From cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/10/06/ai … index.html
Southwest Airlines Co. avoids most of the fees charged by rivals, and brags about that in television ads. Senior vice president of marketing Dave Ridley said the money other carriers make from fees might be offset by passengers booking their next flight on Southwest.
But Southwest will soon survey consumers about charges, and Ridley wouldn’t rule out fees in the future.
FARE IS KING
Sounds like all he was doing is CYA for the future, no big deal. Southwest came out smelling like a rose in the battle of the fees, thanks to fuel hedges that other airlines didn’t have. Now with fuel prices coming in a bit and crude below $90 (and some say heading back to $50) the playing field will change again. Hope WN didn’t try to get too cute with oil futures at the peak…that could really sting being oil is down almost $60/bbl from the high. Time will tell.
Agree 100 percent
Like you said, time will tell, but my main point is that what SWA says today (no fees) doesn’t mean it won’t change tomorrow (not immune) like some others may want to believe.
You are free to move about the Country…
Ding!
But you have to pay to enjoy it…
I do believe that’s what she said. 
Honestly though, I can’t see a company looking at the profits made off of the fee’s, realize that everyone else in the market has implemented them, and not want to enact something similar. Regardless of the negative publicity, once everyone’s doing it, it’ll just be a matter of whomever has the lowest fees.
Gee! Imagine that! Being able to be free to move about the country but having to pay for it!
And right now that is southwest, at zero. Just the baggage fee’s alone makes WN a better choice for my family. My wife likes to pack to much. No wonder my back hurts after a trip.
What woman doesn’t???