nsx

I'd like to make one other point about the Southwest's preferred boarding + open seating versus preferred seating: Different people prefer different kinds of seats.

Preferred seating requires that some seats be designated as preferred. Customers who prefer to sit in the back of the aircraft cannot be charged for a preferred seat. They might, however, purchase preferred boarding on Southwest in order to avoid a middle seat or being tied to a computer at T-24.

This is probably a minor difference in the grand scheme of things. On a recent trip I bought the Early Bird check in for a family member very late in the game, only 3 days before the flight. As one of the last Early Birds, I still drew a number no more than 15 from the A-listers. Southwest probably had 15 or fewer sales of EBCI even at the $10 price, for a 2.5-hour flight out of Orlando! I would have expected three times as many sales given the difficulty that tourists have getting to a computer at T-24.

Anyway, back to my "different strokes" point, I think US should set aside just a few Preferred and Choice seats toward the back of the aircraft or in other odd locations to allow those with unusual seating preferences to indulge themselves and pay for the privilege. Maybe center aisle seats with a guarantee that the adjacent seat will be one of the last released to the public?