Ever notice how much influence Southwest Airlines seems to have over local leaders these days?
They sneeze and Kansas City’s movers and shakers are right there with the handkerchief—and a hardy Gesundheit.
Okay, that may be slightly overstating our relationship with the # 1 carrier (in terms of arrivals and departures at KCI) but they sure get lots of attention when it comes to future terminal planning at the airport.
For the record I agree with Southwest’s single terminal push for KCI.
So what is the Dallas-based carrier up to itself in the near future?
How about a new reservation system projected for May 2017 travel and beyond?
According to a recent earnings call, airline executives assured that the switch will be mostly invisible to travelers and that the company has been bulking up call center staffing as it trains for the new system which, as reported by Business Travel News, is already in use for Southwest’s international flights.
CEO Gary Kelly stresses that the new system “is behind Southwest.com, where we’ll have a new reservation engine.”
“Customers won’t know that they’re making a booking in a new system,” he said.
So how will the new res system benefit Southwest?
It features enhanced capabilities to sell ancillary services.
“Growing ancillary revenue is definitely an objective for Southwest in 2018,” Kelly said.
According to BTN he declined to elaborate on those services, except to say, “I am not talking about charging for bags. I am not talking about change fees.
But we do have opportunities to invest in tools and techniques and beef up our resources to pursue some opportunities.”
Kelly also forecast that the airline will slow capacity growth in 2017 to about 3.5 percent, about 40 percent of which will be international growth.
So back to the proposed bright new single terminal layout at drab KCI…
We need it in the worst way!
As for Southwest, please keep the peanuts of the salty persuasion.
Those sweet types just don’t cut it for me.
As a frequent traveler for business, our hometown airport is an embarrassment. Even a collapsed city like Detroit has an airport that is light years ahead of Kansas City’s. When will the local rubes get on board with this badly needed update? Yes, it’s going to cost a truckload of money, but you’ve got to invest in your city and it’s amenities.
I guess it’s all a matter of perspective, Guy. KCI is the fastest in-out airport in the country. I don’t give a rip about amenities, especially when traveling on business. I like that I can typically park 100 yards from my gate. The vast majority of my business travel is out and back on the same day. For this scenario, KCI is the perfect set-up.
I know I’m in the minority, but it works for me.
+1
I hear the lamentations, “We need better restaurants!” What about security? One Terminal will keep terrorists out because of better security.
The idea that we are all gonna get the kids in the car and go to the Airport for dinner… Jeeze… and if this nation was really concerned about security from terrorists, then we would have secured the border decades ago.
UTILITY.
The downside to travel for ANYONE, business or pleasure, is the loading and unloading of you and your luggage, while making connections and arriving or leaving on time.
KCI gets you in and out, everything else is tertiary.
If you are going to lose a sale, a girlfriend/boyfriend or some semblance of gravitas by way of KCI, then your game is weak to begin with.
Repair and update the terminals in place.
Point of clarification..when I used the word “amenities” I mean that the airport is an amenity of KC as a whole…
A majority of my business travel is 3-4 days in duration. Only once have I ever done out and back the same day. Dealing with airport security twice in one day? Yikes. I don’t envy you.
Guy, I flew up and back to Milwaukee, WI every Monday for 2 years during the construction of Miller Park. That was back in Midwest Express’ heyday. To this day, the best airline I ever flew on.
TSA Pre-Check has streamlined my travel significantly. Since I’m not traveling with any luggage, etc., it’s a relatively painless experience. Emphasis on the “relatively”.
Ah Midwest Express…what a great airline that was! I will say that flying first class makes things somewhat better.
I used to oppose the new airport design but now support it.. I used to fly Southwest Airlines exclusively, but they have slipped. Higher prices.. less flexibility, waning service. I use other airlines much more now.
We need a new airport. Try to fly Southwest on a Monday morning. It is a bona fide cluster freak.