Southwest changes

Well, I was curious about the changes that Southwest Airlines was making and how these changes would impact my regular route from Phoenix to San Francisco. I had frequently been flying there for as little as $168 roundtrip, since my daughter's family lives there. I had learned how to navigate the system by checking in exactly 24 hours in advance and would always get in a decent boarding group to guarantee a good seat, without having to pay extra. I just investigated a flight there and the best I could find for a reserved seat was $344. You could get a cheaper rate, but the flight was non-refundable (no credit either) and you would be in the last boarding group, so probably in a middle seat. Both United and American offered better deals for reserved seats. I was able to book one on American for $268 with aisle seats on both legs. It's disappointing. I would have thought that Southwest would be trying to undercut their competitors during this transition period. They have lost this customer. I'm curious if others will stick around.