Gary...
As a very frequent flyer of Southwest for many years and a business consultant I look at this issue from both a customer's and Business person's perspective. There's no question that the current open seating policy is at times a 'drag'. Overall, to me, it's always been simply a policy that I've become accustomed to and even embrace. I've studied the Southwest corporate history extensively and understand the reasons behind open seating and have experienced the efficiency countless times and I see it as one vital element of the success of Southwest Airlines. All business people I know that frequently fly on Southwest has made the process part of their travel own efficiencies and check-in online 24 hours in advance and remain diligent in getting to the airport as early as possible to get as good of a position possible in "line".
I notice a distinct difference with assigned seating (even with myself) in a certain complacency where my own personal efficiency slips to some degree and am not as prudent in getting to the gate as I know that seat I have (good or bad) is the seat I have and it will be there, "Whenever I get there". The open seating process doesn't allow room for complacency. There's a certain aire of urgency to do whatever is necessary to stay out of that center seat. If you haven't already studied this psychological aspect, do so, you'll find it to b part of the overall equation.
As for procedure, stand outside the bubble and look back in. Southwest has reinvented air travel. Some say for the worse, some say for the better. The way I see it, there are markets out there that are leaning hard for reserved seating but just as all the loyalists will adapt to reserved seating, those that are "leaning hard" for reserved seating will adapt to open seating, they always have as it's part of the "Process" that is Southwest Airlines. I think if market share ever suffers, it won't suffer for long.
In Business school, you'll remember they taught us, "You can't really reinvent the wheel". How many carriers have come and gone trying to "reinvent" the success of Southwest? A lot. Each time they add frills and gadgets that detract from the basic business principal and each time they fail. Jetblue is coming the closest and again, they're learning the hard way in this current market.
People LUV Southwest because of the culture, the convenience, efficiency and winning spirit of the product. Some of this product was accidently invented at a time there was no other choice, but it produced a winning gem that has become the envy of every Corporation in America and a favorite for customers. The "Southwest Effect" is the result of all this hard work and ongoing diligence in a difficult marketplace with razor-sharp margin between red and black ink. Open seating has always been an integral part of this process and I know I would be terribly afraid that this change could turn out to be the "first domino" to hell. Remember the "wheel' analogy.
However, as I mentioned before, I will adjust to whatever decision is made and remain a Southwest Customer, I just think it's a risky undertaking to change the most successful business model in airline history, even just a little.
Respectfully,
Frank Niprikas
Atlanta, GA
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