With the introduction of assigned seating, Southwest will significantly alter a defining feature that has distinguished the low-cost airline from other carriers for fifty years. Customers will noticeably differ in how flying Southwest seems and feels as a result of the new policy, which was revealed on Thursday.
This change will impact how passengers choose their seats and board aircraft on behalf of the low-cost carrier. For a fee, Southwest customers, including ardent supporters of the open seating policy, will also have the option to select other seat categories, including ones with greater legroom. Experts predict that these adjustments may have an impact on ticket prices generally, even though Southwest has not discussed pricing or mentioned adjustments to ordinary seat prices.
Critics applaud the decision, arguing that it benefits both the airline and the passengers.
“An old dog can learn new tricks, as demonstrated by Southwest’s decision to start assigning seats and plan to add extra-legroom seats,” Atmosphere Research Group president Henry Harteveldt told CBS News. “It will improve the comfort and orderliness of their flights. Additionally, it ought to strengthen the airline’s financial position.”
Starting in 2025, Southwest will start selling tickets with assigned seats. In September, the airline will provide more information about the modifications to the airplane boarding procedure. These are three potential changes to Southwest Airlines.
Assigned seats
The “open seating” policy, which let travelers choose a cabin seat based on availability, is being discontinued by Southwest. When the changes go into force in the next year, customers will purchase tickets with assigned seating, which will lessen some of the tension associated with the current boarding process.
The Points Guy managing editor Clint Henderson stated to CBS MoneyWatch, “It’s a pretty big change for Southwest, which always had an open seating system and you had to run into the cabin and try to find the seat you want.”
Henderson predicted that the change will result in more business even if he said that it deterred him and other business travelers from choosing Southwest as their airline of choice.
“Many business travelers don’t want to fight for a seat and deal with the drama that sometimes entails,” Henderson stated.
Airline tensions can also be high due to acrimonious passengers squabbling over scarce and occasionally shared space.
Marbue Brown, an airline customer experience consultant, stated that after the outbreak, “airline passengers may be less cordial and amicable.” “There are certainly benefits to environments where there is no ambiguity about who owns a seat.”
Some seats will have more leg room
Southwest will provide premium seating, which will give customers more legroom on one-third of the seats in a cabin in addition to assigned seats.
“But this is a much bigger change now, with premium seats available for purchase,” Going.com’s Keyes said. Southwest currently allows consumers to pay to be the first in line to board flights.
According to Keyes, the airline is probably reacting to visitors’ desire for more upscale travel experiences in the wake of the pandemic. “The demand is for premium economy, business class and better seats, which Southwest doesn’t have to offer,” he stated.
One of Southwest Airlines’ selling points is that its seats already have more legroom than those of other airlines. Compared to the 30-31-inch industry standard, they have 32 inches of area. According to some experts, it’s probable that Southwest’s new cabin arrangement would result in less space than the current requirement of 32 inches.
According to Going.com CEO Scott Keyes, “they haven’t announced the new cabin design, but the most likely outcome is we’re going to see that 32 inches of legroom to start shrinking for main cabin, and for it to be more like 31 or 30,” CBS MoneyWatch reported. “That’s normal for people who are used to flying American or United, but cramped for people who fly Southwest.”
Price Changes
Industry observers speculated that the new cabin arrangements may result in a reduction in the overall number of seats on Southwest’s aircraft, which would raise ticket pricing overall. However, depending on how Southwest redesigned its aircraft cabin, the significant regulatory changes might not have an impact on costs.
“Some folks will pay more for extra legroom, and, based on how you reconfigure planes, you might not have to raise prices on other seats,” Brown stated.
It is still to be seen if Southwest would provide a basic economy option that is stripped down.
Right now, complimentary checked bags and changes are included with every ticket. “However, is it possible that they may introduce an economy package with tighter baggage restrictions? We’ll have to wait and see on that, Keyes stated.
