*fiddlesticks*Off United Airlines.

[Aske]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/n...5/us_nm/unitedairlines_dc

[Spanky]

I cant believe more companies arent trying to copy Southwest. You would think they would say "Hey look at what they are doing and they are still making money, maybe we should try it"

[Teed]

I cant believe more companies arent trying to copy Southwest. You would think they would say "Hey look at what they are doing and they are still making money, maybe we should try it"

That's why I only fly Southwest.  Obviously, they know what they're doing!

[Clive]

I don't see all the fuss.  Domestic policies for the first checked bag, second checked bag, and subsequent checked bags for tickets purchased after, say, Labor Day 2008:

Northwest: $15, $25, $100
US Air: $15, $25, $100
Delta: $0, $50, $125 (third bag)/$200 (thereafter)
Continental: $15, $25, $100
United: $15, $50, $125

IIRC from an old thread, one of the biggest reasons Southwest is comparatively profitable is their gas futures positions (or something like that).  Take that away, and the general feeling was that they'd be in the red, too, although perhaps not as deeply.  I don't know if all the airlines could go to an avoid-the-hubs scheme, and I also don't know the costs associated with discarding an established hub system.

[Aske]

Well, since it really translates as a result of the space/weight issue,  why not start charging simply by passenger+luggage volume and mass?

[Fuzzy]

Well, since it really translates as a result of the space/weight issue,  why not start charging simply by passenger+luggage volume and mass?

Where do I sign up?   

[stroh]

Well, since it really translates as a result of the space/weight issue,  why not start charging simply by passenger+luggage volume and mass?

Where do I sign up?   

I wholeheartedly agree.  If the reason truly is weight = more gas = more money.....

Look dude, you fat, you eat too much.  You pay more.

[Clive]

Well, since it really translates as a result of the space/weight issue,  why not start charging simply by passenger+luggage volume and mass?

Because it really doesn't translate as such.  I'm sure the baggage weight has an impact on fuel consumption.  But mostly, and I suspect you well know it, this is merely an effort to bring in more revenue.  Made by many businesses operating in the red.  In an industry critical to American commerce.

[Fuzzy]

http://www.startribune.co...4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUJ

MINNEAPOLIS - Northwest Airlines says it could make a pretax profit of $60 million to $100 million in the quarter.....

The profit prediction did not count potential hedging gains or losses, and the company did not give an earnings-per-share figure.........

Northwest said it had $3.3 billion in unrestricted cash as of this week. Northwest is being bought out by Delta Air Lines Inc.; the two have said they expect to have about $6 billion in cash after the deal closes.

Davis said new fees for checked baggage brought in $370,000 on Aug. 31 alone, and the company expects $150 million to $200 million per year in new revenue from those fees.

  Wow.