Because Southwest Airlines offers open seating, passengers try to ensure they don't sit next to people they might consider undesirable.
You might try to avoid sitting next to a baby, who might cry throughout the flight, or to the person who brings an odoriferous meal onboard. In other cases, you might try not to sit next to the guy who manspreads across multiple seats or the person who looks as if they really want to talk all flight.
It's an inexact science, unless you take a seat in a row that already has two passengers seated in it. If you opt for a row with empty seats, you run the risk of anyone sitting next to you.
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That policy has gotten Southwest Airlines (LUV) -) into some trouble. Most famously the airline threw the filmmaker Kevin Smith off a flight back in 2010 due to his weight.
The "Jay & Silent Bob" star had purchased two seats on his flight but received a standby seat on an earlier flight that had only one seat remaining. He was removed from the plane and posted about his situation on the microblogging site then called Twitter, now X:
"So, @SouthwestAir, go f*** yourself. I broke no regulation, offered no "safety risk" (what, was I gonna roll on a fellow passenger?)"
When he later boarded another flight, he posted a picture of himself in the seat, writing, "Hey @SouthwestAir Look how fat I am on your plane! Quick! Throw me off!" he posted.
At the time, Southwest had a longstanding policy that required "passengers of size" to purchase two seats. That policy has changed in a way that many will consider less discriminatory — but one of the two methods of enacting the new policy will inconvenience, and perhaps anger, other customers.
Image source: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Southwest Airlines tries to be accommodating
While the airline has done little to publicize its policy toward passengers of size, Southwest offers two methods of accommodation, according to its policies.
"Customers who encroach upon any part of the neighboring seat(s) may proactively purchase the needed number of seats prior to travel to ensure the additional seat(s) is available. ... The purchase of additional seats serves as a notification of a special seating need and allows us to adequately plan for the number of occupied seats onboard," Southwest Airlines shared in an email to TheStreet.
The airline's policy permits customers who book two seats in advance to contact Southwest after travel for a full refund of the price of the second seat. This in turn enables the airline to accommodate the passenger without having to disrupt other passengers by forcing them to move after they have chosen a seat.
If the passenger of size does not plan ahead, however, the airline will still be accommodating.
Passengers of size "have the option of purchasing just one seat and then discussing your seating needs with the Customer Service Agent at the departure gate. If it’s determined that a second (or third) seat is needed, you’ll be accommodated with a complimentary additional seat."
That can lead to the airline having to ask other passengers to move, which could lead them to lose the seats they chose and being angry with the airline.
Southwest Airlines policy spreads via TikTok
Southwest has been very discreet about its inclusive seating policy, likely to prevent abuse and protect its gate agents from having to decide who gets a free extra seat and who does not.
The policy, however, has received a lot of attention on social media recently. TikTok influencer @boberryVIP, who has a series of videos titled "Flying While Fat," recently posted about Southwest's customer-of-size policy.
"I'm actually a little nervous to make this video because I know as soon as I explain how Southwest's customer-of-size policy works there are going to be some upset people here,' she shared in a video that showed her seated on a Southwest plane. "I think my best approach is just to stick to the facts and leave opinion out of it."
The TikTok star then detailed the two ways Southwest offers passengers of size a free seat.
Southwest Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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