Southwest Airlines Plans More Changes as New Boarding System Still Draws Complaints

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The airline says it’s refining its new boarding system after passengers reported issues with overhead bin space, family seating, and boarding flow.

Southwest Airlines’ new boarding system, introduced in January, has faced criticism from passengers almost from the start. Complaints have ranged from crowded overhead bins to families being seated apart. Now the airline says more changes are coming as it works to refine the process.

Early Problems With The New Boarding System

Passengers quickly reported several issues after the system launched.

Overhead bin bottlenecks

One of the biggest problems involved carry-on storage.

Passengers seated toward the back of the plane were placing bags in overhead bins near the front. That meant travelers sitting in those front rows sometimes had no space left for their carry-ons.

In some cases, passengers had to move further back in the cabin to find an open bin, then walk against the flow of boarding passengers to return to their seats.

The same issue often happened again during deplaning, when passengers had to go back several rows to retrieve their bags.

Children separated from parents

Another issue involved families.

If passengers don’t pay for seat assignments, Southwest says it will “endeavor” to seat children next to a parent or guardian. If that’s not possible, the airline may move the family to another flight where seats are available together.

Elite flyers unhappy with bin space

Frequent flyers and passengers who paid for premium seating also complained that overhead bins above their seats were already full by the time they boarded.

Just two weeks after the system launched, Southwest said it would begin making adjustments—especially for loyalty program members.

But complaints about overhead space and family seating continued.

More Fixes Are Coming

According to the Austin American-Statesman, Southwest Executive Vice President and Chief Customer and Brand Officer Tony Roach recently outlined additional changes in a letter to customers. Said Roach:

“We’ve already made several enhancements and will continue refining the experience to reward your loyalty.”

Among the changes Southwest says are coming:

• Better-balanced boarding groups designed to improve boarding and deplaning flow

• Improvements aimed at increasing overhead bin availability near passengers’ assigned seats

• Plans to update about 70% of the airline’s fleet with new overhead bins that can hold 50% more luggage

In the meantime, Southwest is installing decals on the front overhead bins that indicate they are reserved for passengers seated in extra-legroom rows.

Those decals are expected to be installed across the fleet by the end of the month.

But The Family Seating Issue Remains

One major concern still hasn’t been fully addressed: ensuring that children are seated next to a parent or guardian.

At the moment, Southwest says it will still “endeavor” to seat families together, or place them on another flight where adjacent seats are available.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airline Family Seating Dashboard, several airlines already have policies designed to avoid this problem.

Airlines that have committed to fee-free family seating include:

• Alaska Airlines

• American Airlines

• Frontier Airlines

• Hawaiian Airlines

• JetBlue

Southwest previously had procedures intended to help keep families together, which makes the current situation surprising to some travelers.

Our Take

Southwest’s new boarding process is still evolving, and the airline appears to be making adjustments in response to passenger feedback.

Whether the changes to overhead bins and boarding groups will fully resolve the complaints remains to be seen—especially when it comes to ensuring families can sit together on the same flight.

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