Southwest Airlines Has Lost What Set it Apart

Throughout the past several months, Southwest Airlines announced a number of controversial policy changes as the airline ended its longstanding "Bags Fly Free" and open seating policies. But while the moves were designed to boost profits for the airline, there's a chance the plan could backfire.

Over the years, Southwest Airlines has built a reputation as a customer-friendly budget option for travelers, offering two free checked bags for every passenger and an open seating plan with no premium seats or packages. However, with all of these changes, it's clear that Southwest is changing its identity.

As Kyle Stewart of Live and Let's Fly points out, these short-sighted changes could actually pose a major problem for Southwest in the long run since the airline has done away with all of the things that set it apart from the other major airlines without any major advantages.

"Change fees? Technically still free, but now they’ll gladly keep your fare difference as a travel credit (and if you forget about it? Their gain as they have reduced the eligible period for those credits). Wanna get early boarding? Pay for EarlyBird. Seat assignments, baggage charges (something a few choice commenters said would never happen when I called it out months ago) are all extra now just like they are at every other carrier. Southwest is no longer the rogue alternative to the majors—it is a major, and it behaves like one. What’s worse is that Southwest went from underperforming but profitable to underperforming and posting losses in some of the highest demand periods on record," Stewart wrote for Live and Let's Fly.

These changes actually now lead to some major disadvantages.

"The charm is fading. So is the differentiation," Steward added. "Southwest is just like every other carrier in the US but it has a disadvantage: its lack of an international market. It sought to change that this week, filing for every market in which OpenSkies agreements apply, along with its recent tie up with IcelandAir. It knows the problem, but can Southwest start flying to London from Boston with its current 737 fleet? Maybe, but does the market need more capacity? Probably not."

As Stewart alluded, Southwest has taken some initial steps toward expanding its international offerings. We'll have to see whether or not that is enough to allow it to be competitive with the other airlines after eliminating all of the things that set it apart.