Not long ago, Southwest Airlines announced they’d finally install in-seat power onboard their aircraft. The caveat to this, though, was that it’s USB-A and -C ports only, and, at least for now, would only be onboard new-build aircraft. However, we learn that Southwest is installing new cabins, too. That seems odd, given the tight timing between these two announcements. You’d think you’d try to time the two together to reduce to better maintain uniformity, but ok. At any rate, let’s unpack what’s going on here.
As you all know, Southwest Airlines is a no-nonsense low-cost carrier. Their aircraft are configured with only coach-class seating, everyone gets two free checked bags, IFE is via content streamed to your own device, and there are no assigned seats, though you can obtain a better boarding position by paying up. It’s a model that I’ve gotten used to over the last few years and one I am completely happy to deal with for short hops around the islands (or the continent).
However, one thing that drove me bonkers is that, despite your need to rely on your device to enjoy Southwest’s entertainment options, , the airline had ZERO options to charge your device onboard. Of course, that’s now changing, as new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are being delivered with USB charging, and existing jets are being retrofitted (I believe) during heavy checks.
That’s fine. But now Southwest is installing new cabins that integrate additional enhancements? That’s great, but why not wait to bundle these changes together?
Southwest is Installing New Cabins
Look, I think it’s great that Southwest is installing new cabins. I just fail to see why they chose to do things the way they did. But before we get into that, let’s discuss these new cabins. Overall, this seems like a primarily aesthetic redesign. The cabins are maintaining their overall Boeing Sky Interior design but are getting updated color palettes (which remain predominantly blue), along with new accents throughout. It’s all very nice, and I think it looks better than what they’ve got now.
That said, the seats aren’t quite the same. The new seats are mostly similar to the existing ones, featuring a slimline design with two pockets and adjustable headrests, and now the integrated USB-A and -C ports, but the new ones also have a device holder. That’s a quality-of-life upgrade that I’m sure many will appreciate, along with those USB ports. But looks and features are the only way the existing and new seats are similar. The new seats are, in fact, an entirely different model.
I’m not sure what seats are currently installed, but in its press release, Recaro announces that this is the first time they’ve partnered with Southwest. Moreover, they announced that Southwest chose their BL3710 model, which is the same one Alaska Air uses onboard their aircraft.
I’m not mad about that. Though the seats look slim, the padding isn’t terrible. Yeah, they’re not overtly comfortable, but I’ve never gotten off an Alaska flight with the same kind of back/butt pain that Hawaiian Air’s A330 main cabin seats cause me – anyone have any idea who the manufacturer is? I still haven’t been able to figure this out. I sincerely hope the B/E Aerospace seats they got on the 787s are better. But I digress.
Where Southwest absolutely dominates in the industry today is in seat pitch – the space from seatback to seatback. And I’m happy to report that this isn’t changing. The pitch remains at 32 inches on the aircraft delivered with these new interiors and when existing jets are retrofitted.
So, what’s my grumbling about the fact that Southwest is installing new cabins? I just think it’s poor planning that Southwest began installing power ports on aircraft last year, and now they’re talking about switching to an entirely new interior that takes better advantage of their decision to add power. That’s especially true since the aircraft that were recently delivered will likely remain in that configuration for years down the road, though it’ll likely take till the end of this decade (or close to) for Southwest to retrofit its existing fleet, so I guess that concern is moot.
Plus, the largest differences going forward will be the aesthetic and availability of a device holder, which is something I’ve personally never used, so NBD to me.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, I think that Southwest is installing new cabins is great! They should’ve done this a while ago. Finally, Southwest’s onboard product will be competitive with its legacy competitors and will be that much more convenient for longer flights, such as to/from Hawaii. So, when will we start seeing these new cabins? It’s gonna be a while. Southwest is installing new cabins, but they won’t start being put into new-build 737 MAX jets until 2025.