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Power

Terry9
Explorer C

I'm a SW regular, but I flew American yesterday.  Would have preferred Southwest, but AA had the direct flights to Phoenix (are you listening, SW?).  

 

Why am I mentioning this at all?  Because the AA 737 we were on was so nice!  They had tablets built into each seatback, with real movies and TV options.  I watched the Dr. Strange movie, and my daughter watched 3 Disney features. 

 

Below the tablet is a headphone jack and a USB port.  Lower down is a little charging station with USB and an AC socket -- one for each passenger!  Say goodbye to running out of battery on a long trip.  This was sensational.  You can get on the plane with an empty phone and empty laptop battery and you'll be fully charged when you land.

 

By the way, this is coach class.

 

I hope SW has these kinds of amenities in the pipeline; in this electronic age, you've got to do a bit better than supplying a charging station at the gate.  SW was innovative with that, back in the day, but now it's time to step it up!

28 REPLIES 28

Re: Power

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Southwest's "bring your own device" entertainment system, with free live TV, is actually pretty robust. (When it's working.) 😉

 

Power outlets would be very welcome, and often requested by customers. But it's very unlikely Southwest will add them anytime soon, if ever.

 

They just retrofitted their fleet with new seats ("Evolve") and they weren't added at that time, which would have been the time to do it. They spent millions doing it, with the end result being the addition of 6 seats per plane (and reduced legoom). This is an indication of the priorities in place.

 

New planes (Max) aren't being ordered with in-seat power as part of the even newer "Heart" seat configuration.

 

Ultimately, the most important reason is that adding power would increase the weight of the plane, which would reduce profits. And these days, at Southwest, innovation only comes when it postively affects the bottom line.

Re: Power

Gumball
Explorer C

Can somebody in the know explain just HOW much weight adding power outlets only to SW fleet of 737's would really add??

 Were not talking about rear back entertainment screens with their large boxes every few aisles stuffed under the seats. 

 JUST power outlets. JUST 2 4 per row..between every other seat. 

How much weight???

 

Gumball


@chgoflyer wrote:

Southwest's "bring your own device" entertainment system, with free live TV, is actually pretty robust. (When it's working.) 😉

 

Power outlets would be very welcome, and often requested by customers. But it's very unlikely Southwest will add them anytime soon, if ever.

 

They just retrofitted their fleet with new seats ("Evolve") and they weren't added at that time, which would have been the time to do it. They spent millions doing it, with the end result being the addition of 6 seats per plane (and reduced legoom). This is an indication of the priorities in place.

 

New planes (Max) aren't being ordered with in-seat power as part of the even newer "Heart" seat configuration.

 

Ultimately, the most important reason is that adding power would increase the weight of the plane, which would reduce profits. And these days, at Southwest, innovation only comes when it postively affects the bottom line.


 

Re: Power

LindseyD
Retired Community Manager

Hi @Terry9,

 

Of course we're listening! Thanks for posting in the Southwest Community!

 

We're proud to offer a selection of free live TV channels and select on-demand TV episodes from popular series. We also have a selection of movies that are available for $5 each. 

 

While we don't have plans to provide outlets or charging stations onboard at this time, I do have an interim option for you that will help solve the problem! Send me a private message with your Rapid Rewards number and mailing address, and keep an eye out for a package from Southwest Airlines! 

 

Re: Power

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Backup portable power packs are handy to have, but they also have to be charged, and are yet another item for a passenger to lug around. 😉

Re: Power

Terry9
Explorer C

I agree, and I got an Anker battery from Amazon for $30 that is amazing; it has two USB ports (can charge two devices at once) and holds its charge for days.  It's great when you're on the move and no time to plug in an adapter.  I took it on a two week tour of Israel recently and it kept my phone fully charged all day while taking tons of pics and videos.

Re: Power

Ashishma
Explorer C

Hi Lindsey,

 

i travel very frequently and having power on the plane really helps. I am unable to use the onboard entertainment as it drains my battery on long flights and in some cases use all of it. 

 

Do you foresee any support on that front from SW.

 

Thanks

Re: Power

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

The answer up above was "no plans for onboard power" so I think you will be limited to either bringing a portable battery that supports your equipment, or bring a tablet that you can use for entertainment and save the computer.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Power

sds7952
Explorer C

You said to send you a private message with rapid rewards 

I will be awaiting a package in the mail to assist me with keeping my phone charged.

 

Re: Power

LindseyD
Retired Community Manager

Hi @sds7952,

 

I've edited your post because it was public and it contained your personal identifying information. My request for mailing info was for the original poster.