Southwest Airlines, known for free bags and open seating, is overhauling policies, leaving loyalists questioning if it’s still the airline they loved.

The budget airline also strips other benefits for those paying the lowest fares. How to avoid checked bag fees.

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.

Southwest Airlines is making major changes to its baggage policy, marking a departure from its long-standing tradition of offering two free checked bags to all passengers. Starting May 28,

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.

March 11 (UPI) -- Southwest Airlines is ending a longtime perk and will now charge most flyers to check their luggage. On Tuesday, the company announced it will begin charging passengers on May 28 for the first and second checked bag. However, A-List loyalty program holders and those in business fare will be exempt from the new fees.

Attention Southwest Airlines passengers: you will soon no longer automatically get two free checked bags on flights. The airline announced Tuesday that some customers enrolled in its rewards program or those with preferred status will continue to receive either one or two free checked bags beginning in May.