Southwest Airlines is introducing extra legroom seats while shaving legroom from regular coach and will offer assigned seats. They can’t keep their open seating policy, where passengers pick their seats when they board, if they want to make money selling these seats. (This at least requires reserving extra legroom seats for those who pay and get them assigned in advance.)
The move is controversial. It’s what other airlines do, but Southwest Airlines has bucked the industry since it was a maverick upstart more than 50 years ago. And while the airline says the overwhelming majority of its customers support the change, loyalists are loyal to the airline because of its product so many are saddened by the change.
No one seems more concerned, though, than the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance.
- Southwest has the friendliest policy in the industry for passengers of size. You buy an extra seat if you need the space, but if the flight isn’t sold out, Southwest will actually refund it to you.
- But they haven’t commented on how this policy might change with assigned seating.
According to the organization’s Executive Director,
Southwest made a public commitment to ensuring that bags continue to fly free. We are calling on them to make a public commitment to ensuring that accessibility for Customers of Size and disabled passengers will not be undermined by upcoming changes to their planes and procedures. Southwest currently has the best policy in the country for plus size passengers. As they work toward a better customer service experience for everyone, that has to include us. Now is the time to make flying even friendlier for fat people, not to regress to the difficulties larger people have with Southwest’s competitors.
It seems to me that there’s no reason why this policy would have to change just because of assigned seating.
- Other airlines let you buy yourself an extra seat (and you don’t need to be especially large to do it).
- Some airlines with assigned seating even offer this as an option during the booking process
- And it’s easier to get two boarding passes, with two seat assignments, than to explain to passengers gunning for that extra seat that it’s actually reserved.
Of course Southwest is making a lot of changes to improve revenue, pushed by activist investor Elliott Management. They might choose to revise their policy of refunding extra seat purchases on flights that aren’t sold out. And they haven’t said they won’t do it!
Airlines are commoditizing every inch of space. What that means is that obese people who take up more room will be expected to pay more. That is why the future of airline ticket pricing is where your BMI is your ticket price.
https://brothke.medium.com/your-bmi-is-your-ticket-price-the-next-dimension-in-airline-pricing-c0592c755a8f?sk=6d63de598dbaa96540b9f3fc9255e571
As with cargo, there are certain items that should only be shipped via ground transportation.
What about tall people like myself! All airlines should be forced by the government to not allow airlines to sell bulkhead seats, main cabin extra, or exit rows until after all tall people have boarded!!! GIVE US ALL A BREAK. Being “fat” is something YOU CAN CONTROL. Being Tall or another physical difference is not. NO ONE CARES ABOUT Y’ALL LOSING A “FREE” SEAT. WORKOUT AND STOP OVER EATING.
“Southwest has the friendliest policy in the industry for passengers of size. You buy an extra seat if you need the space, but if the flight isn’t sold out, Southwest will actually refund it to you.”
Gary,
They will currently refund the seat cost even if the flight is sold out.
So far, 3 of the 4 comments have not been kind. Not they anyone has to accept what they are asking for but why so mean?
Have the fatties buy 2 seats like they are supposed to do on most other airlines. Problem solved!
I frankly never understood why we should give a free extra seat to a morbidly obese passenger. One of the primary things that an airline is selling you is space, and if you want more space (or need more space) then you should buy more space. Should a car dealer sell a fat person a larger vehicle for the cost of a subcompact because they won’t fit into that mini? Should a clothing manufacturer or retailer be required to sell 4X shirts for the same size as a small? Should McDonalds be required to super-super size its Happy Meals at no charge for a fat person? I recognize that for some people, they can’t control their weight for medical reasons, but for the majority of morbidly obese people, it is a lifestyle choice and nothing else. And with many voluntary behaviors, you have to accept the consequences. In this case, one of those consequences might be having to buy an extra seat or two, or buying a premium cabin ticket.
For 99% of overweight people, being fat is a choice. They have chosen to be fat, so should not be asking for special privileges. I am 6’2″ and am forced to buy extra legroom seats. I did not choose to be this tall, but I still do not ask for special access or “acceptance”.
If you can’t even respect yourself, how do you expect others to respect you?
So if I am really hungry… I should be able to get 2 meals while only paying for 1 at restaurants? I can’t control my appetite guys, be empathetic of my condition that I can’t control!
And card the disabled people. Most of them require wheelchair assistance getting on the flight and then have a miraculous recovery when they get off the plane! I am disabled and it makes me furious! I have a disability card! We all should have it!
I think the policy is necessary in today’s environment. However “We are loyal customers” is not a great argument when you are buying two for the price of one every time. The company would be more profitable if you chose another seller.
Being fat is not a disability.
Five years ago I had a BMI of 40 and was obese. Decades of trying to manage my weight using Medifast, Weight Watchers, massive amounts of exercise and more failed. I had bariatric surgery, lost and kept off 100#, for a BMI of 26.
The discussion of whether or not one “chooses” to be obese is far more complicated than many people realize. Yes, there are good choices and bad choices, but the hormonal signaling and energy storage system known as “fat” is complex and influenced by many things happening in one’s body. It wasn’t until I was evaluated for ADHD that I realized WHY I used to crave simple carbs so much: it was because I was hunting for a way to bring my dopamine levels up to where I felt good. Simple carbs will absolutely give you a dopamine hit, but it’s short-lived and there are obviously consequences to eating too much.
I have unlimited compassion for fat people. I have only my own story to tell, but by surgically controlling my stomach size and continuing to search for reasons as to why I was compelled to over-eat I finally (at age 63) have answers and solutions. Accepting my fat was never an option for me; it’s incredibly unhealthy. The hardest step was admitting that I couldn’t control my weight by myself, and getting help. It was never a case of “simply” eating less and exercising more. I needed to understand why my cravings were the way they were.
Please don’t reduce fat people to caricatures; we are people too. Fat people, please don’t just assume that airlines or anyone else owes you accommodation for your body. Keep searching for answers. You will be healthier for it.
God bless you all. I have compassion for everyone in this discussion.
@Denver Refugee…
“If you can’t even respect yourself, how do you expect others to respect you?”
But what does that have to do with kindness vs being mean?
The hate is these comments is disappointing.
And Gary – for you to let stand JC’s female-hating, vitriolic rant that includes the “C” word – really? Apparently he is not aware there are overweight men, also.
I do agree that anyone that wants or needs some extra room should be able to purchase the seat next to them.
There’s only one person who has shown any trace of humanity or kindness? The rest of you leave me speechless. Ken is correct. Southwest always refunds fares paid for an extra seat, regardless of whether the flight is sold out or not. When this policy was implemented years ago, only for a short time did the airline not offer a refund if the flight sells out. If the passenger does not buy an extra seat it will be offered at the airport for no charge.
@KB – I certainly did not “let stand” that comment. As soon as I woke up on my flight and got connected, I saw it and removed it.
Pretty sure we’re figuring out who the fatties are in this thread.
So now on SWA if one identifies themselves as a “fat” person do they automatically get an empty seat next to them for just asking at essentially no charge? That’s assuming I lost the empty seat lotto and the flight is not “completely full” as they say. Personally I’d like more shoulder room and not rubbing legs with my neighbor, for free of course.
Those with larger size, should just purchase the space they need. Maybe SW could innovate and sell Half Seats, Maybe someone will purchase or upgrade to getting the other half seat.
Most people on here are dumb and unnecessarily mean. Most passengers of size already purchase two seats. Then they call in for the refund after travel. And just to clarify, they get the refund even if the flight is sold out. The ones that don’t purchase the extra seat, get to pre-board. So I’m sure Southwest will keeps it’s policy and figure out how to continue providing the excellent Customer Service they’re known for.
It’s perfectly reasonable to preach understanding for the overweight in damn near any other circumstance. Weight control is a huge struggle and I get that there’s a lot of factors beyond “stop eating” that goes into it.
Airplanes though? Nah, it’s a zero sum game. If you’re unfortunate enough to sit in coach next to someone who doesn’t fit between the arm rests for a cross country, red eye, transpac whatever have you, that understanding goes away when you come to a realization that the both of you paid largely similar amounts but this stranger who you don’t know is now taking up half of the way-too-small-to-begin-with space that you’ve got and their body is pressed against yours. And they’re doing that because they were either too cheap or too proud to do the right thing and buy two seats.
I suspect a huge amount of the vitriol on these posts is directed at the cheap self-centered behavior of the overweight who won’t buy a second seat. Those of you who do buy a second seat, you’re awesome. Keep on keeping on.
I don’t blame them for their condition. I don’t shame them for their condition. But come on – Why should they get more space for free? Everyone would like to have more space for free.
Either fit into your seat without an extender or buy F or 2 seats. Because you don’t have the right to infringe on space that you did not purchase and in fact belongs to someone else. If you think seats should be larger than vote with your feet or write to DOT.
I expect it would not be difficult to enforce this rule if airlines had some cojones and you would soon see people buying 2 seats. Just place a seat sizer next to the bag sizer…
I still do not know why “some people” think they can put the Webster dictionary in to a #10 envelope and only pay first class postage for it when they need to send it in a box.
Do all these “customers of size ” Drive Mini coopers or do they drive Ford Trucks so they can open the door to fit in?
Maybe LUV (and other airlines) could come up with a marketing agreement with Novo Nordisk for a discount on the first months supply of Ozempic for those “calorically enhanced” passengers that need to purchase 2 seats. Just a thought.
I’m not going to go off on fat people but I would like the same accommodation for tall people. If I buy an extra legroom seat, because they think all people are no more than 5′ 10″ tall, can I get the fare difference back if “extra leg room” seats don’t sell out? I almost had to get off of an AA flight because I could not fit my legs into the ridiculously small space.
Im cool with the fats, its the people with the fake “service animals” that a problem. I had to share space with a “service dog” that only service was companionship and whine the entire flight. While Im not for more government, States require certification of service animals and issue a travel id.
Lastly, the article title “Triggers Panic” for whom, regular size people? wer’re the ones that are displaced.
Aaahahaha!! The mask too. Yikes
I’ve got,it made 4’8″ 85lbs no problem with seating.
Sorry for a serious comment here. But, if WN let’s you select a second seat for an amount guaranteed to be refunded (as apparently is now the case) when assigned seating kicks in, what stops me from doing the same? Are they going to stop me because I’m not wide enough?
Why are people who need seat belt extensions (the obese) allowed to sit in an emergency exit row? You know they’re not easily fitting through that window exit, especially on the 737.
I believe the assignment of seats won’t take effect until 2026 so you all have time to lose weight and get healthy.