Southwest Weighing Changes to Boarding and Seating
Southwest Airlines could possibly make substantial changes considering changes to its boarding model which has long set it apart from other carriers. CEO Bob Jordan told CNBC on Thursday that the airline is “looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft.”
The news comes after Southwest Airlines reported disappointing first-quarter results and even said it would exit four airports.
Southwest’s all-Boeing 737 fleet has a single economy class cabin and no seating assignments. Based on your boarding group and number, you board and sit on any seat that it available. The airline does offer earlier boarding for an extra fee so customers can snag their preferred seats.
The airline has focused on keeping its product simple and user-friendly for years, aiming to keep its costs low.
Most U.S. airlines give travelers the option to choose their seats ahead of time and charge extra for preferred seating, even those that don’t come with extra legroom. Eight of the largest U.S. carriers, excluding Southwest, brought in a total of $4.2 billion from seating fees in their domestic networks in 2022.
Ryan Green, the carrier’s chief commercial officer, did say that Southwest is not considering charging for checked bags because “people choose Southwest Airlines because we don’t have bag fees.”
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Cattle call boarding is what makes Southwest Southwest. Don’t change that!