Southwest Airways begins charging many flyers to test baggage this week

Set your alarm. Southwest Airways prospects have solely sooner or later to go earlier than the corporate begins charging to test baggage for the primary time in additional than half a century.

Beginning Wednesday, Southwest will finish its blanket “two baggage fly free” coverage.

It was a perk that was sacrosanct amongst prospects and the airways’ longtime executives alike, setting the airline aside from opponents. However baggage charges introduced in practically $7.3 billion for U.S. airways final yr, based on federal knowledge, and Southwest executives who’ve lengthy vowed to carry onto the coverage have been below stress to boost income.

The airline hasn’t but stated how a lot it’ll cost to test baggage, however rivals typically cost about $35 or $40 for a primary checked bag for home flights, although there are some exceptions.

Together with beginning to cost for checked baggage, Southwest has introduced main adjustments to its enterprise mannequin over the previous yr, like eliminating open seating. The provider can be debuting basic-economy tickets like these bought by Delta Air Traces, American Airways and United Airways on Wednesday.

Here is what vacationers ought to know in regards to the finish of free baggage on Southwest:

Southwest will not provide two free checked baggage with many tickets bought on or after Wednesday. For tickets bought earlier than then, a Southwest spokesman stated the provider will honor the phrases of these fares, like the 2 free checked baggage.

The charges will apply to its no-frills Primary, its Wanna Get Away Plus and its Anytime fares.

Southwest introduced the coverage in March after months of stress from activist Elliott Funding Administration, which took a stake within the airline final yr and received 5 board seats, pushing for main adjustments on the firm like its free checked baggage, changeable tickets and open seating.

Sure. Vacationers with top-tier standing in Southwest’s Speedy Rewards loyalty program will get two free checked baggage, as will prospects within the highest-level Enterprise Choose fares.

Clients with a Southwest Airways co-branded bank card and their journey companions booked along with the identical card will not get charged for his or her first customary checked bag.

A-Listing frequent flyer members, the second-highest tier within the loyalty program, may also get their first bag checked freed from cost.

Southwest on Wednesday may also begin promoting basic-economy tickets.

With the brand new Primary fare, prospects will not be capable of make adjustments to their tickets, they will be among the many final prospects to board and their fare credit will expire in six months, in contrast with 12 months for different ticket courses.

In one other change, the airline is ending its Wanna Get Away fare, which was the bottom tier ticket earlier than the adjustments.

Southwest has been identified for its open-seating mannequin for many years. Loyalists typically obsessively test in a day earlier than their flight in hopes of scoring a positive boarding slot.

However later this yr, Southwest says it’ll begin promoting tickets for flights in 2026 that may have seat assignments. It’s also outfitting its planes with further legroom seats, like a lot of its opponents, that fetch increased costs.

Southwest executives have informed workers that they anticipate passengers to hold on extra baggage (these insurance policies free of charge carry-ons aren’t altering) and have stated the airline is putting in bigger overhead bins on its Boeing fleet, which ought to assist with an inflow of carry-on baggage.

Executives have additionally stated workers will get cellular bag-tag printers at gates and airport lobbies to help prospects.

Southwest can hardly submit on social media — even about infants and puppies on board — with out getting indignant feedback in regards to the modified baggage coverage.

However CEO Bob Jordan informed CNBC final month that the coverage change announcement the corporate made on March 11 hasn’t deterred prospects.

“We have now seen no book-down on that day or after that day,” he stated on “Squawk on the Avenue” on April 24.