Southwest’s Controversial New Plus-Size Customer Policy Begins Today — Here’s What to Know

need to know

• Southwest Airlines is implementing a new policy for its “scale customers”

• The changes come alongside the airline’s new allocated seating protocols, which came into effect on Tuesday, January 27

• The new policy includes that passengers who purchased extra seats for themselves will not receive a refund if the flight is full

Some Southwest passengers may have to start paying extra to fly comfortably.

On Tuesday, January 27, the Dallas-based budget airline officially implemented a new policy regarding “scale customers.” The changes, previously announced in August 2025, affect passengers who “encroach on adjacent seats,” according to the company’s website.

Previously, passengers could pay for extra seats in advance and get a refund later, or they could go to the airport and request an extra seat for free.

However, the new policy states that some customers may no longer be eligible for refunds.

According to the policy, Southwest encourages passengers to “proactively purchase the required number of seats prior to travel to ensure additional seats are available.”

If passengers arrive at the airport on the day of travel without booking additional seats, they will need to purchase additional seats and pay any applicable fees at the airport. If there are no adjacent seats or the flight is full, the passenger will be rebooked on another flight with available seats.

The airline will still offer refunds to plus-size passengers if their trip meets certain qualifying conditions.

Passengers requesting a refund must do so within 90 days of travel, and both seats must be in the same fare class. But the biggest change is that flights must have at least one seat available when they take off. If the flight is full, passengers will be rebooked for subsequent travel.

The policy coincides with another controversial change: the airline’s new assigned seating agreement, which eliminates the open-seating policy that has been in place since the company’s inception.

A spokesperson for the airline told PEOPLE that the “minor changes” align the company with its competitors and provide “the best experience for everyone in the cabin.”

“We are updating many of our policies to prepare our operations, employees and customers for the launch of designated seating today,” Southwest said in an emailed statement on Jan. 27. “To ensure space, we are communicating with customers who have previously used the extra seat policy and should purchase it at the time of booking.”

When the changes were announced in August, advocates for plus-size passengers criticized the decision. Tigress Osborn, executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Fat Acceptance, told the Daily Mail new york times The new policy is “devastating”.

“For many fat people, Southwest is the only beacon of hope who otherwise wouldn’t fly,” Osborne said. “Now that beacon has gone out.”

She added: “This is not only an industry leader but also a model for other industries, adapting people to today’s bodies is an important business practice.”

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Osborne still believes Southwest’s policy is higher than other major airlines such as Delta, United and American Airlines, which don’t offer refund options for booking extra seats.

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