On a flight described as only a quarter full, a Southwest Airlines passenger discovered that seat assignments told a very different story once onboard.
Reddit user Keepitrespectable vented their frustration over how a Southwest flight was organized amid the new assigned seating policy.
The air traveler arrived early checked a bag and learned they had been assigned seat 17D, which initially seemed like a positive outcome. At the gate signage and announcements indicated the flight was only about 25 percent full with roughly 30 passengers onboard.
Despite the large number of empty seats, gate agents told passengers they were required to remain in their assigned seats even on the lightly loaded flight.
Seating Mystery
Once onboard, the original poster (OP) discovered the seating had not been spread out. No one occupied the exit rows and only one person sat in the first row.
Several passengers were scattered near the front, but about half were packed into three or four rows just behind the exit rows.
Flight attendants apparently apologized and said any movement would require captain approval. While there was no formal announcement, a few passengers were quietly allowed to move back one row to reduce crowding.
Tablets used by crew members showed which seats were designated to be occupied.
The OP questioned whether the layout was driven by weight and balance fuel planning or discomfort aimed at non-upgrade passengers, but overall described the situation as, “illogical.”
‘Growing pains’
Some pundits responding on Reddit interpreted the seating arrangement as a deliberate move to push customers toward paid upgrades.
“I’m going to choose, ‘maximizing discomfort for those who won’t pay up.’ This ain’t the old Southwest,” a critic lamented.
A contributor offered a technical explanation focused on aircraft safety requirements.
“The aircraft is divided into five weight zones and they’ve made it clear multiple times that pax can only be reseated within the weight zone they were originally seated in,” the contributor elaborated.
“That being said, I wish the system did a better job spreading out pax, but yes seats are assigned based on weight and balance and because of that our hands are tied silly as it may be.”
Meanwhile, a fellow commentator described the rollout as unfinished: “Feels like growing pains of a new system with a poor initial implementation. Hopefully the system will improve over time.”
A Rocky Transition Away From Open Seating
The Reddit discussion mirrors wider reactions to Southwest’s move toward assigned seating.
Newsweek covered how some other Southwest passengers have criticized the airline’s new policy of assigned seating, which brought the carrier in line with competitors like Delta and United.
“I think this is where they lose me as a customer,” TikTok user leslieapproved declared, who documented her experience flying Southwest under the new policy, Newsweek reported.
Newsweek also covered a Southwest passenger who said the new assigned seating policy made the overhead bin situation chaotic.
“It is not a fast process,” the passenger complained, calling the change a step back from the simplicity Southwest was known for.
“Not a fan.”
Newsweek has reached out to Keepitrespectable for comment via Reddit, as well as Southwest Airlines for comment via email. We could not verify the details of the case.
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.
Read the full article here
