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Posted Jan 6, 2010
As we all know the travel industry in particular (and most all other industries for that matter) face some real challenges in 2010. Before we get started on my best guesses for what 2010 will bring the travel industry, we should first examine my best guesses from last year.
Posted Dec 16, 2009
Southwest Airlines ranked first on Glassdoor.com's list for 2010 of the 50 best places to work, "selected by the people who know these companies best--their employees," according to Glassdoor. Fellow travel industry companies Continental Airlines placed eighth and Marriott snuck in at 50th.
Posted Oct 21, 2009
Wanna get Southwest to begin service to your city? Wanna write a check?
If some of you are scratching your heads over the news that Southwest Airlines is going to start service from "Northwest Florida's New International Airport near Panama City, Florida" in May 2010, all one needs to do is take a look at the fine print in an SEC filing from the St. Joe Company -- a major land developer in the Florida panhandle.
Posted Oct 15, 2009
This morning Southwest Airlines kicked off the third quarter earnings parade for the things with wings.
The bulk of the sector reports earnings next week.
Excluding items, the airline reported a profit of 3 cents a share. This was a bit better than the street consensus, which had forecast the airline would post a profit, excluding items of two cents.
Posted Oct 14, 2009
TripWare, whose Microsoft Outlook-based booking tool we spotlighted in The Beat in August, may have put a foot in its mouth with this press release which stated that the company has "a clear advantage" over online travel agencies because it offers Southwest Airlines. Well, no it doesn't. At least, that's what Southwest corporate sales and distribution director Rob Brown suggested when I talked to him last week ...
Posted Sept 25, 2009
The Beat's readers named Southwest Airlines the 2009 Supplier Of The Year, ProMedia.travel announced Wednesday during The Beat Live.
Polled this summer, readers of The Beat were asked which company in each of six supplier segments they "most admire for its policies, management style and service for business clients." Those who voted for their own company were disqualified.
Other winners included:
• American Express for most admired payment system
• Hertz for most admired car rental company
• Marriott International for most admired hotel company
• Concur as most admired technology provider
• Continental Airlines as most admired airline
• BCD Travel as the most admired travel management company
(from left) ProMedia.travel CEO Tim Reid, Southwest Airlines corporate sales and distribution director Rob Brown and The Beat founder Jay Campbell
(from left) The Beat founder Jay Campbell, Concur director of travel and industry relations Suzanne Fletcher and ProMedia.travel CEO Tim Reid
Posted Sept 9, 2009
Oops.
Maybe this was not a good time for Southwest Airlines to throw a big $49 sale.
I am traveling to Austin the week after next where I will be giving the luncheon keynote address at this year's The Beat Live conference. More on the conference this week.
Anyway, I have to get there. So I just went to make a reservation on Southwest's brand new Web site.
Posted Sept 8, 2009
Hey, I could be talking about the push to get a passenger rights bill passed.
No, I really didn't plan for today to be the Southwest AIrlines news day.
But this afternoon SWAPA, the pilot's union at Southwest, announced a new tentative agreement with the company. This will be the second attempt by both sides at getting a new contract ratified.
Highlights of the contract behind door number two are:
Posted Sept 3, 2009
... and maybe trips on the way.
Now here is a turnaround. Instead of being the innovator, Southwest is taking a leaf out of the European LCCs and charging for an ancillary service--namely early boarding.
Southwest's new "Early Bird" check-in product sounds simple enough, but wait ... hold on there pard'ner, not so fast.
Posted Aug 13, 2009
"We said all along that we would only move forward on this deal if it proved to be the right decision for our Employees and financially prudent for our Company," said Gary Kelly, Southwest's Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO. "We have a mission to preserve and protect our Culture and the best interests of our Employees, Customers, and Shareholders. This was a great opportunity that required us to act fast. A lot of people worked very hard with every intention of making this work. We were fortunate to be in a position to examine the acquisition to see if it was the right decision for Southwest Airlines. We chose not to amend our bid to remove the labor requirement, a key reason our bid was not selected. Our congratulations to Republic Airways and Frontier Airlines."
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