Southwest Airlines is ditching its long-standing open seating policy and will now assign seats to passengers, the company said in a July 25 press release.
The Dallas-based airline has operated flights on an open-seating basis for more than 50 years, but is introducing the new seating policy to align with customer preferences and boost revenue opportunities, the company said.
The airline cited customer feedback and a study it conducted, which revealed that 80 percent of current customers and 86 percent of potential customers prefer assigned seating.
Beyond the changes to how seats are assigned, passengers will be offered “premium, extended legroom” seating. The airline said its research shows customers “strongly prefer” the option for more legroom on flights.
The new seating and cabin layouts are still being designed, the company said, but the firm anticipates approximately one-third of seats across its fleet will offer more legroom in line with “industry peers.”
The changes will be implemented in 2025, according to the airline.
“When a Customer elects to stop flying with Southwest and chooses a competitor, open seating is cited as the number one reason for the change,” the company said in a press release.
The shift aims to retain existing customers and attract new ones by meeting their expectations, the firm said.
“Moving to assigned seating and offering premium legroom options will be a transformational change that cuts across almost all aspects of the Company,” Southwest’s president and CEO Bob Jordan said. “Although our unique open seating model has been a part of Southwest Airlines since our inception, our thoughtful and extensive research makes it clear this is the right choice—at the right time—for our Customers, our People, and our Shareholders.”
In addition to changes to seating, Southwest said it will launch “redeye flights” to “optimize the network and increase aircraft utilization.”
Overnight flights will begin operations next February in a limited capacity in select cities. The airline plans to keep expanding services as part of its transformation into a 24-hour operation. The first overnight flights are slated for five initial nonstop markets: Las Vegas to Baltimore and Orlando; Los Angeles to Baltimore and Nashville; and Phoenix to Baltimore.
Southwest said it will release more details on changes during an investor day in September.
