Yesterday at TPA the gate agent announced three times that he would be scanning boarding passes and giving them back.

I know the GA sometimes gives the first general boarding passenger their BP back to hand to the flight attendant, but I've never seen them give everyone their BP back. It seemed a little odd. I found myself wondering if WN is going to transition to assigned seating and this is a way to acclimate us? Or maybe the guy just lost his trash can...