Yeah, cut costs, take a stock rise, and exit before the downturn in business caused by the lower quality and worse experience due to their cost cutting.

Southwest's problems are related to two factors:

• Boeing's inability to deliver new planes (see Boeing's problems)
• Southwest's crew scheduling software meltdown that canceled all those flights over the holiday season - this is the factor they could have controlled, and the meltdown was directly due to management's stupidity as the problems with the software were well known and they were warned.

I still prefer SWA, and that all my flights in the past year have been on time with no problems, and cheaper than the legacy airlines.

Southworst is not the cheapest all their flights are jam packed

Southwest sucks now. In no way are they a budget airline anymore, half the plane preboards (generally because they are simply morbidly obese), and they are delayed / late more times than not.

The airline needs a shake up.

Activist investors are generally selfish greedy parasites.

SW is easily the best major American airline. Flying in Europe is far better than in the US though

OldAg68 said:

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Activist investors are generally selfish greedy parasites.

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GOOD

OldAg68 said:

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Activist investors are generally selfish greedy parasites.

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They don't take money from widows and orphans. They make them money!

Caving to the activist investors is oftentimes a huge mistake. I work for a Fortune 50 and we had one that was a thorn for years. Full of bad ideas that may have provided a short term bump for him to then dump the stock, but bad long-term for the shareholders. Credit to our CEO/Chairman in how we had a good strategy that we continued to tweak and pursue. They outlasted him, and 10 years later this company is in no doubt a much better position than if they'd pursued his ideas.

Sometimes they can provide a stick for a company that has gotten complacent and drive some positive movement. But many times it's a vulture after a pump and dump.

CampSkunk said:

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Southwest's problems are related to two factors:

• Boeing's inability to deliver new planes (see Boeing's problems)
• Southwest's crew scheduling software meltdown that canceled all those flights over the holiday season - this is the factor they could have controlled, and the meltdown was directly due to management's stupidity as the problems with the software were well known and they were warned.

I still prefer SWA, and that all my flights in the past year have been on time with no problems, and cheaper than the legacy airlines.

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I have not had issues with SW. I've had nothing but good interactions with their staff.

I know others have but I continue to have good experiences and my flights are very rarely delayed, and if so, never longer than an hour.

LuoJi said:

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SW is easily the best major American airline. Flying in Europe is far better than in the US though

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You really think so even now?

We had been big fans of SW for many years mostly because they just had so many options from Austin and were generally on time with friendly employees. Last few years we've just come to assume the flight will be delayed or cancelled. Last flight we took on SW they crowed on the speaker that we were ahead of schedule then landed at Berg and sat there for 45 minutes because they didn't have anyone at the gate.

Maybe we're just unlucky.

I have flown SWA about 40 times this year and may have been delayed once. Last year was bad early in the year but then got better.

I don't get all the squawking about people getting on early. In my experience it doesn't delay the flight so I don't give a rats ass.

What delays the flight is someone with an oversized backpack, a roller bag that won't fit in the overhead unless you hit it with a sledgehammer, and another personal item trying to board. If it were me, I'd get rid overhead bins and say if it doesn't fit under the seat, it gets checked.

I fly SW multiple times a month and rarely if ever have had a real problem. Flights get delayed on all airlines, it happens, but SW employees are generally very pleasant. I have SW Companion and tons of free flights as well, SW works very well. I will also fly Delta who are in my opinion just as plesant as SW it just pisses me off all the fees you have to pay. I cannot stand American, I've flown AA about four times and half of those times have been absolutely terrible, employees included.

GasAg90 said:

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I have flown SWA about 40 times this year and may have been delayed once. Last year was bad early in the year but then got better.

I don't get all the squawking about people getting on early. In my experience it doesn't delay the flight so I don't give a rats ass.

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When I fly another airline I always think about how stupid the boarding process is. They always have that barrier belt between premium members and regular people but thats all it is...a belt stretched out about 10'.

I fly Southwest a ton. In over 500 flights they lost 1 bag of mine.

Now American, Delta, Air Canada, I fly all regularly as well. I'd suggest they have lost my **** several times each. Only one was a permanent loss.

Also as far as delays, cancelled flights etc…. Same scenario. Southwest for me has been nearly 99% getting me to my destination without a major issue. The other three I'd say 90% and all 3 have had at least 1 massive screw around where I had to go find alternate options.

American and Delta were several times with no staff or short pilots. Stuff like that.

Not once with SW in 15years. Weather and mechanical yes, a handful for sure.

ocling said:

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Southwest sucks now. In no way are they a budget airline anymore, half the plane preboards (generally because they are simply morbidly obese), and they are delayed / late more times than not.

The airline needs a shake up.

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That will change with assigned seating.

Making an airplane more like a bus is not the answer these days. Elliott is right that offering premium options is the way to go, financially speaking.

Tswizsle said:

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Southworst is not the cheapest all their flights are jam packed

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Nobody flies Southwest any more. They're too crowded.

Are there many, if any, examples of a corporate raider coming in and making a company better for its employees and customers?

SW is still the best domestic for sure. I'll be interested to see what happens when the extra leg room (classes) & seat assignments begin to take over their planes next year. Not sure what I think about it yet.

Tswizsle said:

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Southworst is not the cheapest all their flights are jam packed

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That is not a bad formula for making money.

Paul Singer is the guy that killed Cabela's.

ocling said:

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Southwest sucks now. In no way are they a budget airline anymore, half the plane preboards (generally because they are simply morbidly obese), and they are delayed / late more times than not.

The airline needs a shake up.

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BS. Factor in baggage and change fees, and they offer the best value for what you get. Changing pre board policies may need to happen. They are absolutely NOT late or delayed more times than not. They also don't corner the market on obese passengers.

I'm not a fan of the no assigned seat policy, but it's not exactly like a sharp stick in the eye.

I don't fly for work, but they go all the places I need to go, and only twice in the last 15 years were they not the best deal for us. Checked bag fees are total BS.

Yes, when you factor your bags fly free and no seat charges it is usually at least competitive if not on the low end of the price scale.

My understanding was the current CEO was already in the process of fixing that busted ass system but that stuff takes time and it broke before they could fix it

ocling said:

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Southwest sucks now. In no way are they a budget airline anymore, half the plane preboards (generally because they are simply morbidly obese), and they are delayed / late more times than not.

The airline needs a shake up.

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Not just the obese. Pay attention to the massive number of wheelchairs filled with old ladies that also bring on a companion, board first, then hop up and into a front seat. Drives me crazy.

Then walk off and walk thru the airport at the destination

Bingo

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Nobody flies Southwest any more. They're too crowded.

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Several other posts on this thread are holding on line 1.

Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

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Quote:

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Nobody flies Southwest any more. They're too crowded.

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Several other posts on this thread are holding on line 1.

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Should that be cited? /Yogi Berra

Since December 2013, I have flown Southwest 20 times, and I have had only one flight delayed in December 2022. What I like most about Southwest is two free checked bags per passenger.

Duckhook said:

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Tswizsle said:

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Southworst is not the cheapest all their flights are jam packed

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Nobody flies Southwest any more. They're too crowded.

Are there many, if any, examples of a corporate raider coming in and making a company better for its employees and customers?

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Cabela's says goodbye...

Duckhook said:

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Tswizsle said:

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Southworst is not the cheapest all their flights are jam packed

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Nobody flies Southwest any more. They're too crowded.

Are there many, if any, examples of a corporate raider coming in and making a company better for its employees and customers?

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Every airline is crowded. They are all flying the minimum number of aircraft required due to many reasons. It seems that almost every flight I have had on multiple airlines over the past couple years has been announced as a "full flight" by the gate agent with carry-ons gate checked. Those that are not announced as full flights are damned near full. While not what they used to be, SWA is still the best IMO with minimum delays and the best customer service.

Prior to ~2010 when Southwest made major reductions in flights as well as completly overhauling their rapid rewards program, I was a Southwest fanatic and I can recite my Southwest Rapid Rewards number by memory since 2000. I would pretty much fly them every chance I could. And the flights typically were not full so the no assigned seat wasn't a big deal and actually was convenient.

But since then I do whatever I can to avoid flying them. I understand why they made the changes, but as others mentioned, they are no longer a budger airline and the no assigned seat concept isn't good for their model anymore. I'll be United 1K this year and not a single penny spent on Southwest in years.