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This post originated on Southwest Airlines flight 488 from Tucson to Los Angeles.

On my way back from a long weekend visiting my parents I thought about what to write. Then, it hit me.

Why do I fly Southwest Airlines? Just a few years ago I was completely loyal to another airline.

I would fly that other airline every chance I got. And to tell you the truth I really disliked flying Southwest. To me it was a step down with their multi-stop itineraries and cattle call boarding procedures. But then something changed.

Remember when gas prices started going through the roof? At the same time we were crying at the pump, airlines were crying, too. The price of jet fuel is a huge part of the cost of running an airline.

 

Time To Unbundle

It was during this painful time that airlines decided it was time to separate the costs of flying your bags from the price of flying you.

What air travelers never thought could happen was suddenly becoming ‘the new way’.

Slowly but surely each major airline started charging for bags. They said they had to because of jet fuel prices.

Well, we Americans begrudgingly accepted that. We didn’t like it though. Not one bit.

My gosh it was like a hotel charging a guest to use the pool or get a daily newspaper.

Me? I was inflamed by the change. I felt like my favorite airline was betraying my loyalty over many years by charging me for a checked bag.

You might think it wasn’t a big deal to check a bag when you can just carry a rollerboard on to the plane, but it was for me.

 

A Tender Back Story

Here’s why: A few years after my first child was born I suffered through the excruciating pain of a bulging disk.

It was a very hard time in my life. I’d always been fit and never had any trouble getting around. That all changed with the disk issue, which actually caused me to be out of work for three weeks.

A sobering reality that my body had changed.

I followed the regimen set out for me and recovered enough to go back to work. Months went by while I slowly recovered.

My back was still tender though, which I discovered on a business trip from San Francisco to the east coast.

Upon boarding my flight I walked down the aisle looking for my reserved seat. When I found it I turned back to lift my computer bag and place it in the overhead compartment. With the bag over my head I twisted to face the bin.

When I did that I wrenched my back.

I could feel that I’d done something and sat down. All through the flight I could feel my back throbbing.

When we landed I barely got off the airplane with my bag.

I knew I was in trouble and took a taxi to check in to an emergency room instead of my hotel.

 

The Move To Southwest

After that unforgettable trip I vowed to do everything I could to ensure I didn’t hurt my back again.

One decision was to lift bags up over my head only when they were light. That meant no rollerboards on the airplane for me.

I needed to check a bag with every flight.

When Southwest Airlines decided to go the opposite direction from the rest of the major airlines and not charge for checked bags it was a bold move.

They were paying the same price for jet fuel as everyone else.

Wouldn’t this decision majorly erode their profitability?
Would it actually make a difference in how people patronized them?

On the inside of jetways where passengers stroll through to board their plane, there are always signs promoting the airline you’re about to fly with. Southwest now proudly shows a sign that says they are the largest domestic airline.

When I noticed that sign on this most recent trip I was a little surprised.

Aren’t the Southwest guys the underdogs I thought?

Not anymore.

They have certainly come a long way. This opposite mentality of theirs is apparently attracting a lot of business.

Southwest isn’t just taking an alternative position to other airlines on the baggage matter.

They have also chosen to continue to offer snacks on flights (including the dreaded peanut), don’t have blackouts for free flights, and don’t charge change fees for flight changes.

These smart, customer friendly policies that are contrary to other carriers have kept them in the black, now going on four decades.

 

What About You?

I now have a new favorite airline.

My question for you is:

What can you learn from this major story of business growth? Is your business or company you work for a me-too story or not?

It’s tough to grow as a me-too because you’re usually chasing a front runner.

Why not become the front runner by taking a bold step and saying, “Not us.”?

We’re going to buck the trend and keep the customer as a friend.

I’d like to hear your thoughts in the comments about policies you have, or examples from other companies, that are opposite of the status quo.

 

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