I will only fly Southwest not only because you don't hate my boring grey bag, but because you don't loose my kids when they fly with you all by their selves! Southwest rocks! OBTW thanks for the great flight to Oakland and back to Boise this weekend and my boring grey bag thanks you too!

I wonder if it's both to make money and to save money. Obviously charging for bags makes the airline money but does it also make people pack and carry less luggage leading to a lighter plane and lower fuel costs? I know nothing about the airline industry but I can't help but think there are multiple benefits to the airline. Of course, all at the cost of upsetting and frustrating its passengers and customers.

They hate bags so much because they hate the people who carry them. Souithwest "LUVS" its customers!

I will not cheat on you again Southwest. I had a horrible time this past week flying to Minneapolis via US Airway. Their flight attendants HATE bags too!

I fly SWA about once a month and it's always a pleasure! Everyone is always friendly and makes sure I enjoy my travels. And of course, they do love my bags! Thanks guys!!

...because THEY want to make us wait longer in the security line while all of THEIR customers try and shove over-sized bags through the x-ray machine in order to carry-on and save the $25 rip-off fee. (Ever think all these extra carry-on bags bogs down TSA and compromises everyone's safety? Just saying...)

they love money - as for saving on fuel due to lighter loads? Ha! I have had to sit on a plane, at the gate, waiting on Delta to load SANDBAGS on the plane for ballast and they admitted it is because we are taking fewer bags due to the charges... paying to check 1 or 2 bags is a total rip-off and I won't use any airlines who charges me unless absolutely forced by office travel policy. I fly Delta often but SWA has them beat for service.

RE:

I love Southwest Airlines, don't get me wrong, but Delta Air Lines was ranked highest among any U.S. airline for overall customer service and satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates. That says something.

Do you realize that J.D Power and Associates is a pay to play ranking? Check out how they pick who they'll rank and then talk.

Sort of like charging someone who makes 12 roundtrips a year $240 to get a reasonable boarding selection and not refunding the fee if they need to change their plans. I still like LUV but I think you have ceded the high ground in the fee department....

Solution? Fly naked!

I have sworn off Southwest Airlines permanently. The lack of baggage fees isn't enough to get me to fly with an airline that's no longer the most competitive. A recent round-trip flight from IAD to LAX on Virgin America was $99 each way, I got to choose my seat, I did not have to worry about checking in exactly 24 hours ahead of time so I could be in boarding group A, only to maybe get a good seat. The baggage fee is a small price to pay for good service, a non-stop flight, and an assigned seat.

Your flight crew is also annoying - not everyone loves the peppy-get-em-going attitudes (I have never been on a flight without this). Some of us fly really early in the mornings to get to meetings, we do not need distractions from our work, or cheerleader-type people interrupting our sleep (some of us have long days ahead of us once we get to our destinations, and need to get sleep whenever, and wherever we can).

In a day and age where you are only competitive with fares from other airlines, and nothing else, Southwest needs to get back into the game.

I make 30+ flights a year, none of them on Southwest. Virgin America has earned my IAD - LAX, IAD - SFO, and SFO - LAX business. I know many more people making the same jump.

They hate our bags b/c they are greedy and want to rip us off.

I took my FIRST SWA flight from Vegas to Sac yesterday and I am in LUV! It's my first b/c I live in Hawaii and you don't fly there. I agree with someone up above - when are you going to come to Hawaii? WE NEED YOU. Your service was great, efficient and hassle free. Better than any inter-island or mainland carrier I have flown! AND you took my two huge black bags for free - and got them here safely. Mahalo, SWA!

Upbeat attitude, new commercials and the usual lower cost flights will get Southwest on the top of J.D.'s list very quickly. I'm rooting for you.

For those who kept saying Delta was ranked #1, read on:
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 30 June 2009 - Alaska Airlines ranks highest in customer satisfaction among traditional network carriers, while JetBlue Airways ranks highest among low-cost carriers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction StudySM released today.

Maybe they are futilely trying to get their ramp agents to treat peoples' bags with more respect by making it seem like they are worth more. Or maybe the reduction of bags needed to be handled means they can lay off more people. Not cool.

My daughter just traveled another airline to Puerto Rico...and had to pay an addition $50 for her bags to go both ways. She just traveled Jet Blue..and with them your lst checked bag with them is free...which works.
As for the comment above about the overstuffed carry on's and making security lines longer and tougher to get through..I TOTALLY AGREE! My son just traveled another airline and was going to attempt to 'carry on' his overstuffed 21' bag..and decided it wasn't worth the effort..and sadly, flying other airlines (hey it was business -- he had no choice) he paid the $20 bux for his bag to fly each way.
As to the comment above about "annoying" flight attendants, joking and having fun?? YIKES! What is WRONG with DEAN? First off, when I fly..i am a NERVOUS wreck. Having flight attendants and pilots who sing, laugh, and joke make me feel MUCH more at ease!!! Some flight attendants on other airlines make you feel like flying is all business, is a dangerous mode of transportation, so take them SERIOUSLY... and can in effect make ME feel very uneasy and very uncomfortable.
As for free bags..another point of interest: 5 years ago, we flew Southwest to a cruise destination in Florida. My son won a 5 ft stuffed dog at Universal Studios - FL who we stuck a luggage tag on and sent thru as 'baggage" to get him home...we were amused to watch from the windows as the luggage was loaded into our plane..to see the baggage handlers bouncing the dog up and down..pretending to bite each other and "bark" at each other. IT was a riot. Only wish I had a video camera and had captured that to share w/ Southwest. The stuffed doggie made it safely to Connecticut from FL and ...there was NO EXTRA CHARGE to add him to our luggage! :)
Ok, I've babbled too long. I love Southwest. Period. and I LOVE your new bag campaign ads!

My girlfriend and I flew AirTran to Charleston, SC last week (sorry SW, no flights there). They charged us $30 each to check bags. We're good people. We pay our taxes. Why do they hate our bags?

Keep on doing what you're doing!

-Matt and Suzie from Chicago