Not On Sale Yet: Southwest Airlines Says 15% Of Its Planes Now Have Extra Legroom Seats

There are some very big changes currently taking place at Southwest Airlines, a carrier that has been in the national spotlight following a high-profile standoff with activist investment management firm Elliott Management. The carrier has shifted away from its traditional business model in a few key ways, but the largest and most impactful of these changes has likely been the carrier’s decision to move away from its traditional open seating policy. By assigning seats, the airline can offer premium seats to passengers for which it can charge for extra legroom.