Southwest Airlines to start aircraft cabin retrofits with new seating options

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Southwest Airlines to start aircraft cabin retrofits with new seating options

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Landon Nitschke Southwest Airlines Senior Vice President of Technical Operations | Official Website

By Sky Industry News

Apr 13, 2025

Southwest Airlines is set to commence the retrofit of its Boeing 737 cabins starting May 1, 2025. The project is aimed at more than 800 aircraft in the fleet, with a target completion date by the end of the year. The airline plans to retrofit up to ten aircraft per night across various locations, according to Southwest Airlines Senior Vice President of Technical Operations Landon Nitschke.

The retrofit program is a part of the airline's new strategy, offering passengers more options, such as extra-legroom seats and assigned seating. The refreshed aircraft are expected to begin service as early as next month. However, seat assignment bookings will only be available later in the year, with operations to begin in the following year.

Nitschke stated, “We have to touch a little more than 800 aircraft between May 1 and Dec. 31 so that the company is ready to go with the extended legroom product.” This development follows a delay, as the airline awaited certification which was projected for the second quarter. The operations will occur across several of the airline's bases, including cities like Dallas and Houston.

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In addition to the cabin retrofits, Southwest is opening a new line maintenance hangar in May at the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The hangar will have the capacity for three Boeing 737s and apron space for up to eight aircraft. Nitschke remarked on the facility, saying, “Baltimore is less about scheduled C checks or scheduled overnight maintenance and more about a line maintenance hangar or a hangar for aircraft to remain overnight just to get them out of the weather."

Southwest Airlines anticipates having its first retrofitted aircraft ready by May 8 and plans to introduce assigned seating by the third quarter, with inaugural flights set for the first quarter of 2026. Under the new model, one-third of the airline's seats will feature extra legroom. The seats, supplied by RECARO, will offer up to five extra inches, while the rest of the seating remains unchanged.

Southwest, known for its open seating model for over five decades, is shifting its approach due to changing traveler preferences. CEO Bob Jordan commented, “Moving to assigned seating and offering premium legroom options will be a transformational change that cuts across almost all aspects of the company."

The company states the changes are in response to 80% of current customers and 86% of potential customers preferring assigned seating over the open seating model. The fleet consists of 814 aircraft, including a mix of B737-700s, B737-800s, and B737 MAX 8s, with substantial future orders for the latter two models.