Southwest Drops Advance Extra-Seat Rule for Plus-Size Fliers as Airport Agents Can Add 1 Seat Free
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · May 29
Southwest Drops Advance Extra-Seat Rule for Plus-Size Fliers as Airport Agents Can Add 1 Seat Free
12 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · May 29
Southwest last week stopped requiring plus-size passengers to buy a second seat before travel, letting airport agents provide an adjacent seat at no extra cost when one is available.
The change followed traveler criticism of the January policy, under which customers had to purchase an extra seat upfront and later seek a refund if space remained open.
If no additional seat is available, passengers who did not book one in advance may be moved to a later flight, so Southwest still urges customers needing more space to reserve it beforehand.
Southwest said the revision should reduce gate-side judgments about whether a traveler fits in 1 seat and is part of a broader effort to make the process more consistent.
How will Southwest ensure its new discretionary seat policy is applied fairly and consistently at the gate for all passengers?
Amidst new bag fees, is Southwest's free seat policy a PR move or a true return to its customer-first roots?