2 chapters across the catalog
Southwest Airlines is ending its 50-year tradition of open seating, moving to assigned seats and extra legroom options to increase revenue. The hosts lament the end of the "democratic" boarding process and predict the airline will lose its unique identity. They jokingly suggest the change is a pretext for a $10 billion IT upgrade from their current "Commodore 64" systems.
Southwest Airlines IT Infrastructure Failures and Bankruptcy Speculation
Industry analysts suggest Southwest Airlines' collapse was caused by an obsolete crew-rescheduling system known as "REACCOM" that failed to handle mass disruptions. The airline's corporate culture reportedly declined following the death of founder Herb Kelleher, leading to speculation about potential bankruptcy or acquisition. There is further speculation that the crisis may be used to renew political interest in high-speed rail projects.
