Southwest is limiting a service that lets passengers buy a better spot in the boarding line

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest is limiting a popular service that lets passengers jump ahead in the airline’s unusual boarding system to get a better chance of scoring a good seat. Southwest said Wednesday it’s limiting the “EarlyBird” service on some flights, but won’t eliminate it entirely from any particular flight. The change is already in effect. Unlike other major U.S. airlines, Southwest doesn’t assign seats. Instead, passengers board in the order that they checked in for the flight, and they pick seats once they are on the plane. EarlyBird, which starts at $15 per flight, lets travelers avoid the rat race and secure a prime spot in the boarding line.