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The Costa Concordia, owned by a subsidiary of Miami-based Carnival Corp., struck rocks on Jan. 13, 2012 and flipped on its side, killing 32 people. The ship's captain faces several charges over his actions leading up to the accident and as the ship sunk.
More: Salvage of Costa Concordia may take a year (Vincenzo Pinto / AFP/Getty Images )
Looking to increase revenues amid tough competition, Southwest Airlines announced several fee changes Friday, including higher charges for checking a third bag and for failing to cancel a ticket before missing a flight.
The Dallas-based airline, the nation’s largest passenger carrier, will continue to charge passengers nothing for their first two checked bags and for changing a flight after buying a ticket.
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The changes, announced Friday during an investors’ conference in New York, are expected to help the airline increase revenue from fees by $300 million annually.
The changes are expected to take effect in 2013.
The fees for a third bag and for overweight or oversize bags will rise from $50 to $75. The charge for the “early bird” check-in that lets passengers board early increases from $10 to $12.50.
The airline has yet to outline the fee for failing to cancel a restricted ticket before missing a flight.
Southwest Chief Commercial Officer Bob Jordan said the “no-show” fee will generate revenue and give passengers an incentive to cancel a ticket before missing a flight so that Southwest can resell those empty seats.
“So, it’s a double win there,” he said during the investors’ conference. “We are still working through the changes but we have made the decision to do it.”
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Follow Hugo Martin on Twitter at @hugomartin
