LETTER: Southwest ditches open seating

My wife and I are fairly frequent flyers with Southwest Airlines. We are so glad to hear they are changing from open seating to assigned seating. Open seating was good in its day because not as many people flew 50 years ago, and people were much more polite with regard to choosing a seat. Not so now.

I am deaf, but with a cochlear implant, a type of hearing aid. However, it is of no use to me when flying because I am totally unable to understand the announcements that come over the aircraft speakers. Therefore, I have to be able to sit with my wife. This means I have to request preboarding at check-in, which I hate to do. But I have no choice. I have never been refused by Southwest staff, for which I am very grateful.

I have, however, seen some questioning looks from other preboarders because I don’t look as if I qualify to board before them.

My wife and I sincerely believe the new changes will make flying with Southwest so much better than it is now.