Airline sparks backlash with divisive new policy on plus-size passengers
An airline has sparked backlash with its divisive new policy on plus-size passengers.
While passengers are having arguments about moving seats or models call for the seats on planes to be made bigger, Southwest Airlines has made a change to how it handles certain arrangements.
The US-based, once primarily budget-focused, airline has long been a favourite of plus-size travellers as people praise its ‘customer of size’ policy.
Southwest used to allow fliers who ‘encroach upon neighbouring seats’ to purchase themselves an extra seat in advance of the flight to make sure it was available. And then, the passenger could request to have the cost refunded after travelling.
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But a new announcement from the airline means that’s about to change as it’s said to introduce new rules on 27 January 2026.
Announcing its new policy on Monday (25 August), Southwest explained that the popular refund is no longer guaranteed.
Instead, the airline says it will still refund a second ticket under its new policy for extra seating only if the flight isn’t fully booked at the time of departure and if both of the passenger’s tickets were bought in the same booking class.
The flier will also need to request the refund within 90 days of the flight.
And if a passenger who needs an extra seat doesn’t buy themselves one ahead of time, the policy says they’ll be required to buy one at the airport. But if the flight is full, they’ll get rebooked onto a new flight.
“To ensure space, we are communicating to Customers who have previously used the extra seat policy that they should purchase it at booking,” a statement from Southwest said.
Taking to Instagram, Jen McLellan (who hosts the Plus Mommy podcast) said she had been flying with the airline for the past decade due to the policy.
“It meant I wouldn’t be the next viral video of someone upset about sitting next to the 'fat passenger.' Newsflash: I don’t want to snuggle strangers either! That empty middle seat wasn’t just for me, it gave my fellow passengers comfort too,” she wrote.
But now she says the changes are ‘heartbreaking’ and will force people to make the ‘impossible choice of paying for two seats…or not traveling at all’.
Jason Vaughn, an Orlando-based travel agent who posts travel tips for plus-size people on his website, Fat Travel Tested, said the current policy not only helped create a more comfortable flying experience for plus-sized fliers but also ensured all passengers have adequate space.
“I think it’s going to make the flying experience worse for everybody,” he said, per AP.
Southwest Airlines said in a statement: "We are updating many policies as we prepare our operation, Employees, and Customers for assigned seating on January 27, 2026. To ensure space, we are communicating to Customers who have previously used the extra seat policy they should purchase it at booking."
Jess Battison