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Southwest Airlines customers sound off over end to free checked bags for passengers

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Travelers who claim to be loyal customers of Southwest are sounding off after the airline announced changes Tuesday to its popular passenger perk.

The Texas-based carrier revealed several changes are being made in an effort to drive revenue growth and return to profitability shareholders expect, FOX Business reported.

These changes will include an adjustment to its checked bag policy, which allows all passengers to check two bags for free. Southwest has not yet announced how much travelers will be charged, though the fee for a third checked bag is listed at $150 on southwest.com.

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The move, announced Tuesday, is triggering strong reactions from travelers on social media, with some even threatening to stop flying with Southwest if they can no longer receive free checked bags.

“Call it what you will — boycott, mass exodus, defecting. Can we do that in a massive wave right now?” one person wrote in a Southwest Reddit thread.

Southwest Airlines has announced it will no longer offer two free checked bags to all customers, and airline passengers are venting their frustration. (iStock)

“Nail in the coffin,” another person wrote.

“This was literally the last reason I still flew Southwest. Now it’s just Spirit with different colors,” another user commented in a different thread.

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“I used to favor [Southwest] for the lack of baggage fees. They definitely will not be my first choice if their prices stay the same,” a Reddit user wrote.

Fox News Digital reached out to Southwest for comment.

Starting May 28, only Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members and customers traveling on Business Select fares will get two free checked bags. Rapid Rewards credit card members will receive their first checked bag for free. Any other customers who do not fall into those two categories will be charged for both checked bags, according to Southwest’s press release.

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“It makes sense to be angry at Southwest because they have literally announced an intention to reverse their brand promise, that they have promoted as ‘transfarency’ regarding lack of fees or charges for checked baggage,” Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog “View From the Wing,” told Fox News Digital.

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Southwest Airlines is ending its customer-friendly policy in an effort “to drive revenue growth and return to a level of profitability that shareholders expect,” FOX Business reported. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“They have dealt [with] a decades-long relationship with customers based on a simple and fair value proposition that they are changing, and loyal customers do feel betrayed.

“For five decades, Southwest has been a pioneer and a maverick, and they’ve announced that legacy has ended.”

‘GATE LICE’ RUN-INS HAVE FLYERS DEMANDING MORE AIRLINES ‘CRACK DOWN’ ON PESKY TRAVEL TREND

Southwest Airlines travelers are sharing their reactions to the end of free checked bags. (iStock)

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Other social media users said they will consider flying with other airlines, even though they were once loyal Southwest customers, but they do not think a boycott is the answer.

“I won’t boycott. I’ve flown SW a lot — but simply because I had to get from point A to point B — and SW could often provide that to me at the cheapest rate and/or the most convenient times and routes. If SW can still provide that on any particular trip, then fine. But, now other airlines will be considered more often,” another Reddit user commented.

“Sure this sucks, but like everyone has already pointed out, they’re like every other airline now, so no use in boycotting for another just like it. It’s going to come down to cheapest fair, and most convenient or direct route for me. Based on my home airport, it’s likely going to still be Southwest,” a social media user added.

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Leff said Southwest once had customer-friendly policies like flexible rebooking or its free checked bags, which helped differentiate it from the other major airlines, but these recent changes appear to have damaged the relationship between the airline and many of its customers.

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Gary Leff, a travel expert, says Southwest’s customer-friendly baggage policy was the carrier’s competitive difference in the industry. (iStock)

“Now they’re introducing basic economy fares that will not come with seat assignments prior to check-in, even as they charge fees for such assignments to customers buying more expensive tickets. They’ve reduced points-earning on the cheapest tickets. They’re introducing checked bag fees. And they’re upending their boarding process,” Leff said.

“They will be adding extra legroom seating at the expense of legroom in standard seats,” he added.

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Leff said, compared to other airlines, Southwest lacks some amenities, like seat-back entertainment screens, fast Wi-Fi and seat options with extra legroom, all of which may discourage travelers from purchasing a ticket with the carrier.

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Loyal Southwest Airlines customers are sharing their concerns after the airline decided to end its customer-friendly baggage policy. (iStock)

“At the same time that Southwest minimizes the differentiation between their product and the rest of the industry, they will be behind other airlines as they chase that same model,” Leff said.

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“In other words, Southwest Airlines is giving up its competitive differentiation while positioning itself at the bottom of the industry for the model they’re chasing.”

FOX Business’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.

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South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Dec. 20, 2025

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South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Dec. 20, 2025


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The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 20, 2025, results for each game:

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Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

04-05-28-52-69, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

Midday: 3-9-7, FB: 7

Evening: 5-9-6, FB: 9

Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

Midday: 4-8-4-2, FB: 7

Evening: 6-7-5-5, FB: 9

Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

Midday: 02

Evening: 08

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Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

05-08-11-17-26

Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

05-08-19-23-43, Powerball: 06

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:

For prizes up to $500, you can redeem your winnings directly at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. Simply present your signed winning ticket at the retailer for an immediate payout.

Winnings $501 to $100,000, may be redeemed by mailing your signed winning ticket along with a completed claim form and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center. For security, keep copies of your documents and use registered mail to ensure the safe arrival of your ticket.

SC Education Lottery

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P.O. Box 11039

Columbia, SC 29211-1039

For large winnings above $100,000, claims must be made in person at the South Carolina Education Lottery Headquarters in Columbia. To claim, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed claim form, a government-issued photo ID, and your Social Security card for identity verification. Winners of large prizes may also set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for convenient direct deposit of winnings.

Columbia Claims Center

1303 Assembly Street

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Columbia, SC 29201

Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.

For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.

When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
  • Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
  • Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
  • Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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In-N-Out lines in Tennessee are so long there’s now an app to track wait times

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In-N-Out lines in Tennessee are so long there’s now an app to track wait times


Hoping to get in and out of In-N-Out Burger quickly? There’s an app for that.

The arrival of the beloved California burger chain in Tennessee has sparked such intense demand that fans have turned to technology to manage the hours-long lines.

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How ‘The Wait App’ tracks massive burger lines

What we know:

Tennessee’s first three In-N-Out locations—situated in Lebanon, Antioch, and Murfreesboro—opened their doors in mid-December to massive crowds. 

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To combat the resulting congestion, a web-based tool called Thewaitapp.com was launched to provide real-time data on how long it takes to order both inside the restaurant and at the drive-thru, WSMV reports.

SUGGESTED: In-N-Out Burger removes number ’67’ from system in response to viral ‘6-7’ trend

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The app relies entirely on crowdsourcing, meaning users visiting the restaurants input their own wait times to keep the data current for others.

Timeline of In-N-Out’s Tennessee expansion

Timeline:

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In-N-Out’s rapid expansion into the Midstate occurred over the course of a single week in December 2025:

December 10: The first two Tennessee locations officially opened in Lebanon and Nashville’s Antioch neighborhood, drawing immediate, multi-hour lines.

December 12: A third location opened in Murfreesboro, further expanding the brand’s footprint in the region.

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Mid-December: “The Wait App” launched shortly after the initial openings to help customers find the shortest lines among the trio of restaurants.

The In-N-Out effect

Why you should care:

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For Tennessee residents, the arrival of the California-based chain is a significant cultural and economic event, but it has also created localized traffic issues. 

The launch of a third-party app highlights the “In-N-Out effect,” where brand loyalty is high enough to drive secondary technological solutions. 

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SUGGESTED: See how this California In-N-Out solved its biggest traffic problem

For the casual diner, using the app can mean the difference between a quick meal and a three-hour commitment, as it even provides a “confidence level” for the accuracy of the reported times.

The backstory:

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In-N-Out heiress and CEO Lynsi Snyder announced in 2023 that In-N-Out planned to open future restaurants in Tennessee in addition to an Eastern territory administrative office in the city of Franklin.

Earlier this year, Snyder revealed she and her family were relocating to Tennessee. 

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“There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here,” she said on an episode of the podcast Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey. “Doing business is not easy here now.”

Snyder said the majority of In-N-Out restaurants would still be in California.

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“Moving into Tennessee provides our In-N-Out Associates wonderful opportunities to buy a home and raise a family and be a part of our expansion in a different part of the U.S.,” she said in a separate video clarifying her statements made on the podcast.

“It’s tough here in California, and this doesn’t have to do with my love or loyalty to the state and our customers,” she said. “But I love our associates and I [want to] offer them this.”

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Big picture view:

In-N-Out was founded by Harry and Esther Snyder in Baldwin Park in 1948 as California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand. 

The chain expanded to locations across the Golden State and in 1992, it opened its first restaurant outside California in Nevada.

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SUGGESTED: In-N-Out, Trader Joes named among best employers in California: See the list

In-N-Out currently operates more than 400 locations across California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, and Tennessee.

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Future of the franchise

What’s next:

While the initial “grand opening craze” has settled slightly, wait times are expected to remain high through the holiday season. The success of the Tennessee wait-tracking tool may set a precedent for future In-N-Out expansions into new territories. 

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This story was reported from Los Angeles.

The Source: This report is based on local coverage of In-N-Out Burger’s expansion into Middle Tennessee and technical specifications from Thewaitapp.com. Data regarding restaurant opening dates and location details were verified through official company announcements and local news reports from the Nashville and Murfreesboro areas.

In-N-OutTennesseeU.S.TechnologyFood and DrinkRestaurants
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The Good, Bad and Ugly of Texas A&M’s Loss to Miami

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The Good, Bad and Ugly of Texas A&M’s Loss to Miami


No matter the accomplishments and accolades collected through the year, all seasons must come to end in some form or fashion. Unfortunately for Texas A&M football, the form of its first defeat in the College Football Playoff was in a tight 10-3 matchup with the Miami Hurricanes.

Despite of their best defensive outing of the 2025 campaign, the Aggies inability to get the offense churning until the very end of the game was among the factors that doomed their chances of advancing deeper into the national title race.

All things considered, it was a terrific season for the Maroon and White, who rattled off 11 straight wins to start the season as well as reaching the CFP for the first time in school history, which is a huge leap seeing that it was only head coach Mike Elko’s second season at the helm of the program. With that said, let’s take a look at the good, bad and ugly of the final A&M game of the year.

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The Good: A precedent was set

Sep 27, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko reacts against the Auburn Tigers during the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
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Though the sting of a loss, especially a season-ending one, is a hard feeling to turn the page over with, an 11-2 run in Elko’s second year is a quite the feat. A&M, which hadn’t achieved 10 wins in a season in over a decade, is poised to build a long-standing prescence in the national title race.

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Though a small sample size, Elko has progressed his time in each of the last two years, which can lead folks to assume that next year will have a similar outcome as far as overall success. While difficult to grasp in the moment, championship programs are not so quickly built in today’s Southeastern Conference.

The Bad: Offensive struggles spoil courageous defensive effort

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Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies safety Dalton Brooks (25) strips the ball from Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) during the second half of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

In most normal circumstances, holding a team to just 10 points typically results in a victory. But that was not the case for the Aggies on Saturday. Through the better part of a three-and-a-half quarters, the A&M defense held Miami to just three points until in the final two minutes when a touchdown was conceded.

The Aggies had no answer to their defense’s heroics and came up short in the final seconds of the game when there was a chance in the end zone to tie the ballgame. A new offensive coordinator in Holmon Wiggins is due up next season, so the jury is still out on how next year will pan out.

The Ugly: Kicking the ball

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Sep 7, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies place kicker Jared Zirkel (99) kicks during the second quarter against the McNeese State Cowboys at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Sometimes, things can be so bad that they are simply comical. That would certainly be the case in College Station on Saturday afternoon, where a windy day helped a total of four field goal attempts to be missed across both squads.

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However, the Aggie faithful would be the first to say that even without wind, field goal kicking seemed virtually impossible this season. Kicker Jared Zirkel seemingly kicked the ball straight in the Hurricanes line within the 30-yard line and the Aggies only scored off a short boot from kicker Randy Bond.



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