Published on Friday, October 23, 2020

Southwest will start selling full capacity flights again

Starting December, Southwest Airlines will begin selling 100% seat capacity again.


Ahead of the year-end holidays, it will no longer limit the number of seats sold on each flight.


It made the announcement as it posted a $1.2 billion third-quarter loss due to the Covid-19 pandemic.


The airline didn't specifically block the middle seat as it doesn't have assigned seating but has limited capacity on each flight.


The airline said blocking seats will cost it about $20 million in revenue in October, and at least $40 million in November.


It will leave Delta Air Lines as the only other major carrier still limiting seat capacity on all flights.


"This practice of effectively keeping middle seats open bridged us from the early days of the pandemic, when we had little knowledge about the behavior of the virus, to now," Southwest said.


"Aligned with science-based findings from trusted medical and aviation organizations, we will resume selling all available seats for travel beginning December 1, 2020."


It was referring to IATA and Defense Department studies which suggest the risk of airborne transmission on airplanes is minimal.


 


Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor

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