Southwest Airlines is scrambling to fix major boarding chaos after switching to assigned seating. The airline's January 27 rollout has been plagued by overhead bin congestion and boarding group confusion, with passengers reporting the process is more disorganized than competitors.

Passengers at the front of planes are finding overhead bins full when they board, forcing them to stow luggage in the back and fight through crowds to reach their seats. This chaos has been worsened by Southwest's 2024 decision to charge for checked bags, leading to a surge in carry-on luggage on aircraft not designed for ample bin space.

In response, Southwest announced early adjustments starting February 18, limiting Group 1 boarding to passengers in the first three rows and emergency exit rows. Group 2 will now include A-List Preferred members, Choice Extra fare passengers, and extra legroom seat holders. The airline says these changes aim to reduce jet bridge congestion and bin space problems that have frustrated customers during the transition from its decades-long open-seating policy.