{"id":2412429,"date":"2025-03-11T12:25:02","date_gmt":"2025-03-11T16:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/this-is-how-you-destroy-a-brand-southwest-customers-furious-after-airline-scraps-its-signature-policy\/"},"modified":"2025-03-11T12:28:25","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T16:28:25","slug":"this-is-how-you-destroy-a-brand-southwest-customers-furious-after-airline-scraps-its-signature-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/this-is-how-you-destroy-a-brand-southwest-customers-furious-after-airline-scraps-its-signature-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;This Is How You Destroy a Brand&#8217;: Southwest Customers Furious After Airline Scraps Its Signature Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthis-is-how-you-destroy-a-brand-southwest-customers-furious-after-airline-scraps-its-signature-policy%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2412429&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Southwest Airlines is facing backlash from\u2064 customers after announcing a significant change to its baggage policy, a move that has alarmed many loyal passengers. The airline,known for its\u2062 &#8220;Bags fly free&#8221; slogan,stated that starting from May \u206428,only certain \u200ccustomers\u2014those with top loyalty\u200b status\u200b or \u2063who purchase\u2062 the most expensive\u200b tickets\u2014will be allowed to check \u2064bags \u200bfor free. This decision has prompted \u200boutrage on social media, with customers\u200d expressing disappointment and suggesting that the\u200b airline is losing its <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">unique\u2063 identity amidst competition<\/a> from other carriers. Critics argue that Southwest&#8217;s shift towards charging for checked bags undermines the\u2062 value it once offered and may drive\u200b former loyalists to explore\u200d other \u200dairlines. Company executives have acknowledged the controversy but maintain that they are trying to safeguard the interests of engaged customers.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>As President Donald Trump works furiously to fix the ailing economy in his second term, one would assume that most businesses would try and&nbsp;<em>add&nbsp;<\/em>value for their customer base.<\/p>\n<p>Apparently, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-southwest-plane-narrowly-avoids-disastrous-collision-thanks-pilots-incredible-runway-maneuver\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Southwest Airlines<\/a> didn&rsquo;t get that memo.<\/p>\n<p>Customers of the suddenly beleaguered airline have been voicing outrage after the company suddenly pivoted on one of its most popular policies: &ldquo;Bags fly free.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/business\/airlines\/southwest-airlines-bag-policy-charge-basic-economy-9549218e?st=Stm1y4&amp;reflink=desktopweb_permalink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reported<\/a> on by the Wall Street Journal, Southwest will begin charging for checked bags, &ldquo;a seismic shift that will boost revenue but potentially give its fiercely loyal passengers a reason to shop around.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>(Fun fact: Per WSJ, so important was this &ldquo;Bags fly free&rdquo; motto, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/southwest-boeing-737-unexpectedly-dives-toward-neighborhood-scares-residents-terrifying-scene\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the airline<\/a> actually trademarked it. Whoops.)<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>Now, in total fairness,&nbsp;<em>some&nbsp;<\/em>bags still fly free.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;For bookings made on or after May 28, only customers with the airline&rsquo;s top loyalty status and those buying its priciest tickets will be allowed to check two bags free,&rdquo; the Journal notes. &ldquo;Travelers with the airline&rsquo;s next level of status or a Southwest credit card are allowed one <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/southwest-airlines-ends-decadeslong-two-bags-fly-free-policy\/\" title=\"... ends decadeslong \u2018two ...\u2019 policy\">free checked bag<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Those aforementioned &ldquo;fiercely loyal customers&rdquo; took to social media to lambaste the policy change, bemoaning that the extra value, which separated Southwest from its peers, was effectively gone.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is how you destroy a brand @SouthwestAir,&rdquo; one X user <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AmandaMAtwell\/status\/1899428732932120632\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lamented<\/a>. &ldquo;This is one of the primary reasons I choose to fly this airline over American.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>That user added: &ldquo;The moves Southwest is making are incredibly disappointing for those who have been loyal to this airline.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Southwest Airlines may soon find that, if they become just like every other airline, formerly hardcore Southwest loyalists will start treating them like every other airline,&rdquo; another X user <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DrewCHudson\/status\/1899427400682803424\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pointed out<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>One X user basically <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MatthewGaylor\/status\/1899434923238256969\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">described<\/a> Southwest as a last resort option, now that these changes have taken place: &ldquo;Unless no other carrier has a non-stop flight to where I need to go, there&rsquo;s [zero] reason to fly southwest going forward.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Delta, American, Alaska, etc all have similar pricing, and are better airlines after these changes.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Yet another X user piled on, simply noting that Southwest had lost whatever unique luster it once had.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Everything great about Southwest is dead,&rdquo; that user <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/drabtshirt\/status\/1899428173055512737\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">posted<\/a>. &ldquo;Zero separation between them and other airlines now.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>This new baggage policy comes just a little less than a year after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/southwest-airlines-announces-end-signature-seating-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Southwest announced<\/a> a wildly&nbsp;<em>popular&nbsp;<\/em>policy change, when the airline opted to go with assigned seating versus open seating.<\/p>\n<p>As for this slightly less <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/freedom-englands-plan-b-restrictions-end-today\/\" title=\"...dom: England\u2019s \u2018Plan B\u2019 Restrictions End Today\">popular policy change<\/a>, even company execs aren&rsquo;t bothering to sugarcoat it.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not trying to spin it as a very big positive for everybody, but we did try to protect our engaged customers here,&rdquo; Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson told WSJ.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As President Donald Trump strives to improve the struggling economy during his second term, one might expect businesses to enhance their value for customers. However, Southwest Airlines seems to have missed that message. Customers of the now-troubled airline are expressing anger after it abruptly changed one of its most popular policies: &#8220;Bags fly free.&#8221; According to the Wall Street Journal, Southwest will start charging for checked bags, a significant shift that could increase revenue but may also drive loyal passengers to consider other options. Notably, this &#8220;Bags fly free&#8221; slogan was so crucial that the airline trademarked it.<\/p>\n<p>To be fair, some bags will still be checked for free. The Journal reports that starting May 28, only customers with top loyalty status or those purchasing premium tickets can check two bags at no charge. Travelers with a lower loyalty status or a Southwest credit card can check one bag for free.<\/p>\n<p>Loyal customers took to social media to criticize this policy change, lamenting the loss of added value that distinguished Southwest from its competitors. One user expressed disappointment over how this decision could harm the brand&#8217;s reputation and noted it was a key reason they chose Southwest over American Airlines. Another user warned that if Southwest becomes like every other airline, former loyalists might treat them as such.<\/p>\n<p>One user even described flying with Southwest as a last resort due to these changes: \u201cUnless no other carrier has a non-stop flight where I need to go, there\u2019s [zero] reason to fly southwest going forward.\u201d They pointed out that airlines like Delta and American offer similar pricing and better service now.<\/p>\n<p>Another commenter remarked on how Southwest had lost its unique appeal: \u201cEverything great about Southwest is dead,\u201d they stated. This new baggage policy comes less than a year after the airline introduced assigned seating instead of open seating\u2014a change met with much more enthusiasm.<\/p>\n<p>Regarding this unpopular new policy shift, company executives are not trying to put a positive spin on it either. Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson acknowledged in an interview with WSJ that he wasn&#8217;t presenting it as entirely beneficial but emphasized efforts made to protect engaged customers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2412430,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Southwest.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[51292,51934,51935,36134],"class_list":["post-2412429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-airline-industry","tag-brand-reputation","tag-customer-backlash","tag-southwest-airlines"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Southwest.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2412429"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412429\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2412438,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412429\/revisions\/2412438"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2412430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2412429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2412429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2412429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}