Why Southwest Airlines Is Flying High Today

Southwest Airlines (LUV 6.28%) is making a number of moves designed to boost profitability, including abandoning its decades-long practice of not charging for checked bags.Investors cheered the news, sending Southwest shares up 16% at the open and up 8% as of 10 a.m. Eastern.Reversing course on bagsSouthwest has always positioned itself as an outsider in the cutthroat airline industry, building its business by flying to underserved airports and offering customer-friendly policies that other airlines didn't ...