Passengers will tally Southwest Airlines’ new checked-bag fees in dollars, but the airline has been counting minutes and seconds. The end of “bags fly free” threatens to upend Southwest’s fine-tuned ...

Southwest speaks after creating controversy. Just before the start of summer, Southwest Airlines instituted its new bag policy, which was previously announced in March. “For reservations booked and ...

As an avgeek and frequent traveler, I usually have a pretty good sense of when my carry-on bag isn’t going to make it with me onto my flight. I can often tell just by knowing what kind of plane I’m ...

You’re a smart packer. You can squeeze all of your belongings into a personal item and carry-on bag. Both pieces comply with the airline’s luggage and fare restrictions. When you test them in the ...

Southwest had built years of advertising campaigns around its policy of letting passengers check up to two bags for free. Under its new policy, people who haven't either reached the upper tiers of its ...

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After more than 50 years, Southwest Airlines' "bags fly free" policy is finally coming to an end. Southwest on Tuesday announced the first checked bag will cost $35, while a second checked bag will ...

The popular policy was suspended earlier this year. Southwest Airlines’ “Bags Fly Free” policy may not be dead yet, but it’s only going to be available under one condition. For decades, Southwest was ...

I still remember the day I was flying solo with a toddler and an infant—right as the baby unleashed an epic diaper blowout at 30,000 feet. Somewhere over Kansas, I found myself fashioning a makeshift ...

The end of certain Southwest Airlines policies was just the start of a lucrative undertaking for the Dallas carrier. When asked about his thinking behind policy evolutions such as the contentious bag ...

Gate-checking luggage is primarily due to limited overhead bin space or smaller aircraft. Passengers should be aware of aircraft type and boarding position to anticipate potential gate-checking. Treat ...

Cruising Altitude is a weekly column about air travel. Have a suggestion for a future topic? Fill out the form or email me at the address at the bottom of this page. As an avgeek and frequent traveler ...