Southwest Airlines is weighing changes to its cabin that could involve abandoning its single-class, open-seating system to drive up revenue, CEO Bob Jordan told CNBC on Thursday.
The changes would mark a massive shift for the carrier that has stood apart from rivals for decades with its simpler business model.
Southwest's all-Boeing 737 fleet has a single economy class cabin and no seating assignments, though it does offer earlier boarding to customers for a fee so they can snag their preferred seats.
The airline has focused on keeping its product simple and user-friendly for years, aiming to keep its own costs and complexity to a minimum.
Meanwhile, rivals including Delta and United have touted high revenue growth for premium seating such as business class and strong upsell rates.
Persons:
Bob Jordan, Jordan
Organizations:
Airlines, CNBC, Boeing, Delta