Southwest Is Spending $2 Billion To Enhance Customer Experience
I know that when we hear the word “enhancements” we automatically think, great another devaluation! Well not this time. Southwest is spending $2 billion on customer experience enhancements. No, there still won’t be assigned seats, a first class of any kind (aren’t all Southwest seats first class … at least that is what PDXDealsGuy says) or a revamped boarding procedure.
Southwest will be spending that massive pile of cheddar on the following instead:
- Improvements to Wi-Fi connectivity onboard aircraft
- They promise up to 10X the current bandwidth with Anuvu’s latest WiFi hardware.
- Installing onboard power ports to allow passengers to charge their devices at every seat
- USB A & C ports on the back of each seat
- Larger overhead bins
- Introducing more entertainment options
- Doubling the current movie selection
- Providing a wider selection of in-flight refreshments and enabling new self-service capabilities.
- After like 4 years Southwest is finally getting on the hard seltzer train! Plus adding Rose and some other options.
Something’s coming… 👀 pic.twitter.com/dDRh6xxFVm
— Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) May 11, 2022
Welcome to 2017 Southwest! In all seriousness many of these things were long overdue. Southwest came up as low cost carrier but now that they are charging the same prices as the big 3 they need to start improving the experience to match.
The fact that they rely on WiFi for their free in-flight entertainment (on your own device) means the upgrade is desperately needed. Simply searching the web is near impossible on their flights because of all of the bandwidth being used on streaming. More movie options will be nice as well.
Adding power ports to all seats will probably be the headliner for many. There is nothing worse than getting off a flight and having your phone practically dead before you even hit the road. The additional beverage options and larger overhead bins are not that important, in my opinion at least, but will add to a better overall experience.
What do you think about the proposed Southwest improvements? Which one are you looking forward to most?
HT ToP
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How about instead of more bandwidth for WiFi more reliability for the system to work instead of always being broken or not working
I read at one point that the power ports are not on all aircraft, just a certain number. If that is so then their claim is somewhat misleading.
That would be lame
They’re only coming to MAX aircraft, which represent a small portion of the total fleet (but which, admittedly, will increase over the coming years). Even worse is the “larger bins” which won’t be added to any planes, but will come on new MAX deliveries.
So where is the money going again? lol
“Simply searching the web is near impossible on their flights because of all of the bandwidth being used on streaming.”
FYI: Actually, Southwest’s inflight entertainment is served from inside each plane, so it doesn’t affect web browsing. The planned upgrades will increase available bandwidth to the satellite, and from the satellite to the ground.