It’s the final day to e book a flight on Southwest Airways with out being hit with a price to examine baggage after the airline deserted a decades-long baggage coverage that executives as soon as described as key to differentiating the funds service from its rivals.
The airline introduced the change in March, saying on the time that the the brand new coverage would begin with flights booked on Wednesday.
Southwest mentioned Tuesday that will probably be charging $35 for a primary checked bag and $45 for a second checked bag. Weight and measurement limits will apply for baggage.
Southwest had constructed years of promoting campaigns round its coverage of letting passengers examine as much as two baggage without cost. Beneath its new coverage, individuals who haven’t both reached the higher tiers of its Speedy Rewards loyalty program, purchased a enterprise class ticket or maintain the airline’s bank card should pay for checked baggage.
Southwest will proceed to supply two free checked baggage to Speedy Rewards A-Checklist most popular members and clients touring on Enterprise Choose fares, and one free checked bag to A-Checklist members and different choose clients. Passengers with Speedy Rewards bank cards will obtain a credit score for one checked bag.
Individuals who don’t qualify for these classes will get charged to examine baggage. The airline mentioned in March that it additionally would roll out a brand new, fundamental fare on its lowest priced tickets when the change takes impact.
The airline estimated in September that charging bag charges would usher in about $1.5 billion a 12 months however value the airline $1.8 billion in misplaced enterprise from clients who selected to fly Southwest due to its beneficiant baggage allowance.
One other coverage that may take impact on Wednesday is Southwest requiring passengers to maintain their transportable chargers in plain sight whereas utilizing them due to considerations in regards to the rising variety of lithium-ion battery fires.
These aren’t the one modifications at Southwest. The Dallas airline beforehand introduced that it was forsaking one other Southwest custom, the open-boarding system it has used for greater than 50 years. Southwest expects to start working flights with passengers in assigned seats subsequent 12 months.
The airline additionally mentioned final 12 months that it might cost clients further for extra legroom and provide red-eye flights.
Southwest has struggled lately and is beneath strain from activist buyers to spice up income and income. The airline reached a truce in October with hedge fund Elliott Funding Administration to keep away from a proxy combat, however Elliott gained a number of seats on the corporate’s board.
The airline introduced in February that it was eliminating 1,750 jobs, or 15% of its company workforce, within the first main layoffs within the firm’s 53-year historical past.
Shares of Southwest Airways Co. rose 3% on the opening bell Tuesday together with different carriers in an up day for the sector.
— Michelle Chapman, The Related Press
