Dallas-based Southwest Airlines makes brutal Luka Doncic joke amid fury over baggage charges

Approval of Southwest Airlines has cratered this week after the Dallas-based company reversed a long-time policy to begin charging for checked baggage.

Of course, things could be worse.

'It's not like we traded Luka,' read an Instagram post from the airline in an apparent attempt to deflect mounting criticism.

Luka, in this case, is former Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers last month for a questionable haul that team supporters and the basketball universe have deemed insufficient.

Mavs GM Nico Harrison has taken the brunt of the criticism from fans, angry to see Doncic headed to a Western Conference rival less than a year after the 26-year-old Slovenian sensation led the team to the NBA Finals. Just last month, Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban told angry fans to 'shut the f*** up and sit the f*** down' before the men were ejected from the American Airlines Center for chanting 'FIRE NICO.'

Now, amid widespread criticism of their new baggage policy, Southwest's efforts to reignite uproar over the trade are being slammed online.

'This is such a tone deaf (sic) post on the heels of destroying your brand identity and alienating your loyal customers,' one critic wrote on Instagram.

'This kinda feels like gaslighting,' another wrote, adding: 'lol.'

One critic told Southwest's social media team to 'read the room.'

Some of the posts aimed at Southwest offered starkly specific predictions.

'Taking a screenshot of this as it will be the thumbnail for the harvard business review case study of destroying a brand and an entire company,' one critic added.

Travelers were already vowing never to fly Southwest again following the policy change.

The new rule, which some X users believe marks the 'end of an era,' will take effect on May 28.

Southwest announced that it will still allow its Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members customers traveling on Business Select fares to have two free checked bags.

The airline will also give its A-List Members and other select customers the privilege of checking one bag for free.

Officially it was concerns over Doncic's defense - and not his conditioning - that prompted Harrison to swap the 25-year-old offensive wizard for 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, rising guard Max Christie, and a future first-round draft pick.

'I believe that defense wins championships,' Mavs general manager Nico Harrison told ESPN's Tim MacMahon , who was first to report Doncic's 270-pound heft. 'I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We're built to win now and in the future.'

Doncic did not push for a trade, according to long-time NBA insider Marc Stein . Rather, Stein reports, the two sides were headed towards that five-year, $345 million extension until Saturday. And as sources have since revealed to MacMahon, the Mavs 'had major concerns about moving forward with Luka Doncic due to his constant conditioning issues.'

Unfortunately for Doncic, he's no longer eligible for that extension, according to former Brooklyn Nets assistant general manager and current ESPN salary cap analyst Bobby Marks. What's more, Doncic and his $43 million salary now go from Texas, where there is no state income tax, to California , where rates can go as high as 12.3 percent. For now, he remains signed through the 2025-26 season and has a player option for 2026-27.