News

Dave Ridley made good on his word.

Southwest’s senior VP for marketing and revenue management said that the discount carrier chooses to add destinations based on whether a city’s airport is "overpriced and underserved" and does not go shopping for tax breaks and other incentives. And that’s just what Southwest is doing now that its announced service to two locations in South Carolina.

But Southwest can’t seem to help pissing people off. Its move comes despite the froth whipped up by state lawmakers and economic development officials in all three major metro areas of the Palmetto State. If you’ve been playing along at home, you’ll remember that meant legislation and regional incentives would provide Southwest financial support in case the carrier lost money during its initial years of operation. Lawmakers in the Midlands region (Columbia) blocked the bill believing only Charleston and the Upstate would benefit.

Southwest has pissed off its fair share of customers, bumping more of them from oversold flights than any other carrier last year. You don't have to look to far to find disgruntled flyers saying things such as, "I have always flown Southwest in the past, but doubt I ever will again. Saying you care about your customers is not the same as actually caring." Even the Department of Transportation has taken a swing, citing last week Southwest’s failure to reimburse bumped passengers promptly or give them written notices of their rights and fining the airline $200,000.

So why is Southwest exec Dave Ridley smiling while imparting wisdom on a crowd of advertising, marketing, and other creative professionals from around the country at the Food for Thought Conference in Greenville, South Carolina? "You’ve got to be smart to be successful," the senior vice president of marketing and revenue management says.