Southwest Airlines is going to make you pay for your bags — and people aren't happy
Southwest was known as the airline that didn't have everything, but it did have free bags — until now.
On Tuesday, March 11, the company announced that the only flyers who will get two free checked bags are Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members and customers traveling on Business Select fares. A-List Members and other select customers will get one free checked bag. Everyone else? You'll have to pay up. Changes will go into effect for all flights booked on or after May 28.
"We have tremendous opportunity to meet current and future customer needs, attract new customer segments we don’t compete for today, and return to the levels of profitability that both we and our Shareholders expect," Bob Jordan, the president, CEO, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Southwest Airlines, said in a press release. "We will do all this while remaining focused on what’s made us strong — our people and the authentic, friendly, and award-winning customer service only they can provide."
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But people on X aren't so sure that's what makes Southwest strong. No, users would argue that the free bags made it strong.
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One user pointed out that Southwest also recently eliminated its "sit wherever you want, we could care less" seating model, which disappointed customers at the time. It seems like Southwest is quickly becoming Spirit Airlines, but without Spirit's charming self-awareness.
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As many, many, many users pointed out on social media, there's not much that separates Southwest from its competitors, now. What's the point?
Topics X/Twitter
Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.
Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.
