Airline praised for allowing larger passengers an extra seat for free | indy100

TikToker reveals how to bag the best seat on the plane for …

@mashtagtravels

An airline has been praised for offering “customers of size” the opportunity to acquire an extra seat free of charge.

In the past, larger travellers have sometimes had to pay extra or find online hacks about how to get two seats to make for a more comfortable journey.

But, Southwest Airlines has eliminated that need for people to do that with its “customer of size” policy, which allows customers whose bodies “encroach” past the armrest to get an extra seat at no additional cost.

The policy states that passengers can reserve additional seats and be refunded for the cost after travelling. Or, passengers also “have the option of purchasing just one seat and then discussing your seating needs with the Customer Service Agent at the departure gate. If it’s determined that a second (or third) seat is needed, you’ll be accommodated with a complimentary additional seat”.

TikToker Kimmy shared in a clip how she used the policy to get an extra seat on a flight by asking at the check-in desk.

In the clip, she approached the desk and said: “Hello, I’m hoping to use your customer of size policy today.”

@kimmystyled
How to use @southwestair customer of size policy. Southwest is the only airline that allows you a second seat at no extra cost even if the flight is FULLY booked. You HAVE to use it at the departing gate when you start your journey. If you don’t use it going out you cant use it flying back. Go to the departing gate agent and kindly ask them to use the customer of size policy. I’ve done this a dozen times and never had an issue or been denied. They will print you a new ticket + a second ticket to put down on your free seat. You will also be allowed to pre board! Enter the aircraft, get your seatbelt extender, and grab your seat! I place the ticket in the seat next to me. I always take the window seat. If anyone tries to sit it in I kindly let them know I have two seats booked. To be honest I almost never get approached because no one wants to sit in the middle seat next to a fat person on a plane 🙃. I’ve heard from others sometimes southwest will just put customer of size in your account so anytime you approach the main ticket gate you’ll get both your tickets at once but this hasn’t happened to me yet. I think this has to do with how “visibly fat” you are. Public airplanes are public transportation and should be accessible and comfortable for us all. I applaud @southwestair for being the only airline with a fair and humane way of flying fat passengers with dignity. We shouldn’t have to pay for two seats. Seats should be larger for all people including tall and pregnant passengers. Since airlines got deregulated it’s been an ADA nightmare. Airlines should also allow wheelchairs in the cabin esp power wheelchairs. This is an access issue at the end of the day and discriminatory to fat and disabled customers. #southwest #southwestairlines #customerofsize #customerofsizepolicy #plussize #plussizetravel #traveltips #plussizetraveltok #traveltok

Explaining further in the video caption, she wrote: “Go to the departing gate agent and kindly ask them to use the customer of size policy. I’ve done this a dozen times and never had an issue or been denied.

“They will print you a new ticket + a second ticket to put down on your free seat. You will also be allowed to pre-board!”

It is an issue that many plus-sized travellers have felt anxiety around. Plus-sized travel blogger Jae’lynn Chaney told Fox Business that it is a positive move in terms of accessibility.

“Super fat is how we identify,” Chaney explained. “There's a spectrum of fatness. And as a super fat individual, you start needing different accommodations… I just felt really happy that there was something like this for people.”

She continued: “I hope to see more airlines implement customer-of-size policies. The Southwest customer size policy helps many travelers offset the disproportionate costs that we incur because of needing extra room. And so, it's not just about physical accessibility. It's also about financial accessibility.”

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