Tag Archives for southwest airlines.
Southwest Airlines flight attendants are furious after the airline decided to relocate their reserved overhead bin space from the front to the back of the aircraft—sparking fears their belongings could be stolen. The change, meant to solve chaotic boarding issues following the airline’s switch to assigned seating, has triggered immediate backlash from crew members concerned about security and convenience.
Southwest passengers are in disbelief: despite planes flying half-empty, the airline now strictly enforces assigned seats—even preventing passengers from spreading out into empty rows. “Sir, you cannot move like that!” a flight attendant scolded one traveler.
Southwest Airlines has dominated my home airport in Austin, but I’ve long avoided flying them—not for their bag fees or the boarding process, but because their unreliable wifi crushed productivity. Now, Southwest is finally fixing their biggest problem by rapidly rolling out Starlink wifi, promising internet speeds in the air that rival your home network.
Southwest Airlines quietly revealed to the SEC that customers are redeeming fewer Rapid Rewards points than ever—a troubling sign that loyal passengers may be turning away just as the airline makes major changes.
Southwest Airlines’ infamous 2022 holiday meltdown, costing nearly $1 billion, wasn’t an isolated disaster—it echoed their costly 2016 IT failure, which triggered $77 million in losses. Ten years later, they’re still fighting in court to recover insurance payments, showing that failing IT can cost airlines dearly for years after the immediate chaos ends.
Southwest Airlines is now forcing passengers to gate-check their carry-on bags early, claiming overhead bins are full even when plenty of space remains available.
This controversial practice, long associated with American, Delta, and United, marks a real shift triggered by Southwest’s recent adoption of assigned seating and checked bag fees, undermining their historical advantage in efficient boarding and angering customers.
Southwest Airlines just brought back one of its best-known promotions: register and book just one roundtrip (or two one-way flights) by Thursday, February 5, and you’ll earn a two-month Companion Pass valid August 10–October 7, 2026. Whether paying cash or using points, this Companion Pass lets you bring along a friend or family member for free, making late summer and early fall travel significantly cheaper.
Southwest’s recent Rapid Rewards devaluation wasn’t just a random squeeze—it appears tied directly to the airline’s new bag and seat fees and a renegotiated Chase co-brand deal. By allocating more of Chase’s partnership payments to “benefits” like checked bags and seat assignments (instead of future travel liability for points), Southwest can recognize more revenue immediately—and the points become worth less because less of that money is being “spent” on things other than flights.
A Southwest 737 in San Antonio began its takeoff roll after being cleared for departure when a private Pilatus PC-12 inadvertently turned onto the same runway. Tower audio captures the controller urgently canceling the takeoff clearance—“Oh sh*t”—and the Southwest crew rejecting the takeoff at speed, avoiding a runway collision as another aircraft was sent around.
Southwest’s full-year results are out, and the “turnaround” isn’t showing up where it should: revenue barely grew while net profit slipped versus 2024. The airline stayed in the black largely thanks to cheaper jet fuel (and cost cuts), not because bag fees and other changes delivered the revenue lift Wall Street was promised.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
