Southwest Airlines’ decision to abandon its iconic open-seating system has sparked a wave of customer backlash, prompting the carrier to reassess parts of its newly introduced assigned-seating policy in early 2026. The Dallas-based airline’s move, which was rolled out on January 27th, was intended to modernize the booking and boarding experience. However, loyal flyers have loudly objected to unintended consequences that have emerged in the first weeks of operation.