Southwest Airlines announces major change to long-standing passenger perk
1. Southwest Airlines will end its free checked baggage policy starting May 28. 2. Passengers will pay for first and second checked bags while some members remain exempt. 3. The change aims to drive revenue and adapt to evolving customer preferences. 4. Southwest will introduce assigned seating and a premium fare model to increase profits. 5. Financial pressures necessitated a reevaluation of Southwest's long-standing low-cost model.