Southwest Airlines announced a major change to its baggage policy that has caused confusion and headaches for many customers of the budget-friendly airline.
For a long time, Southwest had a “bags fly free” policy that applied to all customers, and even as recently as September 2024, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said that bags would continue to fly free, citing free bags as one of the main reasons why customers were loyal to the brand. But this week Southwest reversed that 54-year tradition to become more aligned with other carriers.
The company announced that starting May 28, only Southwest's Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members and passengers who book Business Select fares will receive two free checked bags. Southwest Frequent flyer A-List Members and Southwest credit card holders will also receive one free checked bag. Everyone else will be charged for their first and second checked bags for all flights booked on or after May 28.
The move is part of a broader strategy by the airline to boost profitability and cater to more loyal customers, with CEO Bob Jordan now saying that the company needs to focus more on profitability.
“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,” Jordan said in a press release.
What Planners Need to Know
The change in policy means that planners who used to rely on the cheap airline seats provided by Southwest may need to reevaluate their budgets. While Southwest did not disclose how much it will cost to check a bag under the new system, if the company is in-line with competitors Delta, United and American, bag fees will most likely start at around $35 apiece.
Planners also may encourage attendees to pack light and to simply bring a carry-on bag, as policies that apply to those bags have not changed. All Southwest tickets will continue to include one free carry-on bag.
The change from Southwest is only the latest attempt from the company to align itself more with its airline competitors, with the company announcing in July 2024 that it would change its policy of open seating. This could signal more changes for the budget airline, so meeting and event planners should prepare for potentially more adjustments and reversals to Southwest policies in the coming months.
