Meet EVOLVE: The New Southwest Interior

[bjordan1]

One of the most satisfying aspects of my job is to work alongside my colleagues to plan and execute exciting major companywide strategic initiatives. I’m pleased to report significant progress that we’ve made recently on one of these, which is a fleet modernization plan to ensure that we maintain a safe, efficient, and Customer-friendly fleet. Last month, we made a huge announcement regarding the evolution of our planes with the 737 MAX expected to join the Southwest fleet in 2017. Today, we have more big news regarding the interior of our Boeing 737-700s. Allow me to introduce you to EVOLVE: The New Southwest Interior, an eco-friendly, cost-efficient new look for our cabin with an emphasis on comfort and personal space.

We will begin retro-fitting our Boeing 737-700 aircraft with the new interior this March, and we expect to have that done by the end of next year (2013).

EVOLVE will maximize the space inside our planes, and grants us the opportunity to increase the number of seats on board from 137 to 143, without sacrificing the Customers' personal space. In fact, sleeker seats will provide additional space under each seat for carryon luggage and approved pet carriers. To be clear, it was never our objective to add a row of seats, and the extra row isn't the main reason for this redesign. Once we examined how much space would be saved, it was determined we could accommodate the increase, without sacrificing comfort.

Remember the Green Plane?  The materials tested on the Green Plane are being incorporated into the Evolve interior.  Each seat is lighter by nearly six pounds, which adds up to a savings of 635 pounds per aircraft (even with the extra row) and is expected to result in more than $10 million in ongoing annual cost savings.  The new seats are made using E-Leather, an eco-friendly, lightweight, and scuff resistant alternative to traditional leather. E-Leather is made from natural leather fiber that is upgraded and combined with a high performance core utilizing eco-friendly technology.  The seat cover is manufactured by Irvin Automotive of Pontiac, MI, and they produce high quality covers quickly and at a much lower cost than our current manufacturer.

The new design also makes the bottom cushion lighter and more comfortable. These seats are better for your back, and provide better lumbar support.

We're also installing a fixed wing headrest on each seat that will provide for a more relaxing experience, especially if you decide to take a snooze.

We've replaced the seatback pocket with a netted pocket that's not only more form-fitting to the seat which allows for more knee room, but also makes it easier to see what items have been stowed in it.

Additionally, we're rolling out some new carpet… well, quite the opposite actually. Completely recyclable, carbon-neutral carpet will be laid in squares, rather than rolls, which eliminates the need for total carpet replacement. The new carpet will reduce labor and material costs and is fully recyclable at the end of its life-cycle.

Under the seat, we're replacing our current life vest pouches with lighter, more environmentally-friendly pouches.  This is also one of the main reasons you'll have more space under your seat: each pouch is smaller and about one pound lighter.

As you can see, the redesign is inspired by Southwest's past with a nod to its future (and our commitment to being a Green Company). Natural, earthy tones combined with our Canyon blue and clean, aluminum accents give our Red Bellies a more modern, fresh appeal.

So about those extra seats: we hope to start making those additional seats for sale on southwest.com here by the end of the first quarter, for travel in the second quarter. Of course, this isn't as easy as flipping a switch; we will gradually introduce those extra seats into the system as newly retro-fitted planes come online. Needless to say, we’re excited to EVOLVE our cabin experience!

[Patricia_Daly]

Nice interior, but SWA still has a long way to go to catch up to Virgin America. They have the same low fares, but charge for bags. On a long flight it's worth the extra $25 for mood lighting and free WfFi & my own TV. Now fix the RR Program and I'll be back more often.

[Sam_W]

I adore all the naysayers who immediately see change and assume the worst. I'm a tall guy as well, but I'm going to reserve judgement till I actually sit in the new seats. I love that you'll be able to add more seats and increase revenues. I'm sure you wouldn't have made these changes unless you tested everything out first. Good job gang!

[David_Khalil]

I like what i see, i am hopeful that when i experience it, i will also like it. On paper it does sound concerning (reduction of recline & the reduction of the seatback to seatback distance (though only by ~1 inch), but i do understand that that measurement is only part of the story & that the changes to the seat pocket & padding have been optimized, so that the reported user space is the same & so that is good to hear. I am hopeful that the real life user experience translates into an equal or better experience in the user comfort. I do fly Southwest a lot so .. .. but one thing i am disappointed to not hear about in this post & is not visible in the tour, pics or video is inflight power, with the world moving to more & more electronic gadgets & Southwest adding Wi-Fi to their planes it would be nice to see minimally the inclusion of a USB port to power a portable device like a mobile phone or tablet. I understand that is money & it will add weight, but it is also providing a little bit more for the consumer especially a business traveler that may not have had the chance to charge his/her device from a long day on the road as they head to their next stop. (I know there are many electrical outlets at the Southwest gates (& i applaud SWA for this !!) but sometimes the timing doesn't work to get there in enough time to plug in & charge prior to the flight. ) ... just something to consider as there will be an opportunity to outfit the planes as they are changing to the new interior. .. but overall, very nice work Southwest !

[David_Harris]

Contnental "add extra seats" and promised "extra comfort" a years ago. The goal of adding extra seats was accomplished. Losing an inch of pitch has a huge impact on comfort and a thinner cushion. Please don't do this!

[BTW]

The best thing you could do is now remove the overhead bins! Seating will go faster! One carry one that fits under the seat, the rest checked!

[Paul_Taylor]

Can you please answer the question that has been asked and ignored multiple times here? What will the new seat pitch be?

[Chris_Benz]

I'm 6'7" tall. Do you REALLY think I'm going to be MORE comfortable with LESS legroom?

[Bob_Murray]

I must ask the question that has been posed many times and Southwest seems to refuse to answer.... "What is the seat pitch?" Southwest, are you afraid to answer your customer's questions?

[Bob_Murray]

What happened to the comment thread??? It stops as of Thursday morning.

[Tim_Pratt]

New seats are fine, more seats does not add up to increased comfort for taller passengers.

[SANJeff]

1 inch less pitch, 1 inch less recline. Seriously SWA? We'll see once I get aboard one of these aircraft, but on its face it looks like you found a slick marketing-writer to convince us that there is a passenger benefit here. Have you seen the SeatGuru.com map for Spirit's A320? Coming to a B737-700 near you....

[Pat_L]

As long as they don't make the seats any smaller. I like AirTran because the seats are wider. I like SW because I get more legroom. After the retro-fitting I was hoping to get both.

[Anonymous549]

Like the style of the new seats. I know Southwest meets many FAA regulations, but am curious what kind of testing is done from engineering standpoint when making these kinds of upgrades. Specifically interested in flame retardant rating of the new e-leather & eco comfort materials? Also, what G-loading tests are performed on the seats? Also wondering if Southwest has considered upgrading some of the florescent lighting with LED lighting? The ability to dim, longer life & reduced weight may be of interest. (bonus style points for mood lighting ;) Thanks, --Brian

[Bernadean_Rice]

Would really like a foot rest! Miss this on your present seating. I have spinal stenosis and need to keep my feet on a foot rest to be comfortable

[David_Kniffen]

Having just flown on one of the new configurations there are several things to like. 1. the new color is great 2. the new seat back pocket it better 3.the new safety markings are clearer However; the seats are uncomfortable after about an hour. On the 2 1/2 hour flight my sitter was extra tired. The shorter stance is to give more knee room, but my knees still touched the seat in front of me and I am only 6'2". I thought I was on Contential or USAir or American. Southwest has always been the plane of choice because there was more room in the seats and between. Now you are becoming like the others carriers. That is a bad business move. There was not any change in the overhead area. and the Exit rows now have about as much space as any other row.

[chris_b]

Just another reason I switched to Frontier, love the stretch seating and those sw seats are terrible on my neck, glad they are changing em will be interesting to see if its any better

[Ralph_Holm]

I am 6'5"and enjoy a lot of legroom now plus you wider seats 17.5" most airlines are at about 17 " and that makes it tough on big boys like me. Wider elven by a fraction of an inch is better. Isn't that correct? Glad to always fly the company plane. One thing that buzzes my saw are those customers that put there feet and shoes up on the fine bulkheads like it's their duty to mar the finish! Don't make me come up there!

[John_Lifsey]

Adding 6 seats without reducing passenger space is a neat trick if you can do it. I am skeptical that it is possible to do that without eliminating space from somewhere. I hope you don't take any space away from the pilot or co-pilot. Hmm... more likely from the passengers.

[Keith_Robinson]

Just flew on the maiden flight of the first aircraft to be redesigned! A Dallas, Texas to Midland, Texas flight. It was a wonderful experience! The moment we walked on there was the smell of new leather and the freshness of new, brightly colored seats. The extra row had no effect on the space we are normally accustomed to. Great job Southwest! Thank you for always keeping your passenger's comfort at the forefront. Looking forward to future flights on your newly redesigned aircraft!

[Bett_Simone]

I hope you will pay attention to standardizing the length of your seat belts from plane to plane. Recently, I flew Southwest and I had several connecting flights. The seat belts were a different length on each plane. One one I had to tighten the belt several inches and the next I had to ask for a belt extention. This has never happened to me on any other airline.

[Sara_ADams]

I have just read screens and screens of comments. First, the SWA response of try it first and then let us know what you think is a bit late to change the layout. Second, SWA should add up the legroom comments and respond accordingly. Third, if you are lucky enough to get a bulkhead seat and have packed only one carry-on to put in the overhead bin, you are frequently thwarted by the flight attendants luggage already there. I suggest SWA fix that problem while they are redoing the interiors. Lastly, SWA should know that we switched from AA even though we are many miles accumulated in their program because they started charging for luggage. Sure hope that does not change.

[Skip_Ryan]

I understand that seat pitch is being reduced by 1". As someone who is 6'4", this concerns me.

[Joan_Lee]

The new seat arrangement simply means we have less leg room, no matter how you make it sound. Why can't Southwest just INCREASE leg room when they re-design without adding a row? Why do all airlines are so greedy to make more money instead of giving passenger comfort a little consideration. If you do that you will earn life time loyal passengers.

[Henry_J__Holcom]

"Sleeker seats!" Sounds like you've joined the political and advertising spinmeisters in an effort to obscure what you're doing. As my English teachers taught, sleek might be a good word to describe something one looks at or where aerodynamic issues are important, but it is not a helpful description for what one sits on! Like the others who have posted I'll wait and see. Most airline seats today have way too little padding for comfort. This change is particularly worrisome because Southwest has cut the number nonstop and direct flights on my routes so I have to sit much longer to get where I want to go than I would on a rival airline.

[Jo_De]

Hi, Could you ask the engineers to look at the tray table lock tab to see if they could make it easier to loop over a hook of some type. I like hanging a mesh bag on there containing all my inflight necessities--hand creme, ear plugs, wipes, gum. I just loop over a standard shower curtain hook attached to a small mesh bag. (A big safety pin works too) Thanks. Jo

[Judith_Farmer]

Awesome improvements--having the seats made in the US is just fantastic!! Way to go SWA--always thinking ahead--way into the future.

[In_Pain]

Oh, no. The seats have the same problem as the current ones. They're hunchback seats. They shove the neck and shoulders forward into a slumped position which bends the spine and neck unnaturally and compresses the chest and abdomen. The head is canted forward and downward. For many people, the "headrest" contacts the body not at the back of the head but in the neck muscles. The muscles in the back of the neck are stretched forward and also act as the pressure point for the seat on the body. Like almost all airplane seats, your new seats are ergonomic nightmares. They simply do not conform to good posture. Take three orthopedic experts, strap them into these seats for five hours, and then ask their opinion. While you're at it, take X-rays from the side to show the spine and pelvis, and then ask any orthopedist if the pictures indicate good seating design. I can sit in most car seats, bus seats, train seats, and furniture for hours without problem. To endure a two-hour airplane ride, I take Percodan for the pain.

[Rosemary_Twomey]

I hope you using seats that DO NOT RECLINE! I am tired of having another chair leaning into my space and affecting how I use my laptop, books, newspaper and tray. In the 59 years I have been flying I have never reclined my chair, even on overseas flights. Please tell my fellow passengers to sleep at home and not with strangers on a plane. One does not need to recline to take a catnap. Mrs. R.D. Twomey

[John_Rork]

I do not see any people sitting in any seats on the v-tour or in any of the pictures.. It would be nice to see real people sitting in the plane to get a better prospective of what the plane will really be like! Also will you be making the seats any wider?

[Ann_Bosch]

Are the seats going to be more narrow?

[Kim_s]

I can't help but notice that there was no reply to question regarding seat width. I also have a concern as I have been "encroached upon" more than once. When you talk about a sleeker seat that means skinnier to me and is unacceptable.

[Ray_Olsen]

SWA, Please ask the cabin attendants to be more cautious and to not bang into us in the isle seats as they walk up and down the isle. Watch Pan Am.

[Barbara_Sanders]

I like the fresh look and appreciate Southwest's upgrade of the interiors. I think the seating arrangement may help create a more separate space for each seat, helping those of us who are small survive when a much larger person sits in the next seat and "spills over." The mesh pockets will help remembering cell phones and earphones. Thanks for letting us know.

[Jim_Daech]

I'm interested in the seast with extra leg room. Are the front row & exit row seats going to have the same leg room and include fold out trays? Is there still going to be a missing seat on the right side in emergency row like before?

[chris_K]

How much usable leg room is this going to take away? I am a 6' 7" man that takes southwest quite frequently. Is this going to make an already tight experience Impossible? I already pay almost double to get business select and pray I get an exit row but if I can't even physically fit in your regular seating this is a huge problem for me. I think this change will be a step in the wrong direction for comfort for everyone who rides not just us tall people.

[Claudine1]

I would prefer more overhead storage space in the rear of the aircraft. Seems to me that adding more seats but not accommodating the carry-on bags will be an issue. The flight attendant crew places their bags in the rear storage and the danged boxes of peanuts/pretzels take up valuable customer bag space. I would like to see something done about placing the snacks in the galley instead of the overhead space. Can't the flight attendant crew have a different space for their luggage?

[Anne_Dougherty]

It looks like we will not be able to fit hardly anything in the seat back pocket with the new design...That's frustrating. Additionally, I don't see how you will fit another row in without reducing legroom. It's already cramped enough. When are you going to give us something that's really important to business travelers, a functioning WiFi system?

[Shon_H]

Sounds like AirTrans seats. I acutally like your current cabin compared to AirTran and Delta. I hope this is a step forward and not a step back. I agree with others that instead of an added row that maybe spreading the seats out would have been a better oprion.

[justind]

How much was seat pitch reduced? Quit dodging the question.

[justind]

There is not much of what made Southwest different from the other airlines left. They ruined the frequent flier program. Prices have creaped up to where there is not a difference. And now the planes will be as uncomfortable as AA.

[Julie_Howell]

I have flown several times sharing my seat with someone who cannot fit into theirs. They also lift the armrest in order to accomodate their big butt. I wish you would of made larger seats for them and make them pay more then for me to share my seat with them and be miserable on my flight to or from. I have 6 children and fly to see them often. Can't wait to see if you cut our seats sleeker does that mean thinner??? I fly SW often. I sure hope you didn't change much other then the material!!!

[AJ_Mastro]

I was an A-list member for a few years. I almost exclusively travelled SW. Changes to your programs have changed my habits and carriers but I always liked the ease with which I was able to change flights, get refunds, etc. Friendly folks and easy website. When you found the extra space, you should have given it to the passengers. I am not huge but 6', 210. Very little knee room and always rubbing elbows with the person next to me. And, when the person in front of you went to recline, you almost could not open a laptop enough to use it.

[Joe_Armshaw]

As always, SOuthwest found one more way to not give their customers more room. If they found space for one more row, why not just increase the area between the seats so everyone is not trying to getthe exit rows. Also, they need to look at the space it takes for a laptop to open so the business traveler can work while on a flight that might actually have internet!

[Na_LaPlant]

Instead of adding seats give your passengers a break and give them MORE leg room..... Why is it you have to cram us in like sardines and it's a major chore if you need to get up. If would be nice to give back to your customers a litle extra comfort..

[Melissa_Delaney]

When you use the words Sleeker or Leaner it translates to me that the seats are smaller. I agree with one of the previous commenters I would pay $10 more per ticket to get the extra space. It's not pleasant traveling anymore.

[Joe_Armshaw]

Looks like I will be taking my 100+ flights this year to JetBlue. At least they figured out that people need more legroom. Southwest has a great opportunity to revise their very expensive business select program by keeping the Business Class Seciton like on AirTran but they won't. I am an A-List Preferred customer and Southwest gives me free internet for my loyalty. THe only problem with that is I have only been on one (1) pleane in the last year that had internet. I am glad for the employees of Southwest that they are the best paid in the industry but management needs to figure out that with all of these non necessary cuts in service, people will begin to go back to the other carriers that have figured out they need to do a little more. By the way, who's brillant idea was it to install internet on planes when you can barely open a laptop unless you are in the exit row? Free Bags...I never check luggage so that is not a perk, No Change Fee...I hardley ever have to change a flight so Southwest really doesn't help my bottom line. Now you are adding another row on the plane instead of giving something back to your loyal customers. I agree with all of your other posters that there is no reason that business travelers should fly Southwest..much less across the country.

[Big_Hal]

Is it true that the seat width has decreased?

[Patty_Yoes]

Sorry, don't believe these seats are spacious. They look narrow and with little leg room. Stop trying to make a purse out of a sow's ear, please.

[Bonnie_Murphy]

One of the reasons I like Southwest is I get more legroom. I certainly hope this will not take that away. I also wish you would remove the recline option. There is no room in today's aircraft for a recline option due to the lack of legroom. People are very rude to recline a seat into someone's face. I never do, but I always get someone who does, usually a short person who doesn't need the extra room.

[jane_price]

The skinny and hard arm rests put my arms to sleep . Wish they could invent a solution to the battle for arm rest with fellow passengers.