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Fans of unassigned seating, rejoice: Southwest is keeping the “cattle call.”

For now.

The airline won’t make any changes in the coming months, but may tinker some more in the future.

This past summer, Southwest experimented with assigned seats for flights departing San Diego, with mixed results.

As I’ve suggested before, why not allow those who WANT an assigned seat to get one? If you really “like seeing what’s available and choosing a window or an aisle depending on [your] mood,” as one flyer opined, then go for it.

My “modest proposal” for the airline:

Let anyone who WANTS a reserved seat get one. Guarantee reserved seats to full-fare tickets. (It’s not like you can upgrade on an all-coach flight.) Heck, even charge a couple bucks for a reserved seat, a la European discount carriers or rail companies. Maybe even limit the number of reservations to, say, 60 of the 137 seats on each plane, but let the last-minute full-fare folks override this limit. Board people with seat assignments first, and make only one call for that group. Then do open boarding for the rest.

Related:
- A modest proposal for Southwest
- Opening day jitters? Southwest’s assigned seating gets mixed reviews
- Confirmed: Southwest Airlines to test assigned seating; Northwest abandons boarding by rows
- Getting the best seats on Southwest just got harder

(image: mo husseini)