Southwest Airlines may have had some turbulence in the past few months, but the airline is making some changes that customers have been requesting for a long time.
Power port seatbacks are coming to Southwest Airlines after it was announced more than a year ago.
“The ability to keep your devices charged while you are connected inflight is a request that we’ve heard consistently in ongoing conversations with our customers,” Tony Roach, vice president of customer experience and customer relations, said in a press release.
The total cost of the features being added is more than $2 billion, according to the press release.
In addition to the power port seatbacks, Southwest Airlines is updating its Wi-Fi system, starting with 50 aircraft by the end of the month and 350 by the end of October.
Testing has already begun for adding the new Wi-Fi systems.
The company has entered into a partnership with Viasat to provide live television and high-quality internet on board its flights.
“We listen to our Customers, and their insights help us deliver on and exceed their expectations,” Bob Jordan, CEO of Southwest Airlines, said in the press release. “Behind these commitments stand the legendary People of Southwest Airlines—ready to welcome Customers onboard with warmth, Hospitality, and LUV.”
The biggest feature customers have been asking for is the power port seat backs.
The first power port will be Imua One, a Boeing 737 with a Hawaiian-style theme originally unveiled in Long Beach, California. It will start flying to Las Vegas from Dallas Love Field Airport.
Southwest has already started refitting all of its aircraft with power port seatbacks.
Starting next month, each airplane will have power ports, while the airline also announced that it will be receiving 70 new planes this year, according to a financial report last Thursday, as reported by WFAA.
But that is not the only change coming soon to the airline.
Overhead bins will become larger and able to hold additional space for bags, eliminating the problem of unease as to whether carry-on luggage will fit in overhead compartments.
The airline said the increased size of the bins means that airplanes will be able to accommodate at least 60 more bags in the cabin. It said the change is to help ease the problem of having to gate-check luggage due to full overhead bins, which can sometimes delay a plane’s departure.
Increasing the capacity of the overhead bins should help eliminate this problem, the airline said.
American Airlines, another Fort Worth-based airline company, has already implemented larger overhead bins for its carry-on luggage, and it is starting to be considered a new standard for airline companies.
