Open Seating Gone? Southwest Airlines CEO: Cabin Changes Under Consideration

(CTN News) – In an effort to drive up revenue, Southwest Airlines is considering changes to its single-class, open-seating cabins, Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan told CNBC on Thursday, which would be among the biggest changes ever made by the airline in its history.

In response to the carrier’s disappointing first-quarter report, Jordan said the company was considering a number of new initiatives, including changing the way passengers board and sit on board the aircraft.

All Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 jets have a single economy class cabin and no seating assignments.

However, Southwest Airlines does offer early boarding for a fee if customers want to be able to select their preferred seats at the gate. For years, the airline has been working to keep its product simple and user-friendly, as well as aiming to keep its own costs and complexity to a minimum as much as possible.

It has been a good year for Delta and United in terms of revenue growth in premium seating, such as business class, and a good year for upselling.

Southwest Airlines has been asked repeatedly if premium seating is available or if there is an additional fee. There is no charge for the first two bags checked on the airline.

It is common for U.S. airlines to charge travelers for selecting seats in advance, even for seats without extra legroom. U.S. airlines Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Spirit and United generated $4.2 billion in ancillary revenue from their domestic networks in 2022, according to industry expert Jay Sorensen.

Southwest Airlines has not yet decided what changes it will make, but Jordan said studies have offered “interesting” results.

Over time, customer preferences change, Jordan explained.

Southwest’s chief commercial officer, Ryan Green, answered a question about the possibility of a separated cabin during its earnings call: “We’re a bit far away from that.”

Due to the fact that Southwest Airlines does not charge for checked bags, Green said the carrier is not considering charging for checked bags.

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