New Southwest Airplane Seating Policy for People of Size
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Hopefully never need to use. (Actually, never have flown Southwest Airlines before. Probably never will. LOL)
Under the old system, Southwest’s policy allowed customers of size to request an additional seat at the airport at no extra cost if space was available.
Travelers could also purchase a second seat in advance and receive a refund after the flight. That flexibility is now gone. Plus-size passengers must purchase an extra seat at booking if they believe they will need one, and refunds are conditional rather than automatic.
This matters because airfare pricing fluctuates. Buying two seats weeks in advance can mean paying more upfront than a same day request ever would have. Travelers also face a new mental calculus. Do you buy the extra seat just in case, or do you risk needing it later when prices may be higher or seats unavailable? That decision now happens at home instead of at the gate.
Now, Southwest requires passengers who need more than one seat to purchase that seat at booking and refunds are no longer guaranteed. Refunds depend on three conditions: the flight must depart with at least one empty seat; both seats must be in the same fare class; and the passenger must request the refund within 90 days. Southwest has framed the change as a move toward clarity and consistency. In practice, it shifts responsibility entirely onto the traveler. For some, that brings peace of mind. For others, it adds pressure and cost to a process that already feels fraught.
