Through a Marketing Lens — by Katie Windfeldt

Throughout my entire life, my family and I have been a die-hard Southwest family, never even comparing flights to other airline options. When you grow up loyal to a brand, you don’t just buy a ticket, you’re buying into an emotional connection. Southwest wasn’t just an airline to my family, it was the default. Taking my first flight with them since their assigned seating shift that took effect on January 27, 2026, this wasn’t just another flight for me, it was a test to see whether a brand can change without losing its identity. Brand equity takes decades to be built, but can erode quickly with just the smallest of operational changes. So naturally, I paid attention to everything. 

On my flight from Reno to Las Vegas, I sat in Preferred seat 6D and boarded with Group 7, which is the second-to-last group called. While waiting to board, I analyzed the new gate layout and immediately noticed there was no clear signage indicating which lane corresponded with which boarding group. What used to be a simple and direct process now felt unnecessarily chaotic, with passengers left crowding and confused. Once I boarded, getting to my seat was smooth and efficient, and thankfully I had checked my bag, avoiding the now competitive overhead bin situation many travelers are navigating. I will admit, knowing which seat was mine was relieving, but I probably won’t feel the same when my seat gets chosen for me. During beverage service, the vibes shifted again with flight attendants appearing overwhelmed, and one even spilling a drink on the passenger in front of me. Nothing about this experience was disastrous or went completely haywire, but it lacked the calm, warm, and familiar feelings I’ve always associated with Southwest. The mechanics of their new business model worked, yet the emotional connection felt different. 

Last semester in my MBA Organization Change course, I analyzed Southwest’s shift away from open seating and “Bags Fly Free,” studying how investor pressure and profitability goals were reshaping the airline’s strategy and how these changes affect culture, systems, and frontline execution. On paper, the changes they implemented made financial and competitive sense, but one key takeaway I reached was that organizational change rarely fails at the strategic level, it struggles in the micro-moments. When a company built on warmth, simplicity, and “people-first” hospitality alters its structure, frontline employees often feel the strain first and the most. Throughout my entire experience, I wasn’t just observing a logistical adjustment, I was seeing organizational change play out in real time, proving just how quickly small operational details can influence brand perception. 

From a revenue and competitive standpoint, I understand why Southwest made this large organizational shift. Assigned seating allows Southwest to create pricing tiers, increases monetization opportunities, and aligns them more closely with industry standards. Strategically it’s smart, but differentiation isn’t about matching competitors, it’s about delivering a distinct experience that consumers love. Southwest spent decades building loyalty on simplicity, warmth, operational ease, and details customers didn’t get with other airlines. If Southwest doesn’t actively protect its values and cultural DNA that made them iconic, no pricing tier, boarding group, or snack will be enough to sustain long-term loyalty. I’ll continue flying Southwest, for now, but for the first time, I’ll also make sure to compare my options. In moments of transformation, brands can’t just ask customers to adapt, they have to re-earn them. 

If you’d like to explore the strategic side of this shift in more depth, you can view my full Organizational Change analysis on Southwest here.

Have you flown Southwest since the change? If so, did the details feel different to you?