For the primary time because it was based greater than half a century in the past, Southwest Airways will assign seats — a shift that may enable the low-fare, no-frills firm to satisfy evolving buyer preferences and cost extra money for premium seats.
The Dallas-based airline can even begin to supply in a single day, red-eye flights, beginning on Valentine’s Day 2025, in 5 markets together with Los Angeles, Baltimore and Nashville.
Southwest has lengthy touted its mannequin of open seating because the “final expression of its founding ethos: to make air journey reasonably priced and accessible for everybody.”
“You possibly can sit anyplace you need — similar to at church,” flight attendants informed passengers.
However Southwest mentioned it had listened to prospects who sought extra choices, usually needing extra comfy, premium seats after they took longer flights.
When prospects determined to modify to a competitor from Southwest, the airline mentioned, their No. 1 grievance was dissatisfaction with open seating.
“The analysis is obvious and signifies that 80% of Southwest prospects, and 86% of potential prospects, desire an assigned seat,” the airline mentioned in an announcement. “By shifting to an assigned seating mannequin, Southwest expects to broaden its attraction and entice extra flying from its present and future prospects.”
The change can even enable the corporate to earn more money by charging passengers the next price for tickets in premium seats. Southwest mentioned it was engaged on an up to date cabin design, with roughly one-third of seats providing prolonged legroom.
“Though our distinctive open seating mannequin has been part of Southwest Airways since our inception, our considerate and in depth analysis makes it clear that is the appropriate alternative — on the proper time — for our Clients, our Folks, and our Shareholders,” Bob Jordan, Southwest’s president, chief govt and vice chairman of the board, mentioned in an announcement.
Southwest didn’t state when the seat adjustments will go into impact.
The finances firm, lengthy one of many nation’s most worthwhile airways, has struggled financially in recent times. On Thursday, it reported its revenue within the second quarter of 2024 dropped greater than 46% from a 12 months earlier to $367 million.
“Our second quarter efficiency was impacted by each exterior and inside components and fell in need of what we consider we’re able to delivering,” Jordan mentioned.
“We’re taking pressing and deliberate steps to mitigate near-term income challenges and implement longer-term transformational initiatives which might be designed to drive significant high and bottom-line development.”
