Southwest Airlines Abandons Decades-Old Open Seating Policy As Part of Sweeping Changes

Southwest Airlines plans to drop the open-boarding system it has used for more than 50 years. (Credit: AFP)

Southwest Airlines unveiled major changes to its operations, including the discontinuation of its open seating policy, which has been in place for more than 50 years. The move comes as the airline faces mounting investor pressure to improve financial performance and bolster its share price.

One of the most notable changes is the end of open seating, a practice Southwest has maintained since its inception in the 1970s under founder Herb Kelleher.