Air travel, at least for those of us who don't fly in first class or business class, has become an uncomfortable compromise. We pay lower fares and in exchange get tight seats and few, if any, amenities.
Some discount airlines, like Spirit (SAVE) and Frontier (ULCC), use a no-frills model where you literally pay for everything down to your seat assignment. That allows for low fares, and some customers really like to be fully in charge of what they're spending (even if they ultimately pay the same or more for what they want/need).
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Southwest Airlines (LUV) uses a value-based model that's not a no-frills a-la-carte model. The airline, which has largely been in the news for all the wrong reasons, tries to offer full-service fares for value prices.
Before the company's holiday meltdown, which left tens of thousands of passengers stranded, Southwest actually had built up a lot of goodwill with its customers.
The airline did that by having few added fees. Your ticket, even the cheapest ones, comes with checked baggage and the ability to bring a carry-on bag. Those things cost extra on Spirit, Frontier, and even JetBlue (JBLU). Essentially, Southwest has always prided itself on giving people what they're paying for with no hidden fees (it coined the term "transfarency" to explain its method).
Now, at a time when it has to build back trust with its loyal passengers, the airline is rolling out something new that people really want.
Image source: Getty Images.
New Southwest Planes Add USB Ports
Airports and airlines are slow to adapt to changing customer needs. That's why many airports still lack adequate places to charge your phones, laptops, and other devices.
Travelers, especially those making connecting flights, spend a lot of time worried about keeping their phones charged. That's because boarding passes and gate info sit on those devices, along with your planned onboard entertainment like downloaded TV shows, movies, books, and games.
A dying phone becomes a major stress point, and that's something airlines have been slow to adapt to, at least on domestic flights outside business and first class. Few airlines offer USB ports in coach seats -- something that's actually common on international flights, but Southwest's latest airplanes will bring USB charging to every passenger onboard.
Southwest just retrofitted the first Boeing 737-Max to include new power options for passengers.
"Each seat now features a 60-watt USB-C port, as well as a 10.5-watt USB-A port, perfect for charging two devices simultaneously. Note that you won't find any traditional power outlets on the jet," The Points Guy reported. "Historically, Southwest's jets had no power outlets or USB charging ports."
Southwest has committed to spending $2 billion to upgrade its planes. This includes power outlets, faster WiFi, and larger overhead bins.
Southwest Knows the Little Things Matter
When Southwest rival JetBlue first began flying in 2000, it wowed passengers by offering in-seat entertainment in all seats. These little screens offered live television, a perk that was not previously available in the air and that helped the airline build a following.
Offering an in-seat screen, which JetBlue still does, seems a little quaint now that everyone carries around their own screen in the form of a smartphone. Southwest now offers live TV on your own devices as well as a selection of movies and non-live TV shows.
In-air charging seems like a small thing, but it takes away a major stress point for passengers. Knowing your phone will be charged brings major peace of mind, and expanding this service to more planes will help the airline build back its bond with customers.
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