Ed Perkins on Travel: Will Southwest Stay Southwest?

Southwest is making changes that could making it less appealing to customers.

Southwest Airlines plane at the gate. Dreamstime/TCA

One of the biggest questions in the US airline business is what will happen to Southwest Airlines after its new activist investor makes anticipated changes. If you’ve flown at all, you'll know that the line has been a maverick since it began back in Texas. Will major changes bring greater profits, as Wall Street predicts, or will they ruin the brand for its many loyal flyers?

For years, several key features have characterized the line as an iconic outsider:

• No listing on third-party search systems.
• No red-eye flights.
• A funky seating system that assigns groups, not individual seats.
• Retained traveler value for canceled nonrefundable fare.
• Two free checked bags on each flight on any ticket.

Wall Street argues that these policies “leave money on the table,” while many airline people say losing them would lose customers and lose the brand. Let’s look.