Southwest Airlines Evaluating Boarding and Seat Changes to Boost Revenue

Southwest Airlines is contemplating alterations in its boarding procedures and seating arrangements as it searches for additional sources of revenue, the airline revealed this week. No decisions will be made until September at the earliest, causing much speculation about whether Southwest might abandon practices such as passengers choosing their own seats after embarkation has begun. The company currently lacks first-class cabins and designated seating; instead, boarding is organized in accordance with factors that include both when people check in and how much they are willing to pay for priority access. Those who can afford the higher fee join Group A before B travelers follow them onboard. Finally, those unfortunate enough to be part of Group C usually end up sitting in middle seats towards the back of the plane due to overcrowding. Customers were able to secure their preferred seating by checking-in online exactly 24 hours prior to departure at no additional cost for many years; however, Southwest began charging a $15 fee (known as EarlyBird) in 2009 that allows passengers from either A or B boarding groups extra access during embarkation. During their most recent financial results briefing last week, CEO Robert Jordan revealed the company is examining customer preferences to determine whether any changes would be profitable and not slow down flights; however, he did not mention anything regarding Southwest’s free baggage policy that allows flyers two checked bags at no extra cost per ticket. Other airlines begin charging passengers for checking their luggage after purchasing seats from them beginning at $30 per item.