Southwest Airlines has finished cabin modifications across its Boeing 737‑700 fleet, removing one row of seats from each aircraft ahead of the Jan. 27 launch of assigned seating and a paid extra‑legroom product. The work prepares the carrier to implement seat assignments and new ancillary options.
Discovered |
Briefing
Southwest completed cabin modifications to its 737‑700 fleet, removing one row from each aircraft ahead of the Jan. 27 rollout of assigned seating and a paid extra‑legroom product, a direct change to seat counts and seat‑mix on a core part of its single‑aisle fleet.
The move is part of a broader business‑model overhaul that includes seat assignments and checked‑bag fees and follows investor and management shifts at the carrier [source:986408ab-fb51-4b62-82df-f9ee92b5f186] [source:56e251cf-1de0-43d4-8b61-67097ad062ce].
This follows parallel industry experiments with both densification and premium economy products — from WestJet's aborted high‑density plan to Qantas' roll‑out of an 'Economy Plus' extra‑legroom product — highlighting competitive product differentiation trends among single‑aisle operators [source:420ba109-4040-4efb-957b-761f1e150508] [source:d3e2d37c-a9f5-4fbc-975a-e54bb24daac3].
Reported By
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(ES) Southwest’s historic shift in how it flies • airgways.com
(DE) Southwest Airlines ends era of open seating • aviation.direct
Southwest introduces assigned seating and new boarding process • boardingarea.com
Southwest Adopts Assigned Seating, Overhauls Boarding Process • atxjetsetter.com
(DE) Southwest Airlines ends open-seating policy • aerotelegraph.com
Southwest Airlines Begins Assigned Seating Today With Eight Boarding Groups • thebulkheadseat.com
Southwest launches assigned seats, revamped boarding process • The Points Guy
Southwest Ends 50+ Years of Open Seating, Moves to Assigned Seats • Wall Street Journal
Southwest's New Boarding Process, Assigned Seats Start Jan. 27 • upgradedpoints.com
What travelers can expect as Southwest Airlines introduces assigned seats • Associated Press
Southwest Ends Decades-Long Open-Seating Policy, Introduces Assigned Seating • news.ssbcrack.com
Southwest Airlines is ending its open seating policy • The Independent
Southwest Airlines to Implement Assigned Seating Starting Jan. 27 • Paddle Your Own Kanoo
FlightGlobal
• Howard Hardee