Will Southwest’s new boarding policy be a good thing?
Breaking a 50-year tradition, Southwest is finally moving to assigned seating. The new policy eliminates the airline’s controversial group boarding process, often referred to as the “Southwest Cattle Call,” in which passengers were assigned to boarding groups at check-in. Southwest Airlines’ move to assigned seating could reduce passenger stress, improve boarding efficiency and bring the airline on par with rivals like American, Delta and United. However, it risks losing the unique open seating feature that sets Southwest apart, complicating operations and potentially disappointing loyal customers who prefer the current system. Ultimately, while the move could attract new business travelers, it comes with significant trade-offs. What do you think?
Do you like transatlantic flights to Europe during the day?
There are more daytime transatlantic flights between the US/Canada and Europe in August 2024 than in any other year. About 419 departures match this schedule, compared to 399 in August 2023 and 307 in 2019 before the pandemic. Growth was partially influenced by several small new routes from Azores Airlines, many of them with wide-body aircraft flown on wet lease. Despite the increase, daytime flights are rare, with only about 1 in 50 flights between the US/Canada and Europe scheduled this way. That’s no surprise: They rely on shorter markets with strong point-to-point demand and fewer time zone changes, of which there aren’t many. Some passengers may prefer them because of less jet lag, although they can mean a day is “wasted.” For airlines, they can mean lower aircraft utilization and lower yields due to lower interest in beds, if available. Have you flown from North America to Europe during the day? If so, did you enjoy it? How did it compare to night time? Let us know!
What was your first flight?
In this job, I have been lucky enough to travel to every continent, from North America to Asia. However, my journey in the skies began a long time ago, when I was just three years old, during a trip to Delhi with my family. According to my parents, the plane I flew on was an Air India Boeing 747. What was your first flight? Let us know below!
Is sustainability important to you when choosing an airline?
With many travelers thinking about carbon emissions these days, several booking platforms have made it easier to find out the carbon cost of your flight. Google Flights started doing this in 2021, while other sites, including Expedia, have added the feature more recently. But does this actually change the way we book our flights? If there was a similarly priced flight for me at a similar time with lower emissions, I would probably book it. But price and timing are still the main deciding factors for which flight I book. How about you?
Which airline have you flown with most often?
I’ve been lucky enough to have flown with over 70 airlines. The most exotic was Costa Rica Green Airways, although my favourite was British International Helicopter Services from Penzance, Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly on the S-61. Counting all the sectors, I’ve flown with easyJet more times than any other operator. While it’s not exciting and the equipment is all over the place, at least I know what to expect. I have a particularly fond memory of my eldest son sitting in the captain’s seat of an A319 during a delay and sparking his love of aviation. He even got to help the pilots enter the details for the flight. The fact that I fly with easyJet most often is partly due to my location, about 30 minutes’ drive from Luton, the fourth most frequently used airport in the LCC network. Which airline have you flown with most and why? Let us know!
Which long-haul connections would you like to see introduced?
This month, several new long-haul routes opened, including the return of Avianca from Bogota to Paris, the arrival of Beond from the Maldives (via Dubai) in Milan and the opening of Juneyao from Shanghai to Brussels. With my family spread across the world, I would like to see more long-haul flights from Europe to South America and South Asia. What long-haul routes would you like to see opened?
