Earlier this year, Southwest Airlines introduced assigned seating. It’s also made other policy changes.
The airline operated under a “first-come, first-served” philosophy for over 50 years, which officially came to an end on Jan. 27. Now, customers can pay extra to select their preferred seat, no longer racing against the clock to check in exactly 24 hours before the flight.
From the consumer side, the response has been mixed so far.
While some are in favor of Southwest Airlines’ new system due to shorter boarding times, the ability to choose extra legroom, and less tension during boarding, other passengers think it’s a major downgrade.
One such passenger is Reddit user @fraydawg2001, who, in a recent post on r/Southwest Airlines, explained why they think the new assigned seating system is a “scam.”
The Reddit user explained they recently booked a flight for their family of four, which includes a 3-year-old and a 7-year-old.
“Because Southwest now has assigned seating, their policy explicitly states that if families want to ensure they sit together, they should purchase a Choice fare,” they wrote. “We did exactly that—paying a significant premium to pick a Window/Middle/Aisle and an Aisle in the row ahead.”
For context, a Choice fare is one step above the Standard, where customers get to select a seat. Otherwise, they’ll be assigned whichever seat is open.
However, @fraydawg2001 claims, your Choice fare seat isn’t guaranteed.
“During our first leg to Denver, Southwest changed our boarding group from 4 to 5 and moved our seats without notice,” they wrote. “We didn’t find out until we tried to board the plane and were denied boarding in our original group. We were shoved into the very last row (which doesn’t recline). Even worse, they split us up into a Window/Middle on one side and a Middle/Aisle on the other.”
The user added that they paid for a premium fare to make sure the family is seated together, yet they “were treated like last-minute standby passengers.”
After the flight was over, the Reddit user says they contacted Customer Support to request a refund. Their request was allegedly denied.
“Apparently, Southwest believes that if you pay for a fare that includes seat selection, you aren’t actually paying for the seat,” they concluded. “You’re paying for the opportunity to hope they don’t move you.
According to @fraydawg2001, the statement below is in part a copy of the response they received:
After reviewing your reservation, we found that while you purchased a Choice fare, a specific seat itself is not a separately purchased product. The Choice fare includes the ability to select a standard seat, but it does not guarantee a specific seat assignment. There are times when seat assignments may change due to operational needs or other factors that require us to adjust aircraft configurations or accommodate the overall boarding process. We apologize that this resulted in your family being moved from your preferred seating arrangement. Because of this, we are unable to provide a refund for seat selection, as there was no separate fee paid for a specific seat outside of the fare purchased.
Though it may seem unfair, it’s fairly common for airlines to reserve the right to make cabin or seating changes for operational or other reasons.
In its Contract of Carriage, the airline states they have the right to “make changes to group reservations to accommodate Southwest Airlines’ flight Schedule.”
Responding to customer complaints regarding the introduction of assigned seating, Southwest executive vice president and chief customer and brand officer Tony Roach told The Dallas Morning News they’re closely monitoring feedback.
“As we’ve transitioned from open seating to assigned seating, the feedback we’ve received has been invaluable. We’ve already made several enhancements and will continue refining the experience to reward your loyalty while delivering the industry’s best operational reliability and hospitality,” Roach reportedly said.
In the comments section under the post, some users shared similar stories, and others found the policy unjust.
“We paid for assigned seating for my whole family, prechecked online and got the right digital boarding passes. About an hour before the flight the boarding pass seat assigned changed, to include moving a 5-year-old child by himself in a completely different part of the airplane,” one user wrote.
“So if I order a martini at a bar I’m paying for the ‘choice’ of beverage, not the specific beverage and therefore shut up and drink this beer,” another wrote.
“There’s a reason why I flew 40 one way flights on Southwest in 2025, and zero in 2026,” a third said.
BoardingArea has reached out to Southwest Airlines via email and @fraydawg2001 via Reddit messages for comment and additional details.
