My family and I have flown Southwest for as long as I can remember. So, when Southwest announced their “comprehensive upgrade” to customer experience in September, I was eager to learn how my family’s trademark scramble to find seats and general experience would be changed.
Although fliers can choose their seats for 53 years, the airline has just announced that they will switch from free-for-all seating to assigned seats. However frustrating it was, open-policy seating differentiated Southwest from its competitors. Now, Southwest will follow the standard practice of allowing customers to choose their seats ahead of time, with an additional fee. Anyone not paying the fee will be assigned a random seat the day before flying. Southwest states that the new assigned seating policy should streamline the boarding process. Additionally, Southwest’s COO claims that “families will still be able to sit together without an added charge,” referring to families with children under six.
Changes to seating policy come primarily from financial motivations. Hedge fund investors have been calling for Southwest to implement changes to boost their profits and share price. Southwest cites the open seating policy to be the primary reason why customers do not choose Southwest. Applying the new seating policy should help flyers be drawn to choosing Southwest and, in return, boost Southwest’s bottom line. Southwest hopes to retain its label as a “low cost” airline, especially since, as of now, they are keeping their “Bags Fly Free” policy, which allows two free checked bags per passenger. However, for many airlines, charging for checked bags is a main source of revenue. In 2023, American Airlines made $1.4 billion in revenue off of its checked bag fee. If Southwest plans to continue to boost its profits after the new seating is implemented, then this favored policy may be in jeopardy.
In addition, Southwest will be adding premium seating options. Premium seats will take up ⅓ of the aircraft and will include significantly more legroom. Since the pandemic, many airlines have reported an increase in demand for premium seating options, which Southwest previously did not have. Premium seating will be available at an additional cost or as an added benefit for frequent travelers, providing an incentive for customers to choose Southwest.
Many current Southwest fliers are not optimistic about these upcoming changes. Although Southwest has yet to announce how the upgrades specifically will impact pricing, many customers worry that Southwest will lose its spot as a more affordable airline. People have taken to social media to complain about the changes, stating, “What’s normal for everyone else is premium for Southwest Airlines,” and that the economy seats, which will have to shrink to accommodate the added legroom in premium, “look like lawn chairs.” Although the old seating policy was highly controversial, some fliers, especially women, actually liked the policy and valued being able to choose who they were going to sit next to.
Southwest has yet to announce when exactly these changes will be rolled out, but most likely, it will be sometime in the next year. It will be hard to tell how passengers will react to these changes, especially when pricing has yet to be announced. As someone who has been forced into one too many middle seats between people seriously lacking airplane etiquette, I am excited to see how the upgrades will impact the passenger experience.
International Studies major with a passion for gossip and chai lattes.
