Southwest Airlines, known for its open-seating policy for over 50 years, plans to transition to assigning seats, aligning with other major airlines’ practices.
The decision to change the seating assignment system was influenced by customer preference shifts, as the majority now prefer knowing their seat before arriving at the airport, the airline said.
The big picture: Initially implemented as a way to efficiently board passengers and maximize flights, the open-seating method was instrumental in Southwest’s long-standing profitability.
- Under the current system, passengers check in 24 hours before departure for boarding group placement (A, B, C), impacting their seat selection based on their boarding group.
Driving the news: Survey results indicated that 80% of Southwest customers and 86% of potential customers desire assigned seating, with the lack of this feature being a key reason for choosing other airlines over Southwest.
- Southwest said it remains committed to its free checked bag policy, maintaining a competitive advantage even with the upcoming seating changes.
Go deeper: Southwest also plans to introduce premium seating with extra legroom on a portion of their aircraft, aligning with industry standards for added passenger comfort.
