The Winners and Losers in the Southwest Airlines Seating Shakeup

[Lee]

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DALLAS—Give Southwest Airlines credit. The lighthearted airline that cracks in-flight jokes can make even the most dramatic changes seem like a win for all travelers. 

The airline paraded people through a shiny new Boeing 737 MAX 8 decked out with rows of cushy extra-legroom and “preferred” seat sections, in-seat power and bigger overhead bins at its investor day last week. The goal: To hype its switch to assigned seats late next year after decades of open seating. A company TikTok gushed that the airline was in its “glow up” era. 

Make no mistake, though: Not everyone wins in this makeover.

Southwest is on a desperate hunt for new revenue. Longtime fans and the new customers it hopes to attract will pay for the upgrades one way or another. Southwest executives said “monetize” 11 times during their presentations Thursday. “Premium” came up 34 times.

You may be wondering: Haven’t all of Southwest’s major competitors carved up their cabins for years? You’re right. But Southwest has long prided itself on being egalitarian. That ends when assigned seats are sold beginning late next year for travel beginning in 2026. Fliers will still be able to check two bags free, but a good number of seats will be subject to those dreaded seat fees—and not just those with extra legroom.

I’ve flown Southwest since they used those reusable plastic boarding passes now in the Smithsonian, and have covered them almost as long. Southwest didn’t reveal every detail of its transformation, including just how much extra you’ll pay for a better seat. The airline did spill enough, though, to spark some hot takes.

The winners

Frequent fliers: Southwest’s top frequent fliers, who have the airline’s A-list Preferred status, will get the extra legroom seats and preferred seats free at booking (when available). Additional perks are possible, too. They already receive free priority boarding, Wi-Fi and alcoholic beverages. A-list Preferred members—along with the lower-tier A-list members—today get to board right after the A boarding group even if they have a lousy boarding number.

Regular A-list members will be able to book preferred seats for free at booking and can book extra-legroom seats for free if any are available within 48 hours of departure.

Southwest is adding extra-legroom and preferred-seat sections in the front of its planes. The extra-legroom seats are accented in light blue. Photo: Stephen Keller/Southwest Airlines

Southwest didn’t spell out which seat perks would come with its four main ticket types—Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime and Business Select—except to say Wanna Get Away ticket holders would get assigned seats only at check-in.

Travelers who shun Southwest today: The Never Southwest camp is a big one due to the lack of assigned seats. (The airline says its research found 86% of other airlines’ customers want assigned seats.) The addition of assigned seats gives these travelers another airline option. And many are already used to paying seat fees for extra legroom or a quicker exit from the plane.

Heavy packers: Southwest says it studied keeping or changing its two-bags-fly-free policy, but its research found that it would lose a net $300 million in revenue despite collecting $1 billion to $1.5 billion in additional bag fee revenue. Why? Some customers would bolt for other airlines. Free bags rank a close third in the top three reasons travelers pick Southwest, after schedule and price, executives say.

The losers

Travelers who buy Southwest’s cheapest tickets: Southwest’s Wanna Get Away fares won’t come with advanced seat selection. A seat will get assigned during online check-in. This is a standard restriction on major airlines’ basic economy tickets and a staple of budget carriers like Spirit and Frontier.

Southwest executives insist there’s no comparison because passengers buying the cheapest tickets will still get two free checked bags, pay no change fees, earn frequent-flier points and more. Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson doubles down by saying Southwest isn’t taking anything away from these passengers because they don’t get assigned seats today.

That’s a convenient response. Wanna Get Away passengers will just get the leftovers in the back of the plane, possibly middle seats, while everyone else gets to pick a seat in advance, for a price or included in their ticket.

And you can bet Southwest will follow its competitors in trying to scare travelers, overtly or not, into buying a higher-priced ticket so you can pick a seat. Anyone who has bought a basic economy or budget airline ticket knows you have to practically sign a consent form saying you understand the restrictions. Watterson says Southwest doesn’t plan to “blast” terms and conditions of the Wanna Get Away tickets.

Passengers who like to play seat roulette: Southwest’s open seating induces anxiety, no doubt. The airline says 80% of its passengers want assigned seats. But that means 20% like the thrill of the hunt, the chance to pick their seat and seatmates. My predecessor, Middle Seat columnist and occasional golfer Scott McCartney, calls it a chance to improve your lie.

Cheaters: Anyone who has flown Southwest more than a couple of times knows the airline’s preboarding lines are out of control. (There were 20 early boarders on one of my recent flights.) Travelers request early boarding so they can get a better pick of seats.

Southwest didn’t publicly admit that it’s an issue until it announced the shift to assigned seats. Watterson told employees in a video last month that there’s been an “explosion of abuse.” Those preboarding lines should shrink when the first flights with assigned seats take off. There is no longer incentive for passengers who don’t need extra time to board early.

Seat savers: It’s no secret passengers have saved money and infuriated fellow travelers by saving seats for family members or friends with a later boarding position. With assigned seats, that option goes away.

 

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/southwest-airlines-assigned-seats-fees-76283939?mod=wsjhp_columnists_pos_1

[scott h]

18 minutes ago, Lee said:

The lighthearted airline

I can attest to this. When you fly out of San Diego, the terrain requires a very steep climb rate to clear nearby hills. 

Once upon take off the flight crew came on the intercom and said, "we are bit short handed, so we are serving your peanuts now! Drinks will come later!" With that they dumped a box of those peanut packs in the aisle and they slid all the way to the last seat. Everyone had a laugh as they scrambled to grab a bag as they slid by. 

Had not laughed so hard in a long time 

[Lee]

5 hours ago, scott h said:

When you fly out of San Diego, the terrain requires a very steep climb rate to clear nearby hills. 

I'm gonna guess that a few passengers didn't see the humor of peanuts sliding down the aisle during their white knuckle takeoff from San Diego.