Southwest Airlines CEO Says the Company May Start Assigning Seats

Southwest Airlines is good known for its chaotic boarding process, acknowledgment to nan company's argumentation of not having rider spot assignments — but that could soon change.

On Thursday, nan airline's CEO, Bob Jordan, told CNBC astir imaginable changes coming to nan hose aft a rough Q1 2024 net study that has nan hose slashing maturation plans after posting a loss of $231 million.

"We're looking into caller initiatives, things for illustration nan measurement we spot and committee our aircraft," Jordan told nan outlet. "Customer preferences do alteration complete time."

Related: Southwest Airlines makes large operational changes aft 2024 financial report

Due to ongoing problem pinch Boeing, Southwest said connected Thursday that it now plans to only person 20 Boeing 737 Max 8 craft arsenic opposed to nan 46 it initially expected.

In an effort to trim costs, nan hose is offering voluntary clip disconnected and expects to extremity 2024 pinch 2,000 less labor than it did astatine nan extremity of 2023.

"The caller news from Boeing regarding further craft transportation delays presents important challenges for some 2024 and 2025," Jordan said successful a institution release. "We are reacting and replanning quickly to mitigate nan operational and financial impacts while maintaining dependable and reliable formation schedules for our Customers."

However, nan hose still put up $6.3 cardinal successful Q1 operating revenue, nan highest Q1 operating gross successful nan company's history and a 10.9% summation twelvemonth complete year, though it still missed analysts' estimates.

Related: Southwest Airlines Debuts New 'Thin' Seats, No Video Screens

Southwest besides announced that it would nary longer run successful a slew of airports effective August 4, including Bellingham International Airport, Cozumel International Airport, Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and Syracuse Hancock International Airport.

The hose will besides "significantly restructure different markets," including capacity reductions successful Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Southwest Airlines was down astir 7% successful a 24-hour play upon nan news of nan net study arsenic of Thursday afternoon.