Southwest Airlines begins to load the fees for a tested luggage … and assigned seats

By Geoff Herbert
Syracuse.com (tns)

Southwest Airlines ends his most popular policy for the first time in 54 years.

Southwest announced on Tuesday that it no longer offers free checked luggage for all passengers. From May 28th, only Southwests will receive Rapid Rewards A-List preferred members and passengers who pay for business selection tariffs, two free, opposing bags. A-list members and credit card owners in the southwest can allow a checked bag.

From May 28th, everyone else will have to pay for all checked bags and end the company's “Bag Fly Fly Fly Fly” bags.

The move takes place only six months after the CEO of Southwest, Bob Jordan, promised that the airline continues to offer free -tested luggage and names it as the third most important offer that customers are looking for by fare and schedule. Southwest was the only big airline that offered free check bags since its change in his guidelines in 2015.

Southwest did not say how much it will calculate for checked bags, but the prices are expected to be similar to other airlines.

“This is how you destroy a brand. This is how they destroy customer preferences. This is how they destroy loyalty. And I think that will send it to the southwest to a financial tail spin, ”said the anal downturned by the aviation industry, Henry Hartevelt, from the atmospheric research group, CBS News. “With these changes, Southwest is only another airline … This deliberately corresponds to a ship in an iceberg.”

Jordan defended the move in a statement on Monday.

“We have an enormous opportunity to meet the current and future customer needs, to attract new customer segments for which we do not compete today and to return to profitability that both we and our shareholders expect,” said Jordan.

According to the Associated Press, Southwest Airlines has recently increased problems with the pressure from investors, profits and income. Last month, the company has eliminated 1,750 jobs or 15% of its company employees in its first major layoffs for more than half a century.

Last year, the airline based in Dallas said that another tradition ended-open-sating and plans to request assigned seats. Additional legroom seats are sold for an additional fee.

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