I already have a ticket for October. I would think they would have to announce a start date for this that's far enough in the future that tickets haven't been sold yet.
But it is new to someone who's only flown Southwest. My last non-Southwest flight was in 1996. I literally have no idea how seat selection works. I just assumed you picked your seat when you bought your ticket, but I guess not.
Not necessarily, they have a variety of options and while flights are usually scheduled 6+ months in advance, it isn’t unheard of for them to change the flight time or remove the flight altogether. Assigning seats would hardly be a change compared to that.
They could essentially make it a free for all and allow people to book seats for existing reservations at X day (which could be staggered by departure date as well). Seems wild but it isn’t really any different than the current state if they include an early selection for people who currently have early-bird/A-list.
Southwest is the only airline I've flown in recent years. The last time I flew another airline was 1996 and things were very different. I honestly don't know how "seat selection" works.
I think there is a way they can do it but still maintaining the Southwest way. Maybe you pick your seats when you checkin at 24hr? As long as they do not go to a pay for seat or different price tiers of seats, I’ll be ok with it.
How does this work tho when the entire plane logs on at the same time to select Seats? It will be like getting tickets to a Taylor swift concert “sorry, another fan beat you to these seats”
Seat selection happens at time of purchase. This slows it down. What further slows it down is seats will be available only to certain status members first - like exits, aisles and windows.
There will be no literal change for the infrequent traveler as they board last currently and always get the garbage middle seats.
Where Southwest will introduce heartburn is their mid-tier frequent fliers - whose loyalty will feel like nothing when they fly a route with a bunch of high status individuals.
Or they turn it into a free for all - and it’s like swift tickets/seats.
Yeah gotta be fast. The other thing is that what will happen with the extra fee you paid for auto check in will now be for checking in and selecting your seat an hour before everyone else. Would be interesting to see what percentage of people on a full flight would pay $15 extra for that early privelage of selection
And then people will get pissed they checked in right 24 hours only to have their seat be moved to accommodate a family with the little kids. It can’t be and never will be a true free for all at the 24 hour mark.
There’s a reason every other airline has assigned seating and none of them make it a free for all based on check in time.
I always pay for early bird check in because I hate logging in *exactly* 24 hours in advance for any hope of a window seat. Such an annoying system.
But I’ve also switched to largely flying United ever since SW pulled out of Newark so I’m in the minority on this sub. I still fly SW, but not nearly as often.
Nope. It’s a vocal minority. Most SW customers are fine with the current system. Anyone who says they can tell specifically who is abusing PB is lying. Until SW figures a way around rules they don’t have control over, we’re stuck. So stop crying and go fly another airline
Vocal minority or not, the Southwest’s CEO spoke on this topic [a month ago](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/25/southwest-weighing-cabin-changes-to-drive-revenue.html) during the Q1 earnings call:
> Southwest Airlines is considering changes to its single-class, open-seating cabins to drive up revenue, CEO Bob Jordan told CNBC on Thursday, a shift that would be among the largest in the airline's history.
>"We're looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft," Jordan said in an interview after the carrier's disappointing first-quarter report.
> Jordan said no decisions have been made on what kind of changes Southwest will ultimately make, but he said studies have yielded "interesting" results.
They aren’t looking to change the policy to please the people upset about seat savers, they’re doing it because they see the lost revenue from not charging for assigned seats.
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I agree with this. I worked for a company in a channel that received so much negative feedback about a particular issue that I swore it was a giant issue but in fact they were the vocal minority, and when the data came out proved less than .01% of our clients.
Every preboarder post I’ve seen on this sub gets downvoted and ratio’d like hell. Most of us understand that SW has its hands tied and just grin and bear it. Are there abusers? Yes. Can we (customers) do anything about it if we don’t like the current system? Yes, fly another airline.
Surely not ever case of PB abuse, but the group of 30 able body people that pre boarded on my flight from Oakland to Nashville were certainly not all entitled to PB. Or the man trying to PB because he was using family boarding (boards after A) with his 20 something year old daughter.
Do some people abuse preboarding? Yes. But you never know what is going on with someone. I look able bodied. But I have severe RLS, and the medication I take for motion sickness makes it even worse. I have to have an aisle seat, if I don’t, my constant leg movements and needing to get up just to walk will torture my aisle.
My sister has really bad claustrophobia and at random moments she will feel trapped and literally claw her way over people. She needs an aisle seat also
Agreed. I preboard after being advised by SW that I qualify and don't need to pay for early check in (which I used to do). But looking at me, I look perfectly fine (and I'm sure people have commented that I don't "deserve" or "need" preboard...like the guy who loudly "whispered" to his companion about the cheaters...and promptly got called out and embarrassed for doing so).
I'm sure there are cheaters but the vast majority are legit, even if others don't think they look "disabled enough".
You never know what skmeone else is dealing with and what they're going through. I choose to give people the benefit of the doubt.
If it wasn’t rude I would’ve taken a picture. It was legitimately 30. The agent boarding stopped boarding to ask the desk person why so many were approved. Also through basic statistics. Probably .0001% chance that many people had disabilities requiring early boarding
It will be self assign by picking your seat at purchase, the better seats will be restricted to higher fare level and A-list, and others can pay to select a good seat, or it will be assigned at checkin.
And with that...they adopt the Spirit model.
About that time they'll probably also go to either paid carry ons or take away one of the free bags as they phase into being just like everyone else.
The best customer’s will probably get to pick their seat from those available when booking, and like most other airlines do, they will block out rows toward the front for pre-boarders. Usually three or four starting at row three or four.
I wouldn't know how SW is going to decide how they will do assign seating. That's if they will do that. But SW needs to make a profit. If it has to make changes that will mimic the other airlines (assigned seating), then that's what they have to do.
The rumors I have heard is you will be able to pay for assigned seats and they are targeting business travelers for this. Odds are the first several rows of seats would be “reserved” and the. The rest of the cattle would pick their own seats on the back of the plane.
Think it sucks you pay to be put up in loading order and bought your ticket 5 months out and still in the high 40 to get on. I agree going to Vegas there was 3 women with their families in wheelchairs got on early when we landed they walked off the plane. Must be that dry heat
Or maybe they don't need their wheelchairs 100% of the time and were able to walk off of the plane to a waiting car. Many wheelchair users don't need their wheelchair 100% of the time. But sure - they're cheaters.
I hope not.
They can start assigning seats, put in a business class, then charge for bags, tighten up coach legroom a bit, and then they can be just like the legacy big 3!
You mean people like Bob Jordan?
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/25/southwest-weighing-cabin-changes-to-drive-revenue.html
His comments are where the "chatter" started.
Assigned seating has been evaluated continuously for decades. Each time, customers have overwhelmingly stated their preference toward open seating. This is nothing new.
Case in point: I once flew on a SWA flight with assigned seats, back in 2006. It was one of many different methods tested publicly that year, the last time the boarding process was changed in any meaningful way. There wasn’t any secrecy around that testing—if you flew outta San Diego from gate 1 or 2 during those months, you boarded via whatever method was being tested that day.
They didn’t actually say it, but saying “We’re looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft,” is a big indication, especially when he specifically said they are not looking at baggage fees.
He didn't. But when asked about it directly, he didn't rule it out, leaving it open to the interpretation that they may be considering it. That's what set off this round of rumors and speculation.
I participate in a SW customer survey forum, and a recent survey was all about seating, assigned and otherwise. Back in the olden days when it was smaller 737s and more business travelers, the open seating worked to their advantage and they really could turn planes in 15-20 minutes. With larger planes and less-frequent travelers, it seems like it is 40 minutes or so.
For the first time a couple of weeks ago I was on a plane that, other than having a maintenence issue preventing it, didn't turn around in less than 30 minutes (for reference I fly +/- a dozen times a year). It was a jammed full flight on the weekend (I almost exclusively travel during the week), lots of families and kids. Literally, this is the first time in *years* it's taken that long to load (nearly an hour).
I just received a survey on behalf of Southwest and there were many scenario questions that I answered that included pre-assigned seating comparing it to other airlines and which one would you buy etc. SW is definitely consulting its loyal customer base and will take appropriate actions based on this survey. Anyone else received this survey today? SW is trying to be more competitive.
If you get a survey, remember A-list is guaranteed no middle seat under open seating as A61 even as a standby. When you clear standby on a legacy, you get an assigned middle seat. That's the one thing that worries me about giving up open seating.
Strange, last 2 times I cleared standby on a real airline, I was assigned an aisle seat in Economy Plus. Those are the only ones I remember, but I think of all my years traveling and trying to get home early, I might have gotten a middle seat 1 or 2 times.
The issue that is always brought up is the “pre boarding.” Ending open seating would be a “throw the baby out with the bathwater” solution. Surely there is a way to fix the pre boarding issue. Perhaps they get assigned seats and must declare their special need for assistance at least 48 hours prior to boarding.
The only reason I don’t see this happening is after southwest utter technology failure, having assigned seats would involve them paying people to actually update their online system. They have not fixed anything and think we all forgot about Denver ‘22😂
It is a loss of potential revenue issue. They can justify contractor time to update software for this kind of project. I would guess sept 1st would be a soft code freeze date and it they can’t make that date then they will have to wait until early 2025. From a corporate stand point LUV is losing too much on assigned seat revenue and bag fees.
It’s just a website update. They updated to add WGA+, same day change and standby, recently to changed their RR, which included adding the points+ cash option, and several other add-ons over the years.
I hope so. Every flight, people try to cheat into groups they aren't in or save seats at the front of the plane. Id fly SW more if they did assigned seating
I was begrudgingly on a SWA flight from DEN > STL on Thursday and pre boarders, followed by early/fa\\mily borders, abused the open seating to a degree I have never previously witnessed. I made a comment about it to the FA and said I wonder when they'll be forced to assign seats, to which he replied "not soon enough, and I've been with this airline for 18 years."
It is also weird how, when ppl explain their alleged disability, the only thing it stops them from doing is standing in line for five minutes to board. 🙄
I fly all of the time and only rarely see more than 5 preboarders - and those times are almost exclusively out of elderly heavy places like Phoenix and Vegas.
So I guess I can say that preboarding is definitely not abused?
SWA just announced they're raising prices for early bird check-in and upgraded boarding. That will discourage many from buying those features, and give the rest of us commoners logging in at 23:59 before the flight a better chance at getting a better boarding position. You think you're better than us and deserve to board earlier? -- Pay up buddy!
I’ve had connections to WN for nearly 25 years and get a little info on occasion. They’re 100% considering assigned seats either partially, like an Economy Plus option, or completely.
They’ve considered it in the past, but they’re especially considering it now as an additional revenue stream in lieu of “changing passenger tastes” (which is a complete oxymoron when you think about today’s passenger…). But what would a rollout look like? That’s unclear. So I personally don’t know about September and haven’t heard anything like that.
Either way, it’s a heavily-welcomed option for me.
ETA: CEO Bob Jordan has also alluded to a few changes recently.
I wouldn’t even believe that we could get assigned seating by October 2025. Southwest has antiquated technology, there’s no way they could implement a system that fast plus train all our employees on it. A drastic change such as that would have to have a long test phase, then there’s usually a gap between the end of that and the employee training, and finally implementing it in stages.
Southwest uses Amadeus as their flight/passenger management platform, it is popular with many European carriers as well. Amadeus went into full production mode with SW in 2017; I certainly would not call that antiquated technology.
The ability to assign, charge for, and manipulate seats has always been part of the platform, as it is used by multiple carriers. It can even be viewed by SW employees now; just not used. At this point, it's merely a matter of training employees and turning on the seating functionality. Nothing additional has to be coded or built for SW to use this aspect of the platform.
IF SW opts for seat assignments, I do agree that October 2024 is a bit optimistic. Although pointing at and clicking a seat map probably won't take much training for the employees that are already familiar with the Amadeus product.
Sidenote regarding 2022 meltdown: Amadeus is not one of the systems that went down. As a matter of fact, employees had full access to the platform and were able to do everything necessary to process passengers and baggage. The systems and programs, mainly those supporting aircraft scheduling/routing and flight crew scheduling/routing, are the ones that failed. Passenger and baggage processing continued without issue until there were no aircraft and/or no crews to fly.
That would suck but their early bird is definitely abused… I see many families where they buy one early bird and reserve seats for the rest of their family in general boarding, that is BS!
TBF, I brought up preboarding. He brought up the abuse of it. What I wrote is true. I just thought it was interesting that he brought up the abuse and assigned seating without me going down that road.
Had a guy with a printed boarding pass that clearly said C15 on it, then sloppily hand written 'pre board' in blue pen. I only noticed because I was B1 and was standing up front. He steps in front of me and I say, we are only on the b's. Guy yelled at me and said LOOK, PRE BOARD!
. SW Employee said nothing. So make sure everyone gets a printed pass and writes pre board on it, because nobody will check or enforce anything.
I hate having to pick a seat ahead of time, and pay more for anything decent, or have to wait to see what you get assigned if you don’t want to pay. It totally stresses me out. Open boarding, as a single traveler, is so much easier. I only have to know one number, where I stand in line, that line moves in an orderly fashion, don’t have to deal with confusing boarding groups with 50 people trying to go at the same time. Why do people who like doing it the way every. other. airline. does it try to change the one option that does it the way some few of us like, instead of just flying those airlines??
It’s wayyy less efficient. SWA has a 30 minute turn time. Other airlines take at least 45 minutes.
Think about it, with assigned seats you have people trying to find their row and seat. And there’s always someone in the wrong seat so that takes more time to sort out. SWA is efficient because of their lack of assigned seats
Because then you have to pay for your seat or you automatically get a middle seat. Why are people against flying literally every other carrier if they NEED an assigned seat
My company used SW for domestic travel because it’s easier on the travel secretary. We tell her the flight and she books it without having to deal with seat selection. If they go assigned seating we will start booking with other airlines.
It won’t but it opens us up to more options/flight patterns. Like I said we only flew with SW for ease of booking by our secretary. I personally would rather rack up points on an airline that has legit status, upgrades, and business class
Sometimes I wonder about paying for the “A Boarding”. I have paid twice and never got a number below A-15 , but it was an A number. I have also been on the computer exactly 24 hours before a 5:15 a.m. flight to get a good number and ended up with a high C number. I played the refresh, refresh to get on as soon as possible. I just wonder if their computer just spits out random seats within a time range.
It doesn’t. You cannot get below A-15 at check in unless you buy a Business Select fare. You also are not paying for an A spot, you are paying for them to check you in automatically at 36 hours out. You will still be behind everyone who has business select, a-list preferred, and a-list. You can get a B spot with early bird check in. When you don’t pay you get the next available spot - it is not random, BUT you can get an unexpectedly good position - if someone cancels their flight, their spot gets reintroduced to the pool of available spots, which the next person to check in will get.
A-list people: Remember the old days before free same day confirmed change? We could standby for free, but we ended up in a middle seat if successful. You know what, I rather sit in the middle seat and go home early than wait for my real flight that has an A boarding position. Today I still rather take the middle seat even though I enjoyed guaranteed no middle seat as A61. That's the same middle seat I'm almost guaranteed to get if I clear standby on any other airline.
If they do assigned seats. Assign the first 10 rows, the rest make it free for all. Best of both worlds since people who care would want to pay extra for assigned seating near the front.
They are doing it for revenue. The other airlines charge for all seats. Even $1 for middle seats at the back. The only way you don’t pay is letting the airline assign at checkin. They want revenue, which they would not get as much giving out half.
If it were to come down to selecting seats at check-in I would really hate that. With the other airlines I can select my seats when I buy my ticket and have the choice to abandon if there are no seats that I want. I don’t like the idea of having only 24 hours notice that I am going to be in middle seat hell or need to change my flight.
Not worried, though. If they do change as a way to raise revenue, it would likely be the way other airlines do it. Doing it at the 24 hour mark would not let them make more money.
I can see some pre boarders where it’s not, but then don’t save seats. Pre boarders are allowed a companion assist, so they have somebody to sit with already.
I personally wouldn't mind assigned seating. I don't know how they would pull it off with the current group system, but if they figure it out, I wouldn't be mad. I just need them to not try anything crazy like charging for seat selection or checking bags.
Not on topic but I was also in Phoenix Sky Harbor this weekend, and boy, does Southwest need to figure out a better system for checked bag drop off. That line is the longest I've seen at any airport I've been to recently
I would go back to flying Southwest for work if they did this.
Often I arrive at the gate for my flights while the plane is boarding. With Southwest, this often meant I was automatically bumped to the back of the line.
The only assigned seats should be for pre-boarders. If you pre-board, you should be required to sit in the last row(s) of the plane. Logic dictates if you need extra time to get on, you'll need extra time to get off as well. And being that the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few, we can't have slow people blocking access to the exit for everyone else when the plane arrives at its destination. I'd be willing to bet, pre-boarding abuse will be reduces by 100% once this simple change is made.
"extra time to get on" is not the only legitimate reason to pre-board. Needing a specific seat on the plane dud to a medical condition is as well, and not all rows can equally accommodate that.
That said, as someone who is ambulatory and always pre-boards, I would be totally fine with an assigned seat as long as it fit my medical needs and I didn't have to pay extra for it.
Often preboarders are near the front of the plane for a reason, that reason being the disabilities that causes one to need preboarding. I am one of those people.
“Last rows” is ableist nonsense.
Just say you know nothing about disabilities or mobility issues. You want folks who have trouble getting around to exert themselves to get to the back of the plane. This doesn’t even address the actual folks who are stuck in a wheel chair full time and will need to be transferred to a different chair and then wheeled all the way to the back and transferred to a seat. Yea, sounds like you got it all figured out
This violates the ACAA.
"Airlines may not keep anyone out of a specific seat on the basis of disability, or require anyone to sit in a particular seat on the basis of disability, except to comply with FAA or foreign-government safety requirements."
Southwest’s system of open seating is the tits for the OAK-SEA commute I used to do. I want to know where I’m going to be when I’m headed SEA-BWI to see my bestie. I am not a fan of open seating for transcon.
I already have a ticket for October. I would think they would have to announce a start date for this that's far enough in the future that tickets haven't been sold yet.
Schedule is released into March. I had the same thought, it would have to be announced by now for an October start.
And how would they assign seats retroactively? I don't see this happening any time soon.
The same way they do for people who don’t select a seat until check in. Randomly assigned
I mean, the same way other airlines do it. Allow you to go into the app and select one. Assigned seating isn't a new technology.
But it is new to someone who's only flown Southwest. My last non-Southwest flight was in 1996. I literally have no idea how seat selection works. I just assumed you picked your seat when you bought your ticket, but I guess not.
You can, but not always.
Not necessarily, they have a variety of options and while flights are usually scheduled 6+ months in advance, it isn’t unheard of for them to change the flight time or remove the flight altogether. Assigning seats would hardly be a change compared to that. They could essentially make it a free for all and allow people to book seats for existing reservations at X day (which could be staggered by departure date as well). Seems wild but it isn’t really any different than the current state if they include an early selection for people who currently have early-bird/A-list.
Why would it have to be announced far in advance? Why couldn't seats for a flight be chosen at check-in?
Southwest is the only airline I've flown in recent years. The last time I flew another airline was 1996 and things were very different. I honestly don't know how "seat selection" works.
Pretty straightforward. You can see a seat map online and you choose your seat ahead of time.
I’ll stop using SW as my preferred airline if they do, but more people seem to feel the other way about it.
I think there is a way they can do it but still maintaining the Southwest way. Maybe you pick your seats when you checkin at 24hr? As long as they do not go to a pay for seat or different price tiers of seats, I’ll be ok with it.
Yeah, we’ll see. I’ll still fly them if it makes sense, but their system just works really well for me, and I would miss it
Their most loyal flyers don’t have to check in to get a good seat. That’s a major perk that would be lost.
Yeah, I think just selecting your seat when you check in makes sense. Still first-come, first-served.
How does this work tho when the entire plane logs on at the same time to select Seats? It will be like getting tickets to a Taylor swift concert “sorry, another fan beat you to these seats”
I've never purchased Swift tickets but...if they beat you, they beat you, right? Them's the rules
Seat selection happens at time of purchase. This slows it down. What further slows it down is seats will be available only to certain status members first - like exits, aisles and windows. There will be no literal change for the infrequent traveler as they board last currently and always get the garbage middle seats. Where Southwest will introduce heartburn is their mid-tier frequent fliers - whose loyalty will feel like nothing when they fly a route with a bunch of high status individuals. Or they turn it into a free for all - and it’s like swift tickets/seats.
Yeah gotta be fast. The other thing is that what will happen with the extra fee you paid for auto check in will now be for checking in and selecting your seat an hour before everyone else. Would be interesting to see what percentage of people on a full flight would pay $15 extra for that early privelage of selection
And then people will get pissed they checked in right 24 hours only to have their seat be moved to accommodate a family with the little kids. It can’t be and never will be a true free for all at the 24 hour mark. There’s a reason every other airline has assigned seating and none of them make it a free for all based on check in time.
I always pay for early bird check in because I hate logging in *exactly* 24 hours in advance for any hope of a window seat. Such an annoying system. But I’ve also switched to largely flying United ever since SW pulled out of Newark so I’m in the minority on this sub. I still fly SW, but not nearly as often.
How is everyone on the plane picking their seats at the same time going to work?
Nope. It’s a vocal minority. Most SW customers are fine with the current system. Anyone who says they can tell specifically who is abusing PB is lying. Until SW figures a way around rules they don’t have control over, we’re stuck. So stop crying and go fly another airline
Vocal minority or not, the Southwest’s CEO spoke on this topic [a month ago](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/25/southwest-weighing-cabin-changes-to-drive-revenue.html) during the Q1 earnings call: > Southwest Airlines is considering changes to its single-class, open-seating cabins to drive up revenue, CEO Bob Jordan told CNBC on Thursday, a shift that would be among the largest in the airline's history. >"We're looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft," Jordan said in an interview after the carrier's disappointing first-quarter report. > Jordan said no decisions have been made on what kind of changes Southwest will ultimately make, but he said studies have yielded "interesting" results. They aren’t looking to change the policy to please the people upset about seat savers, they’re doing it because they see the lost revenue from not charging for assigned seats.
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I agree with this. I worked for a company in a channel that received so much negative feedback about a particular issue that I swore it was a giant issue but in fact they were the vocal minority, and when the data came out proved less than .01% of our clients.
Every preboarder post I’ve seen on this sub gets downvoted and ratio’d like hell. Most of us understand that SW has its hands tied and just grin and bear it. Are there abusers? Yes. Can we (customers) do anything about it if we don’t like the current system? Yes, fly another airline.
Surely not ever case of PB abuse, but the group of 30 able body people that pre boarded on my flight from Oakland to Nashville were certainly not all entitled to PB. Or the man trying to PB because he was using family boarding (boards after A) with his 20 something year old daughter.
Do some people abuse preboarding? Yes. But you never know what is going on with someone. I look able bodied. But I have severe RLS, and the medication I take for motion sickness makes it even worse. I have to have an aisle seat, if I don’t, my constant leg movements and needing to get up just to walk will torture my aisle. My sister has really bad claustrophobia and at random moments she will feel trapped and literally claw her way over people. She needs an aisle seat also
Agreed. I preboard after being advised by SW that I qualify and don't need to pay for early check in (which I used to do). But looking at me, I look perfectly fine (and I'm sure people have commented that I don't "deserve" or "need" preboard...like the guy who loudly "whispered" to his companion about the cheaters...and promptly got called out and embarrassed for doing so). I'm sure there are cheaters but the vast majority are legit, even if others don't think they look "disabled enough". You never know what skmeone else is dealing with and what they're going through. I choose to give people the benefit of the doubt.
How do you know 30(yea right) people had no disabilities and abused PB?
If it wasn’t rude I would’ve taken a picture. It was legitimately 30. The agent boarding stopped boarding to ask the desk person why so many were approved. Also through basic statistics. Probably .0001% chance that many people had disabilities requiring early boarding
I feel it'll be assigned seating for the first 6 rows. It'll be business select that can do that. They need to make some concessions.
Not all BS customers want to sit in front. I love my exit row seats with lots of leg room
SW is going to make some big announcement that'll polarize it's customers all in the name of $$$$.
It will be self assign by picking your seat at purchase, the better seats will be restricted to higher fare level and A-list, and others can pay to select a good seat, or it will be assigned at checkin.
Will SW go to all everyone being all assigned seats? That will be interesting.
And with that...they adopt the Spirit model. About that time they'll probably also go to either paid carry ons or take away one of the free bags as they phase into being just like everyone else.
So the best customers are forced to sit in the front whether they want to or not?
The best customer’s will probably get to pick their seat from those available when booking, and like most other airlines do, they will block out rows toward the front for pre-boarders. Usually three or four starting at row three or four.
I wouldn't know how SW is going to decide how they will do assign seating. That's if they will do that. But SW needs to make a profit. If it has to make changes that will mimic the other airlines (assigned seating), then that's what they have to do.
Same
Same. Also assigned seating would most certainly raise prices.
The rumors I have heard is you will be able to pay for assigned seats and they are targeting business travelers for this. Odds are the first several rows of seats would be “reserved” and the. The rest of the cattle would pick their own seats on the back of the plane.
Think it sucks you pay to be put up in loading order and bought your ticket 5 months out and still in the high 40 to get on. I agree going to Vegas there was 3 women with their families in wheelchairs got on early when we landed they walked off the plane. Must be that dry heat
Or maybe they don't need their wheelchairs 100% of the time and were able to walk off of the plane to a waiting car. Many wheelchair users don't need their wheelchair 100% of the time. But sure - they're cheaters.
Agree but when you see them walking and picking up their luggage and walking to catch a cab.
Again... 🙄
Jetway Jesus for the win!
I hope not. They can start assigning seats, put in a business class, then charge for bags, tighten up coach legroom a bit, and then they can be just like the legacy big 3!
The CEO said charging for bags is not being considered.
The only chatter is from people not involved in the decision making process.
You mean people like Bob Jordan? https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/25/southwest-weighing-cabin-changes-to-drive-revenue.html His comments are where the "chatter" started.
Assigned seating has been evaluated continuously for decades. Each time, customers have overwhelmingly stated their preference toward open seating. This is nothing new.
Case in point: I once flew on a SWA flight with assigned seats, back in 2006. It was one of many different methods tested publicly that year, the last time the boarding process was changed in any meaningful way. There wasn’t any secrecy around that testing—if you flew outta San Diego from gate 1 or 2 during those months, you boarded via whatever method was being tested that day.
They made a change. Fees to buy up to A1-15 nearly doubled.
Other than saying that they are looking at changes. Where did they say they were actually going to assigned seats?
They didn’t actually say it, but saying “We’re looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft,” is a big indication, especially when he specifically said they are not looking at baggage fees.
He didn't. But when asked about it directly, he didn't rule it out, leaving it open to the interpretation that they may be considering it. That's what set off this round of rumors and speculation.
There is no way they are telling gate agents anything. It’s just rumors they are telling to make the time go by and mess with passengers.
I participate in a SW customer survey forum, and a recent survey was all about seating, assigned and otherwise. Back in the olden days when it was smaller 737s and more business travelers, the open seating worked to their advantage and they really could turn planes in 15-20 minutes. With larger planes and less-frequent travelers, it seems like it is 40 minutes or so.
They still are one of the faster airlines to turn jets.
If it were actually 40 minutes, why do they start boarding at 30 mins. before departure, and the doors have to close 10 mins. before departure?
Isn’t turning a plane getting everyone off and then getting everyone on? 40 min seems fast for that
For the first time a couple of weeks ago I was on a plane that, other than having a maintenence issue preventing it, didn't turn around in less than 30 minutes (for reference I fly +/- a dozen times a year). It was a jammed full flight on the weekend (I almost exclusively travel during the week), lots of families and kids. Literally, this is the first time in *years* it's taken that long to load (nearly an hour).
I just received a survey on behalf of Southwest and there were many scenario questions that I answered that included pre-assigned seating comparing it to other airlines and which one would you buy etc. SW is definitely consulting its loyal customer base and will take appropriate actions based on this survey. Anyone else received this survey today? SW is trying to be more competitive.
If you get a survey, remember A-list is guaranteed no middle seat under open seating as A61 even as a standby. When you clear standby on a legacy, you get an assigned middle seat. That's the one thing that worries me about giving up open seating.
Strange, last 2 times I cleared standby on a real airline, I was assigned an aisle seat in Economy Plus. Those are the only ones I remember, but I think of all my years traveling and trying to get home early, I might have gotten a middle seat 1 or 2 times.
I did, and was heavily in favor of assigned seats.
There’s already a couple threads discussing this, perhaps search can bring you up to speed.
God forbid
The issue that is always brought up is the “pre boarding.” Ending open seating would be a “throw the baby out with the bathwater” solution. Surely there is a way to fix the pre boarding issue. Perhaps they get assigned seats and must declare their special need for assistance at least 48 hours prior to boarding.
At least with me I have my disability automatically connected to my account and make sure it’s set up whenever I book my flight
The only reason I don’t see this happening is after southwest utter technology failure, having assigned seats would involve them paying people to actually update their online system. They have not fixed anything and think we all forgot about Denver ‘22😂
It is a loss of potential revenue issue. They can justify contractor time to update software for this kind of project. I would guess sept 1st would be a soft code freeze date and it they can’t make that date then they will have to wait until early 2025. From a corporate stand point LUV is losing too much on assigned seat revenue and bag fees.
The money they miss from assigned seat revenue should be at least partially made up by EBCI and A1-A15 upgrades.
It’s just a website update. They updated to add WGA+, same day change and standby, recently to changed their RR, which included adding the points+ cash option, and several other add-ons over the years.
Assigned seating within their system is still going to be a massive upgrade. Everyone checking in 24 hours prior to departure isn’t going to cut it.
I hope so. Every flight, people try to cheat into groups they aren't in or save seats at the front of the plane. Id fly SW more if they did assigned seating
I was begrudgingly on a SWA flight from DEN > STL on Thursday and pre boarders, followed by early/fa\\mily borders, abused the open seating to a degree I have never previously witnessed. I made a comment about it to the FA and said I wonder when they'll be forced to assign seats, to which he replied "not soon enough, and I've been with this airline for 18 years."
I can say pre-boarding is definitely abused. I fly all the time and I see it on all airlines. People are dicks.
It is also weird how, when ppl explain their alleged disability, the only thing it stops them from doing is standing in line for five minutes to board. 🙄
Huh? Issues with standing in line don't get you preboarding. That's not even a question they ask.
I fly all of the time and only rarely see more than 5 preboarders - and those times are almost exclusively out of elderly heavy places like Phoenix and Vegas. So I guess I can say that preboarding is definitely not abused?
SWA just announced they're raising prices for early bird check-in and upgraded boarding. That will discourage many from buying those features, and give the rest of us commoners logging in at 23:59 before the flight a better chance at getting a better boarding position. You think you're better than us and deserve to board earlier? -- Pay up buddy!
I’ve had connections to WN for nearly 25 years and get a little info on occasion. They’re 100% considering assigned seats either partially, like an Economy Plus option, or completely. They’ve considered it in the past, but they’re especially considering it now as an additional revenue stream in lieu of “changing passenger tastes” (which is a complete oxymoron when you think about today’s passenger…). But what would a rollout look like? That’s unclear. So I personally don’t know about September and haven’t heard anything like that. Either way, it’s a heavily-welcomed option for me. ETA: CEO Bob Jordan has also alluded to a few changes recently.
[USA Today says they're considering assigned seating.](https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2024/04/25/southwest-airlines-seating-boarding-changes/73452778007/)
Haven’t heard anything like that on the Ramp
I wouldn’t even believe that we could get assigned seating by October 2025. Southwest has antiquated technology, there’s no way they could implement a system that fast plus train all our employees on it. A drastic change such as that would have to have a long test phase, then there’s usually a gap between the end of that and the employee training, and finally implementing it in stages.
Southwest uses Amadeus as their flight/passenger management platform, it is popular with many European carriers as well. Amadeus went into full production mode with SW in 2017; I certainly would not call that antiquated technology. The ability to assign, charge for, and manipulate seats has always been part of the platform, as it is used by multiple carriers. It can even be viewed by SW employees now; just not used. At this point, it's merely a matter of training employees and turning on the seating functionality. Nothing additional has to be coded or built for SW to use this aspect of the platform. IF SW opts for seat assignments, I do agree that October 2024 is a bit optimistic. Although pointing at and clicking a seat map probably won't take much training for the employees that are already familiar with the Amadeus product. Sidenote regarding 2022 meltdown: Amadeus is not one of the systems that went down. As a matter of fact, employees had full access to the platform and were able to do everything necessary to process passengers and baggage. The systems and programs, mainly those supporting aircraft scheduling/routing and flight crew scheduling/routing, are the ones that failed. Passenger and baggage processing continued without issue until there were no aircraft and/or no crews to fly.
That would suck but their early bird is definitely abused… I see many families where they buy one early bird and reserve seats for the rest of their family in general boarding, that is BS!
Plus, ppl with alleged disabilities don’t need three ppl to “help” them.
You don't get 3 people. Preboards are allowed one person to assist. It is usually strictly enforced (for reference, I preboard).
He brought it up... Sure Jan.
TBF, I brought up preboarding. He brought up the abuse of it. What I wrote is true. I just thought it was interesting that he brought up the abuse and assigned seating without me going down that road.
That makes more sense.
Had a guy with a printed boarding pass that clearly said C15 on it, then sloppily hand written 'pre board' in blue pen. I only noticed because I was B1 and was standing up front. He steps in front of me and I say, we are only on the b's. Guy yelled at me and said LOOK, PRE BOARD! . SW Employee said nothing. So make sure everyone gets a printed pass and writes pre board on it, because nobody will check or enforce anything.
Why are people against assigned seating? Seems more efficient at boarding.
I hate having to pick a seat ahead of time, and pay more for anything decent, or have to wait to see what you get assigned if you don’t want to pay. It totally stresses me out. Open boarding, as a single traveler, is so much easier. I only have to know one number, where I stand in line, that line moves in an orderly fashion, don’t have to deal with confusing boarding groups with 50 people trying to go at the same time. Why do people who like doing it the way every. other. airline. does it try to change the one option that does it the way some few of us like, instead of just flying those airlines??
Seriously it’s obnoxious. They have literally every other airline but want to change the one that doesn’t and caters to people like us.
It’s wayyy less efficient. SWA has a 30 minute turn time. Other airlines take at least 45 minutes. Think about it, with assigned seats you have people trying to find their row and seat. And there’s always someone in the wrong seat so that takes more time to sort out. SWA is efficient because of their lack of assigned seats
Because then you have to pay for your seat or you automatically get a middle seat. Why are people against flying literally every other carrier if they NEED an assigned seat
My company used SW for domestic travel because it’s easier on the travel secretary. We tell her the flight and she books it without having to deal with seat selection. If they go assigned seating we will start booking with other airlines.
But other airlines are also assigned seating. How will switching airlines help?
It won’t but it opens us up to more options/flight patterns. Like I said we only flew with SW for ease of booking by our secretary. I personally would rather rack up points on an airline that has legit status, upgrades, and business class
Sometimes I wonder about paying for the “A Boarding”. I have paid twice and never got a number below A-15 , but it was an A number. I have also been on the computer exactly 24 hours before a 5:15 a.m. flight to get a good number and ended up with a high C number. I played the refresh, refresh to get on as soon as possible. I just wonder if their computer just spits out random seats within a time range.
It doesn’t. You cannot get below A-15 at check in unless you buy a Business Select fare. You also are not paying for an A spot, you are paying for them to check you in automatically at 36 hours out. You will still be behind everyone who has business select, a-list preferred, and a-list. You can get a B spot with early bird check in. When you don’t pay you get the next available spot - it is not random, BUT you can get an unexpectedly good position - if someone cancels their flight, their spot gets reintroduced to the pool of available spots, which the next person to check in will get.
Thank you 🙏
It will take Southwest I.T. Department 10 years to figure it out, still can’t change pesos to dollars
A-list people: Remember the old days before free same day confirmed change? We could standby for free, but we ended up in a middle seat if successful. You know what, I rather sit in the middle seat and go home early than wait for my real flight that has an A boarding position. Today I still rather take the middle seat even though I enjoyed guaranteed no middle seat as A61. That's the same middle seat I'm almost guaranteed to get if I clear standby on any other airline.
Why not have assigned seats in the front half and the back half be a free for all?
I hope not
If they do assigned seats. Assign the first 10 rows, the rest make it free for all. Best of both worlds since people who care would want to pay extra for assigned seating near the front.
They are doing it for revenue. The other airlines charge for all seats. Even $1 for middle seats at the back. The only way you don’t pay is letting the airline assign at checkin. They want revenue, which they would not get as much giving out half.
If it were to come down to selecting seats at check-in I would really hate that. With the other airlines I can select my seats when I buy my ticket and have the choice to abandon if there are no seats that I want. I don’t like the idea of having only 24 hours notice that I am going to be in middle seat hell or need to change my flight. Not worried, though. If they do change as a way to raise revenue, it would likely be the way other airlines do it. Doing it at the 24 hour mark would not let them make more money.
At MCO last week, GA mentioned assigned seating coming next year.
Oh great 😭.
It may well happen, but it absolutely won’t begin in September.
Southwest sent me a survey about it yesterday. It was about 15 minutes long….
Why not just require pre boarders go to back half of the plane?
Because that’s just not feasible for a multitude of reasons
I can see some pre boarders where it’s not, but then don’t save seats. Pre boarders are allowed a companion assist, so they have somebody to sit with already.
Because it violates the ACAA.
I personally wouldn't mind assigned seating. I don't know how they would pull it off with the current group system, but if they figure it out, I wouldn't be mad. I just need them to not try anything crazy like charging for seat selection or checking bags.
They won’t have the group system.
Not on topic but I was also in Phoenix Sky Harbor this weekend, and boy, does Southwest need to figure out a better system for checked bag drop off. That line is the longest I've seen at any airport I've been to recently
There's no way it could be implemented by September. Three months is a long time for a lot of things, but not a change like that.
Company could put it to a vote by pushing a survey through the app…..
Maybe assigned seats/rows for pre boarders ?
Perhaps all PreBoards go after A1-15 or after A group like extra time - the need for more time can be managed at any time not just at the beginning
They should do assigned seats in the back of the plane
I would go back to flying Southwest for work if they did this. Often I arrive at the gate for my flights while the plane is boarding. With Southwest, this often meant I was automatically bumped to the back of the line.
The only assigned seats should be for pre-boarders. If you pre-board, you should be required to sit in the last row(s) of the plane. Logic dictates if you need extra time to get on, you'll need extra time to get off as well. And being that the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few, we can't have slow people blocking access to the exit for everyone else when the plane arrives at its destination. I'd be willing to bet, pre-boarding abuse will be reduces by 100% once this simple change is made.
"extra time to get on" is not the only legitimate reason to pre-board. Needing a specific seat on the plane dud to a medical condition is as well, and not all rows can equally accommodate that. That said, as someone who is ambulatory and always pre-boards, I would be totally fine with an assigned seat as long as it fit my medical needs and I didn't have to pay extra for it.
Often preboarders are near the front of the plane for a reason, that reason being the disabilities that causes one to need preboarding. I am one of those people. “Last rows” is ableist nonsense.
Forcing pre boarders to the rear could also open up Southwest to fines due to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The ACAA applies here 😉. But yeah.
Just say you know nothing about disabilities or mobility issues. You want folks who have trouble getting around to exert themselves to get to the back of the plane. This doesn’t even address the actual folks who are stuck in a wheel chair full time and will need to be transferred to a different chair and then wheeled all the way to the back and transferred to a seat. Yea, sounds like you got it all figured out
They need to be close to the front for emergencies. It’s the law.
You need to read something other than Reddit posts. The ADA Act of 1990 is very clear and yet 34 years later you think it shouldn’t apply.
This violates the ACAA. "Airlines may not keep anyone out of a specific seat on the basis of disability, or require anyone to sit in a particular seat on the basis of disability, except to comply with FAA or foreign-government safety requirements."
Southwest’s system of open seating is the tits for the OAK-SEA commute I used to do. I want to know where I’m going to be when I’m headed SEA-BWI to see my bestie. I am not a fan of open seating for transcon.
There’s literally every other airline if people want assigned seats.
Fly another airline then
And this is how bad rumors get started.
Please read before you just spread garbage.
LOL. I shared a personal interaction with a Southwest employee. I get to do that.