I don’t know why my mind has been so reminiscent lately. Especially when it comes to travel. If I am honest with myself, I probably do know why I have been so reminiscent, and I don’t think it is a bad thing.

For the past month, I have been reflecting on the old Southwest Airlines Lounge Seating that they used to have on their Boeing 737’s. When I think back to some of my favorite moments in flying, many of those moments are a result of experiences I had in the Southwest Lounge Seating sections.

If you are not familiar with what I am talking about, let me describe it quick for you. On many of the early Southwest Airlines 737’s, they had between two to three sections on the airplane where the seats faced each other. It was normally in the front and back of the airplane and at the over wing exits. These set of six seats were a party waiting to happen for a personality like mine.

As I would talk with people, many would say that they hated the Lounge Seat configuration. Especially if they didn’t know people they were sitting across. That whole weird eye-contact thing. But I on the other hand loved the opportunity to meet new people, and if you were traveling with friends or family? Let’s just say that some of the funniest moments flying happened in that section of the airplane, and I am sure that I was shushed more than once (I admit that I have an incredibly loud laugh).

When Southwest got rid of this searing configuration, I was sad. I know safety regulations change and they added more seats to accommodate more people, but I miss those days. I’m writing this on a Southwest flight to San Diego and while I still live the amazing flight attendants, and I will always be a fan of their Open Seating policy, I want to go on record and say that I owe Southwest Airlines a solid high-five for the Lounge Seating era. It was one of those travel experiences that Has gone away and I don’t think we will ever see it again…

Just like peanuts… 🙂

Photo Credit to Sean Miller from his Southwest Airlines Pinterest Board