✈️ Axios PM: Southwest's big change

Plus: Gorillas' screen time | Thursday, July 25, 2024

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Walmart   Axios PM By Mike Allen · Jul 25, 2024 Good afternoon. Today's newsletter, edited by Sam Baker, is 528 words, a 2-min. read. Thanks to Sheryl Miller for copy editing.     1 big thing: Fewer Americans want kids   Data: Pew Research Center; Chart: Rahul Mukherjee/Axios An increasing share of adults under 50 say they're unlikely to have kids — and the major reason is, well, they just don't want to, Axios' Emily Peck writes from a new Pew Research Center report. Why it matters: The U.S. fertility rate is at a historic low, posing problems for future economic growth. 🐣 By the numbers: 47% of adults under 50 without kids say they're unlikely to have them — up 10 percentage points from 2018. Of those who said they're unlikely to have children, 57% said "they just don't want to," while 44% said they wanted to focus on different things. 38% pointed to the state of the world, 36% said they couldn't afford to raise a child, and 13% cited infertility or other medical reasons. Stunning stat: 64% of young women say they just don't want children, compared to 50% of men. Share this story.     2. ✈️ Southwest embraces seat assignments   Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Southwest Airlines is ditching its famous/infamous open-seating plan and will soon begin assigning seats and even offering some premium seating with extra legroom. The airline said its research found that 80% of customers and 86% of potential customers preferred assigned seating. It didn't announce a timeline for the change. 💺 Our thought bubble, from Axios aviation expert Alex Fitzpatrick: This is a monumental change for Southwest, which has long held on to its old-school ways even as other airlines raked in revenue from options like "economy plus" seating with extra legroom for slightly higher fares. Southwest is facing pressure from both sides: More premium airlines are making money off economy plus seating, while ultra-low-cost carriers are stealing away budget travelers with truly no-frills flying. The airline basically had two choices to stay competitive: operate more like a premium airline or more like an ultra-budget one. This move suggests it's taking option A. Go deeper.     A message from Walmart "I used to stock shelves — now I run the store"     At Walmart, veterans are rising through the ranks. In 2023, Walmart promoted 5,000+ veterans into roles of greater responsibility and higher pay. The goal: To help veterans, like Kelly, apply their skills and build fulfilling careers at Walmart. Explore Walmart's commitment to veterans.     3. Catch me up   A person walks past an encampment in L.A.'s Skid Row last month. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images ✍️ California Gov. Gavin Newsom directed state agencies to clear homeless camps, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling that allows cities to criminalize behavior associated with being homeless, like sleeping in parks. Go deeper. 🎤 A televised debate between former President Trump and Vice President Harris "will happen," Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, said at an Axios event today. Go deeper. 🦾 OpenAI will begin testing a new prototype of an AI-driven search tool, which will use up-to-date information and allow users to ask follow-up questions. Go deeper.     4. 🙈 Gorillas getting too much screen time   Gorillas at the San Diego Zoo in 2018. Photo: Santi Visalli/Getty Images Officials at the San Diego Zoo are getting frustrated with visitors' habit of showing videos to gorillas, Axios San Diego's Andrew Keatts writes. Gorillas will often abandon their play to bound over to the glass and gesture with their hands to see a phone. It's a surreal spectacle — the gorillas couldn't look more human, zoning out as humans swipe videos for them. 👎 What they're saying: A zoo spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal they do not want guests to distract gorillas with screens and they stop it when they see it. Guests should watch gorillas behave like gorillas, not attempt to connect with them through human technology, the spokesperson said.     A message from Walmart Walmart hired more than 430,000 veterans over the last decade     Walmart is investing in veterans and military families by helping them turn their skills into careers. What this means: As veterans transition from the military, Walmart provides endless opportunities for them to build careers and live better. Learn how veterans build careers at Walmart.   Are you a fan of this email format? Your essential communications — to staff, clients and other stakeholders — can have the same style. Axios HQ, a powerful platform, will help you do it.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Advertise with us. Axios, PO Box 101060, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: