Southwest Airlines' recent overhaul of its seating and baggage policies has triggered significant operational chaos and fierce opposition from its flight attendants. The airline abruptly ended its open-seating policy on January 27th, implementing an assigned seating model for the first time. This change, combined with the May introduction of checked bag fees, has overwhelmed the carrier's infrastructure.

Passengers now frequently find no overhead bin space above their assigned seats, forcing them to stow luggage in the rear of the plane and navigate crowded aisles back to their seats, creating severe boarding delays and passenger frustration. Gary Leff of View From the Wing described the resulting chaos as 'far more chaotic than the other airlines.'