Southwest Airlines Is Taking Itself a Little Too Seriously

"Customers on Southwest report that if they're in a middle seat and the window next to them is empty, they're scolded not to move into it. They can't leave that middle seat empty between the passenger in the window and aisle. You must take your originally assigned seats. They've even been told they couldn't use an empty seat next to them for their lap infant."

"Most airlines are willing to exercise some flexibility when a flight isn't full - provided you ask, do it before takeoff and don't move cabins or effectively upgrade yourself. Delta Air Lines, for example, addresses this directly: If you'd like to move to an unoccupied seat within your ticketed cabin/seat product during the flight, please ask a flight attendant."

Southwest Airlines ended its 54-year open-seating policy last month, disappointing loyal customers who valued the competitive check-in experience. However, the airline has implemented assigned seating more strictly than competitors. On a flight with only 26 passengers, six people were assigned to the same row with explicit announcements forbidding seat changes. Passengers report being scolded for moving from middle seats to adjacent empty window seats, even when traveling with lap infants. Unlike Delta and other airlines that permit discretionary seat changes within cabins on non-full flights, Southwest maintains rigid enforcement of original seat assignments, leaving minimal room for flexibility or passenger accommodation.

Read at InsideHook