On Southwest Airways, it now costs (even) more to check a bag until you qualify for a fare, bank card or airline standing waiver.
Nonetheless, beginning April 24, any Southwest Airways passenger flying between choose cities on the U.S. West Coast will have the ability to examine as much as one case of wine without cost.
The service has not but shared which cities will probably be included in its new Sip and Ship program. However as a result of the announcement was paired with a launch celebrating new Southwest service from Santa Rosa, California, to San Diego, Las Vegas and Burbank, California, it is a good guess Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS) close to Santa Rosa is on the listing.
Southwest serves lots of the cities in West Coast wine nation, which stretches from California to Oregon, Washington and even Idaho. So, it is possible the Sip and Ship program will show to be a welcome amenity for Southwest Airways vacationers desirous to convey residence a bottle or a case of wine as a memento.
“By including service to Sonoma County Airport and launching Sip and Ship, we’re providing our Clients much more comfort and a possibility to persevering with sipping and savoring their time in wine nation,” Andrew Watterson, chief working officer at Southwest Airways, stated in a press release.
Whereas we look forward to the eligible cities to be introduced, listed below are a number of the airline’s guidelines for transport wine:
- Solely passengers 21 years of age or older might examine wine without cost.
- The wine should be securely packaged in a leak-proof bag or field with correct {and professional} packaging, and it should be checked in on the customer support counter.
- Southwest defines a “case” as a single field or specialised wine suitcase containing as much as twelve bottles and weighing not more than 50 kilos.
- “The highest of the first transport container should not be sealed previous to Buyer Service Agent inspection on the airport,” in response to the service. So, you may’t fill a wine field together with your soiled garments in a sneaky try and evade checked bag charges.
Alaska Airways’ Wine Flies Free program
Southwest will not be the primary airline to ship passengers’ wine without cost.
Again in 2007, Alaska Airways debuted its Wine Flies Free program and coincidentally additionally used the STS airport because the kickoff spot.
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There at the moment are 32 West Coast cities included in its program, which is accessible to any Atmos Reward mileage program member.
You should be 21 or older to make the most of this system; you additionally should be departing from and arriving at one of many 32 airports in Washington, Idaho or California that the airline serves.
Right here is the listing:
- Washington: Bellingham Worldwide Airport (BLI), Paine Subject (PAE), Tri-Cities Airport (PSC), Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (PUW), Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA), Spokane Worldwide Airport (GEG), Walla Walla Regional Airport (ALW), Pangborn Memorial Airport (EAT) and McAllister Subject (YKM)
- Oregon: Eugene Airport (EUG), Rogue Valley Worldwide Medford Airport (MFR), Portland Worldwide Airport (PDX) and Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM)
- California: Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Fresno Yosemite Worldwide Airport (FAT), Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK), Ontario Worldwide Airport (ONT), John Wayne Airport (SNA), Palm Springs Worldwide Airport (PSP), Redding Regional Airport (RDD), Sacramento Worldwide Airport (SMF), San Diego Worldwide Airport (SAN), San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO), San Jose Mineta Worldwide Airport (SJC), SLO County Airport (SBP), Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) and STS
- Idaho: Boise Airport (BOI), Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA) and Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN)
The Wine Flies Free program requires wine to be checked in on the counter, correctly labeled and packed in a case or field with sufficient packing materials — Styrofoam, cardboard, bubble wrap, and so forth. — to maintain the bottle or bottles protected. (Alaska even has some cobranded accredited wine carriers on its website.)
Bonus good thing about the Wine Flies Free program
Alaska’s Wine Flies Free program has a hidden profit that may be simply as, if no more useful than, the waived baggage charge.
Wineries and tasting rooms in Oregon, Washington and Idaho usually cost a tasting charge, which might vary from $15 to $40 per individual. Nonetheless, choose wineries might waive the charges for those who present your inbound boarding cross and Atmos Rewards membership. (Many wineries additionally waive tasting charges if you are going to buy a bottle.)
Guidelines and rules might differ by state and vineyard. Make sure to examine the vineyard’s web site and obtain the apps for every state’s program. (Comply with the hyperlinks on the Wine Flies Free web page.)
In case you are plotting a day of wine tasting primarily based on waived charges, make sure to name forward to substantiate. Many wineries is not going to waive the charge on weekends, holidays or throughout particular occasions. And, in Idaho, taking part wineries might ask for proof that you’ve got flown into an Idaho airport.
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