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Southwest Airlines is flying into a storm of controversy, with one of the biggest airlines in the USA now facing backlash from its passengers and the general aviation community.
In 2025, it feels like airlines are trying to squeeze every penny from us. Space is a premium in the skies and on our planes, and after reports of some carriers trying new 'standing' seats to cram more of us in like cattle, Southwest is being accused of trying to make extra profit off its customers.
Southwest recently grabbed headlines when it allegedly 'forgot' two blind passengers, but now, it's in the news for its new plus-size passenger rules.
As reported by AP, Southwest is introducing a new policy where passengers who don't fit in the armrests of their seats will be required to stump up the cost for two seats. Coming into effect alongside new assigned seating rules on January 27, Southwest's plus-size policy changes the current stipulations where passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and have the option of claiming that money back later, or request a free extra seat at the airport.
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The carrier's latest policy states that a refund is still possible, but it is no longer a guarantee.
Southwest has defended its decision, claiming that it's to assist with the new assigned seating policy: "To ensure space, we are communicating to Customers who have previously used the extra seat policy that they should purchase it at booking."
Travellers used to be able to let their checked bags fly for free and pick their seats upon boarding the plane, but after waving goodbye to your free luggage in May 2025, you'll now have to pay for the luxury of even more perks that helped Southwest stand out from other budget alternatives.
The airline has reiterated that plus-size passengers who purchase a second seat can still get a refund if the flight isn't fully booked at the time of departure and both tickets were bought in the same class.
On the Southwest site, it says that anyone who doesn't fit "the definitive boundary between seats" will be slapped with the new policy.
Those who need an extra seat but don't buy one before reaching the airport could be faced with a 'walk-up fare' that will likely be more than the cost of booking ahead. The policy also reminds you that if a flight is full and you're deemed as requiring a second seat, you'll have to be rebooked on a different flight.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Tigress Osborn, executive director of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, explained how it feels like the policy is unfairly targeting larger customers who now won't be able to afford to fly: "They can’t afford to take that gamble. We are hearing from a lot of people about how this will literally mean they cannot travel by air anymore."
Of course, passengers likely won't know if a flight is fully booked until they're at the boarding gate or even on the plane.
Although Southwest maintains that 0.25% of its passengers need to book an extra seat, that's no help for fashion writer Corrine Fay, who says she only flies Southwest because of the 'plus-size-friendly policy' reimbursement. She's now considering alternative airlines as she feared: "I definitely felt like crying because it’ll make my life a lot harder. We’re talking about the difference between spending $400 versus $800 or even more."
