DALLAS — Southwest Airlines tells customers “let me upgrade you.”
The airline announced plans Wednesday to improve everything from customer service to inflight experiences.
Southwest Airlines said it doesn’t want customers standing in line or waiting on hold for anything they could do online. That includes upgrading boarding. In the near future the company said travelers would be able to buy early boarding options before arriving at an airport.
The airline also said it plans to upgrade inflight Wi-Fi. The better signal is expected to be more reliable and operate at faster speeds.
“The objective really is to give you access to the same content that you’re used to on the ground while you’re flying with us at 30,000 feet,” Ryan Green, Sr. VP Marketing Officer for Southwest Airlines, said.
Southwest said better Wi-Fi isn’t the end of its power play.
Beginning in 2023, Southwest plans to begin outfitting its 737 Max aircraft with USB-A and USB-C power ports. They will be added to each seatback.
“We know that’s really important to you and we just think it’ll make the onboard experience even better,” Green said.
If you’re tired of struggling to find room for your luggage, Southwest heard your frustrations. The plan also includes larger overhead bins that will allow more bags to be carried onboard.
“We know when you bring a personal item on board, you want to make sure there’s enough space for it, and we want to make sure there’s enough space for it too.”
Onboard entertainment will also be improved. After boarding customers will notice more than double the number of free movies offered on board each flight. The expanded entertainment is expected to be available in the coming weeks.
Customers will soon hear about a new option called Wanna Getaway Plus. Additional details will drop soon, but the airline said you can expect it to offer additional flexibility and make travel easier.
“We are still the SWA that you know and love. It’s only getting better from here. We think that you’re gonna love these enhancements that are rolled out here over the next couple of months and you’re gonna be able to travel with the same heart, more ease, more flexibility that you have known
The airline said the changes won’t happen overnight, but it is in the process of taking the changes fleet-wide.
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