Is Southwest Doing Away With Its ‘Pick-your-seat’ Method?

Southwest’s famous boarding process may be up in the air.

On Thursday, after reporting a net loss of $231 million, the Dallas-based airline announced a variety of changes, including the potential for new seating assignments and confirmed the closure of operations at several airports. 

“We’re looking at new initiatives, the way we seat and the way we board our aircraft,” Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said in an interview with CNBC on Thursday, when asked about the potential for a business class or new seat assignment procedures, adding that the company is “studying our seating, and our cabin.”

Southwest currently boards with an open-seating policy, where passengers choose any available seat when they board the aircraft, versus having a reserved advanced seat assignment. 

“Additionally, we are evaluating options to enhance our Customer Experience as we study product preferences and expectations, including onboard seating and our cabin,” Jordan also said in a Southwest earnings release. 

Southwest’s boarding policy has become a hot topic in the travel community, with some online content creators posting humorous takes on the process.

In addition to the potential seating changes, Southwest confirmed that several routes would be canceled in the coming weeks due to economic and mechanical headwinds. 

The airline will be cancelling flights to and from several airports including Bellingham International Airport near Seattle and Vancouver, Cozumel International Airport in Mexico, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, and Syracuse Hancock International Airport. The airline will also be cutting back flights at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport, according to the earnings release.

The changes won’t occur until August 4.

For travelers looking ahead to plan future vacations, the airline has added a new route to Nashville from Cincinnati, that begins on June 4. Southwest also recently began rolling out the deals for loyalty points. Members of the airlines’ Rapid Rewards program can earn a 50 percent bonus on points purchased through May 15.