Southwest exec: No plans for baggage fees

• No plans to follow JetBlue Airways%2C which will start charging for the first checked bag this year.
• Southwest will be the only U.S. carrier offering free checked bags after JetBlue%27s policy changes.
• Major airlines collected %242.65 billion in baggage fees in the first nine months of 2014

Southwest Airlines, which will become the only U.S. carrier offering free bags when JetBlue starts charging for luggage this year, has no plans to change its policy of offering two free checked bags.

The airline's chief financial officer, Tammy Romo, reiterated the airline's stance at a transportation conference in New York today.

A Wall Street analyst asked Romo at what point does Southwest become such an outlier in the industry that it revisits the policy.

"I'm very delighted to be an outlier if it produces the financial results that we need,'' she said.

Romo, echoing frequent comments by Southwest CEO Gary Kelly over the past few years as bag fees have brought airlines billions in revenue, did not rule out ever charging for bags. But for now, at least, she said Southwest's customer research and financial results show the airline's long running "Bags Fly Free'' campaign benefits the airline.

" I think our customers are voting with their wallets,'' she said. "They're voting to fly Southwest Airlines.''

Southwest carries more domestic passengers than any airline.

"It's very difficult in any industry to really find a way to differentiate yourself,'' Romo said, "and I think we've actually done that here at Southwest Airlines.''

Major airlines collected $2.65 billion in baggage fees in the first nine months of 2014, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Southwest, which does charge for more than two checked bags as well overweight and oversize bags, accounted for just $62 million of that total. Delta Air Line's take was more than 10 times that at more than $655 million.

JetBlue was seen as caving to Wall Street pressure to add fees when it announced plans in November to charge for the first checked bag.

STORY: JetBlue adds baggage fee

"It's very difficult in any industry to really find a way to differentiate yourself,'' Romo said. "And I think we've actually done that here at Southwest Airlines.''