AP
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Southwest Airlines will soon require travelers who cannot fit in their seat armrests to pay for some of the additional items that are part of the recent series of changes the carrier is making.
The new rules will come into effect on January 27th, with Southwest beginning to allocate seats.
Now, plus-size passengers can either pay extra seats in advance with the option to reclaim that money later, or request a free additional seat at the airport. The carrier’s new policy still allows refunds, but they are no longer guaranteed.
In a statement Monday, Southwest said it is updating some of its policies as it prepares seats allocated next year.
“To ensure space we are communicating with customers who previously used an additional seating policy to purchase at booking,” the statement said.
It was known for having passengers choose their own seat after boarding the plane and then letting passengers choose their own seat by flying the bags that were finished in May for free. These perks were key to distinguishing budget careers from rivals.
Southwest says that if the flight is not fully booked at the time of departure, and if both passenger tickets are purchased in the same booking class, they will refund the second ticket under the new policy of additional seating. Passengers must also request a refund within 90 days of the flight.
If passengers who require additional seats do not purchase in advance, they will need to purchase one at the airport, according to the new policy. If the flight is full, passengers will be rebooked for a new flight.
Jason Vaughn, an Orlando-based travel agency that posts theme park reviews and travel tips for plus-sized people on social media and his website, said the change is likely to affect travelers of all sizes. Southwest’s current policy helps create a more comfortable flight experience for plus-size travelers, while also ensuring that all passengers have plenty of space in their seats.
“I think that would make the flight experience worse for anyone,” he said of the new rules.
Vaughn described the change as yet another disappointment for Southwest Loyalists like himself, likening it to a recent change in the Cracker Barrel’s logo that has angered some of the restaurant’s fans.
“They don’t know who their customers are anymore,” he said of the airline. “They don’t have any identities left.”
Airlines have been struggling lately and are under pressure from activist investors to increase profits and revenue. He also said last year it would charge customers extra for more legrooms and offer Redeye flights.
