Travelers claiming to be Southwest’s loyal customers are ringing after the airline announced the changes to popular passenger perks Tuesday.
The Texas-based airline has revealed several changes to its efforts to drive revenue growth and hope for a return to profitable shareholders, Fox Business reported.
These changes include adjustments to the checked bag policy. This will allow all passengers to check the two bags for free. Southwest has yet to announce which travelers will be charged to travelers, although the third check bag fee is listed on Southwest.com for $150.
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The move, released Tuesday, has sparked a strong response from social media travelers, with some even threatening to halt flights in the southwest if they can’t receive a free check bag.
“Call it what you do – boycotts, massive exiles, can you do it with big waves now?” one wrote in a Southwest Reddit thread.
Southwest Airlines has announced that it will no longer offer two free check bags to all customers. Airline passengers are experiencing frustration. (istock)
“The nails in the co,” another wrote.
“This was literally the last reason I still flew southwest. It’s a different colour of spirit now,” another user commented in another thread.
“I was in favor of a lack of baggage fees (southwest). If prices remain the same, they definitely aren’t my first choice,” a Reddit user wrote.
Fox News Digital reached out to Southwest for comment.
Starting May 28th, customers traveling with fast reward A-List priority members and business-selection fares will get two free check bags. Fast Reward Credit Card Members receive their first check bag for free. According to a Southwest press release, other customers who do not fall into these two categories will be billed for both check bags.
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“It makes sense to be angry at Southwest because they literally announced their intention to reverse the promise of the brand. They advertise promotions for lack of fees and fees for checked baggage,” Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author from the blog, told Fox News Digital.
Southwest Airlines “is ending its customer-friendly policy with efforts to drive revenue growth and bring it back to the level of profitability that shareholders expect,” Fox Business reported. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“They deal with decades of relationships with their customers based on a simple, fair value proposition that they are changing, and their loyal customers feel betrayed.
“For 50 years, Southwest has been a pioneer and heretic, and they announced that the legacy has ended.”
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Southwest Airlines travelers share their reaction to the end of their free check bag. (istock)
Other social media users have said they would consider flying with other airlines, even if they were once loyal Southwest customers, but don’t think boycotting is the answer.
“I don’t boycott. I skipped a lot of SWs – but simply because I had to get to point B from point A – and SWs can often offer it at the cheapest rate or the most convenient time and route.
“This is certainly awful, but as everyone has already pointed out, they don’t help boycott another airline like that now, like all other airlines. It will be the cheapest fairest, most convenient or direct route for me.
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Lev said Southwest once had customer-friendly policies such as flexible re-booking and free check bags that helped distinguish it from other major airlines, but these recent changes seem to have undermined the relationship between the airline and its many of its customers.
Travel expert Gary Leff says Southwest’s customer-friendly baggage policy was a competitive difference between airlines in the industry. (istock)
“Currently, they are introducing basic economy fares without seat allocation before check-in, even when charging customers who purchase more expensive tickets to such allocations. They are reducing point collection with the cheapest tickets.
“They will add extra legroom seats at the expense of legroom to standard seats,” he added.
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Compared to other airlines, Southwest has amenities such as seatback entertainment screens, high-speed Wi-Fi and seat options with additional legroom, according to Leff.
After the airline decides to end its customer-friendly baggage policy, customers at Royal Southwest Airlines share their concerns. (istock)
“At the same time, Southwest minimizes the distinction between products and other industries, they will be behind other airlines when they chase that same model,” Lev said.
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“In other words, Southwest Airlines is abandoning competitive differentiation while placing itself at the bottom of the industry because of the models they are chasing.”
Daniella Genovese of Fox Business contributed to this report.
