Southwest Airlines to Upgrade Entire Fleet
Southwest Airlines will begin a full retrofit of its entire fleet starting May 1, 2025, introducing premium seating and transitioning to assigned seating as part of a broader transformation plan. The initiative will cover more than 800 aircraft and is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2025.
According to Landon Nitschke, senior vice president of technical operations, the airline plans to modify between seven and ten aircraft each night across multiple maintenance facilities in cities including Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Atlanta, Orlando, and Denver. The upgrades will include extended legroom seating to enhance passenger comfort.
In addition to the retrofit program, Southwest is opening a new line maintenance hangar at Baltimore/Washington International Airport. This facility will accommodate up to three Boeing 737 aircraft indoors and provide apron space for eight more jets, further supporting the airline’s growing operational needs.
These changes are part of a comprehensive business turnaround following a challenging year in 2024. Southwest has also announced new initiatives such as red-eye flights, baggage fees, voluntary redundancies, and expanded partnerships. These moves come in response to mounting pressure from Elliott Investment Management, an activist investor that recently reached a cooperation agreement with the airline.
According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Southwest currently operates 815 aircraft, including 355 Boeing 737-700s, 203 Boeing 737-800s, and 257 Boeing 737-8s. The retrofit marks one of the most significant upgrades in the airline’s history, aimed at enhancing customer experience and competitiveness in the U.S. market.
Related News: https://suspicious-zhukovsky.67-21-117-18.plesk.page/category/air-travel-business/airline-finance/
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com