(NEXSTAR) – Southwest Airlines on Thursday announced plans to begin assigning seats to passengers — abandoning the open-seating policy that’s been a trademark of the carrier for half a century.
“The airline has been known for its unique open seating model for more than 50 years, but preferences have evolved with more Customers taking longer flights where a seat assignment is preferred,” reads a media release from Southwest.
In defending the change, the airline cited “extensive research” which included surveys of Southwest customers and “potential” Southwest customers, the majority of whom (80% and 86%, respectively) wanted assigned seating. Southwest added that its open-seating plan is “the number one reason” customers choose to fly with a competing airline, according to the release.
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Southwest’s unique seating policy, as it currently exists, initially began as a way to load passengers faster, thereby limiting the time that planes and crews spend sitting idly on the ground. It works like this: Instead of being assigned a seat when they buy a ticket, Southwest customers check in exactly 24 hours before departure to secure their spots in boarding lines. The earliest to check in are placed in an “A” boarding group, with “B” and “C” groups containing those who checked in later.
The system became less democratic over time as Southwest let people pay extra to guarantee a spot near the front of the line. Despite that, many Southwest loyalists still love open seating. The airline thinks they will adapt.
The change isn’t exactly happening overnight, though. In a statement obtained by Nexstar, a Southwest representative confirmed that customers will have some time to get used to the idea.
“We expect to make bookings available in 2025,” the representative said in response to a question about the assigned-seating timeline. “More specifics will be discussed at our Investor Day in September.”
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In addition to assigned seating, Southwest announced Thursday its plans to begin offering premium seating options and overnight flights, the latter of which are scheduled to begin departing on Feb. 14, 2025.
These decisions were made to offer “more choice” and “enhance” value for Southwest travelers, the company says. But of course, the carrier’s bottom line is always a consideration.
“We have been building purposefully to this change as part of a comprehensive upgrade to the Southwest experience as we focus on Customer expectations — and it will unlock new sources of revenue consistent with our laser focus on delivering improved financial performance,” said Bob Jordan, the president and CEO of Southwest.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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