Southwest Airways will start promoting assigned seats on all of its planes subsequent 12 months, based on an announcement Thursday. The transfer is a basic change for an airline that has distinguished itself in its 53-year historical past with its open-seating mannequin.
“After rigorously listening to our clients and conducting intensive analysis, Southwest has determined to allocate seats and provide premium seat choices on all flights,” Southwest mentioned in an announcement posted on-line.
The Dallas-based airline wrote that “preferences have modified” with extra passengers seeking to get assigned seats for longer fights. The corporate mentioned 80% of Southwest clients and 86% of potential clients need assigned seats. Southwest Airways additionally mentioned that when clients resolve to not fly with the airline, the primary cause is that the airline doesn’t assign seats.
Southwest additionally introduced Thursday that it’ll provide premium seats with extra legroom, an alternative choice the airline did not beforehand provide. The corporate famous that its analysis exhibits passengers do like the choice to improve, regardless that it requires modifications to the prevailing fleet.
“Whereas particular cabin format particulars are nonetheless being designed, Southwest expects roughly one-third of the seats in its fleet to supply elevated legroom, matching trade friends in narrow-body plane,” the airline wrote Thursday. according to the house supplied.
The corporate appears excited concerning the modifications, though some on-line are dissatisfied that Southwest can be switching to assigned seating.
“As a loyal Southwest buyer, I hate this. The entire cause I fly Southwest is as a result of it is low-cost and I can select my seats! Should you do not prefer it, fly with one other airline,” one X consumer mentioned Thursday wrote.
One other X consumer mentioned the change was motivated by greed.
“Southwest has ended its ‘open seat’ coverage,” one distraught X consumer wrote on Twitter on Thursday. “They are going to now provide paid seats. You need to pay for good seats. That is the tip of an period. A wonderful airline was destroyed by greed.
However the airline clearly thinks it is all a good suggestion backed up by analysis.
“Shifting to assigned seating and providing premium legroom choices can be transformative and can contact almost each facet of the corporate,” Southwest President and CEO Bob Jordan mentioned in an announcement.
“Whereas our distinctive open seating mannequin has been part of Southwest since its inception, our considerate and intensive analysis exhibits it’s the proper transfer for our clients, our workers and our shareholders. The suitable alternative on the proper time. We’re excited to include buyer and worker suggestions to design a novel expertise that solely Southwest can provide.
