![]() It’s obviously perfectly good for phones and even some laptops now, but the world isn’t quite there yet. I assume the idea here is that these new lighter systems that are USB-only will save weight and cost less. The bad news is that this is what’s being installed. The good news is that Southwest has finally reversed course. It stubbornly stuck to this strategy for far too long, even as it began flying long-hauls to Hawai’i with countless devices running out of juice along the way. It was nearly 15 years ago that Southwest announced instead of power, it would roll out… outlets in gate areas. I started searching my archives and I’ve mentioned it many times over the last decade. Onboard power is something that Southwest has needed for AGES. There are two enhancements that matter far more than anything else: wifi and power. Obviously the most important development is the improvement in the moving map, right? The rest is unimportant. It’s a long list, but I think we can all agree that some of these matter a lot and some are pretty irrelevant. By the end of this month, the flight map will be updated “to provide 3-D views that offer aircraft information.”.By the end of this year, Southwest will double the number of free movies it has available for streaming.Bloody Mary mix will be stocked onboard this summer with some sort of “ready-to-drink cocktail,” a hard seltzer, and rosé this fall.Letting people add lap children to bookings online will occur at some point “on the horizon.”.Allowing travelers to purchase A1-15 boarding positions on mobile phones by end of summer instead of having to do it at the gate.Adding larger overhead bins on new aircraft deliveries starting next year.Install USB-A and USB-C power outlets in each seat on all MAX aircraft.Start installing new ViaSat wifi systems on new deliveries beginning this fall.Upgrading wifi equipment on existing aircraft to get up to 10x the current bandwidth with 50 aircraft ready by the end of this month and 350 by the end of October.The list of improvements is long, though some are obviously more important than others. It’s also a solid sign that the new CEO is going to lead the team to make some different decisions. It’s arguably not enough, but it’s not easy to get everything done when you fall behind the way Southwest has, so this is unquestionably a good step forward. ![]() ![]() This is long overdue since Southwest’s product has lagged for years. Yesterday, the airline announced it would spend more than $2 billion on a whole bunch of different projects. You’ll want to note that not every American flight has seat-back screens but you can head to AA.com on your phone or tablet to access the content.Southwest has finally decided it’s time to invest in its onboard product again.
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