Bucking the industry trend, Southwest Airlines has pledged not to introduce basic economy fares.
If it did, it would inevitably mean the end of Southwest’s ‘bags fly free’ policy.
"You’re not going to see basic economy from Southwest," CEO Gary Kelly said, adding it aims to ‘stay true to our brand.’
A no bag fee policy is a major selling point for Southwest and it won’t change that anytime soon.
"We’re not going to charge for bag fees. I love the fact that we’re different, and they unbundle and we don’t."
The airline will continue to ‘offer something of more value to road warriors or once-a-year-flyers’ Kelly said.
American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines have all rolled out basic economy fares which are priced lower than regular economy but with few basic amenities beyond a confirmed seat on the plane.
This means no free seat selection, priority boarding and in some cases, no access to the overhead bin space.
Hawaiian Airlines is the latest to launch a basic economy fare option, as it expects the ‘Southwest Effect’ to push down fares when it eventually enters the Hawaii market later this year.
