almost everyone has a roller bag. Is is not uncommon for the jetway to look like a luggage warehouse by the time boarding is completed.
With the SWA business plan, our 20-25 minute turns would be impossible with so many gate checked bags. If we had to do 50 minute turns everywhere we went in order to accommodate carry on bags (that become free checked bags) we would lower aircraft utilization. Gary Kelly stated a couple months ago that getting an extra flight or three by keeping an airplane in the air will outweigh the extra bag revenue.
I agree with this statement thoroughly. My employer largely emulates the Southwest business model--at least it did for the first 5 years. We charge for the second bag underneath (so not too bad yet-you get one underneath for free). It has harmed our turn times. We shoot for 40 minutes, but the A320 is tough at 40 mintues with 150 seats and, with regularly high loads, we blow this often because of the bag fees! Customers have dead relatives in some of these roll aboards. Constant boarding delays occur while folks manage these things into overheads.
Bag fees make money, but what about when a customers luggage does not arrive or is lost? This happened to my parents on another carrier. They were angry. They paid extra to have their bags delayed! In the future, they'll avoid that carrier. There are consequences to this charging scheme. Good for LUV!