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Open Seating

All articles tagged with #open seating

Southwest Moves to Assigned Seating, Ending Its Open-Seat Era
travel29 days ago

Southwest Moves to Assigned Seating, Ending Its Open-Seat Era

Southwest Airlines has retired its decades-long open seating policy in favor of assigned seating with three fare-based categories (standard, preferred, extra legroom) and a new boarding order tied to fare class and elite status. The change also ends the flexible policy for plus-size passengers, requiring two seats upfront. Premiering with water-cannon salutes and celebratory gates, the move aims to modernize the experience and boost revenue, but drew mixed reactions from longtime fliers who valued the old system’s unpredictability and egalitarian ethos.

via The New York Times|
#assigned-seating#boarding-process#open-seating
Southwest Ditches Open Seating for a Profit-Driven, Group-Based Boarding
business29 days ago

Southwest Ditches Open Seating for a Profit-Driven, Group-Based Boarding

Southwest Airlines is moving away from its open seating model to assigned seating loaded by groups using the Window-Middle-Aisle (WILMA) method, backed by a multi-tier boarding scheme that rewards priority boarding, extra legroom, and other perks for frequent fliers and credit-card holders. The change aims to lift profits—Intel says extra legroom could add about $1.5 billion annually—yet experts warn the added perks may slow boarding and complicate operations, reflecting a broader industry push toward revenue optimization over pure efficiency.

via WIRED|
#airline-profits#boarding-policy#business
Southwest ends open seating, adds assigned seats with paid upgrades and new boarding order
business1 month ago

Southwest ends open seating, adds assigned seats with paid upgrades and new boarding order

Southwest will switch from open seating to assigned seats starting Tuesday, offering standard seats with optional paid upgrades (preferred and extra legroom) and optional priority boarding. A new eight-group boarding system will place passengers based on seat location, fare class, loyalty status and benefits, with those buying extra-legroom likely in Groups 1–2 and basic-fare travelers in Groups 6–8. Passengers needing extra space must purchase an extra seat in advance, with refunds dependent on availability and fare class. Gate-area changes will roll out in phases over about two months. The move, part of a broader push to boost profitability and align with other carriers, follows Southwest’s earlier shifts away from long-standing perks.

via Yahoo|
#airline-policy#assigned-seating#boarding-groups