Southwest Used to Be Secure From Some Gate-Examine Complaints. That Might Change.

Southwest Airways’ long-running free luggage coverage has had a welcome facet impact: Its fliers had been much less prone to complain about having to gate-check their carry-ons.

However the airline’s latest insurance policies, which take impact late subsequent month, might change that, since vacationers who quickly must pay for baggage possible shall be extra inclined to battle for house within the overhead bins. That, in flip, might imply extra grumbling from passengers who surprise why they’re requested to test luggage—then see bins that seem less-than-full as soon as they board.

“We do anticipate a lower in checked luggage on the ticket counter,” a Southwest spokesperson stated in a press release supplied to Investopedia. “Nevertheless, we’re working to maintain the journey expertise seamless and as problem free as doable for our clients and our staff.” 

It is a frequent frustration with U.S. airways. Delta Air Traces (DAL) passenger Karah Preiss posted her annoyance with the service on X final September, after she “was pressured to gate test solely to get on the airplane and see a ton of empty overhead bins. Hate to have to attend for checked bag I did not intend to test.”

“Throughout the trade, boarding is probably the most constant barrier to an on-time departure and the boarding course of will be slowed down by clients needing additional time to retailer their luggage on account of lack of overhead storage,” a Delta spokesperson stated in a press release to Investopedia. “We use optimization instruments to foretell when overhead storage shall be full, and whereas typically clients are required to test their luggage on the gate, it’s at all times a final resort.”

I skilled this myself final fall after flying from New York to Boston. The gate agent introduced that passengers in higher-numbered boarding teams must test carry-ons as a result of there would not be overhead bin house when it was their flip to get on the airplane.

I did as instructed, however after I approached my row close to the again of the airplane, there was loads of house, together with straight above my seat. I then needed to wait almost as lengthy at baggage declare for my bag as I spent within the air.

Why does this occur? Journey skilled Gary Leff of View From the Wing has written extensively concerning the subject through the years, saying that the problem is “one of many two most typical airline complaints (after nicked baggage) that’s accompanied by images.”

Leff attributes a part of the issue to brokers who “do not need to gate test luggage on the final minute when it would delay the flight” by a couple of minutes; they’d somewhat test the baggage pre-emptively, the pondering goes.

“There’s little incentive to verify clients can get on with their luggage,” Leff provides. “There’s each incentive to keep away from low scores for delayed flights a gate agent is working.”

Southwest Airways Has Largely Averted These Complaints—Till Now

Up till now, Southwest Airways (LUV) has averted passenger scorn for this. That is as a result of all through its historical past, it has allowed two free checked luggage.

Nevertheless, Southwest introduced in March—following months of disputes with activist investor Elliott Funding Administration—that it will likely be implementing radical modifications, together with charging for checked luggage. Leff expects “carry-on confiscations” to select up on the Dallas-based service.

As such, Southwest might be part of its friends in getting tagged on social media posts when clients are pressured to gate test their luggage after which uncover that there is loads of overhead bin house—which might hit anybody from an on a regular basis traveler to the occasional professional wrestler.