A viral post criticizing Southwest Airlines renewed attention this weekend on passenger complaints surrounding the Dallas-based carrier\u2019s sweeping business changes, including assigned seating, baggage fees and a new boarding system.<\/p>\n
Nick Sortor compared Southwest to Spirit Airlines in a July 18 post<\/a> that drew more than 480,000 views.<\/p>\n \u201cCongratulations to @SouthwestAir on becoming the new Spirit Airlines!\u201d Sortor wrote.<\/p>\n He accused Southwest\u2019s board of turning \u201cone of the best airlines in the country to literal trash\u201d within a year and complained that the airline was no longer inexpensive.<\/p>\n Sortor did not identify a particular flight or policy failure. His post nevertheless amplified criticism that has followed Southwest since it abandoned more than 50 years of open seating on January 27.<\/p>\n Congratulations to @SouthwestAir<\/a> on becoming the new Spirit Airlines!<\/p>\n Genuinely impressed by the board\u2019s ability to turn one of the best airlines in the country to literal trash in the span of just a year.<\/p>\n And they\u2019re not even cheap! wtf? \ud83d\ude06<\/p>\n \u2014 Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Assigned seats create new boarding problems<\/p>\n Southwest said customers wanted greater control and fewer questions about where they would sit when the airline announced<\/a> the overhaul in 2025.<\/p>\n The carrier now divides seats into Extra Legroom, Preferred and Standard categories. Fare, seat location and loyalty status determine when a passenger boards.<\/p>\n Under the former system, passengers who found a full overhead bin could choose another row. Assigned seating requires them to reach a designated row even when the nearby bin has filled. Travelers have reported storing luggage several rows away or checking carry-on bags at the gate.<\/p>\n The bin pressure also followed Southwest\u2019s 2025 decision to end its policy allowing every passenger to check two bags without charge. As previously reported<\/a> by The Dallas Express, the changes moved Southwest closer to the pricing and boarding systems used by competing carriers.<\/p>\n Southwest modifies the rollout<\/p>\n Southwest acknowledged the criticism and began modifying the process. Tony Roach, the airline\u2019s executive vice president and chief customer and brand officer, said in a customer message reported<\/a> in March that passenger feedback had been \u201cinvaluable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n