Southwest Airlines Will End Its Longstanding Open-Seating Policy

I've flown and loved Southwest Airlines since 1992 — yes, that long. Even as other travelers raved about their favorite airlines where frequent flyer programs could unlock lie-flat seats and fancy upgrades, I favored Southwest. I might have even been the only TPG staffer who ranked Southwest first on their airline preference list when I started in 2019.

Southwest Airlines just announced a monumental shift in its passenger experience. The Dallas-based carrier said on July 25 that it plans to soon introduce seat assignments, as well as premium extra-legroom areas on board its fleet of narrow-body aircraft.

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.

It’s been whispered about for months, but now it’s official. After more than 50 years, Southwest Airlines is doing away with one of its signature policies — open seating. 

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.

The sweltering summer heat has caused an unexpected problem for flight attendants: exploding soda cans.

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

Premium demand is surging, and Alaska Airlines is betting that travelers will want to splurge for premium seats for the long haul.

As devastating as the COVID-19 pandemic was, it also served to highlight a critically important reality: The tourism industry needs to do far more to protect the planet.And so too do travelers.During the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, there was a great deal of industry buzz about changes that travel brands and destinations were implementing to step up efforts to protect the planet.Some of those changes came to pass, some were greenwashing. And the abuzz surrounding the dire to be more considerate of the planet, biodiversity and fragile ecosystems has largely faded.Meanwhile, overtourism has once again become rampant and locals in communities impacted by the crushing weight of hordes of tourists are actively protesting.Amid this backdrop, Copenhagen has announced a refreshingly innovative new plan to reward visitors for engaging in environmentally-friendly activities.The new program has been dubbed CopenPay, according to a press release issued by Wonderful Copenhagen, the Danish capital’s tourism organization.

Love great food, fantastic adventures, and even better company? Then it's time to get excited becauseFood & Wine, Southern Living, and Travel + Leisure have announced who's coming to the highly anticipated Food & Wine Classic in Charleston, presented by Explore Charleston.