Southwest to pull three daily flights from McCarran, adds $10 fee

Leila Navidi

A Southwest Airlines airplane, taking off from McCarran International Airport, flies over the UNLV campus on Thursday, March 5, 2009.

By Richard N. Velotta (contact)

Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009 | 2:07 p.m.

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McCarran International Airport will lose three flights a day from Southwest Airlines when the Dallas-based carrier, the largest operator at the Las Vegas airport, modifies its schedule in January and February.

The changes are part of a systemwide modification announced Tuesday by Southwest. In addition, the airline today unveiled a new online check-in program that will enable passengers to get a better boarding position — for a price.

Southwest will cut six round-trip flights, but add three to its Las Vegas schedule early next year.

The airline on Jan. 10 will add nonstop round trips to and from Baltimore and Salt Lake City, but delete one each to and from Albuquerque, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle, St. Louis and Oakland, Calif.

On Feb. 11, Southwest will add a round trip to and from Buffalo, N.Y.

When the changes are completed, Southwest will have five daily round trips to and from Albuquerque, three to Baltimore, two to Buffalo, eight to Denver, 12 to Los Angeles, nine to Oakland, seven to Salt Lake City, two to Seattle and three to St. Louis.

The schedule change is part of Southwest’s efforts to fortify its service to Boston’s Logan International Airport. The airline routinely enhances its schedule, adding service where demand is high and shedding it where it’s low.

McCarran officials say Southwest offers an average of 216 daily flights here, by far the largest operation in Las Vegas. That’s 8 percent fewer than it had a year ago.

Southwest introduced its new “EarlyBird Check-In” service that for $10 per one-way flight lets passengers get a boarding pass ahead of those who check in online. The service is available today for flights beginning Thursday.

Southwest does not assign passengers seats, and people generally board in the order in which they get their boarding passes. Experienced Southwest travelers log on to get their boarding passes as soon as they are available, 24 hours before flight time.

The new check-in feature is available 25 hours before flight time and will enable a passenger to board just behind Business Select — those who pay a premium price for seats — and Rapid Rewards A-List passengers — those who fly the most on the airline.

Customers can access EarlyBird Check-in through a link on the “Travel Tools” section of southwest.com or from a confirmation page online or from confirmation e-mail.

The airline estimates that the new service would generate $75 million in revenue a year, although some analysts say that is conservative.

Southwest said EarlyBird Check-in would not guarantee a passenger a seat in the A boarding group, but ahead of most other passengers who check in online.

Discussion: 23 comments so far…

By rejco100

9/2/09 at 2:23 p.m.

Suggest removal

See'er Later!
By mred

9/2/09 at 2:25 p.m.

Suggest removal

Obviously because of Obama's comment, just ask the Morning Sorcerer
By adam1885282

9/2/09 at 3:35 p.m.

Suggest removal

New "earlybird" is a terrible idea in my opinion. If you want on first, buy business. If you don't want to pay for business, wait by your computer like the rest of us. It will now be IMPOSSIBLE to get a decent boarding pass without the additional $10. Why not just raise prices $10? Apparently even Southwest wasn't immune from fee creep. Pay $10 and don't even get an A pass? You're just moving the race up one hour. Crazy! BAD AIRLINE, NO DONUT.
By LivinInLV

9/2/09 at 3:44 p.m.

Suggest removal

This is the worst idea for SWA yet. Who's going to police the line making sure that someone with a later boarding pass doesn't cut in front. As it is, the gate agents don't really look at the passes. It is routine to hear "line up in as close to numerical order as possible". As it is, the end of the A's usually wind up cutting in front to board just after, if not during, business select. Unless someone is there to make sure that numerical order is followed (which they can't due to late passengers, etc), this will fail miserably for SWA, and make the line up that much worse
By oldladyplayspiano

9/2/09 at 4:27 p.m.

Suggest removal

Let's hope they use a different color for those early-bird boarding passes, so they'll be easy to quickly spot them when they're all waiting in line.

Also, I agree - basically, everyone will be hurrying to get a better pass, so it's pretty much like raising the rate $10, because most will not want to end up with a crappy seat (and I'm talking about the seat on the plane, not the 'other seat')........
By dipstick

9/2/09 at 4:39 p.m.

Suggest removal

another reason not to fly; the airline industry continues to disappoint in every thing they do. the american people oughta get their stuff together and start boycotting the airlines.
By Babyboomer

9/2/09 at 6:51 p.m.

Suggest removal

They have and are trying everything possible to shore up dropping revenue.I don't find this $10 charge for a seat assignment unusual. Check the other airlines....want a little more leg room,no problem $$...want peanuts,no problem $$$,water..$$,food...oops need your credit card for this one.New recently.. pillows $$,blankets $$...oh and the list goes on. What pleasure is it to fly...none.Southwest has some of the worse planes...I had to upgrade to 1st class going cross country. going coach was torture no one should endure.
By LivinInLV

9/2/09 at 7:26 p.m.

Suggest removal

You didn't fly southwest cross country, mainly because they don't offer first class or coach. It's one size fits all for them. No 1st class.
By geenab65

9/2/09 at 7:58 p.m.

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"Southwest said EarlyBird Check-in would not guarantee a passenger a seat in the A boarding group, but ahead of most other passengers who check in online".

I don't get it. If it doesn't guarantee A boarding, then why pay the extra $10.00?!?!!?
By ScottsdaleSun13

9/2/09 at 7:59 p.m.

Suggest removal

I avoid flying whenever possible - what a nightmare it is.
By Det__Munch

9/2/09 at 8:12 p.m.

Suggest removal

Isn't Southwest Phoenix based and not Dallas, American is Dallas based.
By Det__Munch

9/2/09 at 8:14 p.m.

Suggest removal

my mistake; it is Dallas.
By LVBear

9/2/09 at 9:28 p.m.

Suggest removal

I have been an A-List customer since the Southwest A-List program started, and just was renewed for another year (minimum 32 flights per year). Getting an A pass without regard for when I check in was a nice perk for being a regular Southwest customer. But now anyone, regardless of how often or how rarely they fly, has priority over me by paying an extra ten dollars? Big mistake, in my opinion. Being an A-List passenger just lost all of its value. Let's hope whoever made this decision at this usually well-run airline recognizes that Southwest just spit in the face of its most frequent customers, and corrects this stupidity.
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By LVBear

9/2/09 at 9:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

I misread the article, and stand self-corrected. My apology to Southwest. A-List customers will still board ahead of the ten-dollar folks, as they should. Thank you, Southwest.

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By edward

9/2/09 at 9:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

I have two trips planned. One for Las Vegas in December & Denver in October. Both WERE going to be on SW. I just booked Vegas on USAir & I will book United for Denver, which I've already booked on SW. Hope I can cancel. Pay $10.00 & not even be guaranteed "A" boarding? The whole thing is so silly. What were they thinking when coming up with this? EarlyBird Check-In is a really bad idea! Good-Bye Southwest Airlines.
By vegasstudent

9/2/09 at 10:01 p.m.

Suggest removal

There are about 120 seats on a SW plane which means there are about 80 window/aisle seats. If you get anything above a C you're probably not going to get a middle seat so I just don't see a big problem. There are plenty of people who just don't care and don't check in early. If you pay attention and get online 24 hours before your flight you'll do fine.
By rumrunner

9/3/09 at 9:44 a.m.

Suggest removal

This is the same airline that locked his fuel prices in a few years back,and now he wants more?If these companies would get"GREED" out of there heads,there may be a start to recovery!Until then the US will continue to flounder!!!
By homer

9/3/09 at 11:42 a.m.

Suggest removal

mred does your stupidity ever stop?
By Lenny_V

9/3/09 at 1:19 p.m.

Suggest removal

Yep if it's under eight or nine hours away, you're better off driving.
By stevem

9/4/09 at 7:20 a.m.

Suggest removal

i'm 39 and when i was a kid and in my teens, my dad worked for eastern airlines and as a HUGE perk...we pretty much got to fly anywhere for about $40 and they had partners that got us hotel rooms for about $30.

anyway...we flew A LOT and i remember when flying was an event. it was as much fun as the place you were going to. people dressed up, the flight attendants were young and hot, you got a meal ( ya, airline food, but on a 2+ hour flight a little bite is nice ).

now...you're wedged into a tiny seat next to some fat slob in birkenstocks and they can't even give you the WHOLE can of ginger ale.
By surebet

9/4/09 at 9:29 a.m.

Suggest removal

This is a far less equitable boarding system. Your place in line is now determined by when you buy your ticket. Unless you purchase a ticket the day the date becomes open on Southwest and pay the $10, you are going to be in a worse position than the 24 hour ahead check in we've been using. And, if you buy your ticket only days or even a few weeks before the flight, $10 extra or not, you will be in the C group. Frankly, the idea seems a nightmare even for Southwest. 36 hours ahead they will determine the actual lineup. So, what about the passengers already on your plane from a connecting flight? Did all of them pay $10? Did they buy their ticket and pay for early bird ahead of you? Traveling with someone? How many people are going to pay only $10 and then try to hold the seat next to them for their companion? What about the "boarding with children" rules? I agree, just raise the base fare.
By mred

9/4/09 at 11:27 a.m.

Suggest removal

They made a big deal about bags fly free - now a seat fee. People went to smaller , lighter bags, (sometimes paying $200-$500 for a new high end light weight bag, many people got rid of the wheeled bags as well) and they packed lighter and took less, so the airlines had to resort to other fees.
By Chuck60

9/5/09 at 9:15 p.m.

Suggest removal

Virtually ALL of Southwest's competitors have added real dollar increases to consumer total flight( or segment) costs in one form or another. The most visible of these is the dreaded checked baggage fee implementations and increases. Southwest has avoided these specific increases and it has actually been a marketing and promotional tool for them to avoid hiked baggage fees (1st and 2nd checked bags are still free). This new "earlier boarding position" fee is the only new fee that Southwest has implemented recently, and be aware that it is indeed an "optional" fee increase for those customers who would choose to board the bus a little earlier. None of us can be receptive to any kind of airline fee increase or reduced service factors these days, particularly in view of the current general economic state. We're already ticked off and can't stand any more price hikes or service reductions from anyone or any entity. However, I challenge Southwest customers to do a tad bit of research and access a current and updated "airline fee chart"(hell, Google it) that includes some of these recent domestic airline fee increases already enacted. Subsequently, check out some of the fees that airlines are considering for near - future enactment. Then, come back and report on how Southwest relatively compares to other domestic airlines in terms of true total flight costs (to most destinations). I'm predicting that honest appraisals will reveal that Southwest compares
favorably with other domestic airlines in terms of lowest AVERAGE total flight costs to most destinations including Vegas..and that's the bottom line along with reasonable service for most of us.
Cheers...
Chuck60

Check out new and potential domestic airline fee increases article at
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-4799-...