Still mulling over the changes announced by Southwest this morning, and here are a few thoughts.

One, I really don’t like the fare names.

I’ve already had more than one of you send me notes in regard to “Business Select.” Yep. As in that horrible adventure in futility that US Airways pursued in the mid-90s. Exactly. And, as we all know, memories are long on the East Coast. Especially when it comes to US Air. Bad karma associated with this name guys.

But here is my bigger picture objection.

Let’s say Joe Blow Passenger goes to buy a fare tomorrow on the Southwest Airlines’ website. The three fare classes are now “Business Select,” “Business, ” and “Gotta Get Away.”

Now, is it just me, or do some of you also see the problem here?

The classifications seem incongruent.  “Gotta Get Away” is the playful, normal Southwest type of title. It is also a term that has been used for years by the airline.  But “Business” and “Business Select?” Those are about as innovative or Southwest brand-friendly as “More Room in Coach.”

I would have preferred something along the lines of “Whole Enchilada, Taco, and Rice and Beans.”

Not really, but you get my drift.

I just have this feeling that if Joe Blow is looking to fly from Tampa to New Orleans, might he not think that “Business Select” or “Business” class fares are something he should avoid, because they are for “business people.”

I mean, to me, with the three names across there, I get one connotation. Those two fare brackets are expensive.

Period.

And if I was going through the process of buying a ticket, and there were no “Gotta Get Away” fares left, I think that might make me more prone to go look at another website, rather than buy an expensive “Business” or “Business Select” ticket.

There’s just something that’s not working here. I think the desire to appeal to the “business traveler,” in an attempt to increase revenues has superseded the airline’s usual superb branding efforts. The three titles send off very different “intangibles.” And the airline does not want to send out mixed messages as to who they are and what they are. Especially not at the point of purchase.

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