As with all the other major airlines, Southwest Airlines said on Thursday that it will be doing away with its open-boarding policy, which it has employed for almost 50 years, and allocating passengers to seats instead. The airline claimed that in addition to conducting testing and customer surveys, it has been researching seating solutions. Southwest found that, in the modern traveler’s world, most people want to know where they are sitting even before they get to the airport. To load passengers quickly and reduce the amount of time that workers and aircraft sit idle on the ground without earning revenue, Southwest developed a unique boarding procedure. It made the airline run more smoothly and even managed to fit a couple of additional flights into the daily itinerary.
It was one of the reasons Southwest, out of all the American airlines, was consistently profitable up to the coronavirus outbreak. This is how it operates: Customers of Southwest Airlines check in precisely 24 hours before departure to guarantee their seats in boarding lines, as opposed to being given a seat when they purchase a ticket. The first thirty passengers to check in were assigned to the coveted “A” boarding group, which ensured them a window or aisle seat. Dawdlers ended up in either “B,” which was still fine, or “C,” which frequently meant a center seat.

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Elliott Investment Management is putting pressure on Southwest to modify its seating rules. The airline, according to the hedge fund, performs worse financially than its competitors and hasn’t kept up with modern times. It seeks to remove Chairman Gary Kelly and CEO Robert Jordan. All of the big airlines’ stock prices fell ahead of Thursday’s opening bell. American Airlines Group Inc. dropped 7% and Southwest Airlines Co. lost 6%. United, JetBlue, and Delta all declined by more than 1%. Customers’ reactions to the news on Thursday seemed to be divided.
Tawan Bosley stated, “They ought to have done this a long time ago.” “I can check in comfortably and know I have a seat.” While many supporters of Southwest Airlines are cheering the announcement, others are not. “My friend may be summoned ahead of me and be able to reserve my seat. Thus, I prefer first come, first served,” stated Esi Quartey. “I’m also not thrilled about it. It’s among the distinctive features of Southwest, according to Kaycie Wilson. Southwest released a statement saying, “It is evident from the research that 86% of potential customers and 80% of current customers prefer assigned seating. Open seats are offered when a customer decides to switch from Southwest to a competitor.

It contributed to the fact that, up until the coronavirus pandemic, only Southwest Airlines in the United States was consistently profitable

To guarantee their place in boarding lines, Southwest clients check in precisely 24 hours before departure, as opposed to being given a seat when they purchase a ticket. The first thirty passengers to check in were assigned to the coveted “A” boarding group, which ensured them a window or aisle seat. Dawdlers ended up in either “B,” which was still fine, or “C,” which frequently meant a center seat. Over time, the system became less democratic as Southwest began to allow customers to pay more to secure a position close to the front of the queue. Still, a lot of Southwest aficionados adore open seating. The airline anticipates adapting.
“I anticipate that some patrons will express a desire to continue having open seating. Although it’s a small percentage, we saw the same issue when we moved from plastic boarding permits, Southwest CEO Robert Jordan said to CNBC. When we removed the peanuts from the cabin, we experienced the same effect. I have faith that we can win them over. According to polls conducted by the airline, 86% of “potential” consumers and 80% of its current customers desire allocated seats. According to Jordan, passengers’ main justification for selecting an alternative airline over Southwest was open seating. Along with changing the seating arrangement, Southwest also intends to provide redeye flights for the first time and sell premium seats with greater legroom, following the lead of other major American airlines in this regard.