Southwest pays fees of rivals' passengers in publicity campaign
Southwest Airlines needled its rivals over fees on Tuesday by reimbursing some of their customers who complained on social about paying extra for things like checked bags and change fees.
Southwest gave away Visa gift cards in the amount of the fees that some passengers said they had to pay while flying other airlines. The carrier also gave each of those passengers a free flight on Southwest. Southwest spokeswoman Thais Hanson declined to say exactly how many people were rewarded, putting the number in the “dozens.”
Southwest, of course, has staked its reputation as the big U.S. airline with the fewest fees. The company allows all passengers to check up to two bags for free, something no other big U.S. carrier does. Southwest also is the only big U.S. airline that doesn’t add an extra fee for changing tickets.
Southwest launched Tuesday’s “#FeesDontFly” effort as part of its broader “Transfarency” publicity campaign, part of an effort to play up the carrier’s stance on add-on fees.
Southwest Airlines zings competitors' fees in new ads
“As other carriers tack on outlandish surcharges for what should be considered a normal part of traveling, we reminded folks there’s a better, friendlier option,” Bob Jordan, Southwest’s Chief Commercial Officer, said in a Wednesday statement. “December is the season of traveling families and being with those you love. Yesterday, we reminded the world that Southwest values connecting families to what’s important in their lives. And, we let them check two bags for free, too.”
Hanson told Today in the Sky Southwest wasn’t singling out any rival in particular. But Southwest did appear to draw particular attention to low-cost rivals like Spirit and Frontier, which actually raised their fees for travel during the busy holiday season.
“They’re at it again. Beware of naughty fee increases from the other guys this holiday season,” Southwest said in a social media post encouraging fliers of other airlines to share “hidden fee horror stories.”
