Southwest Airlines ushers in big changes

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Southwest Airlines ushers in big changes

It’s the end of an era at Southwest Airlines.

After more than

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, the airline is getting rid of its open seating policy.

In a

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Thursday, the Dallas-based airline acknowledged “preferences have evolved with more customers taking longer flights where a seat assignment is preferred.” The airline hopes moving to assigned seats and revamping its boarding process will broaden Southwest’s appeal to both new and existing customers, four out of five who prefer assigned seats, according to the airline, which did not give an exact date for the switch. More details are expected in late September.

Assigned seating is just one is one several major operational changes in store. Southwest also plans to introduce premium seating options on all flights and introduce red-eye flights.

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A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 parked at the gate.

“While specific cabin layout details are still in design, Southwest expects roughly one-third of seats across the fleet to offer extended legroom, in line with that offered by industry peers on narrowbody aircraft,” the airline said.

Southwest already unveiled a

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earlier this year and is in the middle of upgrading its fleet with changes announced in 2022, including

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.

Booking for the airline’s new red-eye flights opened Thursday. The first overnight flights will land next Valentine’s Day, in five initial nonstop markets:

Las Vegas to Baltimore

Las Vegas to Orlando

Los Angeles to Baltimore

Los Angeles to Nashville

Phoenix to Baltimore

The airline plans to eventually roll out red-eye flights to other markets and offer 24-hour operational capabilities.

The sweeping changes aim to add value for both customers and investors.

“Our goal is to restore industry-leading margins and historical levels of shareholder returns through our comprehensive plan to deliver transformational commercial initiatives, improved operational efficiency, and capital allocation discipline,” Southwest’s President, CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors Bob Jordan said in a separate press release, announcing

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. Operating revenues were up 4.5% year-over-year and hit an all-time quarterly high of $7.4 billion.

The airline’s earnings have been under pressure in recent quarters, partly because of delays in plane deliveries from Boeing, which have impacted revenue and worsened cost pressures. Southwest is also facing pricing pressure as industry-wide overcapacity has dampened domestic airfares.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:

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