Southwest Airlines quietly cuts fan favorite flying perk... and staff flood social media with excuses

Daily Mail​

22-05-2025

Loyal Southwest Airlines passengers say the budget carrier is quietly cutting back on its once-beloved freebies — and using turbulence as an excuse.
Customers have taken to social media to complain that flight attendants are increasingly skipping in-flight drink and snack service, allegedly claiming it's 'too turbulent' to safely roll out the cart.
But many fliers insist the skies were perfectly smooth. 'I have noticed this has increased drastically over the last four to five months,' one frequent flier who takes two to four Southwest flights a week wrote on Reddit.
'The issue is, 90 percent of the time, the flight has been completely smooth. Literally not one bump or sign of turbulence the entire flight,' the customer explained.
Another agreed: 'Seems like a way for them to save on drinks and snacks — and there's nothing anyone can do about it.'
The forum has since flooded with similar complaints, as long-time customers say this is just the latest in a series of disappointing changes at the airline.
Southwest has already rolled back a number of perks that once set it apart — including axing its first-come, first-serve seating and two free checked bags.
Now, even pretzels and a Coke may be in jeopardy.
'Anecdotally, I feel like I have noticed this too,' one agreed.
'100%. They are definitely exaggerating,' another added.
However, Southwest pilots and flight attendants hit back claiming that there has been more frequent bad weather in recent months and that protecting staff safety is of paramount importance.
'I'll tell you that weather has been rough for the last couple of months,' one Reddit user claiming to be a Southwest flight attendant wrote in response to the accusations.
'We at Southwest don't have carts like other airlines... and I sure as hell ain't going out there risking injury for a Diet Coke.'
Another user claiming to be a pilot for the airline said the decision not to issue snacks is the cockpits call.
'That is our call, and we err on the side of caution everyday,' the user added.
'The last thing we want is to see anyone get hurt.'
Bob Jordan, CEO of Southwest Airlines, recently announced harsh workforce cuts
Southwest claimed any change noticed by customers was simply the result of increased safety onboard.
'Last December, we implemented a change in procedures as part of our focus on safety,' a spokesperson said in a statement issued to DailyMail.com.
'The change in procedures is designed to reduce the risk of in-flight turbulence injuries for our Crew Members and Customers.
'It is the result of our close collaboration with Labor partners and a robust approach to Safety Management.
'Nothing is more important to Southwest Airlines than the Safety of our Customers and Employees,' they added.
Southwest began charging for checked bags in May after more than 50 years of a much-loved two bags fly free' policy.
The move frustrated longtime customers and many have vowed to take other airlines where possible.
In July 2024, the company also revealed that it was ending its first-come-first serve seating policy.
For five decades, the company didn't assign seating when passengers purchased the tickets but the change allowed the company to launched tiered pricing models used by other brands.
In February the airline announced plans to cut 15 percent of its corporate workforce in a bid to cut costs.
The layoffs - a first in the airline's 53-year history - slashed around 1,750 jobs.