In early 2024, Southwest Airlines announced plans to refresh its cabin interiors as of 2025. The funny thing is that this announcement came before the airline decided to change everything else, from introducing extra legroom seats and assigned seating, to charging for checked bags.
Continue reading: Southwest Airlines’ New Cabins & Seats Debut On Boeing 737 MAX Fleet
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
It's nice to see an airline still install both USB-A and USB-C plugs these days!
Is it? By the time these cabins are rolled out on a widespread basis, most people won't know what the USB-A plug is for.
No IFE = no inconsiderate kettle TAP TAP TAPping the back of my head all flight. And more space in the footwells too. Cheers!
Looks somewhat 'nice' but those 'extra legroom' seats come at the cost of everyone else's legroom (they didn't extend the length of the plane!). Yeah, I'm a bit cynical about Southwest these days (and it's not just about the loss of those delicious honey-roasted peanuts!) Unfortunately, I expect Elliott (mis)Management only 'allowed' this 'investment' in new cabins, because it was likely already paid-for, or the penalty for getting out of it would have cost them more. Otherwise, such 'vultures' rarely 'spend' on actual improvements (Retain talent by paying more? No way. Add a First Class, some lounges? Yeah right!) Rather, they'll smash, grab, and exit, which harms workers and consumers, alike. It wouldn't be out of the question to see them load the company with debt, fire everyone they can, then push to pay those that remain a lot less. Reliability? Not their problem; no laws or agencies will hold them accountable. Pesky call centers? No more! Let AI be the customer service... And, dear passengers, shame on you for your loyalty; say goodbye to things that used to be 'included' (in this case, getting rid of 2 free checked bags, free seat selection, and more flexible cancellations/credits.) At the end of the day, we're Chase bank's loss-leader...a credit card company with wings!
@Ben off-topic: you may want to write a piece on the changes announced today by CX to their FF programme. A rare occasion where a FF programme actually enacts customer-friendly changes
You can still find a USB-A to USB-C charging cable that can charge most devices...
It bothers me that the wedge/stripes on those seats aren't mirrored to be symmetrical across the aisle.
you have to commend WN for executing pretty quickly on a huge number of initiatives in a pretty short period of time.
This is all undoubtedly just one step in the process of becoming like a legacy - and the big 3 - but these are solid steps.
Oversized bins with more head injury potential, pretty looking seat fabrics and carpets, cannot compensate for the three by three cattle class layout stuffed inside a Boeing Max …. No! I ain’t going in this Boeing ….
The seat pitch shown in the picture looks abominable. Obviously you can spring for 'extra legroom' seats but I try not to, not because I can't afford to but I don't want to encourage this sort of overmarketing. (Remember that all this slicin' and dicin', differentiating who gets WiFi and differential pricing all requires administrative overhead which we, the passengers, will ultimately pay for.) I liked the old-fashioned SWA model -- you give them money, they transport you -- but its history so they've just become another generic US domestic, something to be avoided unless there's absolutely no other choice.
Spectacular how quickly a truly iconic brand and company is getting absolutely demolished by calculators. Sad to see. Spectacular. And sad. But also spectacular. And also so very sad.
"...they've just become another generic US domestic..." Actually worse than a generic domestic as they can't provided a "first class" seating option, no hot meals (no galley) and no lounge access. (no lounges)
Yeah, those were my thoughts too. Apple already has announced another, different power source coming along in 2026. More adapters to buy, more money for them.
They’d better refit them all by next year then, because that’s when Apple is coming out with yet another new power supply standard, and we’ll all have to buy new adapters.
Can they get any more monochromatic and boring looking? Southwest has a history of using burnt orange and red in addition to blue, so how's about some flashes of color?
I suppose they chose USB-A and USB-C because the standard 120V outlet will soon be replaced throughout North America by something better? Everyone knows we will all soon get our electricity wirelessly through Wardenclyffe towers.
https://teslasciencecenter.org/teslas-wireless-power/
(/s, in case it isn't obvious.)
Afterthought …. this is just another poorly engineered cattle truck, kitted out to suit the cattle, sheep and pigs who will pay peanuts or points to be treated like monkeys …. 🙂
Happy about the new interiors shipping on new aircraft. Less happy with the reducing legroom for "standard" seats. That drops one of the few remaining positive standouts for flying Southwest...
No built in tv screens you say? I don’t see any reason to fly Southwest in particular these days.
This is actually a positive because families can book seats together, and those without young children can book a seat where they are less likely to be between 4 sets of screaming children.
What's with the hot meal thing on airplanes, and in general? Homo Sapiens did fine for most of our existence without hot meals. Must be some psychological thing we humans developed after we discovered fire. Hot meals aren't any more nutritious than cold meals.
All plugs will be USB-C on both ends going forward, including apple. The EU has mandated it.
Sad to see my formerly go to airline go away. I usually take around 30 flights a year. SW's fares are seldom competitive with United and Alaska these days. And, by the time you add in all the fees to be able to choose a seat when you make a reservation, SW will be about 2X as expensive for trips I am booking for next year. And at least someone is acknowledging that Recaro seats are not comfortable. Most actual humans are not shaped like theoretical design humans!