SOUTHWEST Airlines’ customers are up in arms after the company stealthily raised fees for passengers gunning to get on their flight earlier.
Travelers will now have to hand over as much as $99 for the privilege of strapping in before other passengers.
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Southwest, unlike other carriers, does not assign seats on tickets – leaving those on the EarlyBird Check-In list first dibs on the most sought-after seats.
Travelers will then line up at the gate and board the plane based on their groups.
Thus, seats on the flight are dished out on a first-come, first-serve basis.
However, while Earlybird gives paying customers a bit of an edge, the airline doesn’t cap the add-on service on flights, so passengers may still end up with a less-than-desirable seat.
The 300 per cent increase means that the early boarding price point will range from $15 to $99 one-way per passenger, rather than $15 to $25 before.
“This price range increase is a result of our regular evaluation of pricing for ancillary products based on market trends and customer demand and will generate incremental revenue in support of the company,” the airline said.
It comes after Southwest CEO Bob Jordan teased some changes in April during the airline’s quarterly earnings.
The as he revealed it lost $231 million over the first three months of 2024.
Chaos swiftly followed when bosses axed flights to four US airports and laid off 2,000 workers.
The multi-millionaire business executive revealed the company had lost a staggering $231 million over the first three months of 2024.
“We’re looking into new initiatives – things like the way we seat and board our aircraft,” Jordan said in an interview with CNBC.
Upgraded boarding has also seen a huge hike, with the service ranging from $30 to $149 per segment per traveler, up from a maximum of $80 previously.
The changes will have the most impact on group travelers, as there are no discounts offered for multiple passengers.
Southwest, revered for its free checked baggage, is likely feeling the pressure to raise its ancillary fees as every major U.S. airline has raised its checked bag fees earlier in the year.
“This price range increase is a result of our regular evaluation of pricing for ancillary products based on market trends and customer demand and will generate incremental revenue in support of the company,” a Southwest spokesperson said told USA Today.
Displeased travelers, however, felt the dramatic price increase was simply too much.
“Brutal!” said one on X, formerly known as Twitter.