Dallas, USA, March 12 -- Major US low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines Co. announced on Tuesday (March 11) that it will begin charging passengers for checked luggage, ending a policy that had set it apart from its competitors for over five decades.

Starting May 28, customers purchasing most tickets will pay a fee for checked bags, except those in premium fare classes or elite members of its loyalty program.

Until now, Southwest marketed its "bags fly free" policy as one of the top reasons customers chose the carrier over competitors. But mounting pressure to boost profitability, partly from activist investors, apparently led the airline to reconsider its stance.

The airline's financial struggles have intensified with rising post-pandemi...