Southwest Hawaii. How’s it going now? “The other airlines can’t touch you… Predatory and opportunistic—which we like.” — SW and SWAPO
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160 thoughts on “Go Big and Predatory: Southwest Hawaii And Costco”
Southwest Hawaii. How’s it going now? “The other airlines can’t touch you… Predatory and opportunistic—which we like.” — SW and SWAPO
Southwest’s real advantage is they allow us to change our flight without penalties. Thank you, Southwest!!!
Funny anecdote – I was in Phoenix awaiting a flight to Hawaii. I had glanced at the big screen and found the gate for my departure time, went to the gate, and sat down to relax before boarding. I usually like to board last – why be a sardine before its time? …. After awhile an airline employee came out and began an officious harangue – ‘don’t do X it’s a Federal offense,’ ‘don’t do Y or you’ll be arrested’ etc. I thought, this doesn’t sound like Hawaiian Airlines (they’re usually courteous and respectful, that is, they have aloha!). I went to desk, waited to be served, and asked ‘what airline is this?’ Southwest. Holy moly! I had to run to the other side of the whole airport to make my Hawaiian Air flight departing at the same time.
The hundreds of flights I have taken on Southwest I have Never heard that announcement. Maybe it’s in response to the run of unruly passengers lately. I’ll find out on the 20th when I fly Southwest back to Hawaii on the 20th.
Competition is good. Without SWA, Hawn would continue to charge the high rates they normally do. Having SWA around w/ lower costs provides opportunity for the poorer to travel even if just to our other islands.
Hawaiian airlines prices was crazy for inter island flights. They ran others out of business. Now Southwest is giving them some of there own medicine! Hawaiian had a monopoly before, kind of like Young Brothers for shipping. They need competition like Matson or others delivering direct to other islands.
If you recall, Hawaiian used the same predatory pricing strategy to drive Aloha Airlines out of business.
The airline business is extremely competitive, leading companies to try different routes u til they find a profitable niche. We left the world of regulated airlines in 1978, resulting in lower air travel costs. Are you suggesting we return to a regulated structure which would result in higher air fares?
The non-Southwest oligopoly of airlines flying to Hawaii have continued to raise prices and extra service charges like comfort seats, baggage and cancellations. Southwest Airlines has brought their proven culture of terrific service, lower refundable prices, and two free bags. I’ve flown with Southwest Airlines on 20 round trips per year for many years and have not been disappointed, except for weather-related conditions. Travel issues happen to all airlines, but workarounds on Southwest seem to be less painful, in my opinion.
Southwest getting treated like the superferry where the unions and elite drove them out because they were a threat to their power. Conned locals that they were the bad guys and as usual hired protestors to make it look like there was an issue. Same con as always.
I’m a capitalist, so this is only a knee-jerk reaction to the article. Perhaps a legal definition of predatory pricing could be developed and if the provable predatory pricing could be responsible for the failure of some percentage of competitors, the predator company could be mandated to retain its destructive pricing for, say, 10 years.
Hawaiian Airlines has promoted itself as island friendly to the island residents … but ever try and see what is a predator when it comes for booking flights from Honolulu to Hilo and back during the Merry Monarch event on the Big Island. I can see that this airline goes into the ‘supply and demand’ mode just like the rest of them. Then, too, over the years, Hawaiian customer service has ended up being mediocre at best. Southwest Airlines customer service is based on good customer service. For the great part of my travels with this Texas based carrier, it has been surprisingly friendly and cordial.
To say that SW is not predatory indicates a lack of understanding of what predatory behavior connotes. Predatory pricing is when an entity prices its service under what it legitimately costs to produce that service with the Intent to drive competition out of the business. SW has a history of that kind of behavior (read about their efforts in Newark, NJ over 10 years). That behavior is even more illegal when the effort uses returns from other markets to subsidize the market entry. SW has been in the inter-island business for 3 years. It still advertises their low prices as due to the new operation and giving consumers a chance to try the airline. That’s BS and a cover for their strategy to drive HA out of the market. Predatory!!!
Southwest is getting more and more passengers flying in Hawaii and out of Hawaii. They are definitely the only way to fly. Have you seen the difference in flight attendant service? Hawaiian Airlines flight attendants union don’t allow them to do anything. Next time you fly on rip off Hawaiian push the call button and see how long it takes for an attendant to come and see what you might need. Southwest attendants are much more friendlier and majority are not even Hawaii locals. Continue to pay high prices on Hawaiian and you will miss the boat on Southwest. Southwest is the only way to fly.
So True . The last time I took Hawaiin Airlines to Hawaii from Oakland z. I paid extra for Business Class and when I got up to go get another drink , the lead rude flight attendant said we are getting the cart ready you will have to wait. Couldn’t even get a water . Really ? So glad Southwest and their great service started coming to Hawaii.