Quantcast

Southwest Airlines updates customer of size policy amid seating changes

Alaska Airlines flight attendants reject new contract, union says there's 'more work to do'
Elliott Investment To Push For 10 New Boardroom Directors At Southwest Airlines
Alaska Air Backs JetZero Blended-Wing Design
AI in Aviation Line Maintenance: A Strategic Response to Delays, Satisfaction, and Staffing Challenges
Air taxi service plans for 2026 Los Angeles launch at USC, SoFi and LAX
VistaJet Flight Brings Home Americans in Prisoner Swap
Air Canada Blames Paris Olympics On Decreased Profits
Delta passengers sue airline over refund refusals after CrowdStrike meltdown
Microsoft fires back at Delta after massive outage, says airline declined ‘repeated’ offers for help
Korean Air Confirms A Spacious Lounge Is Coming To The New Terminal One at New York JFK
VAS Aero Services to Acquire an Additional 17 Airbus A320 Airframes, Bringing to 23 the Total Number of A320s Slated for Teardown and Harvested Parts Redistribution
Delta CEO says CrowdStrike-Microsoft outage cost the airline $500 million
Boeing Reports $16.9 Billion In Revenue For 2nd Quarter With 5,400 Commercial Aircraft Backlog
United Airlines says flight attendant in Terrell Davis incident is no longer employed and NFL legend’s ‘no fly’ ban is lifted | CNN
Nepal Plane Crash Kills 18 After Takeoff - Airline Ratings
Southwest Airlines is getting rid of open seating | CNN Business
CrowdStrike Outage Caused 10% Spike in Air Charter
Aircraft Engine Maintenance and Repair to Peak in 2026, Worsening Capacity Shortage for Commercial Aviation, Says Bain & Company
Joby’s Electric Air Taxi Makes European Debut
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation announces NLRB-scheduled vote to remove union officials
Families recount the horror of MH17 ten years on - Airline Ratings
777-9 Enters Certification Flight Testing - AVweb
Kompass Kapital Sets New Course with Airshare Investment
SATS, SIA Engineering Company and Changi Airport Group to Trial Autonomous Buses at Changi Airport
Qatar Airways Landing An A350 In Hamburg Makes A Powerful Statement - Airline Ratings
EBAA Backs Dassault's Sustainability Lawsuit against European Commission | AIN
American Airlines Now Lets You Earn And Spend Miles On Concerts And Events
Boeing agrees to plead guilty to defrauding the FAA but escapes punishment sought by victims’ families | CNN Business
IATA partners with Aviation Sustainability Forum to tackle cabin waste
Qatar Airways In Talks To Buy 20% Of Virgin Australia - Airline Ratings
Southwest Airlines updates customer of size policy amid seating changes
Policy
Webp 9d8e4n9zvnq6npvse1f7c4oouh5n
Airbus A380 | Airbus

Southwest Airlines has maintained a notable policy for 'Customers of Size,' allowing larger passengers to purchase an additional seat and receive a refund later. This process is straightforward, as passengers only need to select an extra adult fare and request a refund after the journey.

For over five decades, Southwest's open seat policy has allowed passengers to choose their seats upon boarding. Customers of Size can board early to select two suitable seats. However, this policy will change next year, potentially affecting the Customer of Size procedure.

A Customer of Size is defined by Southwest as any passenger who "encroaches upon any part of the neighboring seat," with armrests serving as boundaries. Passengers needing an empty seat must purchase it during booking and will be refunded regardless of flight load.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Booking involves selecting travel details and adding an extra adult seat if needed. The additional seat should be under the second passenger's name, marked with 'XS' in the middle name field. Alternatively, passengers can discuss their needs with a gate agent at the airport for a spare seat free of charge if available.

Concerns have been raised about how Southwest's new assigned seating policy might impact its Customer of Size policy. The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) expressed that while Southwest currently has "the best policy in the country for plus-size passengers," changes may complicate matters.

Other US airlines have varying policies for larger passengers. Alaska Airlines reimburses costs only on non-full flights; Allegiant assigns two seats together without extra charges but does not refund; American and United offer second seats at original prices without refunds; JetBlue provides larger "Even More Space" seats without a specific Customer of Size policy.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

London Heathrow, recognized as Europe's busiest airport, will soon experience an increase in its flight offerings by Oman Air.

Sep 2, 2025

Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport will commence safety and airfield improvement projects on Runway 12R-30L in two distinct phases throughout 2025.

Aug 22, 2025

Delta Air Lines is adjusting its service between Atlanta and Anchorage, extending flights beyond the summer travel season to a year-round offering.

May 15, 2025

In December 2022, Southwest Airlines faced a major crisis as operational challenges led to the cancellation of 16,900 flights, affecting nearly two million passengers during a peak travel period.

Apr 19, 2025

Harrison Ford, an acclaimed actor known for roles such as Han Solo in "Star Wars" and Indiana Jones, is also a noted aviation enthusiast.

Apr 19, 2025

Iberia Airlines has confirmed a notable shift in its flight schedule connecting Madrid and Dallas/Fort Worth, introducing its first overnight service from Europe to the US.

Apr 19, 2025