Southwest Airlines' CEO told investors in a July 24 earnings call that the airline could eventually open its own lounges.

Southwest Airlines, known for its iconic open seating policy that has polarized travelers for over half a century, is set to undergo a significant transformation by introducing assigned seating and premium options.

Southwest Airlines will debut its new assigned seating policy in January 2026, bringing an end to the airline's once signature process of open seating. The airline's new boarding procedure will go into effect for flights scheduled on and after Jan.

Two flight attendants were injured on a Southwest Airlines flight taking off in Burbank, Calif. after the plane made several sudden altitude changes to avoid colliding with another aircraft. CNN reported that the Las Vegas-bound flight made a sudden drop of 475 feet in order to avoid a privately owned Hawker Hunter fighter jet.

The passenger jet was responding to an alert of another aircraft in the vicinity, federal authorities said. A Cold War-era military plane was nearby at the time.