Southwest's new boarding process off to bumpy start
Some travelers are finding they don't have storage above their seats when they get on the plane because early boarders are taking up the overhead bins.
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Some travelers are finding they don't have storage above their seats when they get on the plane because early boarders are taking up the overhead bins.
Southwest Airlines says its making adjustments to its boarding process two weeks after the discount carrier switched to assigned seating. Officials with the airline told CBS News that one of the main issues the airline is troubleshooting is overhead bin space.
For the first time, Southwest passengers will have assigned seats -- a major change for the airline's longtime customers. The new policy also meant changing the cabin layout of every plane in the Southwest fleet to add new extra legroom and preferred seating sections.
Under a 2023 settlement reached by the Biden administration, Southwest agreed to a $140 million civil penalty after the company canceled thousands of flights during a winter storm in 2022.
While Southwest is ditching open seating, it's adding bigger overhead bins, extra legroom in some seats and more as it adjusts to the premium travel demand.
Southwest Airlines, long known for its open boarding policy, is rolling out assigned seating for the first time. The change marks a major shift as the carrier caters to growing demand for premium travel options, allowing passengers to pay for seat upgrades starting next year.
It's been nearly a quarter century since 9/11, when terrorists hijacked commercial jetliners and turned them into weapons of mass destruction. Now, after years of delays, planes are adding a new layer of security. Kris Van Cleave got a preview.
Southwest Airlines will soon require travelers who don't fit within the armrests of their seat to pay for an extra one in advance, part of a string of recent changes the carrier is making.
New body camera footage shows the moments a former Southwest pilot is questioned about his sobriety by police after TSA agents claimed he smelled of alcohol. David Allsop was given a sobriety test on the jet bridge and subsequently arrested for a DUI ahead of a flight he was supposed to pilot from Savannah to Chicago.
Passengers are reacting to the aggressive maneuver that a Southwest pilot had to make to avoid a collision with another jet as just minutes after the plane took off from the Hollywood Burbank Airport in California.
Southwest is providing details about its new assigned seating and boarding policy. Here's what to know.
Southwest Airlines launched a multi-million dollar initiative after extreme summer heat led to beverage cans bursting on flights.
Soda cans are exploding after enduring extreme heat, injuring flight attendants on Southwest Airlines planes. The company is experimenting with air-conditioned trucks to avoid the danger. CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave has the latest.
In the era of #MeToo and an increased awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace, is dating or marrying your officemates still a thing? Yes, says CBS News correspondent Tony Dokoupil (who met his wife on the job). He finds that some companies even boast of their amorous workers. Take Southwest Airlines (stock ticker acronym: LUV), where the expression "Love is in the air" takes on new meaning for staffers and flight attendants who are couples.
Can flying be fun? That's the goal of Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher, who is determined to offer reliable on-time service at an affordable price. Steve Kroft profiles the airline president and his innovative approach to the business.
In 1989, Steve Kroft profiled Herb Kelleher, the co-founder of Southwest Airlines, and his innovative no-frills approach to the airline business
Southwest Airlines, which previously had a free checked bag policy, says it will start charging $35 for each first checked bag.
As the busy summer travel season gets underway, so does Southwest's new checked bag policy. On all new bookings, the first checked bag will cost $35 and the second will be $45. CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave has more.
A Southwest flight returned to its gate at El Paso International Airport on Wednesday after a passenger's phone appeared to ignite during the departure taxi.
Passengers flying Southwest, which has abandoned open seating, will soon have several fare options when booking a flight. Here's what to know.
A Southwest Airlines flight almost took off from a taxiway, rather than a runway, at Orlando International Airport in Florida before an air traffic controller stopped the plane, officials said.
Southwest Airlines is set to begin charging customers for checked bags, the last major airline to tack on baggage fees for most passengers. Hannah Towey, associate editor for Conde Nast Traveler, joined CBS News to discuss the change.
Southwest Airlines is changing its "bags fly free" policy in hopes of attracting customers to sign up for the Southwest-branded credit card. CBS News' Janet Shamlian reports.
On May 28, Southwest Airlines will start charging most of its customers for checked bags for the first time in its history. Flyers who are part of the company's A-List Preferred program and those selecting Business Select tickets will be exempt. Previously, the airline allowed passengers to have two free checked bags regardless of ticket status.
Southwest Airlines is ending its free checked bags policy for many passengers. Some experts think customer loyalty could suffer.
Military planners are advising President Trump that any strike on Tehran's assets would almost certainly not be a singular, decisive blow.
A memo shows Jeffrey Epstein was the subject of a previously undisclosed U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency investigation targeting him and 14 others for suspicious money transfers possibly linked to illegal narcotics.
A federal judge on Monday permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasing former special counsel Jack Smith's report on the classified documents investigation.
Documents given to Congress appear to show courses involving use-of-force were eliminated.
Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes — known as "El Mencho" — was the boss of one of the fastest-growing criminal networks in Mexico.
An image the FBI released of the suspect at Nancy Guthrie's front door, without a backpack, was captured by her Nest doorbell camera on a day prior to the suspected abduction.
More than 40 million people were under blizzard warnings along 700 miles of the East Coast from Maryland to Maine.
Anna Kepner, 18, was on a Caribbean cruise with her father, stepmother and three stepsiblings when she was discovered dead on the Carnival Horizon in November.
The U.S. women's ice hockey team said Monday they will not be attending President Trump's State of the Union address, citing scheduling conflicts.
Anna Kepner, 18, was on a Caribbean cruise with her father, stepmother and three stepsiblings when she was discovered dead on the Carnival Horizon in November.
An image the FBI released of the suspect at Nancy Guthrie's front door, without a backpack, was captured by her Nest doorbell camera prior to the night of her abduction.
Newsom's remarks about his 960 SAT score went viral as he told Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and a packed auditorium: "I'm not trying to impress you, I'm just trying to impress upon you I'm like you, I'm not better than you."
Military planners are advising President Trump that any strike on Tehran's assets would almost certainly not be a singular, decisive blow.
Dr. Peter Attia has stepped down from his CBS News contributor role weeks after crude emails he exchanged with Jeffrey Epstein were made public.
FedEx sued the Trump administration over its tariffs on Monday, asking for a "full refund" of all payments it made to the government under a set of tariff policies that were ruled illegal by the Supreme Court.
President Trump's novel use of a 1974 trade law to impose a global 15% tariff could be ripe for legal challenges, according to trade experts.
The Trump administration is unlikely to back down from pursuing additional tariffs following the Supreme Court decision, according to trade experts.
Stocks slumped amid investor fear of AI disruption and uncertainty surrounding President Trump's new tariffs.
Workers who claim the new deduction will see an average tax cut of around $1,400, although some could realize larger savings.
A newly revealed text exchange appears to show Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales encouraging an aide who later died by setting herself on fire to send him an explicit photo.
Newsom's remarks about his 960 SAT score went viral as he told Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and a packed auditorium: "I'm not trying to impress you, I'm just trying to impress upon you I'm like you, I'm not better than you."
FedEx sued the Trump administration over its tariffs on Monday, asking for a "full refund" of all payments it made to the government under a set of tariff policies that were ruled illegal by the Supreme Court.
Military planners are advising President Trump that any strike on Tehran's assets would almost certainly not be a singular, decisive blow.
A memo shows Jeffrey Epstein was the subject of a previously undisclosed U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency investigation targeting him and 14 others for suspicious money transfers possibly linked to illegal narcotics.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized the broadening use of anxiety medications, but doctors and researchers say the MAHA movement is misrepresenting drugs that have been proven to help.
After decades of American children routinely receiving polio vaccines, the virus that had doomed many to paralysis was nearly eliminated in the United States. But vaccine avoidance today may allow the crippling disease to return.
After decades of American children routinely receiving polio vaccines, the virus that had doomed many to paralysis was nearly eliminated in the United States. But vaccine avoidance today may allow the crippling disease to return. CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook talks with David Oshinsky, author of "Polio: An American Story," and with violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman, who contracted polio as a child, about how parents opting out of vaccinations for their children could affect polio rates here.
A growing, aging population and an acute caregiver shortage are pushing adult care centers to think outside the box. Itay Hod introduces a new, high-tech helper.
Travis Corbitt's struggles to breathe led to his retirement and reliance on an oxygen tank.
Military planners are advising President Trump that any strike on Tehran's assets would almost certainly not be a singular, decisive blow.
As Iran's new academic year began over the weekend, large-scale protests erupted across several universities.
The Trump administration is unlikely to back down from pursuing additional tariffs following the Supreme Court decision, according to trade experts.
Law enforcement is monitoring potential increases in violence, coercion or debt-collection activity in domestic trafficking corridors after cartel head "El Mencho" was killed Sunday.
Former U.K. ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson has been arrested weeks after a series of emails between him and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were released.
Madison Beer opens up about the start of her music career, artists who have inspired her along the way and creating her third studio album, "Locket," in an interview with CBS News senior culture correspondent Anthony Mason.
Nick Reiner pleaded not guilty in Los Angeles on Monday in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. CBS News correspondent Carter Evans has more.
Nick Reiner, 32, was charged with two counts of murder in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
CBS News' Dave Malkoff joins from Star Trek: The Cruise with Rob Picardo, who plays "The Doctor" in the series, to discuss how people are celebrating 60 years of the franchise.
Britain's film academy and the BBC apologized after a broadcast of the BAFTA awards ceremony that included an offensive outburst by an audience member with Tourette's syndrome.
A growing, aging population and an acute caregiver shortage are pushing adult care centers to think outside the box. Itay Hod introduces a new, high-tech helper.
One of the catalysts for the social media addiction debate was a 2024 book called "The Anxious Generation" by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. His new book tries to help parents and kids break free from screens. Haidt joins CBS News to discuss Mark Zuckerberg, the ongoing social media addiction trial and artificial intelligence.
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
A Los Angeles judge ordered Meta officials to remove their AI glasses at a trial over the impact of social media on users.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand at the social media addiction trial examining whether children and teens were given access to an addictive and harmful product. CBS News' Carter Evans reports.
A large shark was caught on camera for the first time in Antarctica's waters, surprising researchers. "There's a general rule of thumb that you don't get sharks in Antarctica," one said.
On the evening of Christmas 1776, Gen. George Washington surprised the King's forces by leading the Continental Army in a surprise crossing of a near-frozen Delaware River - a watershed military maneuver that dramatized a changing America, and a changing climate.
On the evening of Christmas 1776, Gen. George Washington surprised the King's forces by leading the Continental Army in an unanticipated crossing of a near-frozen Delaware River. Environmental correspondent David Schechter looks at how Washington's watershed military maneuver dramatized both a changing America, and a changing climate.
The Winter Olympics in Milan need artificial snow due to climate change and warmer weather. Athletes say man-made snow makes terrain more difficult and unpredictable. Rob Marciano reports on its impact.
After decades monitoring polar bears in Norway's far north, researchers say the animals have proven incredibly adaptable, but there are no guarantees for the future.
Anna Kepner, 18, was on a Caribbean cruise with her father, stepmother and three stepsiblings when she was discovered dead on the Carnival Horizon in November.
An image the FBI released of the suspect at Nancy Guthrie's front door, without a backpack, was captured by her Nest doorbell camera prior to the night of her abduction.
Kouri Richins slipped five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into a cocktail that her husband drank, prosecutors say.
Nick Reiner, 32, was charged with two counts of murder in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
An armed man was shot and killed after gaining "unauthorized entry" into Mar-a-Lago, President Trump's Florida estate, the Secret Service said. The shooting occurred as FBI Director Kash Patel attended the Winter Olympics in Italy. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane reports.
The space agency said Sunday it's targeting Tuesday for the slow, four-mile trek across Kennedy Space Center, weather permitting.
The Artemis II mission aims to send four astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — on a flight around the far side of the moon and back.
An internal investigation is blasting NASA's handling of the first piloted flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft in 2024. The flight left two astronauts stuck on the International Space Station for nearly a year. The investigation found the flight was plagued by potentially life-threatening technical and management failures.
President Trump has ordered the release of all government documents related to aliens, UFOs and extraterrestrial life. It comes after former President Barack Obama addressed the topic earlier this week and said aliens are real, a statement which he later modified. CBS News contributor Janna Levin has more details.
A successful fueling test prompts NASA to press ahead toward a March 6 moonshot.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Does the evidence show a cover-up, or was Todd Kendhammer wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife?
Christy Salters-Martin dominated in the boxing ring but faced her toughest challenger at home.
Family seeks answers in death of newlywed who disappeared in 2005 while on Mediterranean honeymoon cruise.
Meet the tattooed beauty charged in the death of Google executive Forrest Hayes.
Just getting started on your taxes? Erin Voisin, managing director for EP Wealth Advisors, joins CBS News to discuss what to do for the biggest refund.
Less than two months into his tenure as New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani is responding to a second major snowstorm. CBS News reporter Jared Ochacher has more.
Nearly 43 million Americans have federal student loans, according to the latest data from Congress. Now, a new report from left-leaning advocacy think tanks the Century Foundation and Protect Borrowers has found one out of every four Americans with student loans is delinquent. Data from the University of California Consumer Credit Panel was used for the analysis. Washington Post national higher education reporter Danielle Douglas-Gabriel joins CBS News to discuss.
The State Department has ordered non-essential staff to leave its embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran are set to be held in Geneva this Thursday. Osamah Khalil, chair of the International Relations Program at Syracuse University, joined CBS News to discuss.
The U.S. men's hockey team beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in a thrilling Olympic final game. Tony Dokoupil has more on the patriotic pride they inspired.