After several months of controversy, Southwest Airlines decided to change a controversial policy to allow plus-size passengers to recover the money paid for an additional seat, as long as certain circumstances are met.

The Dallas-based airline recently changed rules regarding passengers requiring an extra seat due to their body size. Since January, Southwest had established that these travelers must reserve and pay in advance for a second seat in order to board. However, the company has now relaxed some of that policy.

Under the new provisions, gate staff will be able to assign an additional seat free of charge to those who need more space, as long as there are two adjacent seats available on the flight. The company explained that this change seeks to offer a more uniform and simple experience for customers who require additional space during their trip.

The modification was well received by specialists in the tourism sector. Katy Nastro, a travel expert at the Going airline deals portal, considered the company's decision positive.

“Over the past two years, we have seen Southwest slide into monotony, eliminating policies that benefited travelers, such as free checked bags and free seating assignments, among others,” Nastro said. “Being back to business as usual feels like, for the first time in a long time, Southwest is bringing back some of the company's essence for its passengers.”

Who can receive a refund for the additional seat?

Southwest maintains the recommendation that passengers who consider an extra seat necessary reserve it before traveling to avoid complications at the airport. However, those who buy that second seat could get the money back after the flight if they meet certain requirements.

To request a refund, passengers must file a request with the airline within 90 days of travel. Additionally, the flight must have taken off with at least one seat available and both seats must have been purchased under the same fare category.

This alternative makes the policy applied since the beginning of the year more flexible, when the advance purchase of the additional seat became an obligation for larger passengers.

What happens if the flight is full and you didn't book?

The new regulations also contemplate cases in which there are no two consecutive seats available and they have not been reserved in advance. In these situations, Southwest reported that passengers who need additional space will be transferred to a later flight where availability exists.

Although the company believes that the adjustment improves the travel experience, some organizations continue to point out challenges for this group of passengers. The National Association for the Advancement of Acceptance of Overweight People (NAAFA) partially welcomed the decision.

“We congratulate overweight travelers, influencers and activists for speaking out about recent cruel behavior by Southwest Airlines,” said Tigress Osborn, executive director of NAAFA. “Southwest has felt the pressure and responded by reinstating an aspect of its previous policy, which allows staff to assign an extra seat at the gate if one is available.”

However, the organization believes that there are still obstacles for those who cannot afford a second seat before boarding.

“There is no guarantee of a timeline for that reallocation, and this will continue to be very disruptive and stressful for overweight passengers,” Osborn said.

Who is obliged to buy a second seat?

Southwest's “oversized customer” policy states that any passenger who occupies part of the adjacent seat must occupy the necessary additional seats. The airline uses the armrest as a physical reference to delimit the space corresponding to each seat.

Likewise, the company reserves the right to determine when a traveler needs a second seat for operational safety reasons.

Other airlines have similar rules

Policies for passengers requiring more space vary among major U.S. airlines. Delta Air Lines requires the purchase of an additional seat when a person cannot occupy a single seat without invading the space of a neighboring passenger or without keeping the armrests down.

For their part, United Airlines and American Airlines also have similar guidelines for these cases.

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