Southwest Introduces Pet Fare, Implements Fees

Southwest Airlines customers can begin purchasing tickets for small cats and dogs for travel beginning June 17. The pet fare is $75 each way. All pets must be in a carrier that fits under the seat. The pet carrier will count as the customer’s carry-on bag.

Also on June 17, Southwest will begin charging $25 each way to assist unaccompanied minors. CEO Gary Kelly said the service charge will “help us cover our added costs and still maintain our competitive low-fare advantage.”

Additionally, Southwest will increase its charge to check a third or overweight bag (weighing 51 to 70 pounds) from $25 to $50 for customers traveling on or after June 17.

Southwest said the unaccompanied minor charge will affect less than 1 percent of its customers, and that the fee increase for third and overweight bags affects 1 percent of customers.

Southwest has made it clear over the last several weeks that it would be looking to charge extra fees and implement other measures to raise revenue to cushion itself against losses due to the recession.

The airline even delayed this year’s planned codeshare with Canadian airline WestJet because Southwest couldn’t afford the initial startup costs, according to analysts.