Southwest Airlines is going to make you pay for your bags — and people aren’t happy

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Southwest was known as the airline that didn’t have everything, but it did have free bags — until now.

On Tuesday, March 11, the company announced that the only flyers who will get two free checked bags are Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members and customers traveling on Business Select fares. A-List Members and other select customers will get one free checked bag. Everyone else? You’ll have to pay up. Changes will go into effect for all flights booked on or after May 28.

“We have tremendous opportunity to meet current and future customer needs, attract new customer segments we don’t compete for today, and return to the levels of profitability that both we and our Shareholders expect,” Bob Jordan, the president, CEO, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Southwest Airlines, said in a press release. “We will do all this while remaining focused on what’s made us strong — our people and the authentic, friendly, and award-winning customer service only they can provide.”

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But people on X aren’t so sure that’s what makes Southwest strong. No, users would argue that the free bags made it strong.

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One user pointed out that Southwest also recently eliminated its “sit wherever you want, we could care less” seating model, which disappointed customers at the time. It seems like Southwest is quickly becoming Spirit Airlines, but without Spirit’s charming self-awareness.