I avoid WN like the plague, so I hadn't considered the implications to boarding. That SUCKS, is all I can say.

What really does scare me is that the feds might get the bright idea that removing seating assignments from all airlines would be in the interests of safety. That way, a would-be terrorist couldn't plan to sit over the fuel tank, they'd reason. Fortunately, I don't think they could legally make that fly... but then, they're already doing warrantless wiretaps and trying to trash the Geneva Conventions, so nothing would surprise me.