Originally Posted by
RustyC
The one exception is IMO how the open seating has devolved. Thirty years ago that was a well-known no-frills feature (PeopleExpress, etc.). It lent itself to an uncivilized boarding process, though, so WN has come up with the boarding groups and the pecking order and a chance to buy your way to the front and all that. But given that NK and F9 (and others) have reserved seats (albeit usually as an opportunity to charge another fee), I think WN's process looks a bit outdated.
Pre-assigned seats slows down boarding, which can be an issue when WN wants to turn the planes quickly.
Also, given how many times the frequent flyer elites here complain about losing their pre-assigned seats for various reasons or no obvious reason, that situation is probably worse for non-elite passengers. This can be more problematic for non-elite families trying to sit together on UA/AA/DL.