Southwest Airlines Offers Cruise-Goers a Hand With Their Bags

[MyImagination]

$20 pp seems steep to me...Im sure many SW pax will enjoy this new service.

 

Airline Can Now Take Baggage Straight From the Seaport to the Airport

October 09, 2007: 10:00 AM EST

 

DALLAS, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Florida's busy cruise season is approaching, and Southwest Airlines is launching a new service that will make getting cruise-goers' baggage from the seaport to the airport easier than ever.

Through a partnership with a company called Bags To Go Enterprises, and in cooperation with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Southwest Airlines Customers can now check their bags and obtain their boarding pass at the port where their cruise ship docks.

The new service will allow Customers to explore and enjoy the city in which they disembark -- without having to lug their bags around -- until it's time to head to the airport. Once at the airport, Customers can head straight to their departure gate, allowing them to bypass lines at the Skycap and main ticket counter.

How does it work?

 

-- Upon disembarking from their cruise ship, Customers simply hand their

baggage over to the Bags To Go agent stationed at the cruise port.

-- The Bags To Go agent checks the Customer's luggage and issues the

Southwest Airlines boarding pass using AirIT's CHECKport.

-- The luggage is then shipped to the airport in a secure vehicle,

screened by the TSA, and loaded onto the Customer's Southwest Airlines

flight.

 

"The Bags To Go service is all about convenience for our Customers," says Southwest Airlines Director of Central Baggage Services, Laura Adams. "The service has the added benefit of shortening airport lines and improving baggage operations behind-the-scenes."

Cruise-going Customers can arrange for the baggage service upon their arrival at the airport or when they disembark from their cruise ship. Bags must be presented three hours prior to departure and are only accepted on flights departing after 12:00 noon. The service costs $20 per person and allows up to three checked bags.

Southwest Airlines is launching the new service at the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport for Customers disembarking at the Port of Miami and Port Everglades. The airline also offers the Bags To Go service at several locations in Las Vegas, including the Venetian and Luxor hotels, The Las Vegas Convention Center, and the Las Vegas McCarran Rent-A-Car Center.

"Off-site check-in is a growing trend in the airline industry," says Adams, "and we hope to expand this convenience to every Southwest destination where it will make sense for our Customers. "

[Illinoisgal]

I like that idea. 20 pp doesnt sound bad considering the "middle man" has to make some money too plus by passing the line is sweet!

[Rob42]

What happens if they don't like the looks of your luggage like recently not liking the way people dress. I wouldn't fly that airline period let alone let them take care of my luggage twice.

[GoinCruisin]

Sounds great! I hope to use that service next Sunday morning :D $20 isn't bad at all to have it all taken care of right there and not worrying with transporting luggage!!

[takeyourmark]

Lucy,

If you can let us know how the baggage check goes and what you had to do, I would be real interested. That always the hassle when we are flying out late day and want to still check out the beach or a restaurant to kill off the afternoon. I remember two cruises ago lugging everything into a Sebring convertible rental and having the back seat overflowing with luggage while we drove out to take an Everglades airboat. Not exactly ideal.

We leave the last week of the month on the Miracle and will want to try the service when we come back.

[Ship Addict]

I would be nervous of a third party taking care of my luggage.

 

That is just one more person to add to the list of people that can screw things up and your luggage won't end up in the same place you do.

 

Also, isn't it one of the screening questions when you check in for your flight -- 'has anyone else handled your bags but you?'

 

And how do they ensure that my bags won't be rifled through and end up in a dumpster somewhere? (Yes, this actually happened in Houston -- a bunch of baggage handlers started stealing luggage and taking anything of value and they found a ton of it in a dumpster behind a nearby business.)

 

Just too many people handling my stuff. Makes me nervous.

[GoinCruisin]

Other cruiselines have joined with airlines and have been doing this for over a year... I haven't heard of any problems. We turn our bags over to 3rd parties on every cruise, the porters are not cruise ship employees, they are employees of the port authority... so I guess we trust them not to rifle through our bags... I never put anything in my checked luggage that I would be devastated by losing, and insurance helps too... as for the screening of the luggage, Southwest is telling you to give your bags to their employees... aside from that, I haven't been asked that question in probably my last 20 flights.

 

But I just realized my flight is too early to use this service :( DANGIT!!!

[Flip2cruise]

I would be nervous of a third party taking care of my luggage.

 

That is just one more person to add to the list of people that can screw things up and your luggage won't end up in the same place you do.

 

Also, isn't it one of the screening questions when you check in for your flight -- 'has anyone else handled your bags but you?'

 

And how do they ensure that my bags won't be rifled through and end up in a dumpster somewhere? (Yes, this actually happened in Houston -- a bunch of baggage handlers started stealing luggage and taking anything of value and they found a ton of it in a dumpster behind a nearby business.)

 

Just too many people handling my stuff. Makes me nervous.

 

Im sure many wont do it, and some will. TSA wont ask you any questions about who has handled your luggage.

 

Im not sure how this program would have had any effect on what you described in Houston. If someone wants to steal my dirty clothes...I welcome it. I can get new stuff with the insurance claim.:D

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Other cruiselines have joined with airlines and have been doing this for over a year... I haven't heard of any problems. We turn our bags over to 3rd parties on every cruise, the porters are not cruise ship employees, they are employees of the port authority... so I guess we trust them not to rifle through our bags... I never put anything in my checked luggage that I would be devastated by losing, and insurance helps too... as for the screening of the luggage, Southwest is telling you to give your bags to their employees... aside from that, I haven't been asked that question in probably my last 20 flights.

 

But I just realized my flight is too early to use this service :( DANGIT!!!

 

We did something like this on our Disney cruise last month. Put our bags out the night before and didn't see them again until we landed back home in Philly. It was nice getting off the ship and not having to deal with the luggage and porters. Got to the airport and all we had to do was go through security.

 

 

Bill

[albertiger]

"I Don't Like People Touching MY THINGS!!!":eek:

 

People, Take a DEEP Breath! How about thinking positively how great it would be to not have to schlep luggage with you and BELIEVE that it will make it to your destination, with you!:D

Ive used this service with RCI/Celebrity/AA in San Juan a few times now and guess what, no problem mon!;)

Just because something bad happened to someone else dont project that negativity onto your trip. Chill...

[neverpar]

Oh how I wish this would be happening in Long Beach when we get off the Pride....it would save so much hassle to have our luggage sent right to the airport...

[AVGeek]

Both times wife and I have cruised Disney we've checked our bags and gotten our boarding passes right at the port for no extra cost. Also, they didn't even weigh our bags (I had a few extra souvenirs in one).

-D

 

We did something like this on our Disney cruise last month. Put our bags out the night before and didn't see them again until we landed back home in Philly. It was nice getting off the ship and not having to deal with the luggage and porters. Got to the airport and all we had to do was go through security.

 

 

Bill

[terri910]

"How about thinking positively how great it would be to not have to schlep luggage with you and BELIEVE that it will make it to your destination, with you!:D

...if they lose my luggage, if everyone claps will it all re-appear?

[Bunkie103]

I am loving the sound of this service. Anything that involves someone else lugging my bags is of interest to me. ;)

[OhioJeff]

Sounds like a nice deal, but I usually stay in town an few extra days.

[jpg1747]

American Airlines offers this service for free. Or at least they did a couple of years ago when I cruised out of Miami. Our flight home wasn't until 8:00 that night and AA took our bags right at the cruise terminal.

[Hoyaheel]

We use this Southwest service in Las Vegas--if you have 3 bags or less, you only have to pay for 1 person to check bags (ie when my husband and I fly together but have 2-3 bags, I check them all in under my name and we only pay $20 total) It's well worth it to me and I hope to use the system in Florida next year when we disembark there:D

[hcat]

The person who took our bags curbside at SWA at Islip gave us a big hand with our bags==he had a major attitude, did not like his tip & guess what ? bags never arrived in Seattle for our big Anniv cruise. Luckily we went a day ahead & made many many calls--they claimed iy was due to a belt failure(?) & sent the bags over in a taxi in the middle of the night once they arroved in Seattle ... The fewer people who touch my bags the better--but for those who want to try it I guess the service makes sense! But if something goes wrong make sure you know who to blame so you can beg them for help!