Need help on work for college! Southwest Airlines roxs! Do they have any weakness?

[Stock 400 rider]

I got to answer these questions for tomorrow and I`m not from US so any help would be great!
I`m totally lost here.

Southwest airlines owns the market with the lowest fares available.
Do you think they have any weakness or even threats?
I have to name 3 weakness and 3 threats!
You guys that race around the country and take a lot of trips should know! lol
Thanks

[Bush0102]

SWA is my favorite...

weaknesses:
1. somewhat small selection of destinations in the US
2. no international service
3. no first class

threats:
1. workers could unionize, but they wont because they are paid well
2. no more

[Stock 400 rider]

Thanks a lot buddy!
If they don`t have international flights and small selection of destinations in US howcome they are the leaders of the market in US and are so good? Just because of the price?
What you mean by workers could unionize?

[Bush0102]

Actually, i was kinda wrong. SWA adds new destination cities all the time, but they still dont service absolutely ever city on the map because they dont have smaller planes (like american eagle or delta comair) to service smaller hubs. they're good because they actually do go just about everywhere in the US as far as major cities are concerned, their planes are mostly new, their staff is friendly and courteous, they are usually on time, and they take care of their passengers. I can fly from here to jacksonville on southwest for $100, but on delta or american that would cost me $650 on an older plane and deal with cranky staff.

And their workers arent unionized because SWA treats them right. There's no fear of a work stoppage, a strike, or outrageous union demands- things other airlines have to deal with.


And i imagine international flights to Mexico, Canada, and the carribean are coming soon. Southwest just added flights to Honolulu so i dont see why they couldnt fly to Mexico City, Toronto, Nassau, etc.

[mrnate400ex]

well, price is a big factor. but, i would say most people fly swa because of the consistency. they know what they are going to get when they fly with them. swa only flies one type of plane, the boeing 737. this helps their cost for the simple facts that they don't have to continually train their pilots to fly different aircraft, parts are interchangeable, mechanics do not have to be trained for different aircraft, the list goes on an on. i would also think that another threat would be that other airlines provide more "services". swa does not offer meals in flight. they just do the basic beverage and peanuts(also another cost factor). however, i think that swa personal service is second to none. i have taken trips with them, and haven't had better service anywhere else. did you also know that swa has turned a profit every year except for the first year they started?? i find that pretty amaizing considering how brutal the airline industry is. anyhow, those are my thoughts.