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Subscribe to RSSTo coincide with the start of the holiday shopping season, Consumer Reports today released its 2011 “Naughty & Nice Holiday List,” putting sister carriers AirTran Airways and Southwest Airlines and tour operator Liberty Travel in the “naughty” category.
Consumer Reports cited AirTran for fees it charges to reserve seats when purchasing discounted tickets online, and Southwest for the $10 fee it charges to check in early for a flight, improve boarding group position and thus obtain more overhead bin space. The magazine criticized Liberty Travel’s sale ads that, it said, hide taxes and fees in “tiny type at the bottom.”
These three companies were the only travel companies to make this year's naughty list. In 2010, Consumer Reports put Southwest on its “nice” list for allowing free checking of two bags, while it cited Spirit Airlines for fees charged for carry-on bags and United for an administrative fee charged to fulfill low-price guarantees on nonrefundable tickets on its “naughty” list.
Tod Marks, senior editor of Consumer Reports who oversaw compilation of the 2011 list — designed to highlight the “good and not-so-good shopping policies and the companies behind them” — said the list was created with input from the magazine’s editors, reporters and Facebook fans, and from TheConsumerist.org.
Being named on the list is “no reflection of the company as a whole,” he said, but merely reflects “a particular aspect of a particular policy that kind of rankled us.”
In announcing the list — part of which appeared in a full-page ad in today’s USA Today — Consumer Reports said: “Imagine that you bought a shirt and were charged extra for the buttons. Ridiculous, right? But (AirTran’s) discounted coach and sale-fare flights don’t include the price of the seat.”
It called Southwest’s $10 fee for certain check-in and boarding privileges “another reminder that a basic ticket doesn’t buy much these days.”
Responding to Consumer Reports’ announcement, Southwest said in a statement that it was “disappointed” to be named on the “naughty” list after making the “nice” list last year. It also said its $10 fee “is specifically designed for our customers who like the ease of being checked in online automatically and the guarantee of an early boarding position.”
Regarding the charge against AirTran — which was sold to Southwest in 2010 and made a subsidiary of the airline this year — Southwest called AirTran’s fee for preassigned seating “strictly an option for those customers who place significant importance on sitting together or in a premium seat location.”
Liberty Travel could not be reached for comment.
Henry Harteveldt, co-founder of Atmosphere Research Group, said Consumer Reports was being “petty and arbitrary” by citing AirTran, Southwest and Liberty Travel, since none of the fees they were criticized for are new this year.
“AirTran and Southwest are saying it’s your choice, your money,” whether or not to pay the fees, Harteveldt said, adding: “Airlines have moved to an unbundled fare model because people say they want the lowest possible prices. They make the decision whether or not they will pay for optional extra services.”
It would be better if Consumer Reports focused its list on innovations and cutbacks made during the current calendar year and had “stricter guidelines to make the list more credible,” he said.
Consumer Reports' Tod Marks discusses the magazine's second annual "Naughty & Nice" list, which ranks consumer-friendly companies.
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southwest "naughty" ... you have to be kidding. who else has a policy that lets you change travel dates like them....nobody
Who else has a boarding procedure reminiscent of a cattle call? Nobody.
EDIT: Holy crap. Nine comments so far and they're all pro-Southwest. Hey, Southwest PR folks... we know how the internet works and you can stop pretending to be customers any time now. You're the idiots that are taking away Business Class, free cocktails, comfortable seats, Sirius XM in every seat and the best rewards program in the industry.
This is one A+ Elite flyer that's only sticking around until you take all the benefits away and turn AirTran into a crappy second-tier airline like your own with no features and no benefits.
Really? Southwest? I think Southwest has been mischaracterized on this boarding charge. Southwest allows "free boarding" without assigned seats. "Check-in" is the same as other airlines, 24-hours in advance. You have an option to pay $10 more if you don't think you will find a seat to satisfy you. When I fly USAir and choose my seat, certain seats, such as front row and aisle seats, pop ups show $10 for premium seating. USAir should also be "naughty" as well. PUT SOUTHWEST BACK ON THE NICE LIST!!
Southwest $10 is NOT A FEE you moron. Is a product you purchase, you don't have to purchase it if you don't want to. A FEE is only something they charge you without telling you or in fine prints.
I would definately put Southworst on the naughty list along with the list of companies who misrepresent products. Take SW Rapid rewards program. all over SW terminals you see the signs touting "No Blackout Dates" for their rapid rewards travel. I tried booking points flights during the holidays and for a two week period you could not book points based flights. I contacted SW and was told, "SW does not have blackout dates but points travel may not be available during certain times". WTF??? I don't know about everybody else but to me dates that are not available are blacked out. Now let's talk about the free drink coupons I have with no expiration date on them. SW will no longer honor these tickets at all because they decided to change the policy. I fly to Orlando from Los Angeles regularly and have found Virgin America to be both competitive in price and very customer service oriented. I saved $75 in May flying Virgin America over SW and that included the checked bag fee,
Southwest needs to be taken off list. I agree with some above. The $10 is a for a service not a fee! Who else lets you check two bags free?? A friend of mine flew USAir earlier this year. On top of their ticket price, were charged for their checked bags, onboard drinks and snacks....Also free on SW! And when I asked for an extra bag of pretzels for my toddler? The SW flight attendant brought him four bags and never once asked for money or acted like it was an inconvience. So, Southwest has cheaper flights, free checked bags and free snacks and are on the Naughty list? They also let those board with young children between those who paid extra and the rest of the passengers (elderly and disabled before anyone!, even those who paid extra). Wonder what it takes to be on the nice list?
Sorry that was supposed to be "Southwest needs to be taken off the list? CRAZY!" We also try to fly southwest for their great prices and service.
Southwest is the best by far, very customer orientated and they don't put up with any crap. Let a passenger get unruly and off he goes. The ten bucks is a non issue, you can use it or not..your choice.
How silly! Southwest provides an extra convenience at an extra OPTIONAL cost. All the other airlines charge extra fees for normal travel like, um, bags! Not to mention all the other conveniences Southwest still gives for free as noted ahead.
Very very nice!