Southwest Airlines Faces Backlash for Requiring Passengers to Buy Extra Seats
Since January 27, in the United States, Southwest Airlines has been mandating passengers to pay for an additional seat if they cannot fit between two lowered armrests. This policy, considered discriminatory against larger passengers, has sparked outrage.
For over 30 years, Southwest Airlines’ policy was to offer an additional seat free of charge to any person of larger size. If the individual had already purchased an extra seat, they would be reimbursed. However, on January 27, the company made a major reversal.
According to a statement reported by the New York Post, the company announced, “To ensure seat availability, we inform customers who previously utilized this policy for an additional seat that they must now purchase it when booking.” Those customers who did not do so when booking their flight may be required to pay an additional fee or risk being denied boarding at the discretion of the agent on duty.
“It’s humiliating”
To identify passengers subject to this policy, the airline specified, “Customers encroaching on one or more neighboring seats must purchase the necessary number of seats. The armrest is considered the boundary between seats.” However, as highlighted by Erika, an American content creator in a video posted on her TikTok account, no specific process was provided.
An agent asked her to buy an additional seat immediately after looking at her, without offering to try sitting between two armrests, something she could have done. The company agent cited “the comfort and safety of other passengers.” On her return flight, no agent asked her to pay such an extra fee. “It’s humiliating,” she regretted, promising never to fly with this airline again.
A discriminatory policy
Another woman, speaking to the media outlet SFGate, said, “I was a bit shocked, I believe. I was mainly irritated. (…) You just made an arbitrary judgment about my body… I have no hips, so I sit without a problem all the time.” Many other Southwest Airlines customers, as well as anonymous individuals on social media, accuse the company of discrimination. Despite the backlash, the company has decided to uphold this new discriminatory policy.
Published on April 2 at 7:00 PM by Enora Foricher, 6Medias
