Southwest Airlines won’t discriminate against handicapped passengers and it won’t discriminate against people of a certain size who need more than one seat, either.
The carrier has a policy allowing people of a certain size to purchase their seat and then discuss any extra needs with a customer service agent.
In some cases, the people are given the entire rest of the row for free, as recently noted on a viral TikTok according to Fox News Digital.
The airline is being lauded and celebrated for its policy toward plus-sized people.
According to the policy, "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. … It also helps us ensure we can accommodate all Customers on the flight for which they purchased a ticket and avoid asking Customers to relinquish their seats for unplanned accommodation. Most importantly, it ensures that all Customers onboard have access to safe and comfortable seating. You may contact us for a refund of the cost of additional seating after travel.”
It's all part of the airlines ‘inclusion policy.’
After discussing the situation with a customer service agent, if it is determined that a second or third seed is needed it will also be determined at the same time whether it is complementary.
“Super fat is how we identify," passenger Jae'lynn Chaney said. "There's a spectrum of fatness. And as a super fat individual, you start needing different accommodations… I just felt really happy that there was something like this for people. I hope to see more airlines implement customer-of-size policies. The Southwest customer size policy helps many travelers offset the disproportionate costs that we incur because of needing extra room. And so, it's not just about physical accessibility. It's also about financial accessibility."
One passenger wrote on social media that she has never been denied the use of the policy and she is often allowed to board first.
She applauded the airline for “making transportation accessible to all.”
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
