Changes to Open Seating

[Chemist867]

Hello,

I've been using Southwest Airlines for my domestic flying needs for a long time. Your top management states that people have complained about Open Seating, so you've decided to switch to reserved seating and reserved premium seating. Congratulations, but you will soon be like all other airlines: horrible. 

I'm a large person, and my primary reason for flying with Southwest is that all the seats are the same, I fit in all of them, and they are all the same price. 

I will miss flying with Southwest Airlines. Goodbye, and good luck.

Regards,

Chemist867

[Scotch]

I fly a lot on Southwest. Value, quick boarding, and the ability to get a decent seat without the hassle of pre-selection and paying the extra fees; all of which will be eliminated this the stupid move. I know most travelers who are not too lazy to check-in ahead time prefer the open boarding.

Southwest will no longer be my favorite airline. It will be just one of the others and will have to compete on that basis. There going to be no advantages. This change is not to my benefit or the benefit of the vast majority of the formerly loyal southwest flyers. They are listening only those whose opinion enables the management to extract more money, not from the consumers at large.

[Scott52]

Of course 80% of the none loyal, none frequent flyers want assigned sets.  As an A-Plus preferred rapid reward member, beginning able to board first and pick my own set and who I might want to set next to was the only perk to being an A-Plus loyal frequent member with SWA.  SWA has just destroyed their frequent flyer program for the people that are loyal to SWA and probably generate a good portion of their revenue.  I wouldn't even look at other airlines when booking my flights, but that will all change now.

[WardCleaver]

Has Bob Jordan and other executives at SWA paused to consider if Herb Kelleher and Colleen Barrett would approve of this change? Has this change in policy been thoroughly discussed over a bottle of Wild Turkey and a pack of cigarettes at a local bar in Dallas?  That's would Herb would do. 

[328880661]

Open seating is one of the four definite benefits for flying Southwest Airlines. I would HATE and I mean HATE to see Southwest go through with this idea of eliminating open seating. I am a handicapped person and need to sit in one of the bulkhead seats and I’m afraid if I have to pick my seat then I am going to lose that ability to board early and secure the seat that I need. I would ask Southwest Airlines to reconsider and stay unique in the marketplace and continue with open seating. 

[dm354t]

This is a sobering thought that Bob Jordan and whomever else is in charge of such a significant policy change would put such weight on the complaints of the occasional SW customer instead of keeping their loyal customers satisfied.  Though I'm no longer an A-lister, I still only fly SW domestically for so many reasons - unless they don't have my destination available (alaska).  What's next - baggage fees?

And I second your comment about seat size.  My ex-spouse is a person of some size and fit reasonably comfortably in the seats. 

[floridaguy]

The current mis-management of Southwest is about to change.