If you haven't flown Southwest Airlines in a while, it might feel overwhelming discovering what's changed since your last flight.
One of the biggest changes was when it ended its longtime open seating policy in January and moved to assigned and premium seating. As Southwest continues to adjust its operations based on its new policies, it made a subtle change at the start of August.
Southwest is now requiring flight attendants to arrive five minutes earlier before departure, to address issues from its changes to the boarding process.
Some reports on this change said it extended to passengers. But does it?
What is the new boarding policy for Southwest?
When Southwest introduced assigned seating, it also changed its boarding to prioritize customers based on their seat location.
For example, travelers
who purchased the highest priced Choice Extra fare or extra legroom seats are among the first to board, while those who purchased the lowest priced Basic fare are the last to board.
What didn't change is that boarding starts 30 to 45 minutes before departure. And that's still true, even as flight attendants must get to the gate five minutes earlier, Southwest staff told The Arizona Republic.
"Nothing has changed for Customers," Southwest said in a statement. "Beginning Aug. 1, our Flight Attendants are arriving five minutes earlier than before for certain flights so we can be prepared to begin boarding as early as 30 minutes before departure."
"There is no change to our schedules or to boarding time for Customers, which ranges between 30 and 45 minutes depending on aircraft type and route."
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Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@usatodayco.com.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Did Southwest quietly change boarding policy? Airline addresses rumors
