The great sameness continues to pervade the aviation industry as Southwest Airlines does away with one of the last things that set it apart from its competitors.
On Tuesday, Jan. 27, the carrier once known for its quirks moves from first-come, first-served seating to assigned seats – just like every other airline.
Ahead of the change, executives repeatedly said it was in response to customer preferences: travelers want the option of seats with extra legroom at a premium price and more predictable boarding when they get on their planes.
“Our customers want more choice and greater control over their travel experience,” Tony Roach, executive vice president of customer and brand at Southwest Airlines, previously said in a statement. “Assigned seating unlocks new opportunities for our customers – including the ability to select Extra Legroom seats – and removes the uncertainty of not knowing where they will sit in the cabin. This is an important step in our evolution, and we’re excited to pair these enhancements with our legendary customer service.”
But many Southwest loyalists mourned the loss of the more low-key process the airline was known for.
Even the airline itself seemed at least a little unprepared for the final change. Ahead of my own Jan. 27 Southwest Airlines flight, the check-in reminder email still suggested I upgrade to a more premium boarding group, a nod to the company’s previous seating policy.
Jan. 27 also marks the start of Southwest’s less permissive policy for plus-size passengers, which you can read more about below.
Continue monitoring for updates as we follow the airline’s first day of assigned seating.
In addition to switching to assigned seating, Southwest has made many other changes in the last year or so that brought its business model closer to that of its competitors.
Southwest was previously known for allowing every passenger two checked bags for free with every ticket, but did away with that policy in May, charging most customers $35 for each checked bag.
The airline also diversified its cabin with extra-legroom seats for a premium price, and offered preferred standard economy seats that cost more, closer to the front of the plane.
Still, the changes Southwest made haven’t all been in the direction of tighter restrictions. The airline also announced in October that Wi-Fi would be free for all Rapid Rewards members on its flights.
Tuesday also marks the start of a new era for plus-size passengers at Southwest Airlines. The carrier previously had the most flexible plus-size policy in the industry, but its new rules are more restrictive.
In a statement, the airline previously said the following three conditions must be met for plus-size passengers to be eligible for a refund:
The new policy also requires passengers who don’t fit between the armrests of a standard seat to purchase an additional seat, whereas the previous policy did not.
The old policy still encouraged plus-size travelers to purchase two seats but allowed passengers to get refunds with fewer restrictions.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.