Southwest Airlines demanded that a passenger check one of their bags, because carrying a photo in their hand put them over their carry-on allowance.
@SouthwestAir
I just had a crazy experience on your flight! ✈️
Your gate attendant did not allow me on the plane ✈️, because I had a picture in my hand that was a 8×10 peice of paper basically.
She said it was considered a third item !
Really Bad Service pic.twitter.com/YFRofd9zaP— Dr. keith Harley Jr. (@keithharley) August 19, 2025
You’re allowed one carry-on bag and one personal item like a laptop or briefcase. This gate agent would not allow a carry-on, personal item, and a picture “that was a 8×10 peice of paper basically.” It was “considered a third item” according to the agent. And Southwest confirms the policy:
Good afternoon, Keith. We're sorry about any confusion with our carryon policy. You may carry on one bag and one personal item. If the photo was an additional item to the two mentioned, it would be considered a third carryon. Please know you can always put it in one of your… https://t.co/mQmfkYdFNv
— Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) August 19, 2025
This makes no sense, but you can understand why an employee might think this – at the new Southwest.
This is not a surprising Southwest Airlines experience, because:
- overhead bins are full now, because passengers are trying to carry everything on to avoid checked bag fees
- their new corporate overlords have never met a fee they don’t like – they now expire travel credits, impose basic economy restrictions, and charge for seat assignments.
Delta is specific that your umbrella and food or drink purchased in the terminal don’t count against your carry-on allowance.
Southwest, on the other hand, says that a “small camera” would count as your personal item. A neck pillow would not. But there’s no separate call out there for food.
Some gate agents make up their own policies, too. I’ve been told food counts on other airlines. I’ve been told that I had to put my newspaper in my laptop bag – or else I’d have to check it (good luck with that making it through the baggage system of the airport).
Over the weekend I wrote that a crossbody bag counts as a personal item on a plane and one of your two allowable its – but also that it shouldn’t.
The basic idea is that:
- Clothing shouldn’t count. Anything worn on your item, basically.
- More broadly, if it doesn’t take up space in the overhead or underneatht he seat in front of you, it’s not a carry-on.
A man can wear cargo pants and shove as much stuff in them as they wish. Anyone can wear a jacket, even a heavy winter coat, with plenty of pockets. You can even wear a SCOTTeVEST. Those don’t count against your carry-on allowance.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone claim that a single piece of paper was a carry-on item before.
Speaking of rigid compliance, remember next time you go 1 mile per hour over the speed limit, you’re an ‘illegal’ and it’s automatic, extrajudicial summary execution on-the-spot, right? Or is that hyperbole? I can’t tell…
Sounds to me like Southwest is going the way of Bud Light, will probably not be doing business with them anymore, just as I don’t with Anheuser-Busch.
@Doc423 — Is it ‘woke’ now, too? *clutching pearls*
Southwest evolving into Southworst.
Rigid and stupid, maybe it should be their new motto…it won’t get them to profit.
@David R. Miller — The exaggerated focus of this post (carry-on rules and idiosyncrasies) is hardly the reason for Southwest’s recent decline; that’d be the activist investors at vulture capital firm Elliott (mis)Management, who led the push to eliminate any and all of the things that passengers actually enjoyed about the airline (two free checked bags, free seats, etc.) But you already knew all of that, didncha?
If there is a covered delay, I hear SWA books passengers into Marriott. Talk about getting shafted twice.
It was a framed print !! stop with this BS…
Before, most airlines did not count umbrella, small camera, and reading material. Is a photo the latter?
Isn’t the passenger afraid of damage? I would use a folder at least
United actually has a long list of items that do not count. Food and purchases in the terminal, reading material, etc. Since words on the photo cover, he could say reading material:)
Love the way Southwest doubled down on it! Last time I flew Southwest, they destroyed my bag and said it was reasonable wear and tear. I said if you would not let me check it again – that is not reasonable wear and tear so they paid.
Unfortunately for Southwest, this is further confirmation that their new strategy is turning them into American.
I got a good laugh at people suggesting customer service is a factor in airline purchase behavior.
Seems like the person could have put the photo in a carry-on bag until he/she boarded if there’s an issue. If this person wants to bring other stuff on and try to get past the 2 item policy, just buy a Scott-e-Vest and wear it on. Some of the Scott-e-Vests have dozens of secret pockets, so you could even wear a tablet or perhaps a laptop on the plane. The airlines have to draw a line somewhere if they have a baggage policy. Don’t blame them – they lay out the rules and the passengers can decide to follow those rules, or fly with a more accommodating airline. Some of the discount airlines limit your carry-on to a specific weight (and those weights seem ridiculously small). But that’s how they make most of their money, by having those limits and charging for overages. Them’s the rules.
The Southwest Airlines Gate Agent who in their ultimate wisdom chose to make an 8×10 picture a carry on will be a Future Southwest Airlines Corporate Leader and Stooge.
You could chalk the interaction up to an anal retentive or power tripping gate agent.
But when you have corporate communication say that, well, that means the corporate culture has gone down the tubes.
@Too Many — Maybe it always has been…
I fly often- only twice and both at LGA in past year, has the gate agent told me I had to put my fanny pack in my backpack- That is ridiculous- doesn’t take up under seat space or overhead bin space- not very heavy at all- if I had those items in a jacket with many pockets- as my husband does using his pant pocket and shirt pocket – agent would say NOTHING-
If the boarding agent informs me that an 8×10-inch photo of the current Southwest Airlines CEO, Bob Jordan, will be considered a third item if held in my hand, requiring an additional $150 fee to carry a piece of paper my flight, I would respectfully request that the gate agent dispose of the photo of Mr. Jordan in any convenient trash bin. However, I am curious whether an 8×10-inch photo of Herb Kelleher, the co-founder and former CEO and chairman emeritus of Southwest Airlines until his passing in 2019, would be classified as a third item if held in my hand, or if the gate agent might waive the baggage fee out of respect for this way-cool visionary and fearless leader of Southwest Airlines.
My favorite way of carrying things on board is a large trenchcoat full of items for sale.
People want rules until the rules inconvenience them. Yes, rules should be flexible, adaptable and applied with some degree of common sense. That said, in this situation, the gate agent is the one with the power, not the passenger. Given the dramatic shift in organizational culture at WN, I can imagine the gate agents are being monitored for their application of the rules. I’m sure some bean-counting MBA (and I have an MBA) with limited real-world experience think they know what they need to know about commercial aviation enough to tell customer-facing people how to do their jobs. And, they’ll be rewarded by some drunk with power PE executive who care for little more then their bonus.
Ahhh…the joys of capitalism in practice.
Gate check the photo. Declare value in excess of default $100 dollars. File claim for damages when photo is damaged.
@David M — Sounds like a lot of extra effort, a trip to and filing fees at small claims court, and no guarantee of any resolution… but, you do you, eh.
Next time he should fly Delta.
On my flight back from Rio, an IG “influencer” boarded last with seven pieces. Depsite the gate agents asking for gate check volunteers because the flight was completely full. She did have a BF/lackey, so the duffel and backpack could’ve been his.
1 hardsided roller
1 duffel bag (gym sized)
1 make up bag (6x10ish)
1 purse (9×12’ish)
1 addidas backpack
1 crossbody bag
1 camera bag (backpack sized)
By the time she got to her seat, bulkhead middle, the cargo doors had closed. So the FAs have to play move-everyone-elses-luggage around to accommodate hers and we were delayed 10min.
Southwest is the new Frontier Airlines. Interesting.
That is a blanket F.U. by Southwest. To have the customer service not even apologize after the fact but instead double down on this stupidity says volumes. Take your business elsewhere. Southwest has since buried their value proposition. RIP SW
Was it, technically, correct? Yes. Was it a pragmatic decision? No.
It will just enhance the notion that Southwest is now an airline to be avoided. Alaska Airlines must be salivating.
@DonJuansTacoJet — Delayed just 10 minutes? Woe is you! Seems pretty good compared to most flights in/out of Newark…
My wife and I flew Southwest a few months ago, and she was carrying her iphone (a plain iphone, not one with a case that let’s you store other items such as credit cards, and not an ipad or similar larger device). The gate agent said the iphone was a third item. My wife tried to put the phone in her pocket, but the agent said no — she had to consolidate it into her carry-on or personal item (or she’d have to gate check something). The gate agent then scolded her publicly over the PA system and warned other passengers not to carry anything beyond the “FAA limit” of 2 items.
I am old enough to remember when there were NO carry-on compartments — just open coat/hat racks — so every bag HAD to fit under the seat in front of you. With the advent of the bins and ‘roll aboard’ carry-on bags, people started carrying on too much and the problem REALLY got worse when airlines started checked baggage fees. I applaud the airlines for getting more strict with carry-on baggage because when the aircraft is on takeoff roll, fully loaded, perhaps with a lot of cargo, starting g a long flight with a lot of fuel, how much does the aircraft REALLY weigh? If an engine fails at the most critical time, will it still be able to meet the climb performance requirements, return to the field and land safely? The thought sometimes crosses my mind.
Dude should have scanned his BP (phone or hard copy) and then told the FA “I guess I have to consolidate this third item!”….and slowly put said item in his carry-on while standing in the boarding lane.
I should have mentioned that my wife had a printed boarding pass in her right hand, so her phone was superfluous for the boarding process.
Put the item temporarily in a carryon then take it back out when on the plane.
It was a framed print thst could not fit inside the other two items. I dont fault SW, especially when an agent is trying to board a flight. Carryon isnt for a passanger to bring every item while trying to avoid checking a bag.
we all know which gate agents are going to give you issues.
The reason I refuse to check a bag is not the fees. It’s that airlines show no accountability when bags are lost, delayed, or even straight-up robbed of clothing, electronics, and whatever else the people handling them want to help themselves to. Just a circle of blame amongst carrier, airport ops, and couriers that leaves the flier holding the metaphorical or empty bag. Ask me how I know. I’ll never check a bag again if I can help it.
This happened to me on a flight home. Had a Therabody strap bag wrapped around my chest for my passport and wallet. Went to board and the gate agent insisted it was a third item. Ridiculously stupid since it’s strapped to my f’ing body but whatever, not fighting took it off in front of her and shoved it down the front of my pants. Problem solved.
so would your boarding pass or phone with your boarding pass on it now count as a third item?!
Come on Corporations, stop playing games with bounties for gate agents to earn extra vig just to pay their bills. Pay them a decent wage, raise your prices, and thin the herd at the gate. Make flying enjoyable again.
All the other airlines must be smiling ear to ear while Southwest promotes their business.
Corporate is testing gate agents and they know it.
Peter, your wife should have torn the paper boarding pass into confetti. Then her phone would not have been superfluous.
Most airlines that go out of their way to hassle passengers find that people don’t want to come back. I book away from Southwest – their fares are higher, they have fewer flights, and you can’t charge your devices on board. The good service and free bags were a reason to fly them anyway, but now that is gone, I don’t see any competitive advantage. If I want this level of hassle, Frontier is a lot cheaper.
mikey flies says:
August 21, 2025 at 2:26 pm
we all know which gate agents are going to give you issues.
BLACK
@Tim ja
What shithole country you from that think thats “Framed”?
so I guess your ticket would be considered a carry on item if you have have in your hand.. this why I won’t fly any more. to many stupid rules over foolish things. plus the stewardess are rude and uncaring.
Theres usually 2 sides to every story. Most people go to “x” to complain about some injustice when it was brought on by themselves. Im guessing the boarding agent asked him to combine those itens and he had some attitude. Then go post some negative interaction so he can get a drink voucher or $25 off your next flight. Typical pettiness
I’ve flown no one except SWA for the last 15 years. Still have lots of unused flight credits. But with the recent changes, the love of the airline is over. Just another airline, or maybe worse. Will not be flying them again. So long SWA. I know you don’t really care though.
It seems to me that the volume of your carry-on items should be more important than the number.
A gate agent once told me to put my slim cross-body bag into a carry-on, as I had a small carry-on that fit under the seat and another plastic bag with food I had purchased at the airport. I complied with the gate agent’s request and noted that passengers were boarding with overstuffed suitcases and backpacks. All of my items would have fit in the backpack with lots of room to spare.
@eski delpuerto — Begone thot! Blatant racism. Not even thinly-veiled.