Southwest Airlines is ending its long-standing policy of free checked bags and introducing a new basic fare on Wednesday as the carrier aims to attract new customers and boost profitability. Most passengers will be charged $35 for their first checked bag and $45 for their second checked bag for flights booked and or changed on or after Wednesday, marking a major shift in its customer-friendly pricing model.Still, Southwest, considered a "no-frills" carrier, said Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members and cu ...

I've been in the investing world for almost 10 years now, in which time I've garnered a lot of experience around what works and what doesn't. Over this period, one lesson that has impressed itself upon me is that you should really be looking for investment opportunities that "hit you like a 2x4-to-the-head with how obvious they are," to paraphrase Mohnish Pabrai. As a result of this, in my writing on Seeking Alpha, my goal is to be able to communicate ideas simply, as the investing game is already difficult ...

DALLAS, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) has been invited to speak at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference. Bernstein will be webcasting the audio presentation live, and a link to the webcast will be made available via the Investor Relations homepage on the Southwest Airlines website. Details of the audio webcast are as follows: Date: May 29, 2025 Time:  11:00am ET Speaker:  Bob Jordan, President, Chief Executive Officer, & Vice Chairman of the Board ...

Southwest Airlines (LUV -0.96%) has not yet seen a rebound in demand for travel, disappointing investors who had been hoping for a quick turnaround.Southwest shares fell as much as 4.5% when comments were made by the company's CFO before rebounding somewhat and trading down 1% as of 2:30 p.m. ET. Discretionary spending takes a diveAirline stocks are highly cyclical in nature. When budgets get tight, it is easier to skimp on travel than the grocery bill, meaning airlines tend to see demand fall when the broa ...

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) Wolfe Global Transportation and Industrials Conference May 22, 2025 10:35 AM ET Company Participants Tom Doxey - EVP and CFO Conference Call Participants Unidentified Company Representative All right. We're going to get going with our next session with Southwest Airlines. Really happy to have Tom Doxey, CFO of the company at our conference. First time at our conference as someone at Southwest. Welcome. You've, I guess, graduated from the ULCC panel, which is great. And I'll ...

Summary of Southwest Airlines Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Southwest Airlines - **CFO**: Tom Doxy Key Points Industry Context - The airline industry is experiencing a challenging environment with unit revenue in Q1 being approximately three points worse than expectations and Q2 projected to be about six points worse than initial forecasts [9][10] - There has been no observed industry inflection back to previous revenue levels, indicating ongoing challenges [10] Financial Performance and Guidance - Southwest Airlines has reiterated its EBIT contribution target of $1.8 billion for the current year and over $4 billion for the next year, focusing on initiatives within their control [10][21] - The company did not reiterate overall EBIT guidance, reflecting uncertainty in the macroeconomic environment [11][52] Capacity and Operational Adjustments - Southwest is maintaining a conservative capacity growth plan of 1% to 2% for the year, with 50 aircraft retirements planned [14][16] - The company has made adjustments to its network, including pulling out of Atlanta, which has shown positive results [12][13] Revenue Management Initiatives - The company is implementing several initiatives aimed at improving revenue, including: - Launching basic economy and bag fees [22] - Selling extra legroom seats and seat assignments starting in Q3 [23] - Changes to the frequent flyer program [22] - The projected EBIT contribution from core business improvements is approximately $1 billion, with an additional $400 million from new initiatives [21][23] Cost Management - Southwest aims to achieve nearly $400 million in cost reductions this year, with a target of over $1 billion by 2027 [23][57] - The company has seen a reduction in unit costs, improving from an initial increase of 8% to a final increase of 6% by the end of Q1 [24] Market Dynamics - The airline is observing relative weakness in main cabin leisure travel, which is an area where they are currently underweighted compared to peers [12] - The company is adjusting its strategy to focus more on connecting flights, which can be more profitable during industry troughs [55] Future Outlook - The company is optimistic about the upcoming initiatives and their potential impact on revenue and customer satisfaction [72] - There is a focus on product differentiation to compete effectively in the market, particularly against competitors like Delta and United [46][50] Balance Sheet and Cash Flow - Southwest has been aggressive with share buybacks, targeting $2.5 billion to be completed by July [63] - The company emphasizes maintaining a strong investment-grade balance sheet while generating free cash flow through various initiatives [66][68] Additional Notes - The company is exploring opportunities for international route expansion, particularly to Europe, as part of its growth strategy [69] - The conference concluded with recognition of retiring team member Julia, highlighting the company's culture and appreciation for its employees [75] This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the Southwest Airlines conference call, focusing on financial performance, operational strategies, and future initiatives.

Core Points - The Trump administration has dropped a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines regarding chronic flight delays, which was originally initiated by the Biden administration's Department of Transportation (DOT) [1][6][9] - Southwest Airlines expressed appreciation for the DOT's decision to abandon the lawsuit, asserting that it was the correct outcome [2] - The lawsuit accused Southwest of operating multiple chronically delayed flights and disrupting passenger travel, particularly focusing on two flights during the COVID-19 pandemic [2][5] Summary by Sections Lawsuit Background - The lawsuit was filed in January during the final days of the Biden administration, claiming that Southwest Airlines was operating flights that were chronically delayed [2][5] - The two specific flights involved were between Chicago Midway International Airport and Oakland, California, and another between Baltimore and Cleveland, affecting 180 passengers from April to August 2022 [5] Airline's Response - A Southwest spokesperson stated that the delays were due to unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and were often outside of the airline's control [3][4] - The spokesperson highlighted that since the pandemic, Southwest has made significant investments to improve operational reliability, aiming to provide best-in-class service [4] Department of Transportation's Position - The DOT has indicated that the lawsuit "should have never been brought forward" and acknowledged that Southwest has addressed the underlying issues [8] - The DOT emphasized the need for airlines to provide accurate departure and arrival times, which was part of the complaint against Southwest [7]

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV ) reported its Q1’25 numbers that no one covered, so I thought I’d go through the results and give some comments on the outlook. The company has some positives that willMSc in Finance. Long-term horizon investor mostly with 5-10 year horizon. I like to keep investing simple. I believe a portfolio should consist of a mix of growth, value, and dividend-paying stocks but usually end up looking for value more than anything. I also sell options from time to time.Analyst’s Disclo ...

Southwest said the cited claims weren’t credible. Photo: jason redmond/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesThe Transportation and Justice departments dropped a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines LUV 2.57 %increase; green up pointing triangle that accused the airline of overstuffing its schedule with flights it can’t operate on-time.Government lawyers on Friday filed a motion to dismiss the case in San Francisco federal court. The suit, filed in the waning days of the Biden administration, was part of an effort ...

You might soon be able to take a Southwest Airlines flight to Europe. On Tuesday, the budget airline asked the Department of Transportation for permission to fly to any country with which the US has an Open Skies agreement.The State Department lists 123 such countries, representing most of the world. Meanwhile, Southwest currently serves 10 countries outside the US. Other than Mexico, they are all in Central America or the Caribbean.Open Skies agreements allow airlines to operate between two countries w ...