http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/102804dnbusswa.9 0229.html =20 01:36 PM CDT on Thursday, October 28, 2004=20 Bloomberg News=20 Southwest Airlines Co., the largest U.S. low-cost carrier, may assign passengers to seats for the first time because the company thinks it can make the change without adding to the time planes spend at airport gates.=20 The carrier probably won't make a decision for at least a year, President Colleen Barrett told reporters at a meeting in Dallas. Southwest long has been known for not assigning seats, which cuts the time required to board passengers. Some travelers consider the open seating an inconvenience.=20 A study within the last year showed the Dallas-based airline that ticketing-data technology it's developing may increase efficiency enough to consider assigning seats, Barrett said. Southwest tries to limit how long a plane sits at a gate between flights to 20 minutes and won't change the seating policy if the so-called turn time would increase, she said.=20 "I wouldn't be at all surprised to see if we begin to assign seats once the technological problems are solved," Barrett said.=20 The change makes more sense as the airline increases its number of longer flights, Barrett said. Seats would be assigned on all flights, regardless of length, if the change is made, she said.=20 Southwest in recent years has moved away from some traditions to increase efficiency or security. The airline stopped issuing reusable plastic boarding passes in favor of disposable paper ones, began serving snack boxes instead of only peanuts on longer flights, and allowed online check-in and boarding passes instead of just those issued at airports.=20 =20