Southwest Airlines accused of ‘rewarding obesity’ with new policy that grants very overweight passengers free extra seats

Customers have criticized Southwest Airlines for its “ridiculous” policy of giving overweight passengers free seats based on their height.

The airline has introduced a “Customer by Size” policy, which allows overweight passengers whose body takes up more than one seat on the plane to get “the required number of seats” free of charge.

The policy states that customers who “encroach on any portion of adjacent seats” may purchase any number of additional seats required, which will then be returned at check-in.

This change caused mixed reactions among customers.

While some body-positive clients praise the policy allowing obese people to travel more easily, critics say it “panders” to overweight people and gives them an unfair advantage.

On social media, many have noted that the space is not available for very tall customers who need extra legroom, those traveling with medical equipment or those in a wheelchair.

These groups have to pay – often hundreds of dollars – for additional space.

Some also noted that the new rule would likely make the already stressful airline boarding process worse.

Southwest passengers can’t reserve seats in advance, often leading to a fight for window and aisle seats when customers get to the plane.

Southwest’s policy states that customers are entitled to a free ticket if any part of their body extends beyond the seat armrest. “The armrest is considered a clear boundary between the seats,” it says. “If you can’t lower both armrests and/or reach any part of the seat next to you, you need a second seat.”

“Our policy is not weight-based.”

The airline does not ask customers for weight or body mass index (BMI), which determines whether you are overweight or obese, according to medical recommendations.

An extra seat can be purchased in advance when booking online and then refunded, or customers can come to the gate and ask for a free seat. If you book online, you will still need to contact a customer service agent at the airport to obtain refund paperwork.

“Purchasing additional seats serves as notice of a special seating need and allows us to adequately plan the number of occupied seats on board,” Southwest’s policy states.

“It also helps us ensure that we can accommodate all customers on the flight they are ticketed for, and avoid asking customers to vacate their seats for unscheduled seating.”

Kimmy Garris, a TikToker from Nashville who calls herself a “fat solo traveler,” posted a video in October of herself asking about an airline’s policy regarding obese passengers.

In the clip, which has received more than 900,000 views, the customer service agent gives her an extra ticket for the seat next to her.

She is then seen boarding the plane and placing an extra ticket on the seat next to her so that no one can sit there.

In the caption, Ms. Harris states that the policy “should become the industry norm.”

She adds: “Flying on public transport needs to be more comfortable and accessible for all people, including fat and disabled people.”

The latest announcement means the airline has made the benefit a company-wide policy.

Critics on social media have criticized Southwest for not including free accommodations for tall customers or those who need extra space for medical equipment.

On Twitter, a user named Tuck wrote: “They never offered me a seat in front of me because I’m 6ft 6in and my legs don’t fit?”

“Sorry, but this is crazy. You need the extra space you pay for.”

User Curtis Westmoreland said: “This is funny (sic). We continue to reward the problem at the cost of our own comfort.”

In addition, Twitter user ProudPatriot wrote: “Glamourizing obesity is ugly.”

“What happens if the “big man” requests 2 extra gate seats and takes the seats you and your partner purchased?” User SheezThe1 said.

Jaylynn Chaney, a 6XL travel influencer with nearly 135,000 followers on TikTok, often advocates for free or larger seats on airplanes.

In an October video that has received nearly 73,000 views, on-screen text read: “Hot Takeaway: Every airline should have customers the size of Southwest Airlines.”

“If more airlines adopted a policy similar to Southwest Airlines’ policy for large customers, offering free or refundable extra seats to plus-size passengers who need more space, air travel would be much more affordable and convenient for larger people,” the caption read. .

Earlier this year, Ms. Cheney also petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) asking airlines to end their “discriminatory” policies and provide free seats to obese passengers.

“People with smaller bodies have to pay one fare to get to their destination,” she said. CNN. “And we have to pay for two rides even though we get the same experience. If anything, our experience is a little more complicated.”

In April, personal trainer Josh Nabby responded to one of Ms Cheney’s videos on the topic and criticized the idea of ​​providing extra seats for obese passengers. He said the policy gives an advantage to overweight clients, for which those who require alternative accommodation must pay extra.

“You haven’t thought about it for more than 30 seconds,” he said in the video, which has received more than 1.4 million views. “The reality is that everyone has the opportunity to fly an airplane. Some people have it worse.”

“Let’s say you have some kind of disease and you need to carry medications or special medical equipment with you.”

“You have to pay extra to get this crap on the plane, or at least spend a lot more time getting through TSA. It sucks, but you have to do it.”

“Let’s say it’s not even a physical disorder, it’s a mental disorder and you’re just extremely prone to panic attacks or crowds or something like that. If you want to fly, you need to find the conditions for it.”

A TikTok user also stitched together one of Ms Cheney’s videos and said: “I can’t stand the entitlement of people who literally put themselves in this position to be so overweight and morbidly obese.”

“The fact that she thinks she deserves two or three free seats on this plane that is costing people money to go to God knows where, frankly, creates so much narcissism and makes me so angry.”

“None of these people deserve this. You’ll have to pay your fair share just like everyone else.”

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that obesity is on the rise in the United States.

The highest rates are in West Virginia, Louisiana and Oklahoma, where 40 percent of adults are obese. This is defined as a BMI of at least 30.

In 19 other states, 35 percent meet this criterion. No state had an obesity rate below 25 percent.