The end of an era: Why I'm sad about Southwest Airlines saying farewell to open seating

26.07.2024 - 19:55 / thepointsguy.com

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.

A main reason I was sometimes a dissenting voice defending my beloved airline: the carrier's quirky open-seating policy.

Related: Southwest Airlines will end open seating: What you need to know

In truth, it was sometimes hard to explain why Southwest was my airline of choice compared to the three U.S. legacy carriers that offer perks like assigned and premium seating.

Related: AA, Delta, United and Southwest: TPG frequent flyers duke it out over who's best

But, like many die-hard Southwest enthusiasts, I was a big fan of open seating.

Having Southwest A-List status for the past 10 years allowed me to get automatic early boarding. This meant I was pretty much guaranteed my preferred aisle seat in the first five rows of the aircraft, assuming I was at the gate to board on time. Even when I had to change flights and lost my preferred boarding advantage, I knew I could probably still get my favored aisle seat because my status allowed me to hop on my flight right after the A group boarded.

Related: How to snag the best seats on Southwest Airlines

As a professed Southwest Airlines superfan, I woke up this morning to texts, direct messages and callouts on social media asking me how I felt about this major change.

My first thought was sadness. Open seating is a part of Southwest's culture and more laid-back approach to air travel. Many have long derided the airline for its "cattle call" lineup boarding process. However, I thought it made for a unique experience that had some real advantages over the more common assigned seat approach other U.S. airlines use (where very few seats on the aircraft are actually available for assignment without paying extra fees).

But, while I may have been sad, the announcement wasn't a big surprise.

In the past year, there were hints about the airline's eventual move to assigned seating. Having activist investor Elliott Investment Management take a $1.9 billion stake in Southwest didn't help the status quo; this was in part because that group accused Southwest's management team of failing to evolve and having poor execution and leadership. The carrier has likely struggled to capture some lucrative business travelers who are turned off by its open-seating concept. Additionally, open seating is at odds with picking up additional revenue from travelers who are willing to pay extra to lock in the best seats.

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