Southwest Airlines to start charging for some checked bags

The truth is Southwest Airlines at this point it’s just like all the other carriers they’ve made fun of over the years. People still think of them as a low-cost carrier, but they are not. .

I don’t fly them anymore because they’re not any cheaper than any other carrier where I live and their times and routes are more convoluted and not as convenient.

I currently have a pile of points and a companion pass so flying them quite a bit. Emails and offers from them give off an air of desperation.

Frankly the open seating and free bags is the selling point, the route system is pretty goofy and not a plus.

Assuming tickets purchased before a certain date get free bags regardless of status.

I should have checked my email first.

Changes will apply to flights booked on or after May 28.

Between 2015-2019 one or the other of my kids attended a language immersion camp in northern Minnesota. We flew Southwest to Minneapolis because of their free checked bag policy. The kids always had oversized bags because they had to take clothes for a month, plus bedding, and one of my sons took his guitar.
I think I have flown SW once since the pandemic. When comparing Delta & SW, a route on SW usually involves a change, and for a little more I can go non-stop on Delta, the exception being somewhere fairly close like New Orleans which is a non-stop from ATL on SW.
I've had a Delta AMEX since 2020 which gives me a free checked bag so that definitely tilted the scales in favor of Delta over SW.

The market evolves over time, and customers will vote with their choices. Southwest has the largest number of flights from our airport, and the route system almost always worked for us. We can get to Hawaii, Jamaica, and most domestic locations with them. The only advantage they will have now is their ticketing system that lets you price roundtrip as one way flights. Ima waiting to see how their linkage with Icelandair (to Europe) plays out. If competitive, I'll still choose them over the big three.

I'm guessing it's Party Time over at Alaska Airlines. They stand to benefit most from SouthWest's recent revisions.
This "new broom" attitude seems to be contagious.

And when SWA announced its new seating policy last year they said “free bags” would not be changed. Looks like they are envious of the dollars that baggage fees generate for the other airlines. Sad day for those of us who liked the funky difference that SWA brought to air travel.

Homogeneous. That is the new way of airlines. Now, the ONLY thing to differentiate will be service. And we all know how that goes.

At its investor day last September, Southwest had warned that eliminating the "bags fly free" policy would have a significant impact on its brand as it would no longer be perceived as "customer first."

SW loyalists may take this as a betrayal. The reliance on the point-to-point routing may now be perceived as more of a disadvantage, so it remains to be seen whether bookings now decline. And all of this is being prompted by Wall Street investors.

Business is adapt and change or die.

Just flew Southwest this morning. I'm very disappointed in them. They have lost their identity, as far as I'm concerned. The curbside staff said they are all being laid off.
Will probably open another airline credit card and receive a boatload of points. Just need to decide on which one?

"Business is adapt and change or die. "

Oh?

In my short trip to Europe I was struck by places that referred to families running the same business for one (two? three?) hundred years.

I believe it's more the people that made the business worth dealing with (and setting their policies) were replaced over the years. It's always easier to go for the short term profits over longer term interests. So, in most cases, like water runs downhill, Entropy sets in and what made the business worth it gradually disappears.

edit: I meant "running the business" as the same business doing the same things.

Just need to decide on which one?

United for SD, can get free global entry and primary car insurance, and 2 free lounge passes, and Chase allows 24 month rechurning on their sign up bonuses. As a churner, I always feel bad closing this one @ 1 year to avoid annual fee, but know I can reapply in 12 months and get another bonus.

As an aside, I always lie and say “State Farm” when using primary credit card insurance for domestic rentals. The credit card insurance is good, I present a new letter stating that, and it’s none of their business what my personal car insurance is. But they never accept that.

language immersion camp in northern Minnesota

I have deep ties to Concordia.

@toby, my kids are in their twenties now and they still talk about the fun they had at Waldsee, especially my younger. It's a special place!