Southwest Airlines has ended its more than 50-year tradition of open seating and transitioned to an assigned seat and premium seating system. With the change taking effect today, the airline stated that it aims to offer passengers more choice and comfort.
Under the new system, passengers will now board the aircraft with pre-assigned seats. In addition, “Extra Legroom” and “Preferred” seating options—offering more legroom and advantages during boarding and deplaning—have been introduced. This move is especially aimed at travelers seeking greater comfort and time savings.
The boarding process has also been updated. With a new group-based boarding system, the airline aims to make the boarding experience more organized and faster. Southwest Airlines plans to increase operational efficiency and better meet customer expectations with these changes.
