Southwest Airlines

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.

The cuts affect 15% of Southwest Airlines' corporate workforce.

Southwest President and CEO Bob Jordan says research shows passengers “overwhelmingly prefer” an assigned-seat system. He also pledged to improve the airline's financial performance.

While flight activity in Austin levels off, the airport is still buzzing with 30% to 40% more flights than before the pandemic and Delta introducing new connections that offset cuts by American Airlines and others.

Southwest Airlines says it will award the travelers who were caught in the surge of canceled flights during the holidays 25,000 frequent-flyer points, an award worth more than $300 in flights.

Ahead of the New Year's weekend, the airline said that Friday will see minimal disruptions after its slashed schedule stranded hundreds of thousands of travelers during a wintry holiday stretch.

More than 140 flights were canceled at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Tuesday. Holiday travelers are scrambling to get rebooked and airport personnel are urging patience.

Hundreds of Southwest Airlines flights are either canceled or delayed on Monday, after a weekend of disruptions that the carrier has blamed on air traffic control issues and weather conditions.

After a flight attendant lost two teeth during an attack by a customer, Southwest Airlines decided to delay its return to serving passengers alcohol.

From Texas Standard:Normally during the summer, millions of Americans travel by air every day. But that's not happening this year because of the pandemic.…