January 1, Southwest Airlines Ditches Open Seating for Assigned Seats and Premium Upgrades

In a landmark move, Southwest Airlines is breaking with tradition by bidding farewell to its long-standing open seating policy.

The airline, headquartered in Texas, has used the open seating model, unique in the industry, for over half a century. On Thursday, Southwest announced that it will implement assigned seating and introduce premium seating options across all its flights.

The airline has been prominent for its single economy-class cabin with open seating arrangements. As it stands, passengers are allocated a boarding group and can select any unoccupied seat once they board. Customers have the option to pay an extra fee for early boarding to secure their preferred seat.

The implementation of this new strategy paves the way for Southwest to improve its bottom line. By charging more for its premium seats across all flights, the carrier is set to witness a significant profit boost.

Southwest intends to provide a premium, extended legroom section in the cabin and has projected that approximately a third of seats across their fleet will offer extended legroom. This plan is consistent with what other industry competitors provide on narrow-body aircraft.

The decision to overhaul the seating policy was driven by consumer preference, with Southwest revealing that research showed 80% of its customers and about 90% of potential customers prefer to have an assigned seat.

According to the airline’s Thursday news release, open seating was the primary reason customers switched to competing airlines. “By moving to an assigned seating model, Southwest expects to broaden its appeal and attract more customers,” the company said.

Earlier this year, in April, Bob Jordan, Southwest Airlines CEO, alluded to the possibility of changing the boarding and seating processes to enhance the airline’s financial standing. Such assertions came as Jordan acknowledged financial difficulties resulting from Boeing delays and the withdrawal from several underperforming airports.

Southwest insisted that these changes will not undermine the airline’s operational efficiency. The airline did not state when these changes would take effect but promised to provide further details during its investor day, coming up in September.

As our loyal readers, we encourage you to share your thoughts and opinions on this issue. Let your voice be heard and join the discussion below.

Source