Posted on 03/11/2025 7:01:12 AM PDT by Ben Dover
It’s happening: Southwest Airlines will start charging passengers to check bags for the first time.
It’s a stunning reversal that shows the low-cost pioneer is willing to part with a customer perk executives have said set it apart from rivals in more than half a century of flying in hopes of increasing revenue.
Southwest’s changes come after months of pressure from activist Elliott Investment Management. The firm took a stake in the airline last year and won five board seats as it pushed for quick changes at the company, which held on for decades — until now — to perks like free checked bags, changeable tickets and open seating.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
Might as well paint their planes yellow.
Might be better to just charge passengers by the pound.
Have not taken a ride in the sky in over 15 years.
Upping prices in any manner will help keep them from painting their aircraft yellow.
Charging passengers by the pound will help also.
One differentiator that they have long fostered. At one time they had better airfare than other airlines (successful fuel hedging) but now their prices are the same as other airlines and sometimes higher. The no fee made them different.
I predict this will lead to smaller market share.
I do not fly that often. However, I NEVER check a bag.
I went to Italy for two weeks last October. I had a rolling bag that fit in the overhead bin and a small backpack. My CPAP machine was in that backpack.
IF you need to check a bag, you are bringing too much stuff.
How long before seating is considered a perk?
How long before credit card-operated overhead bins?
We're all straphangers now..
Wait, there's a charge for that.
People aren’t passengers anymore.
They’re cargo.
I know a lot of people flying Southwest, because that free baggage policy. I am not sure, how many will drop off?
Plane loading goes also more smoothly on SWA, as people do check in luggage, and there is not that scramble, trying to fit onboard luggage on the plane.
Why buy into such a unique brand... to wreck it?
SW also serviced the smaller airports with lower gate fees that gave them lower fares. Like up here in New England they flew into Manchester, NH and Providence, RI. They did not originally serve Boston.
They had direct plights from MHT to Las Vegas and several other cool places. Now, about the only place SW flies is to Baltimore and Orlando. So, now you have to go to Boston to get almost anywhere cross country.
Delta also stopped servicing MHT during covid.
Now, IF you want to go west you pretty much have to fly out of BOS, When they were Northwest they flew several flights west out of MHT.
Basically all the airlines SUCK now. SW just now sucks more,
“ My CPAP machine was in that backpack.”
CPAP machines don’t cost in your carry-on total. At least on domestic USA flights they don’t.
I have three pieces in my carry-on: roller suitcase, backpack, CPAP.
Since all airlines charge for bags, I don’t see much change in the number of customers. It’s part of life that most are used to.
We fly SWA a lot because of their direct flights from our city but if there’s nothing to differentiate them from any other airline, why bother?
I know of friends Nashua who booked MHT, only to find themselves on a bus to Logan.
CPAP can ride free in its own case. Elliott must be run by idiots.
Herb Kelleher is turning over in his grave.
Except that they have a loyal following based on their historical record of not nickel and dimming their customers. Those people will now fly with any airline that can get them where they want to go rather than staying loyal.
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