Southwest Airlines Evolves Cabins

On Tuesday, Southwest Airlines revealed a cabin interior revamp for its planes that aims for efficiency, comfort and sustainability. The airline said its “Evolve: The New Southwest Interior” design incorporates updates to the cabins that utilise environmentally responsible and durable products that will reduce waste and save money, all while enhancing comfort for passengers. The revamp will cost $60 million, but the airline expects to save $250 million a year due to the changes.

The updates will be rolled out to all of Southwest Airlines’ Boeing 717s and 737-700s, while its new 737-800s and 737MAXs will also get the treatment. The roll out will be introduced over the next year, making each plane 635 pounds lighter and adding six seats. However, one of the most noticable changes is the color of the cabins. The carrier is moving away from the blue and red scheme that matches the exterior of the planes, with designers choosing more subtle shades of the previous cabin and metallic accents to give more of a modern atmosphere.

Southwest Airlines also says that many of the new features in the cabin function to provide a more sustainable, durable and lighter weight cabin, as well as to complete the aesthetic. The carrier actually made sustainability a priority in the revamp, with many of the new developments from the seat covers to the carpet being fabricated from eco-freindly products and manufacturing processes. Additionally, the same products have generally been made to utilise significantly more recyclable and durable materials, which means they will save the carrier even more in the long-run, as it won’t have to replace or repair the products as often.

The seats themselves have also changed – the pitch has been reduced from 32 inches to 31 inches, as the recline has been reduced from 3 inches to 2 inches. The designs are aimed at emphasising and increasing personal space. With a low profile cushion and fixed wing headrests that position passengers into the seat, the need to recline is reduced from the start and provides better ergonomics to make the ride more comfortable. Now that the seats save room, the carrier can add six more to the cabin, while they also weigh six pounds less than their predecessors.

Southwest Airlines executive vice president and chief commercial officer Bob Jordan says that the airline is preparing now for the next four decades by implementing a modernised fleet plan that includes the new interior, the Boeing 737-800 that will join the fleet in March and the 737MAX that will join the fleet in 2017. The changes they are making with the new interior maintain the company’s low-cost roots and historic focus on customer service. The upgrade to the cabin also allows the carrier to create significant revenue opportunities without the addition of unwanted fees.