Bob Jordan travel tips

Southwest Airlines will start assigning seats to passengers, ending its longstanding policy of allowing passengers to pick their seats once they have boarded, the airline said on Thursday.

Whether it’s something you “luv” or hate, the absence of assigned seats on Southwest Airlines has become a decades-long fixture. However, the more than 50-year-old legacy of open seating for the Dallas-based carrier will soon end.

Southwest Airlines is ditching open seating, one of the hallmarks of its brand over the last half-century. Southwest is moving forward with plans to add assigned seating, the airline announced Thursday. It's also planning to add extra-legroom seats to its cabin for the first time.

Southwest reported a major decline in its profits for the second quarter as it announced that it will roll out premium seating in a bid to boost its declining revenues. 

Southwest Airlines announced a radical shake-up of its decades-old business model on Thursday. The low-cost carrier is transforming its boarding policy and adding premium seating in an effort to stay relevant to changing consumer preferences.

During United’s second-quarter earnings call on Thursday, chief commercial officer Andrew Nocella declared that low-margin rivals have “largely run their course.” 

Southwest Airlines announced Monday it is adding longtime airline executive and IndiGo co-founder Rakesh Gangwal to its board of directors. 

Making money in the airline industry has never been easy.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, June 27, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. 

Activist investor Elliott Investment Management slammed Southwest on its weaker second-quarter financial outlook on Wednesday. 

Southwest Airlines has cut its revenue guidance for the current quarter. On Wednesday morning, the low-cost carrier said it now expects operating revenue per available seat mile (RASM) to be down 4% to 4.5% for the quarter. Its prior guidance forecast a drop of 1.5% to 3.5%.

American Airlines is pausing pilot hiring as it reevaluates its growth plans for the year. The carrier said it would temporarily pause new pilot hiring in September, October and November. 

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, June 13, 2024. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said he doesn’t plan to resign following activist fund Elliott Investment Management’s calls for a major leadership change at the airline, according to a report from Reuters. 

The writing was on the wall, but now it's official: Southwest Airlines is making more adjustments to its network, with an emphasis on Atlanta.

Southwest Airlines is doubling down on its strategy after Elliott Investment Management, an activist fund, took a $2 billion stake in the company. 

Elliott Investment Management, an activist fund, has built a nearly $2 billion stake in Southwest Airlines, The Wall Street Journal reported — citing sources. 

We are excited to announce that our latest Skift Aviation Forum, the leading aviation conference, will once again be held in Dallas, Texas, on November 12. The event will return to the historic Statler Hotel in downtown Dallas, where the 2022 edition was held, hosted by DFW International Airport and American Airlines.

Southwest Airlines has increased the cost of its early check-in and upgraded boarding services, making it a bit pricier for travelers to guarantee the seat they want.

Big news from Southwest Airlines this week as the airline changed a long-standing policy and allowed its fares to be listed on a third-party website for the first time. Travelers will now be able to find Southwest flight pricing and details on Google Flights, a move the carrier calls a “pilot partnership.”

Searching for Southwest flights just got easier.