Southwest Airlines will introduce assigned seating and extra legroom, aiming to boost revenue

From CNBC: 2024-07-25 08:28:39

Southwest Airlines will no longer offer open seating and will introduce extra legroom seats on its flights. The changes come after pressure to boost revenue. The airline will start selling flights with extra legroom next year and implement overnight flights in February. Southwest’s decision is based on research showing that passengers prefer assigned seats. CEO Bob Jordan believes this shift is necessary to meet customer needs and improve shareholder value. While Southwest will keep its two free checked bags policy, changes may come to its seating model. Southwest faces pressure to compete with other airlines that offer various upsell options. More details will be revealed at an investor day in September.



Read more at CNBC: Southwest to get rid of open seating, offer extra legroom in biggest shift in its history