Southwest Airlines Customer Of Size Policy Overhauled – What You Need To Know

Thursday, July 31, 2025

Southwest Airlines, known for being a budget-friendly action to aerial travelers, is astir to acquisition a awesome move of events successful nan measurement passengers of size recreation commencing pinch nan twelvemonth 2026. The carrier, known for its user friends policies, announced caller updates to their “Customer of Size Policy” that could person implications for larger passengers and perchance nan aerial recreation acquisition arsenic a whole.

Customer of Size Policy

Since time one, Southwest Airlines has offered a typical use to customers who request a small other room erstwhile they travel. Under its existent “Customer of Size” policy, passengers who required much room because of their beingness size could book a 2nd spot for nary other complaint truthful that they did not infringe connected their seatmate’s space. The hose had wished that a rider required an further spot if nan individual’s assemblage extended complete nan armrest of nan adjacent seat.

After nan rider arrived, they were provided pinch a “Seat Reserved” motion to put connected nan 2nd seat, to fto different passengers cognize nan spot was disconnected limits. Passengers had to bargain 2 seats to statesman pinch but could activity a refund connected nan further spot if it went unused during nan flight.

Key Changes successful Customer of Size Policy

The awesome argumentation changes will spell into effect connected January 27, 2026. Passengers will still beryllium required to book 2 seats successful beforehand if they are eligible for nan policy. But nan caller rules connected refunds will adhd restrictions to nan process. Refunds will only beryllium made successful nan pursuing situations:

–At slightest 1 spot connected nan formation must stay open.

–Both are to beryllium purchased successful nan aforesaid fare class.

–All refund requests must beryllium submitted wrong 90 days of booking.

This alteration will coincide pinch Southwest’s modulation from its unfastened seating exemplary to assigned seating. As a portion of this change, passengers will besides beryllium expected to salary a interest if they determine to upgrade their seats to a preferred location, specified arsenic other legroom aliases front-of-the-plane seats. It sounds for illustration this will astir apt value up for everybody, passengers of size and otherwise.

The Impact connected Non-Larger Passengers

Non-larger passengers person indirectly benefited from nan Customer of Size argumentation for years arsenic well. The argumentation spared each progressive nan awkwardness that comes from sitting awkwardly because of a deficiency of space. No longer relying connected nan argumentation to adhd immoderate other individual abstraction mightiness make early flights consciousness a small much crammed to everyone connected board.

What Is Behind These Changes astatine Southwest Airlines

These argumentation changes are among a much overarching strategical displacement astatine Southwest Airlines, led by nan airline’s caller guidance authorities nether activistic investor Elliott. The institution is besides shedding respective signature perks, for illustration free checked container work and becoming much for illustration a accepted U.S. carrier. That includes caller fare types and cuts to benefits for nan loyalty program.

Most of Southwest’s longtime passengers person been lamenting immoderate of these changes arsenic contributing to nan watering down of nan airline’s marque successful bid to conform to manufacture standards. But Southwest Airlines says nan changes are needed to stay competitory successful nan move hose market.

Conclusion, What It Means for Travelers

The updated Southwest Airlines’ changes to customer of size argumentation bespeak an wide alteration successful attack for nan airline. And while nan airline’s caller rules will nary uncertainty prevention Southwest money, nan changes could person implications for travelers. Bigger travelers, successful particular, whitethorn find it much costly to book flights and they whitethorn nary longer person nan aforesaid level of comfortableness and elasticity they antecedently did.

The caller rules they created astir refunds and cashing successful nan 2nd spot will astir apt discourage immoderate passengers from buying other seats, perchance starring to a little comfortable acquisition for ample and non-larger travelers alike. As Southwest manages done its evolution, these changes will beryllium location to style its devoted customer organization for years to come.