A shift away from open seating is expected to begin in the second half of next year, Southwest said. DALLAS — Southwest Airlines on Thursday unveiled the first details of its plans to begin assigning seats, update its boarding process and add new “premium” extra-legroom seats on its planes.

Assigned seats could be coming to Southwest Airlines as soon as next year. The carrier said it expects to start selling tickets with seat assignments in the second half of 2025, with the first of those flights operating in the first half of 2026,

As its current leadership fights off an activist investor that want to overturn management, the airline braces for a transformation.

Southwest Airlines is planning to reduce service to and from Atlanta next year, cutting more than 300 pilot and flight attendant positions, according to a company memo seen by CNBC.

Southwest will not eliminate its Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport crew base, but said it will need less staff there to operate the set cuts.