Southwest Airlines plans to start assigning seats, breaking with a 50-year tradition

[TBoneTX 45,259]

Big, BIG, BIG mistake -- and infuriating!

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Southwest Airlines plans to start assigning seats, breaking with a 50-year tradition

 

Southwest Airlines said Thursday that it plans to drop the open-boarding system it has used for more than 50 years and will start assigning passengers to seats, just like all the other big airlines.  [...]

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/southwest-breaks-50-tradition-plans-103853024.html

Edited July 25 by TBoneTX

[TBoneTX 45,259]

Agree.

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Editorial:  Southwest Airlines becomes like every other airline

 

[...] Back in the day, we were big fans of Herb Kelleher's Southwest way: low fares, plastic boarding cards, faster loading and connections, rapid treks out to the runway, avoidance of the O'Hare traffic.  All you had to do was get to the airport and check in first, and you could get access to the best seats, however much you had paid.  Alas, those egalitarian days are over.  You can no longer barter your time for privilege.  Now it all goes to those who generate the highest revenue.  [...]

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/editorial-southwest-airlines-becomes-every-100000310.html

[Crazy Cat 41,811]

I stopped flying with SW because when I was running late from a business meeting, I ALWAYS ended up finding only a middle seat between a couple of over-sized passengers when I boarded. I would have welcomed the opportunity to select a seat beforehand. 

[TBoneTX 45,259]

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

middle seat between a couple of over-sized passengers

Their Max 8 jets are for the super-skinny -- the designers increased the overhead-bin space and forgot about the passengers.

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

opportunity to select a seat beforehand

If I wanted to fly one of those other airlines, I'd do so.  Now, nothing will distinguish SW from the others except for the 2 free checked bags -- which will eventually go away, too, I predict.