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Letter to the editor

Southwest cattle call gets touch of class

A business fare and new seating system debut today.

By STEVE HUETTEL, Times Staff Writer
Published November 8, 2007

Southwest Airlines, the egalitarian airline that earned its wings with cheap fares and peanuts instead of in-flight meals, is rolling out two big changes today to expedite boarding and lure business travelers.

-"Business select" fares, which go on sale today, will offer special treatment to customers willing to pay $10 to $30 more per flight for a full-fare, refundable ticket.

-An overhaul of Southwest's oft-criticized boarding procedure, dubbed "the cattle call," also debuts nationwide today. Under the new system, travelers will receive numbers to reserve a spot in line.

The special fares for business travelers on Southwest, the biggest carrier at Tampa International Airport, will let customers board and pick a seat ahead of most of the other passengers. A higher-paying passenger also receives bonus frequent flier credits and a free drink.

Chief executive Gary Kelly said the new fares will bring in at least an additional $100-million annually as the airline struggles with higher fuel costs. Southwest's first-come, first-served seating turns off business travelers in new markets who are used to getting reserved seats, he said.

Under Southwest's old boarding system, customers stood in line for a half-hour or longer in three large boarding groups: A, B and C.

Now passengers will still be assigned by letter group, but will have a number within each group. Travelers will board in groups of five, based on their number, so there will be no need to line up early for the first shot at seats.

Customers with physical disabilities can still board first. But last month, Southwest stopped allowing families with children to board ahead of other passengers.

Now, they get on the plane after travelers in the first group unless they have A passes themselves. The idea was to give travelers who obtain boarding passes online as far as 24 hours in advance a first shot at their favorite seats, but still let families find seats together.

Southwest hasn't assigned seats through its 36-year history. Letting people pick where they sit is the fastest way to load an airplane, and the "open seating" policy helps the airline keep turnaround times at the gate as short as 20 minutes.

Southwest is now the largest U.S. domestic carrier, flying more than 96-million passengers last year. It also controls 27 percent of the market at Tampa International, far outpacing No. 2 Delta.

But it has had growing pains. A senior work force caused labor costs to escalate, while competitors slashed expenses through bankruptcy reorganizations.

Southwest has an advantage with options to buy fuel at below-market prices. But rising oil prices are making it hard for the Dallas-based carrier to reach a goal of boosting revenue and cutting costs by a combined $1-billion annually.

That makes attracting higher-paying business travelers a top priority. In the 1990s, about 40 percent of Southwest passengers paid full fare. Now it's about 25 percent.

Southwest will reserve about 10 percent of seats on each flight for business select passengers, Kelly said. They will be checked in automatically, guaranteeing them A boarding passes. The new fare also gives them a 25 percent bonus in Rapid Rewards frequent flier credits for flights over 750 miles and double credit for longer flights.

The perks at all-coach Southwest won't steal elite fliers with airlines that offer upgrades to first class, said airline expert Darryl Jenkins. "But they'll make more money from people already flying them," he said.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this story. Steve Huettel can be reached at huettel@sptimes.com or 813 226-3384.

FAST FACTS:

High flying Southwest-style

The nation's largest low-fare airline has introduced a new "business-select" fare for $10 to $30 more than a full-fare flight. Here are the perks:

-Automatic check-in and a guarantee to be among the first passengers that board and select seats.

-Bonus credits in the airline's Rapid Rewards frequent flier program.

-One free drink.

[Last modified November 8, 2007, 00:10:29]