Southwest Airlines will debut a new interior cabin next year. But when the announcement was made last month, some people took to social media to criticize the design, with one person even writing that it felt like they were looking at lawn chairs.
Now,
the airline finds itself in the unusual position of having to defend itself and
respond
to the critics.
"Southwest flies above our competition with industry-leading
flexibility and our legendary hospitality,"
Tony Roach, senior vice president and chief customer officer at Southwest
Airlines, said in a statement at the time. "Our redesigned cabin interior
significantly enhances our inflight Customer experience and will complement the
amazing service that our crews
provide."
However, the seat design was immediately attacked online. One person even took it so far as to write that they were becoming a passenger on Delta Air Lines instead.
While it is encouraging to see that so many Southwest customers are invested in the airline, the backlash sometimes bordered on over-the-top. The design will also feature larger bin space, device holders, and power outlets – but most commenters focused on the aesthetics of the seats.
Based on customer research and product testing, the airline teamed up with transportation design firm Tangerine to enhance the seating experience.
Mark Hiller, CEO of RECARGO Aircraft Seating, said, "Our new
seat will be a great addition to the Southwest Customer Experience, as its
durable design and comfort features will serve passengers
well."
However, a TikTok video about the new cabin had nearly 20,000 negative comments. One user wrote that the cushions look like "Ozempic seats," referring to the weight loss medication. Even travel expert and airline editor for Going.com Katy Nastro told "Good Morning America" that upon first impression, "I sort of felt like they were a trim, more slimmed-down version of what we currently know when we fly Southwest."
But Southwest told ABC News that the new seats will still have the
same width and legroom as the current ones.
Still, the initial criticism and backlash on social media was not
good for public relations.
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