Alford, who is planning to move to New York City later this year, said she would "definitely" consider taking another airline now. Southwest's customer-friendly policies have survived recessions, oil price spikes and even the Covid-19 pandemic,

The carrier announced Tuesday that it will begin charging certain passengers to check their luggage on flights, a significant shift at the company long prized by consumers for its perks.

Southwest Airlines will begin charging customers a fee to check bags. It's a significant change for the budget carrier, which built years of advertising campaigns around its policy of letting passengers check up to two bags for free.