I flew Southwest for the first time since it changed everything. Having A-List elite status made things a lot easier.

The back of the seat just had the tray table. Taylor Rains/Business Insider I flew Southwest Airlines for the first time since it changed basically everything. A-List status made the experience much easier. If I didn't have A-List, I wouldn't go out of my way to fly Southwest. Southwest Airlines has spent the past year chipping away at the things that once set it apart. Free checked bags, open seating, and its famously flexible ticket policies have all been largely abandoned. In their place...