Southwest Airlines Is Shifting To Assigned Seats: What To Know

Some major changes are coming to Southwest Airlines. According to the airline, they are shifting to assigned seats for the first time in their history. This change will allow the carrier to charge a premium for some of the seats on planes. They will also start offering overnight “red eye” flights for the first time.

If you’re curious about what a red-eye flight is, it’s a flight that departs at night and arrives at its destination the following morning, usually after 9 p.m. and before 5 a.m.

Some travelers have previously expressed the need for assigned seats for multiple reasons. One person shared on social media that “Abuse of pre-boarding taking up all the front rows, the rampant seat saving, it would be a dream to have reserved seating.”

Another person mentioned how they like the open seating option. “I like open seating because to some extent I can control who I sit near. Crying kids, squirmy kids, smelly adults, etc. Yes, sometimes I forget to check-in at 24-hours and get a middle seat, but oh well.”

Several people are hoping that these changes won’t affect their current bag policy. Southwest currently allows each customer two free checked bags. “Golf bags and skis count toward your free checked bag if they are within the weight limit,” which is up to 50 pounds each, according to their baggage policy.

The company said the No. 1 reason the unhappy passengers cite is open seating. This change will also help the company charge some passengers more for their tickets.

“The research is clear and indicates that 80% of Southwest customers, and 86% of potential customers, prefer an assigned seat,” said the airline in a statement. “By moving to an assigned seating model, Southwest expects to broaden its appeal and attract more flying from its current and future customers.”

As far as when the changes go into effect, Southwest didn’t give details about when they will happen. But they said it would be discussed further in September.

CNN reported that Southwest has been facing competition from the three other major carriers, American, United, and Delta, which get much of their revenue from charging more for premium seating. The outlet also mentioned that the airline faces growing rivalries on the other end of the spectrum with ultra-low-cost carriers, such as Spirit and Frontier. They offer bargain-priced seats for which customers have to pay extra for just about anything including carry-on bags.