Bullet points of Southwest is renovating its cabins. Here's what the planes will look like.

Bullet points of Southwest is renovating its cabins. Here's what the planes will look like.
- Southwest Airlines is redesigning the interior cabins of its 800 existing aircraft, including new seat trays, device trays, and charging ports for all passengers.
- The airline will introduce assigned seating after 50 years of open seating, with premium seating offering 3-4 inches of additional legroom available for an additional fee.
- The changes are part of the airline's efforts to meet passengers' evolving needs and boost its bottom line, with Southwest CEO Bob Jordan stating that 'consumer preferences have changed and, the way we fly has changed'.
- The newly designed cabins are expected to be available in the first half of 2026, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
- Southwest will begin booking flights with assigned seats in the second half of 2025 for travel in the first half of 2026.
- The airline is also adding more red-eye flights to its schedule.
- The changes are a significant shift for the airline, with Ryan Green, Southwest's executive vice president commercial transformation, describing it as 'one of the most significant changes we've ever gone through'.