Today marks the start of Southwest Airlines' assigned seating — a change that reshapes how millions of Americans fly.

Why it matters: The Dallas-based carrier is the last major U.S. airline to abandon open seating, closing a long-running chapter that set it apart from competitors.

The latest: Southwest has moved to assigned seating and group-based boarding, officially retiring its familiar first-come, first-served A/B/C boarding lineup.

How it works: Boarding groups will shift to Groups 1–8, prioritized by seat location, fare type, loyalty status and credit card benefits.

• Gate areas will phase out numbered stanchions in favor of digital boarding lanes that display which group is boarding.
• New boarding passes will show both seat assignments and boarding groups.

Between the lines: Open seating rewarded fast check-ins and minimized seat hierarchy.

• Assigned seating brings Southwest closer to industry norms — and reintroduces a pain point it largely avoided: the assigned middle seat.

Follow the money: The changes are part of a broader effort by the airline to offer more choice — and increase revenue streams.

• Premium seat options, new fare bundles and expanded loyalty perks are all being offered now under what Southwest calls a "reimagined customer experience."
• That includes free WiFi for Rapid Rewards members, alongside other digital and inflight upgrades.

What we're watching: How customers respond once novelty gives way to pricing tiers and seat scarcity.

• Whether Southwest can preserve its reputation for simplicity as its product grows more complex.

Subway sandwiches and middle seats

White Rhino Coffee's decision to serve ICE agents and give them a first responder discount is drawing ire and support from North Texans.

Why it matters: ICE is federal law enforcement, but some former White Rhino employees say they shouldn't receive the same perks as first responders, such as police officers and firefighters.

State of play: Over a dozen White Rhino employees have quit their jobs in the past week, in large part because of the company's stance on serving ICE workers, two former employees tell Axios.

Catch up quick: White Rhino has over a dozen locations and owns Emporium Pies.

• The company gives free drip coffee and cold brew to uniformed on-duty first responders and a 50% discount on anything else.

Friction point: Margot Stacy, who resigned from her manager position at White Rhino's downtown Dallas location last week, tells Axios she doesn't think the company has done enough to protect its employees and customers from ICE.

• "If you've come to America from a different country or if you were born here — that doesn't matter to me. I support freedom," Stacy tells Axios.

The other side: The company in a statement on its Facebook page said it supports all types of people and is "truly thankful to every public servant regardless of position."

• "At the end of the day, we simply sell coffee. We don't just sell coffee to one particular type of American. We want to be a place of inclusivity to everyone."
• The company and ICE officials did not reply to Axios' request for comment.

Sunday's snowfall at DFW Airport broke a 77-year-old record.

• The airport received about 0.9 inches of snow, setting a new record for snowfall on January 25.
• The previous record for the day was set in 1949, when the airport received 0.1 inches of snow, per the National Weather Service's data.

Stunning stat: Temperatures at the airport stayed below freezing for 58 hours, the weather service said.

• By contrast, the airport remained below-freezing for 139 hours in 2021.

What's next: Some parts of North and Central Texas could experience freezing fog tonight.

🔎 Sen. Ted Cruz and other Texas Republicans are calling for an investigation after federal agents shot and killed a 37-year-old nurse in Minneapolis. (Texas Tribune)

🚨 Dallas police responded to 151 crashes between Saturday and yesterday morning. (WFAA)

🍗 Palmer's Hot Chicken in Lakewood has shut down because of rising costs. The owners plan to focus on delivery apps and catering instead. (Dallas Observer)

There's something glutenous for everyone at this Frisco restaurant, which offers both Indian-inspired pizzas and traditional flavors.

The intrigue: Hot Pizza's menu reimagines Indian dishes such as chicken 65, chicken tikka masala and chaat as pizzas.

What to order: The chicken 65 pizza and cheesy achari bread. (Achar is a spicy South Asian condiment made with pickles.)

Where: Hot Pizza, locations in Dallas and Frisco

Cost: $24 for the XL pizza, $8 for the medium bread

Six word review: Tangy, spicy flavors elevate pizza game.

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