Southwest Airlines' new policy will affect plus-size travelers. Here's how

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By RIO YAMAT
Updated 7:01 PM CDT, August 25, 2025

Southwest Airlines will soon require travelers who don’t fit within the armrests of their seat to pay for an extra one in advance, part of a string of recent changes the carrier is making.

The new rule goes into effect Jan. 27, the same day Southwest starts assigning seats.

Currently, plus-size passengers can either pay for an extra seat in advance with the option of getting that money back later, or they can request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the carrier’s new policy, a refund is still possible but no longer guaranteed.

In a statement Monday, Southwest said it is updating some of its policies as it prepares for assigned seating next year.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/southwest-plus-size-seating-rule-change-addbdb8264ce4d4b6598772540c5719f

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I'm a plus size traveler!

[marble falls]

1. More than half this country is plump.

[littlemissmartypants]

2. What about making special sized seats to accommodate big and tall folks?

Sales used be about the customer.

Not anymore. Now it's about the share holders. Shareholders who probably have their own aircraft, so what do they care.

The venture capitalists are doomed to eat themselves like cannibals, eventually.

[SunSeeker]

3. Every inch of space and every ounce of weight allowance the airline gives you costs them money.

It was just a matter of time before airlines did this.

They have been slowly shrinking the passenger space as people have gotten larger. And making it more and more expensive to check bags.

I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't start weighing people and charging by the pound, like they do bags.

[samplegirl]

4. My girlfriends husbsnd

Nearly can't fly due to seatbelts being large enough!

[OldBaldy1701E]

5. Greed knows no bounds.

And, the desire for riches is the most important thing in our society today.

When we have to account for everything in our lives based solely on its monetary worth...

Well, we ain't much of a society when we do that.

Oh, wait...

[marble falls]

6. ... and needs no justification past rationalizing.

[EX500rider]

8. With Airlines it's less about greed and more about actually staying in business

Southwest Airlines' net profit margin was 1.69% for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024.

[OldBaldy1701E]

9. True.

However, greed is the main factor in that the suppliers are being greedy, the state is being greedy, the feds are being greedy. It is what they have to pay to keep operating that is where the greed is.

They need to star raising hell with their suppliers and with those agencies that oversee them. They might also (as should we all) start raising hell with the insurance companies that are known for making shit up to create reason for charging even more.

The greed permeates our society on every level. It is like a damned plague. Yet, we won't do a thing about it because the programming worked.

[nwliberalkiwi]

7. Flying Soutwest---not any more

We would fly Southwest all the time in the USA. Once the vultures got hold of Southwest we fly on other airlines. Bye, bye Southwest.

[NickB79]

10. If I'm paying for a seat, I want the whole seat

If you're sitting next to me and taking some of my space, you've just stolen part of what I've paid for. That isn't fair either.

We all know airlines aren't going to be making seats bigger, so the only other option is charging more for those that need extra room.

[GenThePerservering]

11. That right there

I fly a lot, and surprisingly large people can actually fit into seats and not take up extra space, and often people are courteous. But if one cannot, then paying extra is the penalty, or flying business class where seats are roomier.

Generally I deal with it by sitting in an aisle seat and am pretty tolerant, but my last flight to Britain I was stuck between two men (which I did not want to do) who needed to be a lot smaller. It was 10 hours of just shit.

I don't want to be heartless, but my money spends just the same.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

12. As does mine.

I am planning on a flight to Hawaii sometime in January via Southwest that I could not take this past February due to my husband's illness. I have a credit of $740 to use. I know I will be paying for my checked bag, which is okay. It won't weigh more than 35 pounds at the most for a 12 day stay.

While on a flight to Jacksonville via Houston on United Airlines in April of 2024 to visit friends in SE Georgia who live an hour north, a heavyset woman sat to my right. I had a window seat and she was in the middle, and a similar sized male passenger to me was in the aisle seat. I weigh 148 at the most. She was more than double my size. She put up the arm rest to my right so she could have more room. I put it back down. She was already rubbing up against me towards the window.

I did not complain despite her unpleasant sweaty body odor. I felt for the male passenger to her right. Needless to say, it made for an uncomfortable flight to Houston from Minneapolis. My arm remained on the arm rest the whole time, much to the woman's dismay. She saw that I was a Senior Citizen and she dared not test me. The flight from Houston to Jacksonville went far better.

[GoodRaisin]

13. As a former frequent flyer in my former business life

I could not agree more. This is a matter of practicality and fairness. Normal size passengers should not be subjected to being smothered in their seats, especially during long flights. It’s not pleasant and it’s not fair. I applaud the airline for this policy. It just makes sense.