Southwest CEO hints at change to signature free-for-all seating
- Southwest doesn't assign seats, allowing travelers to pick on the plane
- The airline reported a $200 million loss in the first quarter
- It is also pulling out of four airlines and limiting flights to others
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(NewsNation) — Southwest flyers may be experiencing a change in how the airline handles seating, according to recent comments from the CEO.
The airline has cut jobs and exited multiple airports after a first-quarter report showed a more than $200 million loss. Now, the signature seating operation may change.
Southwest CEO Bob Jordan, in a recent interview with CNBC, said the company is looking into new initiatives, like the way they seat and board the aircraft.
Currently, Southwest travelers buy tickets without assigned seats. instead, they board in groups and pick a seat when they get on the plane. There’s no first-class seating or extra legroom on the single-class aircraft.
Not everyone is happy about the possibility.
“I always check in early,” said Gentry Schaffer, a Southwest passenger. “I always get the seat that I want on Southwest. I wouldn’t want them to change the policy.”
Greg Miller, another passenger, wondered how Southwest would change the arrangement.
“Southwest is kind of one of the last ones to have an open seating policy. So I think it’s an interesting concept change for them,” Miller said. “It’s interesting that they’re thinking about that.”
Jordan said that consumer preferences change, but NewsNation travel editor Peter Greenberg said the airline could be looking to make more money by potentially charging more for better seats up front.
This latest news comes on the heels of Southwest announcing it will stop flying to four airports starting in August, the first time Southwest has left an airport since 2019. In addition to pulling out of George Bush International Airport in Houston, Texas, Bellingham International Airport in Bellingham, Washington, Syracuse Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, New York, and Cozumel International Airport in Cozumel, Mexico, the airline will cut half of its flights to Atlanta and about a third at O’Hare Airport in Chicago.
Both Southwest and American Airlines reported first-quarter losses this week, in part because of delays in receiving new planes from Boeing, which is under investigation by multiple federal agencies after a string of high-profile safety incidents.
Southwest originally expected to get 46 new 737 Max 8 jets earlier this year and is now expecting only 20 new planes.
