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Southwest Airlines ditches decades-old open seating after years of holding out

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Southwest Airlines ditches decades-old open seating after years of holding out


Southwest Airlines has announced a major change coming to its current seating system.

The Texas-based airline previously had a “pick any seat” policy, allowing customers to purchase tickets in different boarding groups by selecting where they wanted to sit upon boarding the plane. 

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On July 29, Southwest will be assigning seats to customers booking flights beginning on Jan. 27, 2026 — making it the last airline to drop open seating. 

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Tony Roach, Southwest executive vice president of customer and brand, said in a press release that customers want “greater control over their travel experience.”

“Assigned seating unlocks new opportunities for our customers — including the ability to select Extra Legroom seats — and removes the uncertainty of not knowing where they will sit in the cabin,” said Roach.

Southwest Airlines has announced a shift from open seating to assigned seats starting on July 29 for flights booked from 2026. (Scott Eisen/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

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He added, “This is an important step in our evolution, and we’re excited to pair these enhancements with our legendary customer service.”

A Senate investigation report last year reviewed data from five airlines: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines.

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It found they collectively earned $12.4 billion in revenue from seat fees between 2018 and 2023.

The airlines recently implemented a substantial change by ending their well-known “bags fly free policy” in May.

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“Assigned seating unlocks new opportunities for our customers — including the ability to select Extra Legroom seats — and removes the uncertainty of not knowing where they will sit in the cabin.” (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations’ majority-staff report, “The Sky’s the Limit: The Rise of Junk Fees in American Travel,” also found the airlines made $1.2 billion from checked bag fees.

Flight passengers had mixed reactions to Spirit’s news on social media, sharing their thoughts on the policy change.

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“Outstanding. That mad scramble for seats was always aggravating,” said one man on X.

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Another user wrote, “No more free checked [bags], no more free changes. Suddenly it’s no different from any other airline.”

Southwest ended its policy of “bags fly free” in May. (DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“The ability to avoid babies and pets was the only reason I flew them. No more,” said one user.

A person posted on X, “This is a good move for faster boarding at the airline and more fair for A-listers.”

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FOX Business reached out to Southwest Airlines for comment.



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Miami, FL

This Miami food truck was just named Florida’s top independent restaurant

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This Miami food truck was just named Florida’s top independent restaurant


Apparently, one of the best restaurants in America is parked next to a post office in the Design District.

Taste of R Cuisine (better known to burger obsessives as TRC Burger) has officially been ranked the highest-rated independent restaurant in Florida and the second-highest-rated indie restaurant in the entire country, according to a new Yelp-based study from business lender OnDeck.

The Miami food truck landed at No. 2 nationally with a perfect 5.0 Yelp rating based on 55 reviews, trailing only Los Angeles sushi spot Sonmari, which edged into the top slot with 60 reviews.

To compile the rankings, OnDeck looked at data from nearly 90,000 independently owned restaurants across the U.S., pulling from Yelp’s highest-reviewed and recommended eateries before narrowing the list down to top-rated local spots. Restaurants with fewer than 50 reviews were excluded and ties were broken by review count. Which is all how a humble Miami food truck wound up beating out thousands of restaurants nationwide.

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Parked at 95 NE 40th Street in the Design District, Taste of R Cuisine has quietly built a cult following since it launched in 2019. The truck specializes in gourmet burgers, chicken sandwiches, steak plates and house-made lemonades, with everything cooked fresh to order using non-GMO produce and handmade buns.

Its self-described philosophy is simple: fresh ingredients, handcrafted food and nothing frozen. According to the business, the burgers use 100% Angus beef alongside house-made pickles and signature sauces. Reviewers are particularly obsessed with the Everything Burger, truffle fries and lemonades. One Yelp user called it “one of the best burgers in Miami,” while another described the truck as delivering “Michelin-star quality food.”

The truck’s setup is refreshingly unfussy for a place now sitting near the top of a national restaurant ranking. There’s no dramatic tasting menu, no months-long reservation list and no stuffy dining room. Just picnic tables, burgers and an insanely high number of five-star reviews—not bad for a place in a parking lot.



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Atlanta, GA

Man injured in shooting after crowd gathered in NW Atlanta

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Man injured in shooting after crowd gathered in NW Atlanta


A man is recovering after he was shot during a crowd dispute early Thursday morning in northwest Atlanta. 

What we know:

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Atlanta police say the shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. in the 1500 block of Joseph E. Boone Boulevard NW. Investigators determined the gunfire started during a dispute within a crowd gathered in the area.

When officers arrived at the scene, the crowd had already run away. The man who was shot was alert and conscious when he was taken to a nearby hospital.

What we don’t know:

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Police have not yet identified the person who opened fire or released the name of the victim. 

It is also unclear what exactly sparked the dispute or the current medical status of the man who was shot.

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The Source: Information in this article comes from the Atlanta Police Department. 

NW AtlantaCrime and Public SafetyNews



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Augusta, GA

Downtown Augusta shops adjust as development projects reshape city center

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Downtown Augusta shops adjust as development projects reshape city center


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Downtown Augusta businesses are working through ongoing construction as the city center continues to take shape.

Andi Klinginsmith, general manager of Sosal, said the work has required extra effort to keep customers informed.

“When they’re doing construction directly in front of your building and the sidewalks open, but the road is closed, it’s about letting people know that, hey, we are still open,” Klinginsmith said. “There is still room to get by. Flagging them in and coming down to see us so they know that we’re still in business, still rocking and rolling.”

Evan Grantski, owner of Grantski Records, said his business plans to use social media and email to communicate with customers if access becomes more difficult.

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“If it gets worse, we’ll just reach out to our people on social media and let them know or send them an email,” Grantski said. “But I’m sure they’ll be able to get to us and everything will be okay.”

Business growth trending up

Margaret Woodard, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, said business growth is moving in a positive direction.

“Last year I believe it was around 45 net businesses opened up on the Broad Street quarter and as of today we’ve got 15,” Woodard said. “So we are pacing in the right direction.”

The Downtown Development Authority said new development projects are designed to bring more foot traffic into downtown. Woodard said the James Brown Linear Park will be part of that effort.

“There are some amenities in the streetscape projects such as the James Brown Linear Park that’s gonna attract visitors and residents downtown, where there’s actually an interactive park and things to do,” Woodard said.

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Klinginsmith said the return of the arena will also draw people to the area.

“I think we need a place that everybody can come together and celebrate and be excited and the arena coming back will be a big part for that,” Klinginsmith said. “It’s gonna bring people into the city as well who aren’t from here. People who don’t normally come downtown will come more this way because of that.”

Grantski said he hopes the improvements will bring more activity to downtown.

“Life downtown, people walking the sidewalks and shopping and eating and drinking and bringing families,” Grantski said.

Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

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