Artists question the status quo.

But this is hard for most people, because they’ve been taught from birth to fit in, not make a ruckus, be a member of the group…which is why I say the captain of the football team or the class president is rarely an artist. Artists tend to be loners, or members of an outside group. They question every precept and react to it.

Now don’t confuse this with disrupting the status quo in D.C. Those are business people. Whose actions affect millions. Artists can affect entire nations, but they do it through people’s minds. The work of an artist contrasts with society, the conventional mores, and it makes people think. It’s about speaking truth to power. And if you’re so uncomfortable you can’t handle negative feedback, you can’t be an artist.

So school was invented to create good workers. Many artists can’t even work a conventional job, they can’t show up on time. Not all, but I’m just letting you know the skills of an artist are different.

You may be able to do math, take notes, be efficient and organized…but an artist may be unable to do all of those things yet still be very successful.

I started out as an English major in college. One of the reasons I left that pursuit is they didn’t want to know my take, my opinion, how I reacted to the material. They wanted me to study the historical take, what the great seers of yesteryear had to say about the work. We had to shut up and bow down to the gods.

But when I switched to art history…

First and foremost the lectures were different, all of them, they were ENTERTAINING! The professor was giving a performance, it wasn’t rote, it was alive, just like art itself. As for the artists…

Sure, there were historical breakthroughs, like perspective, but the greatest artists, the ones who are remembered, all created breakthroughs.

Let’s start with minimalism. The average spectator says I CAN DO THAT! And in truth, they may be able to, BUT THEY CAN’T COME UP WITH THE IDEA! And the goal of a minimalist artist is to challenge preconceptions… Is this art? What is art?

And then there are the abstract expressionists, like Jackson Pollock. He knew how to draw, but he yearned to express himself in a different way.

And then there is the recently departed Frank Stella, who didn’t know how to draw at all!

Actually, to be an art history major, you have to take a year of studio art. I can’t paint, I can’t draw period. But I tended to get a better response from the professor than those who could, because of my conception, where I was coming from.

And sure, some of my compatriots went on to work in museums, but I took inspiration from the artists themselves, I wanted to challenge the field, do it differently.

Now they’ve cut arts education from schools. And if you go to college…you’d better come out with a job! None of this foments artists, these people don’t have the right mind-set.

Whereas the baby boomers…

There’s a reason they created so much great art. Because they questioned their parents’ ideas, the government’s ideas, they thought there was another way to look at things. And the goal was to stand out and be a winner.

Conversely, millennials haven’t yielded a plethora of artists, because the goal of a millennial is to fit in, be a member of the group, they even go on dates in a group, if you can call it that. They don’t want to stand out.

I’ve given a zillion presentations. And when I ask a question, people are loath to raise their hand. They don’t want to stand out. They don’t want to be the object of ridicule. Now there are shy artists, then again an artist can’t break through unless they create and interact.

Then you have the music schools… Berklee can teach you how to play, but that doesn’t make you an artist. We want someone who breaks the law, breaks the code, and makes us stand up and recognize them.

I’m not saying every artist is going to be commercially successful. However, I’ll also say there are many acts who are known by all, who make a ton of money, who are not artists.

Clive Davis specialized in commerce, not artistry. Even worse, he wanted control. An artist has a vision. That does not mean they cannot be affected by feedback… But if Clive is picking the track or changing the lyrics…where does that leave the artist?

And we know being a great singer is not enough, almost no one from a TV singing show becomes a star. But Clive could pick one of them, match them with the right material and blow them up. Kudos, but that does not make that person an artist.

David Bowie? He challenged preconceptions.

Madonna too.

You know the acts… You may not have even liked them when you first heard them because they were so different.

And it can be the whole package, the looks, the attitude…

Or it can just be the song, the lyrics.

And the funny thing is despite all the success of lowest denominator commercial music, the public YEARNS for artistry. They’re looking for it, it can move mountains.

It used to happen on a regular basis. Some new sound would come along that would wipe out the previous one. Whether it be the Beatles and Perry Como or Nirvana and hair bands. The new sound was so fresh, so different.

Now to a certain degree, I believe artists are born, not made. I don’t think you can teach someone to be an artist, because to a great degree it’s a sensibility.

Then again, you can have influences. My father questioned everything, he took nothing at face value. Furthermore, he ultimately employed this perspective to become very successful as a real estate appraiser, which is normally the job of a schlepper.

I’ll save how my dad did it for the moment, but I want you to know if you’re just like everybody else, your odds of making it are poor.

There are tons of great guitar players. What can you do differently? Most people had never heard anyone tap the strings like Eddie Van Halen.

So what we’ve got is a ton of sour grapes. The people who jumped through all the hoops want their reward, they want success. But artists don’t jump through hoops!

And no one in business wants their cheese moved, that’s their worst nightmare. But it happens all the time. Look at the deletions from the Dow… General Electric is no longer in it, never mind AT&T and even Hewlett-Packard. These companies have been superseded, they’re no longer pushing the envelope.

I don’t want to get into an argument about these specific examples… I’ll just say few of the companies of yesteryear are dominant today. And most acts have a short lifespan on the chart. But those who reinvent themselves tend to have lengthier success.

If everybody else is doing it one way, an artist does it another. And shrugs when people put them down.

If you can’t look at the landscape and see a way to do it completely differently, you’re not an artist.

Music is going to stream forever. There is always a great desire for music to listen to. That does not mean every era is equivalent. And I’ve already stated that just because you’re a chart success, that does not make you an artist.

After all the artistic breakthroughs of the sixties and early seventies, record labels and wannabe acts divined a formula. They started making music they thought people wanted to hear and buy as opposed to making a statement, i.e. corporate rock. But then the public shrugged its shoulder. The record business crashed. You can look it up. But most won’t. However, if you understand history, it gives you context, a view of the landscape that people can react to.

Most people who want to make music for a living drop out. They realize they’re not good enough, or they don’t want to sacrifice that much. And artists give up too. But just because you continue that does not make you successful.

And I don’t care how many hours you’ve put in, 20,000, that does not make you an artist. 10,000 hours OF HARD PRACTICE makes you a world class player, it does not make you an artist. Artistry is in your DNA. It’s perspective. It’s attitude.

Furthermore, most ultra-successful artists are not so good with people. Forget the image, if you meet them… They may be incredibly off-putting, they may have little to no friends. They can be an artist, but no more.

Of course there are exceptions. But I’m stressing here that just because you’ve paid your dues and your song is on Spotify that does not mean the public will clamor for it, no matter how many guitar lessons you’ve taken.

Artistry is elusive, unquantifiable. And society hates this, but loves what is produced.

Once again, society wants hoop-jumpers and order.

And there are the clichés, like “starving artist.” Then again, anyone can starve, that doesn’t take a huge commitment. However, “tortured artist”..? Artists tend not to be well-adjusted, they are tortured, most people have learned how to get along and be happy, chances are the artist has not.

Many need that hit from the audience in order to feel good about themselves. They’re trying to fill an unfillable hole… Get the love they never got from their parents, or they’re reacting to rejection in love.

The above is just the way it is.

But many don’t like it. Especially in this era where the barrier to entry is so low and so many are playing.

To throw a curve ball into the action… Great social media influencers can oftentimes be artists. They’re questioning the status quo.

Do not be influenced by those invested in the status quo. That is death. And those people fade away… So many who complained about Napster and Spotify and everything in between, who lamented the destruction of the old paradigm…have faded away and not radiated. Young people accept the present as gospel. They’re not burdened by the past. (Once again, it’s good to know the past, but an artist is free, unconstrained.)

Is this the way you feel? That you’ve got to do it your way and if no one pays attention and you’re poor for the rest of your life you’re happy?

I know commercially unsuccessful artists who are happy. They create their art and that’s enough.

Is that you?

If not, maybe you’re not an artist. And that’s a reason why you’re not winning in the music game.

People hate when I say that. Everybody wants encouragement. Hell, that’s one of the reasons I’m successful, I’ll say the unsayable. Submit your track to a professional and they’ll never say it sucks. Or they’ll give you bogus criticism to get you off their back.

The music business is not based on honesty.

But artistry is.

Man, you know it when you hear it. It’s like a light bulb comes on. A car wreck. You’re jolted alive.

And we’re all looking for that.

Record companies are like the Democrats, they refuse to innovate, they refuse to embrace new strategies, they refuse to live in the now, never mind the future.

WHAT?

If you follow the Street, which most musicians do not, you will learn that the stocks of record companies are moribund. Yet Spotify is flourishing. Why? Because of innovation. Analysts and stockholders believe there’s upside with Spotify, and they don’t see the same with the labels. They believe the labels are tied to the revenue of streamers, and a lot of the innovation at Spotify is not about music, but listening…i.e. audiobooks and more.

I want you to read this story from today’s “New York Times.”

I know, I know, you hate the “Times,” but please overlook that.

“MeidasTouch Pops on Podcast Charts as Progressives Search for Answers – The company is a leader among numerous digital-first outlets that have been reshaping the progressive media landscape since President Trump took office.”

Free link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/09/business/media/meidastouch-podcast-democrats.html?unlocked_article_code=1.3U4.khHV.kiVP2JIy3wzV&smid=url-share

Here’s the money quote:

“But perhaps no metric underscores the new attention to progressive media more than last month’s revelation that “The MeidasTouch Podcast” had usurped Joe Rogan’s show atop both Apple’s and Spotify’s rankings for downloads, a slot the show held for two weeks. (Mr. Rogan reclaimed the top spot this past week.)”

WHAT?

I know about Meidas because of my inbox, people have been telling me they listen to it.

But I had no idea they beat Rogan. This is flabbergasting.

However, the devil is in the details:

“Mr. Meiselas and his brothers, Brett and Jordy, post a dozen or more 10- to 20-minute-long news segments — nearly all featuring the search-engine-optimizing word ‘Trump’ in their title — on YouTube every day. That torrent is supplemented by other shows produced by MeidasTouch contributors.”

THEY’RE FLOODING THE ZONE!

This is exactly what made Jesse Welles successful, along with the content of course. Instead of playing the usual streaming game, coming up with a track that people will hopefully listen to on a service, he went on social media with a plethora of tracks and the end result is even though his paid streaming numbers are anemic, he can sell out venues.

You can beat the system. Of course you need to be good as well as innovative, but…in a world where there’s a tsunami of product, how do you get and keep people’s attention?

You’ve got to be in front of their eyeballs each and every day. The influencers know this, how come the musicians do not?

This is why I laugh at authors. We hear for a year that they’re writing the damn book, it sits at the publisher for half a year after that and it comes out and sells a few thousand copies. What a wank. A waste of money, time and effort when you can send an e-mail and reach many more people each and every day. Sure, you’ll end up with a physical book that you can use to impress your mother, but in terms of impact? De minimis.

“That constant stream of bite-size content gives listeners more episodes to download, helping to lift the outlet’s ranking on podcast charts. In February, MeidasTouch had 57.5 million podcast downloads, according to Podscribe, a tracker, ranking it ahead of ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ and Candace Owens’s podcast, even though they had significantly more listeners per episode.”

There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Rogan and Owens may still have more overall listeners, but Meidas made it to the top of the chart, which generates its own benefits. Medias is working the system, like labels used to do at radio and the charts.

But as antiquated as the labels are, the artists are worse. They want to make albums and bitch at Spotify, et al, that they’re not getting paid. There is no innovation.

And, of course, distribution innovation only works if the product is worth consuming.

But if all the money is in touring, why is your focus solely on streaming?

Sure, everybody’s trying to go viral on TikTok with their track, but Meidas illustrates you need many tracks. And that your hard core fans want more and more.

BUT THIS ISN’T THE WAY WE’VE ALWAYS DONE IT!

Enough with the “Spinal Tap” response. You can do it a new way.

The record labels tried to bolster their bottom lines by stealing from artists…with percentages of touring and merch while delivering nothing in return. They sign acts and wait for them to be streamed and to get paid. The execs are as brain dead as the ones who ceded the business to Napster.

Music is competing with YouTube, TikTok, video games…and what do we get in response? Overbaked tracks made by committee that slide off the backs of most people.

You need to check out Jesse Welles, he’s new and different. You don’t need to listen to the new Lady Gaga album.

I’ll give Chappell Roan credit, there’s some innovation there. Furthermore, the bounce came from, the tsunami started, on the road, not on streaming services.

But the rest of the acts?

People are drawn to innovation.

And right now that innovation is in spheres other than music. Podcasts, TikTok… But like the Democrats, the artists and labels can’t question their beliefs, their structure, can’t look to the people and what they want and adjust in return.

People like the new and different.

You dropped an album on Friday, WHO CARES!

You can’t write a song every day?

Well, maybe if you learned how to, you’d become a star.

There’s a lot going on here, but most people’s heads are buried in the sand.

But not Meidas.

And hopefully not you.

They’ve potentially just lost so much of the touring business. Free bags has been a budget-saving godsend. And Nashville is a hub!

Lisa Arzt

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I’m with you here.  A long time LUV customer and at one time investor, because I loved the service. But times change and unfortunately so did this business model.  They occupied a unique niche in their industry but now it finds itself attractive for a PE flip…a little lipstick on a pig (a pig that they may have made) and sell it for a quick buck.

I know Elliott Management well enough.  They buy distressed properties and turn them around for investors.  They did a great job for my old company, at least maximizing the sales price.  The buyer, employee or customer, not so much.  The business will be history soon after they sell it.

PE firms don’t hold onto investments longer than 5 years.  This is not a Warren Buffet model.  PE firms must raise funds every few years and to attract new investors they have to show the returns on the previous funds.  You optimize returns by quick flips, not by operating. Just do whatever you can to optimize a sales price, never worrying about the long-term business model.  That’s why I refuse to partner with PE firms (or buy real estate that is being flipped).  Our goals are not aligned.

Delta and UAL have had good runs over the last 18 months…LUV not so much.  So Elliott is willing to do whatever it can to improve a few extra decimal places on the sale.  Unfortunately their timing is poor.  A recession is coming…cost of capital for this capital intensive industry is high today and going higher…and it has been a crappy industry with the exception of LUV pre-pandemic.

See you on another airline.

Ed Kelly

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I’m gutted .  . . like you, I was a disciple, testified all the time and always my first airline of choice for the past 35+ years.

Very sad day .  . .

Vickie Strate

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Bob, you’re so right. I loved Southwest so much I even bought their stock. What they don’t understand is that they were unique among airlines, and now they’re just another airline, joining what may be the most hated industry, with their gouging and VIP/1st class wankery. I’m done too, but I’m also heartbroken. I feel like  everything interesting and unusual, from books to music to movies to airlines, is going to be bought, get the edges filed off by profiteers, and then resold at a premium, only to lose market share and die.

Bonnie Hayes

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Totally agree and am glad to see that I’m not alone in questioning their recent decisions.

I am a Southwest loyalist, but won’t be once they change to assigned seats.

I have always liked that Southwest is Truth in Advertising. You pay for a ticket and if you want to pay a little extra you can find an aisle seat. You can check a bag for free (Why is everyone so opposed to checking their roller bags? Just buy a frickin’ Apple airtag and throw it in your bag!). They don’t have a million different tiers to boarding that slow everyone down.

Now they want to be just like the other crappy airlines.

Jack Pratt

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Spot on. Breaks my heart. I flew only Southwest for years, flew my whole band around the country. I have only Southwest credit cards. I actively felt bad for all the poor fools traveling on the fake corporate airlines. Suckers who just didn’t get it and settled for second best. And now, thanks to typical modern American private equity bullsh*t, our beloved Southwest is just another corporate fake. It’s sickening. A betrayal, just as you described. They upped their pricing, then announced the seat change, now this? I will use up my considerable points on tickets as needed, but in the last year I found myself on Alaska, Frontier, Spirit, and this week on United. Wtf?!

Ralph Covert

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I’m with you on this, Bob.

Private equity and “activist” (read ‘looters) investors don’t care about brands. They don’t even understand their value so they create spreadsheets that undervalue “brand equity” so they can squeeze more “value” (read ‘money’) out of the company.

We’re watching a version of collapsing brand equity right now in America – Elon Musk (including Tesla and Space X) has gone from being a big brand to a failing brand, seemingly overnight because once you pop the balloon it’s hard to get the air back in. This may happen to Southwest.

John Parikhal

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You are so right. Once I use the rest of my miles Southwest is no longer my first choice.

Herb Kelleher is probably spinning in his grave.

Too bad…

Mike Crowley

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Absolutely right, Bob. It’s such a shame. They were one of the last companies who really didn’t try to pry every last penny out of your wallet. So much for that. It was a great run.

Bill Higgins

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“Southwest, I’M DONE!”

Right on!  Jet blue is picking up the slack – bigger seats, modest pricing if you check a bag, great pricing if you don’t. SW can suck it.

Thomas Howell

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Old Business Plan: Be different = success
New Business Plan: Be like everyone else = Fail

Who loses…….Consumers

Jim Clemenson

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End of an Era.
Even more than being cheap, everyone thinks it’s cool to scam.
Sadly.
Holly Gleason
Nashville, TN

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That’s a shame.  PE groups f*ck things up.  Southwest did lose its brand equity overnight, and it’s disappointing.  The Venture Capital companies are doing the same thing to Whataburger in Texas, Whataburger being Texas’ In N Out burger joint.  The hamburgers are shrinking, and prices are rising.  That’s the PE playbook.  It’s unimaginative, but it works.  Make it cheaper, make it smaller, and raise prices.  Blame it on supply chain issues, tariffs, the price of eggs, or labor costs.  Just do it.  No need to be honest or truthful, just have a story.  But if you blame it on labor costs, make sure not to raise wages.  Labor cost is  an excuse, not a reality.

If I had the ability, I’d tax PE groups out of existence.  Tax gains at 75% and no loss write offs.  Get a real career, do something productive rather than just take your cut of other people’s money.

Mike McBath

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I agree. My use was similar to yours. I chose SW because of the feel and for me they reduced the friction of travel. Why would anyone choose to run a business by competing on price, if you don’t have to?

Dave Petersen

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This decision is worse than the one to introduce New Coke in 1985.  The no-charging for bags was sacred.  It was their $1.50 Costco hot dog.

Douglas Trapasso

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I am a longtime and passionate Southwest fan and I feel exactly as you do. I built my 10 state territory with Southwest. If they fly there, I’ll open an account there. It served me well.

What management has done to eliminate what makes the airline unique is devastating. I am a Southwest credit card holder, shareholder, and Rapid Rewards member from the 90s with A-List Preferred status and a Companion Pass. It’s the only brand I care about.

Thanks to Elliott I will start looking for alternatives that may better suit me. No more 1-stop flights because I want to fly Southwest. Perhaps United is a good fit for me with their lounge access and first class upgrades.  They have a credit card too…

I would have never strayed from Southwest in the past but it’s a new day with Elliott in charge. Herb is likely rolling in his grave.

All the best to you, safe travels.

Regards,

Jason Asher

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Welcome to activist investors like Elliot.  I worked for a company that tjhey targeted a number years ago and watched them decimate it.

As far as Southwest, they needed to grow up and figure out who they wanted to be.  A ULCC (Ultra Low Cost Carrier) like Frontier, Spirit and Alligent or one of the bigs like Delta, AA, UA and JetBlue.  They were riding the fence too long and here come Elliot.

The delta between an AA fare and an SW fare out of my home airport, exact date/time usually was the cost of two bags on AA plus…  20-40 bucks a ticket.  So there’s your Early Bird.

The illusion was exposed, and the ULCCs and the bigs brought Southwest down to earth.

ps – I hated the folksy FA’s and the announcement shenanigans…  you can only hear the same jokes so many times…

Jim Anderson

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Bob, I have said for years of flying for business. If you can’t lift your carry-on over your head, check it!
When I first used Southwest in Texas it was like Greyhound. You went to the gate and waited for the next flight.

Gary Einhorn

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Agreed. Or, to be perfectly clear to Southwest: Buh-bye.

Mike Mettler

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My company has clients that are owned by private equity, and my dad’s firm that he built over 35 years had to sell to private equity because no one else would buy it. My experience across the board has led me to one conclusion, echoing your own: f*ck private equity. They are unAmerican and killers of the American Dream.

Gretchen Morgenson’s book “These Are the Plunderers” says it a lot better than I can.

Thanks for calling out these troglodytes.

Mitchell Maddox

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Agree with you totally, Bob.  The reason I flew Southwest was, as you say, the atmosphere and the free bags and they had a pretty good rewards program, which they are also docking.

 

Why would I keep flying them?  I won’t.  Bad business decision, Southwest.  Now you are just every other airline.

Jan Jankingston

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I will be joining you in avoiding Southwest Airlines in future.

One of the few pleasures in life was avoiding the hassle of dragging a bag around an airport and then trying to not only find a space for it on the the plane but a seat nearby,

From now on, I will drive to most of the places I would have flown Southwest. And will find another airline to where I can not drive.

The airline will return to being SouthWORST.

Make American Skies Unfriendly Again

Gregory Betley

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Ever since airlines started charging for checked bags, travel has gotten much worse. The size and amount of carry on luggage people bring onboard is ridiculous. It doubles the boarding time. There’s always an announcement that there’s not enough overhead space and bags will be checked at the gate (for free usually, maybe that’s their plan). It makes the flying experience slightly more miserable.

The carry on situation needs to be addressed. I’m tired of taking a backpack to the head while i’m sitting in my seat and some asshole blazes past me with 3 giant carry on items.

The difference between the US based flight crews and European flight crews is astonishing. I’m guessing in Europe they’re treated much better by the customers and employers.

But here in North America I think there’s pretty low morale among flight attendants, and I can understand why. The worst of humanity is unleashed at airports. We all have horror stories.

Jay Ruston

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God damnit… I’ve always stood by SouthWest … THE PEOPLES AIRLINE!

Sad for me to read, and the symbolism is telling. Sucks.

Maybe if enough people stand up they’ll go back to what made them the best.

Cheers,

James Davy Eggleston

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Bob, I am with your philosophy 100%. I will use them till my miles evaporate. Hopefully, this greedy move will cost in losses what the extra dollars get them. SCREW southwest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

N. Dauria

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The video going around  the past few weeks of some asswipe MAGA singing that stupid Lee Greenwood tune over the intercom on a Southwest flight was the spark, and the email I got from the airline this morning about the bags was the nail in the coffin, to which I replied: I GUARANTEE SOUTHWEST IS NOW MY LAST-RESORT CARRIER. And they didn’t even have the balls to say how much the bag charge will be. As you said, F*ck ’em.

Thomas Wilson

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I’m a Southwest loyalist. Of course, with Baltimore-Washington International being my home airport — and SWA accounting for 80% of the flights — there’s not much of a choice. But it’s not just the availability of non-stops to most domestic locations; I’ve always loved the quirkiness and the perks.

No change or cancellation fees, credits that never expire, no baggage fees, great customer service with a smile — it’s all worked well for me.

I was even a fan back in the days when you had to get to the airport early, grab a plastic boarding card, and sit on the floor to claim your spot!

So yeah, I was definitely pissed when I got that email this morning about all the changes and the typical legacy airline nickel-and-diming. But reading more closely, it looks like if you’re on the A-list, have a Southwest credit card, etc., you still get free bag checks. So for now, I’m still in.

But beyond just squeezing more revenue, it feels like they’re playing the loyalty game — “If you like us, we’ll treat you special.” I’m willing to play along, but I do wonder if I’d feel the same way if BWI weren’t my home base.

So I guess you’re right — Southwest used to be like Phish or The Dead, and now they’re more like every corporate act we love but hate.

Rich Madow

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It’s not just the bags, Bob.  But there’s more!

Also tucked into their press release… “We will also begin to vary our redemption rates across our fare products on some high- and low-demand travel periods.” Can you say insane uncapped dynamic pricing?

&

“Flight credits issued for tickets purchased on or after May 28, 2025 will expire one year or earlier from the date of ticketing, depending on the fare type purchased.”  This is a big change considering just a few years ago they did away with expirations on flight credits.

&

Southwest, without publicly announcing it, cut the amount of points you earn by flying with them by a lot for Wanna Get Away fares.  Basically, you’ll be earning a lot less than before.

Devaluation after devaluation.  What even differentiates Southwest anymore?  They’re basically JetBlue now, except JetBlue at least has the best business class (Mint) out of all the US carriers.  Their pricing has also increased over the last few years on many popular routes.  The companion pass is the only thing they have left and I can’t imagine earning it will be as easy moving forward either.

Richard Young

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Pre boarders have ruined Southwest experience.

Michael Monaghan

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I grew up in DC but live in Austin. I used to fly American to see family in the DC area but gave that up when Southwest added non-stop flights to BWI and Dulles. And I loved the vibe on the Southwest flights. Flights on American seemed like a cold shower as compared to the experience in SW. And everytime something bad happened on an American flight they were never at fault. I remember driving to Dulles in a snowstorm to get my bags that had arrived late but for which I had been promised they would be delivered at my door. Contrast that to SW allowing me to change my flight to an earlier one even when it was against the policy to do that on a flight I booked on points. My experiences with SW employees were great, They were there to help.  I’ve probably flown 95 percent on SW since the late 90s. I hate the thought of them becoming just another cold shower. Given what is going on in DC maybe I will start to drive everywhere.

Joe Sherfy

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Ya know, I like Southwest in theory more than in practice. The cheap airfare is enticing, sure, but I seldom can find a direct flight through them. If I want to get to Chicago, I have to fly a connect to Indianapolis or Kansas City, and it takes up more than double the time a direct flight would take.

But you’re right about Southwest being egalitarian. We’re in an era where you have to fly first class just to be treated as a human being. At this trajectory, first class will be like coach, where you have to pay $300 extra just for Biscoff cookies and a headrest LED screen. I’m a millennial, so when I hear boomers tell of the stewardess carving corned beef and the bathroom not being the size of a broom closet in Manhattan, it sounds alien to me (like every airline was Air Emirates).

I know the boomers get a lot of flak for “ruining” everything, but I KNOW y’all would never willingly cede those comforts, so I choose to blame that on Gen X and the people my age.

Garrett Gravley

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You are 100% correct.  Southwest became my airline of choice when the others started charging for bags.  Prior to that I had no loyalty.  It’s differentiators that set companies apart and the brain trust at Southwest has determined that is no longer a thing.  Even when I don’t check a bag Southwest is my goto.  Another great company taken down by boys proficient in Excel who have to show their bosses they are earning their paycheck.  They couldn’t care less about long term viability or the customer experience.

Thanks,

Neal Berz

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So these jackalopes just pissed away a third of a billion dollars, if the experts’ projections are right.

The post-truth world is also post-competence. Even post-intelligent.

Normally you would think that evil thieves are as competent as they are cold blooded. Nope, post-truth, facts don’t exist. You want to believe you have an opportunity to gouge down an extra billion and a half? But the facts suggest otherwise? F*ck facts. Just believe what you want.

If you’re thinking that these chuckleheads are sitting ducks for the next con man who comes along…. you’re not alone. You, me, and the con man.

-Carl Seibert

Anybody whose ridden an airline since the 1980s and has endured the clusterf*ck when every entitled idiot on the plane tries to retrieve their damn bag from the bins understands that the best thing that airlines could do to civilize the experience would be to make checked bags free and charge for use of the bins. Or if gouging your customers is your thing, charge for both, but more for the bins!

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Bob: Get the Alaska Airlines Visa card. You get 70,000 free miles when signing up, free baggage check-in for yourself plus SIX others on your same reservation, priority boarding, discounts on in-flight food, an annual companion fare for $99 plus tax and with no restrictions, daily discounts at online retailers, and partnerships with Delta in the USA and Global Alliance airline partners for international flights — miles earned on partner airlines go onto you Alaska mileage account. It flies to Hawaii, Mexico, and nonstop from Seattle to Tokyo and Seoul. It’s really a no-brainer to switch to Alaska, especially for those living on the Left Coast.

Dottie Martin
Current St. Louisan, former Seattle-ite, satisfied Alaska Airlines member since 2007

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Southwest went downhill when Herb Kelleher left. I used to fly them all the time. Now only if necessary. You’re correct on the McKinsey beancounters.

Bill Powell

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First off, totally surprised you endorse (endorsed) Southwest. I’m actually pleased, but surprised.

I don’t fly with them much, too many shenanigans before the flight and in the air, as documented in their own reality series (even if scripted, I saw these things happen a lot!), but it was always nice to know I didn’t have to worry about bags because of or in lieu of my status with their loyalty program.  Their prices are more on par with others now, but there was a time they undercut everyone.

Why I never totally fell in love?  They took over ATA and wiped out perhaps the best loyalty program that had ever existed in the air at least in my time on Earth so far, you would earn four points and that would get you a free one-way flight, 8 points would get you around trip. Simply double that for their business class or use your free trip and just pay the $49 upgrade for business class at check-in, which 90% of the time I was able to do. I was very disappointed when this business model vanished under Southwest. And I almost fainted when I read your comment about having 127 people in preboard for assistance and every one of them doing somersaults down the aisle while those of us that might have paid for that coveted A1 through A15 boarding position have to stand and wonder where we’re going to be in importance.

One of my most memorable flights on Southwest originated in Orlando, it was going to Las Vegas if I’m not mistaken, and I was one of the first five people on, A5 to be exact, and there’s already 20 people sitting up front, people NO ONE saw board…and from that day forward I think I’ve just forgotten to book Southwest unless I absolutely have to because there is some game in there that needs to be fixed, perhaps now that they’re going to start charging for everything like everybody else, the playing field will level itself out.

Kevin Andrusia

Orlando Florida

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Congrats on being a stand up person who pays for early boarding. I normally would but given the millions of miles I’ve flown, I figure I deserve a break. At the gate (the agents are usually pretty young), I shuffle up to the counter, sometimes with a faint limp, and ask the agent if I could board early. They always say yes! We look really old to them.

Of course the main reason for doing so is to beat the other passengers to the punch. You do NOT want to go to the trouble of having only a carry on which is then relegated to the hold because there was no more overhead space for reasons you mention.

You’ve earned a pass. We deserve someone youngster giving up a seat for us or senior discount days. Take what they’re giving you. We deserve it, seniority counts.

John Brodey

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I fly Southwest all the time. Saw the notice today. My last flight a few days ago LA to Nashville, 26 pre boarders. It’s so annoying,  I now count how many, now there have been more into the 30’s. Some of those people looked pretty good to me. There are those who need it and should have help.  I asked a flight attendant about it, she told me that the crews are convinced miraculous healings happen on the on ramp as some leap out of their wheel chairs waving their canes over their heads once at the entrance to the to the plane. As you said love the SW crews. I wasn’t sure if you were aware of the apparent spiritual aspect acknowledge by crew members.  Now you know. Service animals, that’s a whole other conversation. Dogs/cats/birds you name it in strollers and beyond on flights,  this is far worse.

Dave May

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Southwest hasn’t been the same in years. It started when they got rid of the peanuts.

Kyle JF

“Southwest Will Begin Charging for Checked Bags, Ending a Popular Policy”

https://shorturl.at/YO6Ob

I believe in Southwest Airlines.

I think it’s the irreverence that hooked me. The flight attendants who pick up the intercom with attitude, who make jokes, like regular people. You see more of that in advertising these days, what works is the vernacular, with a sense of humor. But on most airlines… Everything is deadly serious, and the flight attendants are working reluctantly. You go into the back and ask for something, anything, and they roll their eyes and…

Not on Southwest.

And I like that it’s egalitarian. That we’re all in it together. That there’s no first class. You line up and you get on. And if you’re willing to pay a small fee you can get closer to the front of the line so you can get a seat that will satisfy you. I’ve always gotten a seat on the aisle, which is what I am looking for.

But in the past couple of years…

People have started to break the rules. There’s an endless parade of pre-borders. Handicapped, with children…but they’re walking no problem and the kids are old. That sucks, I’m paying for early access, why can’t they?

And then there’s the saving of seats. Which is a no-no. One person pays the additional fee for being closer to the front of the line and then saves seats for people who are at the back of the line.

What is it? What changed in America? When did everybody become so cheap, when did everybody become so myopic, not caring about others?

That’s one thing I used to like about Southwest, the feeling of congeniality.

As for the other airlines… They upsell you on everything. And you’ve got to worry about bin space, because everybody is trying to save money by not checking their bags. And I know, I know, if you carry on you can get off and walk away without waiting at the conveyor belt, but you should see what people bring on!

Which is why I love Southwest, because bags fly free, and more people check theirs. Even the baggage attendants are nice at Southwest, they’re on the curb, taking your bags, you don’t have to schlep them inside.

But then they changed the policy. Assigned seats. I don’t like it, but since people were abusing the system I understood it.

But today Southwest said they would start charging for bags.

Now the people who actually run the airline are against this, they researched the issue:

“Executives cited an analysis by a consulting firm that determined bag charges would bring in at most $1.5 billion in revenue a year, but cost the airline $1.8 billion in lost market share. Free bags ranked just behind price and schedule among the top reasons travelers pick Southwest, executives said then.”

https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/southwest-airlines-bag-policy-charge-basic-economy-9549218e?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1

But activist investors Elliott Investment Management wanted to make more money, they got seats on the board and forced the executives to change the no-bags policy.

Ain’t that America. Shortsightedness by people only considering the bottom line.

But in this case it’s worse, because they destroyed brand equity overnight!

If Southwest flew there, I took it. Not anymore. F*ck them. I’ll do my best to take another airline. Southwest eviscerated what was special about it and I’m PISSED!

Let’s be clear, this is not Ticketmaster, the public has options. Rarely is Southwest the only airline available.

Now they could reverse this no-bags policy before it starts in May, but I doubt it.

This is like Jimmy Page joining the Carpenters. Who could respect him after that?

Then again, music is just like Wall Street today. If it grosses big, it’s good. Where in the hell did they write that? If I read one more word about Ariana Grande… She’s got a new album…a good voice for nincompoops. This is not artistry, this is commerce!

But what we hear from the industry is this is what everybody else is doing. Whereas those who are doing it differently are the ones with the hard core fans. They may not be in the Spotify Top 50, but they never have to worry about their career tanking, as long as they continue to be true to themselves. Case in point, Phish. I get more e-mail about that band than any other extant, and believe me they aren’t the biggest in the world, but they’ve got passionate fans! Who can’t stop spreading the word.

I used to be a passionate fan of Southwest Airlines. I always talked it up.

But it turns out Southwest Airlines doesn’t care about me, didn’t even think of me, my experience.

You’re nothing without your customers. This is what bugs me about corporate titans, they think they’re responsible for all the success. But without people buying the product or service, there is no business.

You take what makes you unique, an outlier, that bonds people to you, and then you slice it off overnight?

Some twenty year old with a spreadsheet probably told you to do this. You hired McKinsey, which employs recent college graduates to tell you what to do, how insane is that? Just like the twentysomethings running DOGE. Experience has no value to these people, numbers rule everything. They’ve got no feel for the business.

Which is why they destroy it. Private equity blows up companies on a regular basis, can you say Toys “R” Us?

But they bleed them dry before they do it, getting their investment back.

And all the people manning the aisles?

They’re SOL. They’ve put in years of work and now they’ve got nothing.

Southwest is laying off people after they said they wouldn’t. This is like a spouse saying they’ll never file for divorce and then doing same. Talk about undercutting trust… (And that happened to me!)

We live in a bottom line nation. That’s what DOGE is all about. Screw the people, just make the numbers work, so a certain set of people can pay less taxes. As for the rest of us, F*CK YOU!

But homey don’t play that no more. There comes a point where people have had enough and react.

Southwest, I’M DONE!