Why Southwest Airlines Had To Rewrite Its New Boarding System Weeks After Launch

For more than 50 years, the boarding process at Southwest Airlines was one of the most recognizable rituals in US aviation. Passengers checked in, received an A, B, or C boarding position, lined up at the gate, and then chose any open seat once onboard. It was unusual, sometimes stressful, and deeply tied to the low-cost carrier identity that Southwest had at the time. It also had a major operational advantage: passengers had a reason to keep moving quickly, because the best available seats were disappearing in real time.