Southwest baggage backlash
Southwest is facing growing customer backlash over a new checked-bag policy after a viral employee TikTok amplified traveler confusion and criticism. (brobible.com) CEO Bob Jordan defended the airline by saying Southwest retains about a 20% cost advantage over American, Delta and United, but public reaction to the policy and a criticized ‘thank-you’ note to a loyal flyer has kept the story alive. (skift.com) (nomadlawyer.org)
Southwest’s baggage fight is growing because the airline now charges many travelers to check bags after decades of marketing that perk as free. (swamedia.com) Southwest said on April 7 that first- and second-bag fees would rise by $10 for reservations ticketed or voluntarily changed on or after April 9, 2026. On its fees page, the carrier lists mainland one-way bag charges at $45 for a first checked bag and $55 for a second checked bag on Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares. (swamedia.com) (southwest.com) Some customers still avoid the fees. Southwest says Choice Extra and A-List Preferred customers get two free checked bags, while A-List members and qualifying Rapid Rewards credit card holders get one free checked bag. (swamedia.com) (southwest.com) The latest increase landed less than a year after Southwest ended its broader “bags fly free” policy for most passengers. The airline said bag fees began applying to several fare types for flights booked, ticketed, or changed on or after May 28, 2025. (swamedia.com) (skift.com) That shift sits inside a broader remake of Southwest’s model. The airline is also selling assigned seating for travel starting January 27, 2026, replacing the open-seating system that had long been part of its brand. (southwest.com 1) (southwest.com 2) The backlash spread beyond travel blogs after a Southwest employee’s TikTok warning about the new bag charges went viral. BroBible, citing the video, said the clip had drawn more than 1.5 million views by April 13. (brobible.com) Chief Executive Bob Jordan defended the changes on April 13 at the Semafor World Economy summit in Washington, saying Southwest still has about a 20 percent cost advantage over American, Delta, and United. Skift reported that Jordan linked that lower-cost structure to Southwest’s ability to manage rising fuel costs. (skift.com) Southwest has framed the bag-fee increase the same way. In its April 7 update, the airline said the higher charges were part of “an ongoing analysis of the business” and cited “the evolving global backdrop.” (swamedia.com) The immediate complaint from travelers is not just the extra $10. It is that Southwest is now charging for a service that had been one of the clearest ways it separated itself from American, Delta, and United. (skift.com) (southwest.com) For customers booking now, the practical change is simple: unless they buy a higher bundle or hold qualifying status or a card, Southwest no longer means two free checked bags. Its own website now prices that perk the way most large United States airlines do. (southwest.com)
