'If it ain't broke, don't fix it': Major airline under fire for changing long-standing policy
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A US airline has implemented a major change to how passengers board, after being trendsetters in the field.
Southwest Airlines has scrapped its 'open-seating system' that has been in place for over 50 years.
Before the change, passengers weren't assigned seats on their boarding pass, but instead could sit wherever they wanted in the cabin.
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Southwest is changing its seating rules. Getty
Starting from this week, Southwest passengers will have assigned seats, and will also be given the option to pay more for priority seating near the front or with extra legroom.
The airline says the decision comes after it realised the majority of passengers want to know their seats before boarding, rather than trying to scramble for their preferred spot on the plane.
"I know there are going to be customers who say, 'I want to stay with open seating.' It's a minority," Southwest CEO Robert Jordan told CNBC.
And just as predicted, the complaints have racked up on social media.
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Seats will now be assignerd. Getty
"I used to fly Southwest but not anymore. If I am going to be charged premium price I will fly a premium airline," one commenter wrote on Facebook.
"Isn't there a saying that goes, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it?' Darn," another commented.
"I loved Southwest for their unique way of doing things. Now they all suck," a Southwest frequent flier wrote in a Reddit thread.
Under the old system, check-in for every flight opened 24 hours before take-off. Passengers were assigned to either A, B, or C boarding groups based on how quick they were to check in - those in group A could choose their favourite seats while slowpokes in group C were left to pick over the remaining seats after everyone else boarded.
This has been the standard on every Southwest plane since the airline first took to the skies in 1971. The idea was to speed up boarding, and limit the time that planes spent idling on the tarmac.
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Southwest has been criticised for the changes. CNN
The new system involves boarding passes that will show seat assignments and boarding groups.
Southwest says the boarding groups are based on seat location, fare class, loyalty tier status and the airline's credit card rewards benefits.
Passengers can pay more to be in early boarding groups, but will still have an assigned seat. Those with basic fares will likely be placed in groups 6-8.
Another change has come into effect this week for customers who need extra room on Southwest flights. Plus-sized travellers who do not fit within a single seat's armrests will be required to purchase an additional seat in advance.
Customers who need more room must book two seats. Getty
Up until now, Southwest had a "Customer of Size" mandate, where plus-sized passengers could pre-purchase an additional refundable seat, which they could then get their money back for.
The new rule states that the second seat is only refundable if the flight is not fully booked and if both of the passenger's tickets are booked in the same fare class.
Critics quickly called out the change when it was first announced
"I think it's going to make the flying experience worse for everybody," previously declared Jason Vaughn, an Orlando travel agent who shares travel tips for plus-size tourists on his website Fat Tested Travel.
The airline also made waves last year when it scrapped its long-standing 'bags fly free' policy.
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