With all the hue and cry for transparent pricing, buyers need to look more closely at fuel surcharges. For starters, spending on fuel surcharges probably dwarfs ancillary fees. Why? Unlike ancillary fees, surcharges are not optional. They apply to every passenger who buys a ticket with a surcharge filed as part of the fare. Quite different from those who may elect to pay for a checked bag or an aisle seat.
Now for the salt in the buyer's wound - corporate discounts don't (yet) apply to fuel surcharges.
Re:
New Test for Southwest: Can Archetypal No-Frills Airline Succeed at the Corporate Discounting Game?
David Jonas' article on Southwest's awkward flirtation with the corporate market is extensively reported and elegantly written. Unfortunately--like Southwest itself--the narrative passes by WN’s fundamental challenge in that arena.
