Comments on: Best checked luggage policy? Hands down, it’s Southwest Airlines

By: tyler

tyler — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 21:32:05 +0000

Can I travel with cigarettes in my luggage or will they stop me?

By: H.White

H.White — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 23:45:31 +0000

FLT 1148 SUNDAY JUNE 6th FLASHLITE MISSING FROM MY LUGGAGE..THE PLANE STOPPED AT CHICAGO TO SWITCH CREWS AND PASSENGERS AT ABOUT 4:PM …AT THAT TIME I WAS ABLE TO RE-LOCATE IN FRONT OF THE WING SEAT AND WATCH THE CONVEYOR REMOVE THE LUGGAGE FROM THE PLANE,,NEAR THE END OF THIS OPERATION THE MAN DOING THE WORK HAD A FLASHLIGHT IN HIS HAND AND HE DID SEEM PERPLEXED AS TO WHERE THE LIGHT CAME FROM.. THE LIGHT IS A MAG-LITE, STAINLESS BODY,TWO CELL AA BATTERY…THERE WERN’T ANY LOCKS OR TIES ON THE SUITCASE..THE LIGHT WAS IN A BELT HOLSTER…THERE’S ONLY ABOUT $20 DOLLARS LOST HERE BUT SOMEONE HAD TO INSPECT THE LUGGAGE AND NOT RE-PLACE THE LIGHT IN ITS SECURE PLACE IN MY LUGGAGE H.W. WHITE Q3C2C1——-BAGGAGE SANK339561

By: Joe Coppinger

Joe Coppinger — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:55:27 +0000

What items can and cannot be taken on board, or checked (cigarette lighters, cameras, batteries, etc.)? And, what is the maximum number of bags and/or weight limits before being charged for additional amounts?.

By: Joe Coppinger

Joe Coppinger — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:52:41 +0000

What items can and cannot be taken on board, or checked? And, what is the limit on number of bags and weight limits.

By: susan

susan — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:51:15 +0000

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFICS (weight, dimensions, etc.) of the checked bag policy, and can I travel with antique guns? What do I have to do to clear these guns through security?

By: Kevin M

Kevin M — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:51:50 +0000

@Stewart: The reason checked bag fees are considered financially a failure is that the airlines can only count the money they’re getting from the fees. They have no way of measuring how much business they’re losing to airlines like Southwest who don’t charge fees for the first two bags, nor do they have a way of measuring how much extra it’s costing them to assess the fees, to gate-check excess baggage when the overhead bins are full, etc.

Consider this: if the fees cause one passenger to not take a flight at full coach, walk-up fare and instead go to Southwest, that revenue loss probably exceeds half the checked bag fees earned on that flight. Given how many people are exempt from the fees (first class, elite FF members, etc.) and how many people may be traveling with a carry-on only, that may mean a net loss.

Or consider this: with the fees driving so many to carry on more bags, more and more bags must be gate-checked when the bins fill. If even one of those bags doesn’t make it on the plane, the airline’s going to be out a big chunk of change to deliver the bag when it finally arrives–again, a revenue loss that’s hidden, even if the fees are visible.

@Caitlin: That’s one of the many helpful policies Southwest has. If you cancel a trip, you get 100% of what you paid applied to a voucher for a future trip, and it can be used on any flight within a year of the original purchase date.

@Chris: I suspect that Southwest vouchers have a far higher redemption rate than most other airlines, and almost certainly in excess of 10%, because of the ability to use them on almost any fare.

By: Merryl

Merryl — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:49:19 +0000

Thanks for this article. Now I really wish Southwest had more flights here in the Boston area.

My policy nowadays is to boycott all airlines that charge for the first checked bag. I am willing to pay more than $15 or $20 more to fly on such airlines. Y’know, I’m also finding that such airlines are also ones who treat me like a human being, and offer affordable upgrades to seats that have more room.

But most of all, I don’t want to fly with a planeful of people who are trying hard not to check any luggage.

All this nickel-and-diming that major airlines are doing is just adding stress to everyone involved. How much does it COST to charge people that extra $5? Well, it’s cost you MY business.

By: Bargain Babe » Lower the cost of your summer vacation airfare

Bargain Babe » Lower the cost of your summer vacation airfare — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:50:59 +0000

[...] Which airline has the best luggage policy? National Geographic travel writer Chris Elliot says hands down it is Southwest. [...]

By: Rick Damiani

Rick Damiani — Sat, 02 May 2009 22:31:52 +0000

Southwest really is awesome in the checked bag department. I’ve checked bags as little as 15 min before a flight and they still made it onto the plane. Once, wen I made an ad-hoc itinerary change at the gate (changed my destination airport), they rummaged through the bags on the apron, found my unremarkable black one, and put it on the correct airplane.

When I fly with other airlines, I’m amazed at how badly they manage to do things that Southwest seems to get right every time.

By: Emotional Baggage or Baggage Emotions | Flight Wisdom

Emotional Baggage or Baggage Emotions | Flight Wisdom — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:42:06 +0000

[...] Southwest Airlines,” their CEO, Gary Kelly said. The airline also has a reputation for going above and beyond in customer [...]

By: Lisa SKier

Lisa SKier — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:36:00 +0000

Of course I had a completely different experience and haven’t flown them in years! I was coming back from Orlando, no plane changes and my daughter’s luggage didn’t make it. Low and behold I was told that since I was on free tickets (I had won them through a radio station) that they weren’t responsible for my luggage and they wouldn’t look for it. Fortunately I lived close enough to the airport that I checked back the next day and my bag was there. They were completely uninterested.

By: Ed Greenberg

Ed Greenberg — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:42:21 +0000

Redemption rates for vouchers…. Probably small among vacation travelers, but if soembody gave me $100 toward Southwest, it’d be gone in about 30 days.

24 Southwest segments, zero customer service complaints.

By: Stewart Sheinfeld

Stewart Sheinfeld — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:29:48 +0000

What is the basis for saying the baggage fees are a failure financially.
The airlines seem to be taking in lots of money in fees that they din’t get before?

By: Caitlin Murphy

Caitlin Murphy — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:20:16 +0000

Southwest Airlines just seems to get “it” – the airline puts customers first, offers genuine service and is flexible.

A blended family I know was planning a spring break trip to Florida. The dad bought tickets for the entire family, but the oldest son ended up not being able to go on the trip. Southwest was able to give the family transferable credit for the cost of the ticket. (No fees!!) Talk about putting the customer first.

What a great investment in PR – happy customers.

Way to go, SWA.

By: The Travelin' Man

The Travelin' Man — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:07:51 +0000

I’ll go a step farther. Southwest has also let me check a bag less than 30 minutes prior to departure – with the caveat that they are not responsible for the bag not making it on time to my destination – and, if it did not make the flight, *I* would be responsible for retrieving it at the airport, or paying for the delivery service. Fair enough – as long as I get to make my flight, I will happily go back to the airport to retrieve my bag.

As you say, if Southwest can do it, why can’t other airlines. I think we have all come to realize the BS that is “security” that one must fly on the same plane as their checked bag. If the airline screws up and your bag misses the flight, you didn’t fly with your bag. If you fly standby and don’t make the flight, the bag may go ahead of you anyway….again, on a flight where you didn’t fly.

These bag fees and cut-off times are just a money grab – and as long as people keep paying them, they aren’t going anywhere. Kudos to Southwest for bringing some sanity back to the (unfortunately) limited number of airports that they serve.