Southwest Airlines is getting in on the unfortunate trend of hiking checked baggage fees in response to soaring jet fuel prices amid the war in Iran.
The Dallas-based low-cost carrier is raising its fees for checked luggage by $10 for tickets purchased starting Thursday, April 9.
That means customers will pay $45 for their first checked bag, up from $35. Meanwhile, a second piece of checked luggage will now cost $55, up from $45.
Southwest joins other major U.S. airlines, including Delta Air Lines, JetBlue and United Airlines, which have announced similar hikes in recent days as they look to inflate ancillary fees to help cover rising operating costs due to the jet fuel shortage.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports that jet fuel has surged to roughly $209 per barrel globally, up dramatically from an average of about $85 to $90 a barrel in February before the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran.
While travelers will notice higher airfares as a result of rising costs for carriers, the fares could level off or even decrease eventually, while the fees are unlikely to be reduced even as oil prices stabilize.
The bag fee increase comes as Southwest has announced new restrictions on portable chargers on flights.
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