Southwest Airlines is changing another longstanding seating policy.
Beginning Jan. 27, 2026, the airline will require passengers who “encroach upon the neighboring seat” to proactively purchase an additional ticket, which might not be refunded.
Previously, passengers could either pay the cost of an extra seat ahead of time (and later receive a refund) or show up at the airport and request an extra seat at no charge, which made Southwest a carrier of choice for many plus-size passengers.
Southwest has announced sweeping changes in recent months that have flustered and even angered previously loyal customers, including ending open seating and charging checked baggage fees. The carrier also announced changes to its domestic routes and is considering expanding its international service. Collectively, the airline’s recent moves have left many travelers with the impression that the carrier is becoming like most other major airlines.
According to the latest change, a second seat will be nonrefundable unless the flight departs with at least one open seat and both seats are purchased within the same fare class. Under the new policy, passengers will also be required to purchase the second seat in advance.
Tigress Osborn, the executive director of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, an advocacy group, called the changes “devastating” for plus-size passengers, since they raise costs and create a distressing experience.
“Southwest was the only beacon of hope for many fat people who otherwise wouldn’t have been flying,” said Ms. Osborn, who emphasized that many plus-size travelers don’t fly because of the threat of harassment. “And now that beacon has gone out.”
Southwest Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kaycee Bivens, 34, a travel agent based in South Carolina, works extensively with plus-size clients under her brand called the Plus Size Passport. “I have been exclusively flying Southwest because of their customer size policy,” said Ms. Bivens, who was disappointed by the changes. She also acknowledged that the cost could be prohibitive for her clients. “If you’re already budgeting and now you’ve got to add $300 to $400 to your budget, that may mean less travelers,” she said.
While Ms. Osborn said she still rates Southwest’s new policy above other major airlines like Delta, American Airlines and JetBlue, who do not offer refunds in their extra-seating policies, she nevertheless called the change a loss that radiates beyond the airline industry.
“This was not just an industry leader but an example to other industries that accommodating people in the body they have today is an important business practice,” she said.
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Nia Decaille, an editor on The Times’s Audience team, is currently reporting for the Travel section.
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