Southwest Airlines

Once known as an upstart carrier, Southwest Airlines recently launched a new ad campaign that has some airline industry experts wondering if it signals a new direction - and new fees - at the nation's largest domestic airline. The new ads, which began airing during the television broadcast of the NCAA playoffs, don't mention the airline's most popular appeal - that your first two checked bags fly free and you don't pay to change flights. The ads also don't feature funny dialog that slams competitors - a common theme in past Southwest commercials.

Some answers to readers' airline questions: Question: I understand that London's Heathrow Airport has a horrendous arrival fee. Is the same true for Stansted and Gatwick, London's two other airports? Answer: I'm not sure if you're referring to the airport landing fee, which is assessed based on the size of the aircraft and does vary from airport to airport but is paid directly by the airline, or Britain's air passenger duty, which is, essentially, a tax levied on airline tickets and varies depending on the class of service (economy or premium)

Southwest Airlines said Monday it will double points on all U.S. travel for members of its frequent flier program for flights booked before May 15. The Dallas-based carrier made the announcement on its website and also revealed that Grand Rapids, Mich., will be the next AirTran Airways city to be converted to Southwest service. Travelers who want to cash in on the double Rapid Rewards points deal can find it here . “Members will receive 12 points (instead of six)

On the fifth day of sequester budget cuts and job furloughs at air traffic control towers, airline executives complained that more flight delays could begin to impact their bottom line. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that it had to delay 863 flights Wednesday because of staff shortages among air traffic controllers. Another 2,132 flights were delayed by severe weather and other factors. The agency began furloughing controllers Sunday to help cut $636 million from its budget.

For millions of Southwest Airlines passengers, the drinks are on the house. The airline has reached a tentative settlement with passengers who sued Southwest over vouchers for alcoholic drinks that were given to “business select” passengers before Aug. 1, 2010. On that date, Southwest changed its policy, saying that even though the drink vouchers had no expiration date, the airline would only honor them on the date passengers were traveling. In the lawsuit filed in 2011, the plaintiffs, Adam Levitt and Herbert Malone, said the policy change amounts to a breach of contract and made the coupons worthless.

Southwest Airlines' reputation as an industry maverick seems to be going the way of flight attendants in hot pants and $20 one-way fares. The nation's largest domestic carrier just marked its 40th straight profitable year, an unmatched feat in a time of economic turbulence, fluctuating fuel prices and airline bankruptcies. It did so by undercutting the competition with no-frills flights and, in the process, building an army of budget-minded fans. Now many of those longtime customers say the Dallas-based carrier that calls itself LUV airlines has been losing their love since it recently began to shift its focus away from low fares and friendly service toward swelling its bottom line.

Southwest Airlines, the nation's largest domestic carrier, raised round-trip airfares $10 on about 400 of its routes--or 10% of the airline's flights. So far, only United Airlines has matched the hike but has extended it to a broader range of routes, according to farecompare.com, a website that keeps track of airline ticket prices. Since the begining of the year, five fare hikes have been initiated and matched by all the nation's biggest carriers. Several others have been rescinded when price increases have not been matched by the majority of the country's carriers.

The add-on fee trend among the nation's airlines continues as Southwest Airlines announced Monday a new $40 fee to let passengers board early. Southwest, the nation's most popular domestic carrier, already charges $10 for its Early Bird Check-In service, which improves a passenger's position in the boarding queue. But the new $40 fee guarantees that passengers get to be among the first 15 in line, letting them stow away carry-on bags in the overhead bin and pick seats with more legroom.

Southwest Airlines, the nation's largest carrier of domestic travelers, announced plans Tuesday to add six extra seats on each plane under a new interior design of lighter and more eco-friendly materials. To increase the number of seats from 137 to 143 on each plane, Southwest said it will install low-profile cushions on each seat and will reduce the recline from three inches to two inches. The leg room, the space between the seat backs, will also shrink from 32 inches to 31 inches.

Southwest Airlines, the nation's biggest carrier of domestic passengers, doesn't provide its customers with high-tech entertainment systems or in-flight movies, like many of its competitors. But the Dallas-based airline will soon offer professional football and baseball games, at least for passengers who travel with Wi-Fi-enabled laptops or other portable devices. Row 44, the in-flight Internet provider for Southwest, last week announced a deal with the NFL Network to provide live streaming football games, video highlights and analysis for passengers who pay the $5 Internet connection fee. Row 44 has cut a deal to broadcast Major League Baseball games as well.

Some flights headed into LAX were delayed more than three hours Sunday night because of air traffic controller furloughs required by sequestration cuts, a federal aviation official said Monday. As part of $600 million the Federal Aviation Administration is expected to cut as part of the sequestration -- the deep budget cuts Congress agreed to when it failed to reach a broader budget agreement -- air traffic controllers are taking one unpaid day off each pay period. Groups have sued to stop the furloughs but that has not stopped them from taking effect.

News that the tiny Samoa-based carrier Samoa Air has begun to charge fares based on the weight of its passengers has some fliers worried that the idea might catch on with other airlines. “There is no doubt in my mind that this is the concept of the future,” said Samoa Air's chief executive, Chris Langton. But industry experts don't think the idea will fly. “Any airline that tries that, heavy people would not fly that airline,” said Jan Brueckner, a UC Irvine economics professor and expert on the airline industry.

Once known as an upstart carrier, Southwest Airlines recently launched a new ad campaign that has some airline industry experts wondering if it signals a new direction - and new fees - at the nation's largest domestic airline. The new ads, which began airing during the television broadcast of the NCAA playoffs, don't mention the airline's most popular appeal - that your first two checked bags fly free and you don't pay to change flights. The ads also don't feature funny dialog that slams competitors - a common theme in past Southwest commercials.

Once known as an upstart carrier, Southwest Airlines recently launched an ad campaign that has some airline industry experts wondering whether it signals a new direction - and new fees - at the nation's largest domestic airline. The new ads, which began airing during the television broadcast of the NCAA tournament, don't mention the airline's most popular appeal - that your first two checked bags fly free and you don't pay to change flights. The ads also don't feature funny dialogue that slams competitors - a common theme in previous Southwest commercials.

If you find an empty seat next to you on your next flight, consider yourself very lucky. The nation's airlines set a new record last year for the percentage of seats filled on commercial flights, with an overall average rate of 82.8%, up from 82% in 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The rate for filled seats--known as the passenger load factor--has been on the rise for several years as airlines cut seat capacity while demand has risen steadily. PHOTOS: TSA finds weapons in the strangest places For the year, U.S. airlines carried 0.8% more total passengers--736.6 million--than during 2011, according to the federal agency.

If you think air carriers have run out of ideas for new fees to charge passengers, think again. Among the fees airlines have announced in the last few weeks are a charge to zip through airport screening gates and board early, a fee to watch streaming movies and a fee to have your bags delivered in 36 cities around the country. It should be no surprise that airlines keep coming up with new fees: Combined, such charges generated an estimated $36 billion in 2012 for the world's largest airlines.

Southwest Airlines flight attendants are considering a federal discrimination claim against a pilot whose cockpit rant about "gays and grannies and grandes" on his flight crew was accidentally broadcast to the control tower and other planes in the airspace over Texas. The incident happened on a March 25 flight from Austin to San Diego but was only made public Tuesday when KPRC-TV inHouston obtained the cockpit conversation and posted it on its website. Here is a link to the TV station's audio clip and a caution: Although some of the language has been "bleeped" out, there is other inappropriate and offensive language that is audible.

Once known as an upstart carrier, Southwest Airlines recently launched an ad campaign that has some airline industry experts wondering whether it signals a new direction - and new fees - at the nation's largest domestic airline. The new ads, which began airing during the television broadcast of the NCAA tournament, don't mention the airline's most popular appeal - that your first two checked bags fly free and you don't pay to change flights. The ads also don't feature funny dialogue that slams competitors - a common theme in previous Southwest commercials.

If you think air carriers have run out of ideas for new fees to charge passengers, think again. Among the fees airlines have announced in the past few weeks are a charge to zip through airport screening gates and board early, a fee to watch streaming movies and a fee to have your bags delivered in  36 cities around the country. It should be no surprise that airlines keep coming up with new fees: Combined, such charges generated an estimated $36 billion in 2012 for the world's largest airlines.

It's been a long time coming. Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways officially merged in May 2011, but their flight options and reservations have remained separate -- until now. Consumers soon will be able to go to either airline and choose from the full list of itineraries operated by Southwest and AirTran. The airline plans to roll out integrated itineraries and ticketing to 39 cities (it isn't saying which ones) on Feb. 25 and to connect the entire network in April, according to a statement.