Quantcast

Southwest Airlines announces new premium seating and redeye flight options

Qantas launches mammoth Asia flight sale including Bali and Japan
New Update from Air Canada, WestJet, American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue Airways, and Sunwing: Airline Capacity Between Canada and US Slashed as Bookings Plummet Seventy Per Cent
Delta Cuts Two Domestic Routes
United Airlines Technicians Reject ‘Dead on Arrival’ Contract Proposal, Teamsters Say
The State of the Asia Pacific Airline Industry
Spirit Airlines to add Detroit nonstop flight out of Bradley International Airport
Major airline to launch new direct flights from Scotland to North America
Ryanair launches new ‘prime’ membership which saves passengers more than £400 a year
Judge Orders Boeing to Trial on 737 MAX Case
Qantas’ free international Wi-Fi to switch on from next week
The real reason Southwest is charging for bags now
Air France-KLM in ongoing talks with Air Europa on potential stake, CEO says
Frontier Savagely Shades Southwest After They Eliminated Longstanding Free Bag Policy, Sparking Backlash
Frontier Wants You to 'Divorce Your Old Airline' After Southwest Changes
Delta named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies for sustainability initiatives
Passengers escape fiery American Airlines jet in Denver
Delta, American Dive On Slashed Outlooks; But Two Airlines Rally
Competitors are circling Southwest after the airline announced it's going to start charging for checked bags
Exclusive: Dominican Low-Cost Carrier Arajet Wants to Disrupt NYC Market
Boeing deliveries rise 63% in February from a year earlier
Transportation Secretary Duffy Lays Out 10 Ways the FAA Is Working to Upgrade Air Traffic Control and Make Flying Safer
EasyJet pilot Paul Elsworth suspended after flying too close to mountain
Delta Air Lines bets on ‘blended-wing’ flight to reduce emissions
Europe's airlines pivot to bite size M&A deals to limit cost, regulatory burden
Dave Emerson named new CEO of Virgin Australia, replacing Jayne Hrdlicka
Ryanair DELAYS controversial new boarding pass rule to avoid summer chaos
FAA Orders Inspection, Replacement of 737NG Engine Parts
Spirit Adds New Airport, Three Routes
Delta crash passengers should take the $30,000 payment, their lawyers say. Here’s why.
Budget airline launches new cheap flights to one of the UK’s top winter sun destinations
Southwest Airlines announces new premium seating and redeye flight options
Research
Webp txr36ytg6uuvd13i8xrjnuempd4m
Gary Leff Chief Financial Officer | View from the Wing

Southwest Airlines held its second-quarter earnings call today amidst significant revenue challenges and a campaign by an activist investor to change the current management and shift the airline's business model to resemble that of American Airlines, Delta, and United.

Before Elliott Capital’s near-$2 billion investment, Southwest had already been discussing changes to offer more premium products. The airline has been unable to capitalize on trends towards premium offerings and long-haul international flights due to misalignment between their product and route network with customer demands.

Southwest is expected to introduce extra legroom seats at the front of the cabin, referred to as Love Cabin. These seats would be assigned, potentially offering blocked middle seats for sale similar to Frontier Airlines' model. Additionally, Southwest plans to increase fleet utilization by offering redeye flights for the first time. New union contracts now allow for redeye operations without requiring nightly system resets.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Details on a potential basic economy product replacing the cheapest Wanna Get Away fare are yet to be disclosed. This new fare class may include last boarding priority, limited seat choice, change restrictions, a small personal item allowance, and one free checked bag.

Southwest has quietly added its first redeye flights into the system. Discovered routes include:

- Las Vegas – Baltimore

- Las Vegas – Orlando

- Phoenix – Baltimore

- Los Angeles – Baltimore

- Los Angeles – Nashville

Hawaii redeye flights are also anticipated since current connections often require overnight stops without redeyes.

Extra legroom seats are expected soon, with four rows at the front of cabins plus exit row seats available only for pre-assigned passengers. Reconfiguration could begin as early as September, aiming for February 1, 2025, for selling these assigned seats. This move partially abandons Southwest's open seating policy and restricts preboarding passengers from sitting in the first four rows.

There are also rumors that Southwest will eliminate seat saving practices where passengers reserve multiple seats for others with lower boarding orders using personal items like bags of donuts.

A passenger was seen saving an entire row of plane seats behind her with donut bags.

byu/Hog_Fan inmildlyinfuriating

If Southwest further monetizes its boarding process, allowing one member of a large party in basic economy to reserve seats would contradict this strategy.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

United Airlines has announced the issuance of travel waivers for passengers whose flights were affected by closures at London Heathrow Airport.

Apr 2, 2025

ITA Airways announced that flight AZ806 managed to land safely after a brief hold due to nearby missile activity.

Apr 2, 2025

EVA Air has announced the reinstatement of its Premium Economy Class on the Seattle route, with three weekly flights scheduled from March 8 through July 27.

Apr 2, 2025

Emirates Airlines has announced the launch of a new door-to-door delivery service called 'Very Important Parcels' (VIPs), promising the same level of care as provided to its passengers.

Apr 2, 2025

Cargolux has announced the transportation of two lions, Tsar and Jamil, from captivity in Ukraine to a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa.

Apr 2, 2025

Hainan Airlines announced that its Beijing–Oslo flight HU769 landed successfully in Norway.

Apr 2, 2025