Southwest Airlines said Friday it would improve how boarding groups and overhead bin space are managed on its flights as the airline continues to hear feedback from passengers about its change to assigned seating.
Tony Roach, the Dallas-based airline’s executive vice president and chief customer and brand officer, outlined the changes in an email to customers on Friday.
“As we’ve transitioned from open seating to assigned seating, the feedback we’ve received has been invaluable,” Roach said in the email.
Southwest ended the open-seating system that distinguished it from other airlines for more than a half-century in January, with the carrier changing to assigned seats.
Roach said the airline has “already made several enhancements and will continue refining the experience” for passengers. Among the changes, he said, will be better-balanced boarding groups.
“We’re refining how boarding groups are assigned to improve overhead bin availability near your seat while maintaining the fast boarding and deplaning process you expect from Southwest,” Roach said.
More overhead bin space will also be rolled out, he added.
“We’re upgrading our cabins with larger bins that hold up to 50% more bags,” the email said. “At least 70% of our fleet will have these larger bins installed by the end of this year which will improve bin space availability near your seat.”
Roach also said that Southwest would be designating bin space for its seats with extra legroom.
“Throughout the month of March, we are adding signage to the bins above our Extra Legroom seats to reserve them for Customers sitting in those rows,” Roach said.
In May 2025, Southwest also ended its decades‑old “bags fly free” policy, replacing it with baggage fees for most travelers.
Contact Amanda Meagher at ameagher@reviewjournal.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
