No more seat scramble at Southwest Airlines

After nearly 60 years of its unique and popular open-seating policy, Southwest Airlines flew its last flight with unassigned seats Monday night.

- By CAROLINE PETROW-COHEN

THE AIRLINE is now offering four new fare bundles that include tiered perks such as priority boarding.

(KIIICHIRO SATO Associated Press)

Customers on flights going forward will choose where they sit and whether they want to pay more for a preferred location or extra legroom. The change represents a significant shift for Southwest’s brand, which has been known as a no-frills, easygoing option compared to competing airlines.

While many loyal customers lament the loss of open seating, Southwest has been under pressure from investors to boost profitability. Last year, the airline also stopped offering free checked bags and began charging $35 for one bag and $80 for two.