Southwest Airlines has unveiled plans for redesigned cabins, new seats and a fresh uniform for its 53,000 employees.
The new Southwest Airlines cabin will be transformed and created by design company Tangerine while the seats will be manufactured by RECARO.
Southwest Airlines confirmed on February 2, 2024, that the changes will feature on all its new aircraft delivered from the beginning of 2025.
According to the carrier the design has been created using extensive research with deep blue tones, sky blue accents, and a nod to the Southwest Heart woven throughout the carpet finally being chosen.
“Southwest flies above our competition with industry-leading flexibility and our legendary Hospitality,” Tony Roach, Senior Vice President and CCO at Southwest Airlines, said. “Our redesigned cabin interior significantly enhances our inflight customer experience and will complement the amazing service that our Crews provide.”
The RECARO seats are “intuitively designed” for comfort and to maximize the width and will also come with a multi-adjustable headrest cushion.
Each seat will include a personal electronic device holder so passengers can watch their own movies and television shows more easily.
Design Collective by Cintas and uniform brand consultant Bonnie Markel are working with 75 Southwest Airlines employees to create the new staff attire.
The new look is for Southwest Airlines employees who work in and around airports, including inflight operations, ground operations, cargo, and technical operations.
“As the design process unfolds, Design Collective and Bonnie Markel are creating an apparel line that represents the Southwest Brand, with crucial input from the Uniform Inspiration Team Members who bring their everyday working knowledge and experience to ensure the apparel of the future fulfills all their functional and fashion needs,” Abby Groshek, Apparel Designer with Design Collective by Cintas, said.
Additionally, Southwest Airlines plans to fit USB A and USB C power ports and larger overhead bins on all existing Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 737-800 aircraft, a process that is anticipated to be completed over the next several years.