Southwest
Airlines is implementing some changes to its long-standing ¡°customer of
size¡± policy, with several plus-size travelers saying the updates make an
already stressful experience even harder.
Starting January
27, 2026, the airline will require passengers who ¡°encroach upon the
neighboring seat¡± to purchase an additional ticket¡ªsomething that was
previously encouraged but not strictly enforced. The rule coincides with
another major shift for the carrier: the end of its signature open seating
system and the move
to assigned seating.
For years,
Southwest stood out from other major airlines by offering a relatively flexible
policy for plus-size travelers. They could book a second seat in advance and
later apply for a refund, or in some cases, request an extra seat at no cost at
the airport. That refund option will still exist¡ªbut with far stricter
conditions.
According to
Southwest¡¯s updated
policy, refunds for extra seats will only be granted if three requirements
are met:
- The flight departs with at least one
open seat (or passengers traveling on space available passes).
- Both tickets are purchased in the same
fare class.
- A refund request is submitted within
90 days of travel.
If all three of
those boxes aren¡¯t checked, travelers are out of luck in terms of obtaining a
refund.
Plus-size advocacy
groups say the changes are a blow to those who have long relied on Southwest¡¯s
more accommodating approach. ¡°Southwest was the only beacon of hope for many
fat people who otherwise wouldn¡¯t have been flying,¡± Tigress Osborn, executive
director of the National Association to Advance
Fat Acceptance, told The New
York Times. ¡°And now that beacon has gone out.¡±
Jeff Jenkins,
founder of the travel community Chubby Diaries, told USA
Today, ¡°It seems like a sneaky add-on from a policy that had been around
for 20+ years without much hitting the bottom line. I just hope that consumers
are aware of this change, and I wonder if plus-size people will skip out on
flying with them at all because of them not knowing if the flight is sold out
or not. It¡¯s just more anxiety to an already high anxiety experience.¡±
Others say the
cost itself could deter travelers. Kaycee Bivens, a South Carolina¨Cbased travel
advisor who runs The Plus
Size Passport brand, said, ¡°I have been exclusively flying Southwest
because of their customer size policy.¡± But with the new rules, she added, ¡°If
you¡¯re already budgeting and now you¡¯ve got to add $300 to $400 to your budget,
that may mean less travelers.¡±
Southwest did not
immediately respond to The New York Times¡¯ request for comment on the subject.
The change comes amid a series of operational modifications that have
frustrated loyal customers, including new fees for checked bags, assigned
seating and a shake-up of the airline¡¯s domestic routes. Collectively, the
moves have left some travelers saying Southwest is becoming more like the big
carriers it once distinguished itself from.
Although Osborn
noted that Southwest¡¯s revised rules are still more flexible than those of
major competitors like Delta, American, and JetBlue¡ªwhich don¡¯t refund the cost
of extra seats¡ªshe described the change as a setback with broader implications.
¡°This was not just an industry leader but an example to other industries that
accommodating people in the body they have today is an important business
practice,¡± she said.
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