For more than 50 years, Southwest Airlines has stood out in the competitive world of air travel for a unique and equalizing perk: open seating. While other airlines required passengers to pick a seat in advance and pay more to upgrade, Southwest chose to do things differently. Instead of a seat assignment, passengers received a boarding position, lined up in order at the gate, and chose any available seat once on the plane. “It’s been a very egalitarian view of travel that Southwest has touted all these years. ‘We want travel to be accessible for everyone, so sit where you like,’” said Katy Nastro, spokesperson for Going, a website that tracks flight deals.

That will all change next year, though, when Southwest finally switches to assigned seating. The company announced on Thursday that it will revamp its boarding procedure to include assigned seating and premium seats. Southwest hopes the move will attract business travelers who are willing to pay extra for perks like aisle seats or more legroom. The announcement comes as the airline faces a major financial challenge: its longtime partner Boeing isn’t making new planes fast enough to replace the ones aging out of Southwest’s fleet. By the end of 2024, the size of its fleet will decrease to 802 planes from 817. Fewer planes means fewer flights, which means less revenue for Southwest.

The company’s decision to eliminate its open seating policy has some of its frequent flyers speculating about what other changes could follow. For instance, will Southwest, like most other U.S. airlines, charge a fee for selecting an assigned seat? Will the airline change its popular and unique bag policy, which allows each customer to check two bags for free? These questions are causing some passengers to reevaluate which airline they choose to fly with. “Why do I have to pay for a seat? If I wanted that I would go to Delta, American or United,” said longtime Southwest passenger Evan Bell.

Questions: 

1. Why is Southwest Airlines changing its boarding policy to assigned seating? Do you think the company is making the right decision?
2. What are some factors that customers consider when they choose which airline to fly with?

Sources: Chappell, Bill, “Southwest Airlines Says ‘Assigned and Premium Seating’ Will Replace Open Seating Plan,” NPR, July 25, 2024. Chung, Christine, “Passengers Loved Southwest Airlines’ Open Boarding. Now What?” The New York Times, July 25, 2024. Keshner, Andrew, “Southwest Airlines Says Passengers Wanted Assigned Seats. For Some Loyal Fliers, ‘It’s a True Blow,’” MarketWatch, Juley 26, 2024.