Southwest Airlines has released a new advertisement that celebrates its move to assigned seating, which happens to be a change that many loyal customers view as a betrayal of what once made the airline stand out.
The 30-second spot, filled with over-the-top reactions and street celebrations, is meant to mark the end of the airline’s long-standing open seating policy. But for many regular flyers, it only adds to growing frustration with the airline’s recent direction.
Southwest’s open seating system was one of its few defining features. It allowed passengers to choose any available seat once on board and gave the airline a distinct identity in a highly uniform industry.
Now, with the rollout of assigned seating and the recent announcement that checked bags will no longer fly free, that identity is fading fast.
The airline says it is responding to consumer preferences. According to internal surveys, a majority of passengers supposedly favor assigned seats.
But longtime Southwest users are not convinced. Many feel these changes are driven not by customer needs but by pressure from investors to squeeze more revenue. Which in regards of current business models, cannot be that far from being true.
The ad, filled with dancing and absurd excitement, has struck the wrong chord with many. It appears to mock the audience while presenting what they view as a downgrade in services as a breakthrough.
Critics argue that instead of acknowledging customer concerns, Southwest has chosen to distract from them with forced cheer.
Once praised for being different, Southwest is now becoming just another airline, and that too not in a good way. Customers are noticing, and many are leaving.
