Passenger says airline forced her to buy second seat, sparking viral debate over 'customer of size' policy

A Southwest seating argumentation has ignited a heated fat-shaming statement connected TikTok and Instagram, with passengers powerfully divided implicit whether the regularisation is conscionable "common sense" — oregon "anxiety-inducing."

Several passengers person gone viral successful caller weeks for saying the airline's caller "customer of size" argumentation has been humiliating. But galore travelers praise the airline, noting that it's unfair of others to "spill over" into the adjacent seat. 

The argumentation asks passengers who request other abstraction to acquisition a 2nd spot successful advance. It besides allows the hose to marque the determination connected a case-by-case ground — citing information reasons and wide rider comfort.

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But arsenic immoderate radical spot it, the argumentation doesn't intelligibly specify the criteria that's utilized — making the rules consciousness arbitrary, critics say.

"We began communicating changes to our argumentation — which is successful enactment with manufacture standards — astir a twelvemonth agone and continued reiterating those changes straight to customers passim the summer," Southwest Airlines told Fox News Digital successful effect to a petition for comment. 

Several formation passengers (not pictured) person gone viral for saying Southwest's caller "customer of size" argumentation is confusing to them.  (iStock)

The other spot rule, arsenic good arsenic different policies, went into effect Jan. 27, the institution said.

If a 2nd spot is purchased astatine the airport, travelers indispensable wage the existent same-day fare, which whitethorn beryllium higher than their archetypal summons price.

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The hose says the armrest serves arsenic a bound betwixt seats. It besides notes it whitethorn necessitate a rider to get an other spot astatine its ain discretion for information reasons.

Meg Elison, an writer successful the San Francisco Bay Area known for discussing assemblage positivity issues, related connected societal media that she precocious took a travel successful which she had to alert six times successful 5 days. 

Southwest Airlines' argumentation asks immoderate passengers who whitethorn request other abstraction to acquisition a 2nd spot successful advance. (iStock)

On her archetypal flight, the gross agents didn't inquire her to bargain a 2nd seat, she said.

On her 2nd limb betwixt St. Louis, Missouri and Little Rock, Arkansas, she was stopped by an agent, she recounted.

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"My gross cause instantly walked distant from maine without saying thing to my face," she said successful a TikTok video.

"The supervisor came backmost and said, 'You're going to person to bargain a 2nd seat.'"

If a 2nd spot is bought astatine the airport, travelers request to wage the existent same-day fare, according to the airline.  (iStock)

Elison said she believes the argumentation is inconsistent. 

She told followers she'd bought a 2nd spot successful the past to person other abstraction — truthful she doesn't recognize wherefore the hose didn't notify her successful beforehand this clip around.

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One of her followers responded with her ain experience. "I had to alert Southwest for a enactment travel past month, and it was the astir anxiety-inducing acquisition I person had successful years.

"The thought of having to acquisition a 2nd spot and explicate that connected my petty currency reconciliation notes to my leader astir sent maine into cardiac arrest!" the follower added.

The hose says the armrest betwixt seats serves arsenic the wide boundary.  (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News )

Another predominant Southwest traveler said she had a akin experience.

"It ruined our trip," the pistillate said successful a TikTok video. "If I had gotten successful the spot and idiosyncratic had complained, and I’m encroaching successful the space, I get that. The occupation is, what is your process, Southwest?"

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Her followers were divided astir that experience.

One said, "I’m sorry, dear. … Having to stock my spot with idiosyncratic who was overmuch larger than their seats was incredibly stressful. I had a afloat panic onslaught due to the fact that that idiosyncratic was virtually connected me."

"Our extremity is ever to supply a comfy acquisition for everyone connected board."

Another commenter had much sympathy. 

"The argumentation seems arbitrary and capricious connected apical of being somewhat discriminatory," the idiosyncratic wrote.

"We inquire customers who whitethorn request an other spot to fto america cognize successful beforehand of their time of question truthful we tin bash our champion to accommodate their needs," said Southwest astir its policies.  (Anna Moneymaker)

Southwest Airlines maintains a wide constituent of view. 

"Our argumentation is well-defined connected our website and has instructions connected however to publication a 2nd spot astatine booking," the hose said.

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"We inquire customers who whitethorn request an other spot to fto america cognize successful beforehand of their time of question truthful we tin bash our champion to accommodate their needs," the hose continued.

"If you request 2 seats, you bargain them."

"Our extremity is ever to supply a comfy acquisition for everyone connected board. However, with assigned seating, adjacent seats whitethorn sometimes already beryllium occupied."

Many Southwest passengers person been applauding the change.

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One Instagram idiosyncratic wrote, "Good! Nothing should beryllium free. If you request 2 seats, you bargain them."

Another simply said, "Seems similar communal consciousness to me."

Southwest's lawsuit enactment online assistance halfway lays retired its presumption connected the seating policy, including this note: "If you necessitate much than 1 seat, we powerfully urge that you publication some seats erstwhile making your preservation to guarantee availability."