Southwest Airlines Ranking Slips To Eighth Place For On-Time Arrivals

Bloomberg:

Southwest Airlines Co., the U.S. industry leader in on-time arrivals since record-keeping began in 1987, finds itself in an unprecedented spot this year: eighth place.

Second a year ago, Southwest is slipping as it expands at congested airports such as New York's LaGuardia while US Airways Group Inc., Alaska Air Group Inc. and other rivals improve their performance, according to federal data released yesterday for the 12 months ended in October.

Read the whole story: Bloomberg

Comments

[repugnicansfearme]

02:34 PM on 12/09/2010

Who paid for this negatvie article, Horse Tooth Branson? Southwest has been the winner year after year in performance, customer servce and on time. Anyone who flies them knows this. And no mysterious waiting for the crews who never show up, or phantom maintenance issues. They are a great airline.

[noaxe397]

09:07 AM on 12/09/2010

The term "on time performance" is at once so vague and so subjective as to be meaningless.
 
I've arrived on time many times only to sit on the tarmac because the gate was occupied.
 
With ALL the issues involving air travellers  today (and air travel is making a Greyhound bus ride seem like luxury travel) I think on time performance is off the table as an issue.

[AirViceMarshalPark]

12:23 AM on 12/09/2010

I flew SW extensively in the 70s and 80s, when the turn time from arrival to departure was a fast 10 minutes.

Increasingly, as they fly into airports with serious weather issues and destinations with inherent traffic delays, SW is going to see its on-time numbers are going to deteriorate.

[TheyAllSuck]

07:15 PM on 12/08/2010

You mess with the fat man, you get squashed.

[Hnorc]

04:00 PM on 12/08/2010

Those "Bags fly free" commercials are annoying.

[J0E1]

02:54 PM on 12/08/2010

Southwest used to have reasonable fares.  Now they are consistantly the most expensive when I am booking a trip.  Sorry southwest, but I will take a carry on with me on another airline if it means saving $50 on my ticket.  Free checked bags aren't enough to win be over unless you are the same or better price wise.

[StellaFox]

03:14 PM on 12/08/2010

I've noticed that as well. They were at one time consistently cheaper than everyone. Now I can find flights that are non-stop and substantially less on carriers like Jet Blue.

[RJ2500]

01:40 PM on 12/08/2010

Another example of a lousy product with great marketing.

Similar to the GOP.

[sheila]

01:06 PM on 12/08/2010

Hey, SW, if you are reading this, I can tell you why i no longer bother with you:

You have turned into exactly what you positioned yourself to oppose: Big, Inflexible Airline.

When you started, anyone could buy tickets by segment with no penalties - THAT was the secret to your success. Believe it or not, most of us don't always want to fly R/T to and from the same place, and now you penalize us for trying to do the exact thing you offered - buy tickets by segment. Your dirty, worn out planes and trashy loudmouth salesmen in every seat stop being so charming when you are competing with Virgin and other better airlines.

You should stick to what made you popular - SELL SEGMENTS WITH A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY at segment, not punitive, prices.

[MrStat]

03:42 PM on 12/08/2010

They do sell one-way tickets. Buy a round trip ticket and it's twice the one-way fare.

[tinman1967]

01:00 PM on 12/08/2010

Their still my favorite airline. They allow you to change your plans without a charge. They are about the only one.

[Ironquill]

12:54 PM on 12/08/2010

Southwest is still the only game if you need a reasonable fare in a short length of time. But their seats are cramped, the general public is increasinly ill-mannered for such close quarters. One of their attendants told an Obama joke and they play FOX news incessantly in their boarding area--both very repugnant to me.

[tinman1967]

01:02 PM on 12/08/2010

Ah, you sound like the sensitive type.
You should go fly United.

[RJ2500]

01:41 PM on 12/08/2010

He really should; it's way better.