Southwest Airlines created a new advertisement aimed at ‘celebrating’ its new assigned seating policy, which will air Sunday, Feb. 8, in six markets.
Southwest Airlines is set to debut a new ad to run during the Super Bowl, poking fun at their new assigned seating policy.
The ad, titled “Boarding Royale,” will air on Peacock and broadcast and local cable channels in six markets, including San Diego, Chicago, Denver, Austin, Dallas and Honolulu, during the big game Sunday, according to a Southwest news release.
The ad, which appears to be set in a forest, features numerous guests running to get to their seats after a voice says, “Southwest boarding begins now.”
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In what seems to be a hyperbolic expression of how travelers would react during the company’s open seating boarding process, people in the video chaotically run to grab a seat.
Southwest will debut a new Super Bowl ad, poking fun at its former open seating policies. (Southwest / Unknown Source)
“I thought you checked us in last night?” a woman in the advertisement asks.
“I was one minute late,” the man who appeared to be traveling with her replied.
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The video also features a woman swinging on a tree vine while screaming, in what appears to be an effort to make it to her seat on time.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUV | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. | 52.60 | +1.42 | +2.77% |
On-screen text then appears which reads, “That was wild,” which is then followed by a couple calmly sitting in their seats with another on-screen text card that reads, “Assigned seating is here.”
The ad “celebrates” the airline’s new assigned seating model while “clapping back to the days of open seating,” the company said in the release.
During the ad, a passenger appears to save the seat next to him while another person asks if the seat is taken. The ad comes amid new assigned seating policies. (Southwest)
The company shared that viewers should recognize Southwest’s “self-aware humor” the airline says it’s known for.
Southwest says the new assigned seating policy should “position the airline for the future.”
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“While open seating played a huge role in Southwest’s history and helped it grow from a regional carrier into one of the largest airlines in America, the new assigned seating policy positions the airline for the future and addresses [c]ustomers’ needs,” Southwest said in the release.
The airline’s new seating policy went into effect Jan. 27. Customers now have the choice between an “extra legroom seat,” “preferred seat” and a standard seat.
Southwest Airlines’ new ad will air in six markets, including Dallas, Austin and San Diego. (Southwest)
The company said the policy “gives [customers] more choices when [they] travel,” according to the airline’s website.
“For your comfort, we’re introducing seat options that allow you to choose the experience you prefer,” said the airline on their seating information page.
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The Seattle Seahawks will face off against the New England Patriots on Sunday during Super Bowl LX, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Despite the changes, Southwest reassured customers they should still expect the same “legendary” hospitality.
“Southwest’s bold personality and humor have always been unique in the industry,” it said in the release. “No matter the seat configuration, the legendary [h]ospitality that [c]ustomers expect at Southwest remains.”
