What’s your favorite airline? Is it United because of its global network? Or Southwest because of its open seating policy? Well, if it is Southwest, things are about to change. Southwest plans to change its seating policy from open to assigned seating this year.
Currently, Southwest’s policy starts with buying a ticket for a flight. Twenty-four hours before the flight, you must log into your Southwest app and check into your flight. You will then be assigned a letter and number A, B, C, and 1-60. This number corresponds to your position in line. How close to the 24-hour mark you check in directly corresponds to how good a letter and number you get. A1 is first in line and first to board the plane, and C60 is last to board the plane. A person only gets assigned A1-15 if they pay anywhere from $30-$60. There is another element called Early bird check-in, where you pay to be checked in automatically at 24 hours before your flight.
In the boring process, pre-boarding happens first. Booking is for people with disabilities, special seating arrangements, and unaccompanied minors. After this, A1-30 boards A31-60, B1-30, and so on in that fashion. When you get on the plane, you can choose any seat you want if you’re first or any seat still open if you’re last. This system has no first class and economy; the aircraft are all one class.
Southwest’s new policy will eliminate this entire process. The new policy will allow customers to choose a seat when they buy tickets. Premium seating will also be available, which will have extra legroom. The cabins themselves will not be expanded; instead, they will split the existing cabin into premium and economy, the first ⅓ going to premium.
One point of view about Southwest’s current policy is that it only gives the illusion of personal freedom. You can get a better seat by checking in earlier and getting a better spot in line. This system isn’t different from the new policy. The first few people to buy a ticket for the flight will be able to choose the seat they want, and the people who wait till the last minute to buy their ticket will have limited seating options. The only change is when you choose your seat/Spot in line. With the new policy, you will immediately decide after buying your ticket; with the old policy, you select your spot in line when you check in 24 hours before your flight, and this will determine if you get the seat you want.
Southwest’s ethos mirrors its seating policy: laissez-faire. Will Southwest’s new policy change its ethos? I wonder what other changes will come, such as with its prices and customers. How will Southwest stand out and stay different now that its seating policy is the same as that of any other airline? Southwest hopes that this new policy will attract new customers. I can’t wait to see how many newcomers there will be and how many people will ditch Southwest for another now identical airline.
