Don Smithey heard a constant refrain from people he met: “When will we get Southwest?”
“Even my dentist asked,” the airport director said. “Everywhere I went, that was the main question.”
Now
he can look his dentist in the eye and tell him exactly when Southwest
is coming. Smithey said he needs help from the public to keep the
airline here.
“It’s not going to happen just on the strength of my personality,” he joked. “They want rear ends in those seats.”
Here
are some reasons people are excited to see Southwest’s first flight
take off at 6:55 a.m. next Sunday from the Des Moines International
Airport.
SOUTHWEST EFFECT
When Southwest arrives, low fares quickly follow. That leads to an increase in passengers.
BAGS FLY FREE
The
first two bags checked in are free. The third one is $50. Most airlines
charge from $20 to $40 for the first two bags and up to $150 on the
third bag, according to a website that monitors those
numbers,
airlinebagfees.com.
NO FEES FOR CHANGING FLIGHTS
Jeff
Carpenter of Clive said he has already booked two flights with
Southwest in Des Moines even though they were $30 more expensive than
competitors, because potential changes could end up costing him more.
“If I have to change the flight, most other airlines have a big change
penalty,” he said.
FAMILY TREATMENT AS A BASIC SERVICE
“When
we go into markets, people respond to being treated fairly and being
treated like family,” said Linda Macey, Southwest manager of airport
affairs. “We don’t try to nickel-and-dime our customers. When we sell
tickets, we sell a basic service.”
Carpenter sees that. “They just
seem to treat people fairly, and their employees have the ability to do
things to help any situation,” he said. “They still have delays and
cancellations, but there is just the basic level of treatment that
exists there that is far and above other airlines.”
IN-FLIGHT FUN
Carpenter said he can recall flights when a flight attendant broke into a jingle, adding to the fun, relaxed atmosphere.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com
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