Southwest Airlines will no longer offer free Baggage Services

The airline, which has long been valued by consumers for the benefits that distinguish it from other major U.S. airlines, announced that it will start charging some passengers to check their first two bags on flights.

For flights scheduled on or after May 28, the new regulations will go into force. Southwest has not disclosed the cost of checked baggage.

President and CEO Bob Jordan said in a statement that the new price is one of several improvements the firm has announced that will reward its most devoted customers and help it "return to the levels of profitability that both we and our Shareholders expect."

It is the most recent break from a long-standing tradition in the Southwest. The Dallas-based airline declared last summer that it would also implement an "assigned and premium seating" procedure in place of its open seating policy on flights.

The past few years have been financially challenging for Southwest. Due to a significant collapse that left millions of travelers stranded during the 2022 holiday season, the firm was fined $140 million just over a year ago. Last month, it cut off about 1,750 workers, or 15% of its corporate personnel. Elliott Investment Management, an activist investment firm that purchased at least 10% of the business and has been advocating for reforms at Southwest, has been putting increasing pressure on the airline.

However, one of the biggest airlines in the United States has made a significant 180-degree turn with the recently announced checked bag tax. Jordan claimed that Southwest was "passionate" about its "customer-friendly policies", like letting travelers check two bags for free during a business event last September.

There are a few exceptions to Southwest's new checked bag charge policy. Customers who purchase "Business Select" flights and preferred members of its loyalty program are eligible to check two bags for free, whereas other loyalty program members are only allowed to check one bag. Customers using loyalty program credit cards will also receive a credit for one checked bag, according to the firm.