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Southwest Airlines’ new seating policy for plus-size passengers has sparked a debate on social media.
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A flyer’s meeting with the policy change highlighted problems for plus-size travelers at airports.
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Southwest’s new policy requires oversize flights for extra seats.
Southwest Airlines’ new approach to plus-size seating is causing awkward encounters at the gate — and backlash from some passengers.
Kenny Slack, a 36-year-old hairstylist based in Houston, was driving home from Kansas City after a work trip in March. He told Business Insider that he travels several times a week for his job and hasn’t needed an extra seat on a flight since last year. He weighed 420 pounds and has since lost significant weight.
When he arrived at the Kansas City airport for his Southwest flight, he didn’t expect any trouble. Then, at the gate, Slack said he was told he needed to buy extra seats for the board.
“It was all about trying to check their bags with people in line behind me,” Slack said. “They didn’t even have the decency to pull me aside; it was happening in front of everyone.”
Slack said he told the gate agent he didn’t need to buy an extra seat on the Southwest flight to Kansas City. After talking to several agents, Slack said, he was able to board his flight without paying hundreds of dollars for another ticket.
He shared his story on TikTok, and the video has reached more than 2 million views and thousands of comments.
Southwest changed its “customers of size” policy in January, nixing an earlier one that some plus-size passengers who needed extra accommodations considered the best in the industry. The airline made the switch as part of a wave of policy changes, including the introduction of assigned seating and checked-bag fees.
The rollout is bringing the challenges of flying as a plus-size person into the spotlight.
Many other passengers have posted on TikTok about experiences similar to Slack’s on Southwest. One said they were told to get off the plane if they boarded without paying for an extra seat.
Not everyone gets angry. A travel business insider said that following the new guidelines eases his mind when he would otherwise be stressed about flying.
The policy, which the airline began communicating to customers on its website last year, requires passengers who need extra seats to “notify us in advance of their travel date so we can do everything we can to accommodate their needs,” a Southwest spokeswoman said.
The airline also said it would speak directly with customers if a full flight could cause passengers to be rebooked on a later flight. The company did not comment on how it is training its employees in those communications.
The new policy has introduced a ‘fat tax’, says a frequent flyer
Southwest had one of the best policies for plus-size travelers.
Influential Samira Miller said Southwest would accommodate her as a size customer under the previous policy, with an extra seat at no extra cost. Most other airlines had to pay him for extra seats.
Now, Miller said, Southwest is “basically charging a fat tax.”
The change at Southwest follows the airline’s recent move to offer assigned seating.
“With required seating, adjacent seats may sometimes be already occupied,” a Southwest spokesperson said.
While Southwest does not list size requirements for passengers, it does list the dimensions of its seats in its policy. According to the rules, the armrests on the seats are the boundary markers between the seats.
“Southwest may determine, in its sole discretion, that an additional seat is required for safety purposes,” the policy says, adding that the decision is up to staff.
If you do not purchase ahead of time, you will have to pay for the extra seat at the available fare on the day of travel. If your flight is not full, you may be eligible for a refund of the seat you purchased.
Some travelers found comfort in the new rules
Southwest’s new rules aren’t far off from what other airlines require for plus-size passengers. Most of them list their seat dimensions on their websites and require passengers who don’t fit comfortably to purchase an extra seat.
For some travelers, the simple solution is to pay in advance for an extra seat and hope for a refund.
Stephanie Masuda, 33, saw chatter online about Southwest’s new policy and decided to buy her extra seat in front to avoid a public callout during her trip in March. She had never flown Southwest before the rule change out of reluctance to practice open seats.
“It scared me,” Masuda told Business Insider. “Flying when fat, there are already a lot of considerations that you have to keep in mind.”
As with other airlines, Masuda said she monitors the seating arrangements for her trip to make sure there is an open seat next to her on the plane. His Southwest experience was the first time he bought an extra seat.
“I saw some horror stories coming out, and I didn’t want to be in that position,” Masuda said.
Under the new policy, draftees can guarantee comfort by getting a seat in advance. However, he was not sure of getting his cash back as the flight was 95% full.
Masuda said she was returned within 30 days of Southwest’s request. She ignored the awkward conversation and returned her money.
She told Business Insider that she will fly Southwest again. She said the old open-seat policy felt like a “scramble” for seats for everyone, which seemed more stressful than other airlines.
“I honestly think if they hadn’t changed this policy, I wouldn’t be flying with them,” Masuda said.
Read the original article on Business Insider
