I recognize that Southwest Airlines has to evolve just like any other airline in this business.  I also believe that its core principles don’t have to change either.  It’s not an airline that got where it is by being a Me Too! enterprise.

So what’s up with all the small but cumulatively damaging mis-steps lately?  I’m talking about new CFO Tammy Romo channeling an AA executive on fees and now Southwest’s new television commercial.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKVxuBeEQTc&hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0]
What the hell?  Someone found an old American Airlines commercial, filed the serial numbers off, sprayed some new paint on aircraft and re-used the same actors to create an incredibly flat commercial for a great airline.

This is not evolution and it isn’t going to attract the business travelers either.  The business travelers know what Southwest looks like.  THEY TRAVEL THE AIRLINE REGULARLY.

So why not espouse what the airline really is and be proud of it?  My own father, a man of probably 6 or 7 million miles flown in his lifetime, prefers Southwest Airlines out of his home airport.  He can afford to fly who he wants, when he wants and he’s got enough AA and UA miles to buy a 787.   And he buys Southwest.

That commercial was made by someone who not only doesn’t get Southwest Airlines but who is also afraid to embrace the People Culture that airline has.    Want to see what Southwest really looks like?

Filed under: Airline Service by ajax