‘End of the people’s airline’: Southwest abandons open seating after 53 years
The Peninsula
Southwest Airlines announced on Thursday that it will do away with its longtime practice of open seating, abandoning a feature that helped establish i...
Southwest Airlines announced on Thursday that it will do away with its longtime practice of open seating, abandoning a feature that helped establish its egalitarian identity in the name of boosting revenue and adapting to evolving customer tastes.
The carrier, long known for its unique model of having passengers board in groups of 30 and then choose their seats once on board, said it will now assign seats and unveil "premium seating options” that offer more legroom. In its announcement, the carrier said it expects that about one-third of seats across its fleet will have extra legroom. The company did not provide a timeline for the changes.
The move quickly drew negative reaction from die-hard Southwest fans who say the airline is jeopardizing its identity.
Saty Reddy, a lawyer who lives in the Bay Area and flies Southwest frequently with his family, said the shift marks "the end of the people’s airline.”
Benét J. Wilson, a veteran aviation journalist and Southwest superfan who lives in Baltimore, said she woke up to "a ton of texts and messages from friends giving me this news.” The new policies will inevitably make Southwest feel different - but also more like its competitors, she said.
