Southwest Used to Be Secure From Some Gate-Test Complaints. That Could Change.

Southwest Airways’ long-running free luggage coverage has had a welcome facet impact: Its fliers have 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, may change that, since vacationers who quickly should pay for luggage probably might be extra inclined to battle for house within the overhead bins. That, in flip, may imply extra grumbling from passengers who surprise why they’re requested to verify luggage—then see bins that seem less-than-full as soon as they board.

“We do count on a lower in checked luggage on the ticket counter,” a Southwest spokesperson mentioned in an announcement offered to Investopedia. “Nevertheless, we’re working to maintain the journey expertise seamless and as problem free as attainable for our prospects and our workers.” 

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

“Throughout the trade, boarding is essentially the most constant barrier to an on-time departure and the boarding course of might be slowed down by prospects needing further time to retailer their luggage as a consequence of lack of overhead storage,” a Delta spokesperson mentioned in an announcement to Investopedia. “We use optimization instruments to foretell when overhead storage might be full, and whereas generally prospects are required to verify 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 verify carry-ons as a result of there would not be overhead bin house when it was their flip to get on the aircraft.

I did as instructed, however after I approached my row close to the again of the aircraft, 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 professional Gary Leff of View From the Wing has written extensively in regards to the matter over time, saying that the difficulty is “one of many two most typical airline complaints (after nicked baggage) that’s accompanied by photographs.”

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

“There’s little incentive to ensure prospects 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 Prevented 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 is going to be implementing radical modifications, together with charging for checked luggage. Leff expects “carry-on confiscations” to choose up on the Dallas-based service.

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