No 'Luv' for Southwest's Changes

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"Bingo" Boarding

Changing Southwest's boarding process was also among Kelly's top priorities. With no assigned seats, customers often waited in line at the gate for an hour to get the best spots on the plane. Lines often snaked confusingly into the common areas of the airport. Sometimes fistfights ensued. Colleen Barrett, Southwest's president and head of customer service, says the lines have been the airline's top customer complaint since it was founding 36 years ago.

In June, 2006, Kelly posted on the Southwest blog about a possible switch to assigned seats. More than 700 people responded, the vast majority indicating they thought it was a bad idea. Southwest tested assigned seats last year in San Diego with predictable results—it took longer to board. Kelly says passengers often tell him they like choosing whom they sit next to. Some have even met future spouses on flights and gotten married on the company's planes.

A compromise was worked out and tested again in San Antonio in August. Passengers now board in groups of five according to numbers assigned to them when they check in, anytime in the 24 hours before the flight. The process has jokingly been called "bingo boarding" because of the seat letters and numbers that pop up on screens installed at the gates. Kelly says the more orderly boarding process will be a win for passengers. Rather than standing in line, they can get a bite to eat or get more work done at the airport, making their trip more productive and enjoyable.

Kelly also saw the change as a way to achieve his goal of generating more revenues by offering business customers something more exclusive. Travelers who pay up to $30 more than a full-fare ticket get to board first. This "Business Select" fare also includes a free cocktail and bonus frequent-flier points. "They are our true road warriors, and they should be rewarded," Kelly says.

Favorable Evolution

Despite the reaction of some folks on the Web, other observers seem to favor the changes. "If they become labor and shareholder obsessed and lose their customer focus, it could be an issue," says Kevin Mitchell, founder of the Business Travel Coalition, which advises corporate travel buyers. "But I don't think it's them being more like the older carriers. It's a natural evolution for them."

To quell any confusion or discontent, Southwest has called on a "Volunteer Army" of staffers who will stick around the airports on their own time, helping to educate passengers about the new boarding system. Southwest's vice-president of marketing, Kevin Krone, has been responding to customer complaints on the blog. "All I can say is, please be patient with us," he wrote in one response. "We are working very hard to enhance our product to bring ALL of our Customers more value and an even better experience."

Company spokeswoman Beth Harbin says the comments from people upset that Southwest is losing its egalitarian culture are similar to those the company heard years ago when it introduced online check-in. "They said people with computers would have an unfair advantage," she says. The controversy eventually passed.

Chairman Kelleher says he is on board. He has been making the rounds of employee meetings with a blunt message. "A lot of this will be shocking," he says. "The whole company has to change—it's imperative for our survival." Adds Kelly: "We'll still be that friendly, fun airline but in a position where we can provide more."

Palmeri is a senior correspondent in BusinessWeek's Los Angeles bureau .