Southwest Expansion Plans, Feds Want to Eliminate Resort Fees, Pilot Shortage Hurting Growth

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Southwest Airlines 737MAX
Photo courtesy of Southwest Airlines.
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Welcome to The Morning Shave. We read a ton of travel articles each day for our research to share the best travel tips, tricks, and news with you. Here are the articles for Friday, October 28, 2022, that we think you should read.

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The Morning Shave

Allegiant Won HOW MANY USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards?

I can’t say too much because I’ve never flown Allegiant. But there’s a reason why LCCs are so cheap. They offer stripped-down services and look for every opportunity to hit you with extra charges. I’m not sure what this says about USA Today readers or how flawed their contest was, but I can’t see any world where Allegiant is the number one option for travelers.

Southwest Airlines Focuses On Network Restoration, Smaller Markets.

Southwest is working to fill its existing routes with additional flights. The airline expects to have 90% of pre-COVID routes back in flight by Summer 2023 and to be fully restored by the end of that year. And it expects to start expanding into new markets in 2024. I wonder which new destinations will be added to the list?

Southwest Airlines plane in sky 1200x800
Photo courtesy of Southwest Airlines.

President Biden pledges to eliminate resort fees charged by most Las Vegas Strip hotels.

Resort fees and other hidden charges are so frustrating for travelers. The Federal government is looking to eliminate “hidden charges and added fees on airline tickets, cable bills, bank account overdrafts, and hotel stays.” Unfortunately, proposed rules probably won’t actually eliminate these costs, but they will at least make them transparent by forcing hotels, airlines, and others to disclose those charges upfront. This allows consumers to make informed decisions when comparing options instead of being surprised at checkout.

Southwest says pilot shortage is suppressing growth.

Airlines cannot expand fast enough to meet demand due to aircraft delivery delays and a shortage of pilots. And according to Econ 101 rules, prices go up when there is more demand than supply. Boeing and Airbus are ramping up production, but getting new pilots requires lots of training and flight time. This means that we’ll continue to deal with higher prices until demand calms down.

This California Airport Will Allow Non-travelers to Meet Loved Ones at the Gate.

It is so cool that this option is returning at selected airports. While it is free in Ontario for now, I can see them charging a nominal fee to cover the processing costs of the visitor pass. Seattle also has this option. A few others tried it but have since suspended the option for undisclosed reasons. Would you take advantage of this option to meet your friends and family at the gate instead of waiting at baggage claim?

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2 COMMENTS

  1. “I’ve never flown Allegiant.” Yeah, a frequent flyer “expert” that refuses to review all the entrants. $39 to get someone from their podunk town to Florida? That’s how you create brand loyalty, and it’s manifesting itself in voter polls.

    Also news: I’m a “beer expert” but I only drink Budweiser.

    • I think that Allegiant works for some people. But for it to be rated the best is a bit of a stretch. I think if I flew them, it would be ok. Nobody would stab me in the eye.

      But would I consider it “the best” because it was a cheap flight? Absolutely not. It would be a good option at an affordable price. For example, I love Southwest because of its companion pass and no-fee approach, but that still wouldn’t make them the best either.

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