Southwest Customer of Size

[Princess Penguin]

I’m cruising out of Fort Lauderdale In December and booked my air tickets through Southwest. I’ve had no experience with them as they just started serving my airport. I had no idea about the customers of size policy until recently.

I’m traveling with my mother. On many, but not all, flights I need an extender. We normally raise the armrest between us and we are fine (flown domestically and to Europe without problems). Will this work on Southwest? We’ve paid to get an early onboard number so we should have no problems getting seats together.

This is whole thing is really getting to me and I wish I had booked flights elsewhere. :(

[6rugrats]

Their policy is found here:

 

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/extra-seat/

 

An extender is not the same as the seat width. The arm rest is supposed to be down for take off and landing. Will this be enforced? Who knows. Do you think you can get the arm down? You can always discuss this with the gate agent:

 

Customers of size who prefer not to purchase an additional seat in advance have the option of purchasing just one seat and then discussing their seating needs with the Customer Service Agent at their departure gate. If it is determined that a second (or third) seat is needed, they will be accommodated with a complimentary additional seat(s).

Edited November 14, 2013 by 6rugrats

[slidergirl]

That complimentary seat is ONLY if there is an extra seat on the plane, so you are still in a position to be denied boarding if you cannot confine yourself to the single seat with the armrests down. Unlike your international flights, where the seats could be 2x4x2 and you got the "2" with your mom, WN flights are all 3x3, so if the plane is full, you and your mom will be sharing that row with another person. Or, if a seat is available, that other person in that row may be asked to take a less desirable seat…

Also, be sure that the flight you are taking originates at your airport and is not just a stop to pick up additional passengers. I had that happen before - I had what would be a decent boarding number on an originating flight, only find that there were only middle seats left at my number :-(

Edited November 14, 2013 by slidergirl

[Princess Penguin]

We will be on a non-stop that originates here. If I sit by the window and have mom in the middle seat, that would leave the aisle seat open.

 

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[Viv0828]

Southwest does not assign seats. Check in online as early as possible so you will be in the first boarding group. If you and mom pick an aisle and a window seat in a row near the back, the odds are good no one will sit between you unless the flight is completely full. Good luck.

[ducklite]

Southwest does not assign seats. Check in online as early as possible so you will be in the first boarding group. If you and mom pick an aisle and a window seat in a row near the back, the odds are good no one will sit between you unless the flight is completely full. Good luck.

 

Plus if they do, it won't be a big deal for them to move to a different middle seat.

 

On the other hand, want to see someone pitch a fit (and rightfully so) tell them they need to give up their aisle or window for a middle elsewhere because a COS didn't bother to plan ahead and buy a second seat for themselves. Expect them to be very upset and verbal--enough that the entire plane will know about the situation.

 

 

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[Viv0828]

I've been asked to give up a seat. I politely refused. They became loud and unpleasant. I ignored them. They gave up. That was years ago. With the increase in security and such do you think that would work today or would they haul me off??

[RuthC]

I fly Southwest whenever possible. I always ask for an extender, because I find it more comfortable with one. I never purchase a second seat, although I will admit to being more comfortable with the armrest up than when it's down.

If you need the extender, your mother is happy sharing the two seats together, and you both are agreeable about keeping the armrest up (with the possible exception of take-off/landing) then don't worry about another seat.

You might want to consider taking the aisle and middle seats. On most of the planes the armrest on the aisle can also be raised, giving you just a tad more wiggle room. That armrest absolutely, positively must be down and locked during take-off/landing, but is easily lifted for comfort the rest of the time.

[ducklite]

I've been asked to give up a seat. I politely refused. They became loud and unpleasant. I ignored them. They gave up. That was years ago. With the increase in security and such do you think that would work today or would they haul me off??

 

It's your seat and you are under no obligation to move unless it is for load balancing purposes on a small regional plane. The Southwest policy is first come first served. Ignore them, they--not you--are the ones who could find themselves waking to their destination.

 

 

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[ducklite]

I fly Southwest whenever possible. I always ask for an extender, because I find it more comfortable with one. I never purchase a second seat, although I will admit to being more comfortable with the armrest up than when it's down.

If you need the extender, your mother is happy sharing the two seats together, and you both are agreeable about keeping the armrest up (with the possible exception of take-off/landing) then don't worry about another seat.

You might want to consider taking the aisle and middle seats. On most of the planes the armrest on the aisle can also be raised, giving you just a tad more wiggle room. That armrest absolutely, positively must be down and locked during take-off/landing, but is easily lifted for comfort the rest of the time.

 

Each plane has a handful of aisle seats with armrests that can be raised to accommodate wheelchair passengers who need to slide over into the seat. It is far from all or even most, typically only a handful on any given plane will raise up.

 

Also if you still into the aisle you are going to end up black and blue by the end of the flight from being bumped by other passengers and their luggage as well as drink carts.

 

Keep in mind that if the person of size causes any spillover into that window seat, they will be moved or even deplaned. Passengers are becoming less and less tolerant of others breaching their space on planes, and flight crews are becoming less and less accommodating to COS.

 

 

 

 

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[FlyerTalker]

Southwest is now serving Colorado Springs?? (COS) :D

[ducklite]

Southwest is now serving Colorado Springs?? (COS) :D

 

I think the acronym is preferable to the POS version. My opinion.

 

Of course my statements also apply should WN ever begin servicing COS. Then we could be entering the department of redundancy department realm. :)

 

 

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[Princess Penguin]

Thanks for the info. It sounds if we check in early and sit in the back of the plane with mom is the middle seat, we should be okay. Now if I could only stop obsessing! I’m definitely not going to be relaxed until the plane lands. This may be our one and only trip on Southwest. :o

[EmmasNana]

How do I find out if a flight is originating from my airport(DAL) or is a stop to pick up more passengers on southwest?

[slidergirl]

We will be on a non-stop that originates here. If I sit by the window and have mom in the middle seat, that would leave the aisle seat open.

 

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As long as your "spillage" into your mom does not make her inch over into the space for the person in the aisle, it's OK. I've sat on an aisle next to 2 people where one was a POS. I ended up really sitting as sideways as I could on the seat because the person in the middle was squeezed and then felt the need to totally dominated a third of my seat. My back ached for days after that trip (it was a 737 SLC-PHX). It was a full flight, so no where to move.

 

Do NOT expect someone to move just to make you more comfortable. The best seats for you and your mom would be in one of the least desirable rows to make it more likely you will get the row to yourself (usually last row or the one at the lavs). Don't take aisle-middle, either.

Edited November 14, 2013 by slidergirl

[ducklite]

Thanks for the info. It sounds if we check in early and sit in the back of the plane with mom is the middle seat, we should be okay. Now if I could only stop obsessing! I’m definitely not going to be relaxed until the plane lands. This may be our one and only trip on Southwest. :o

 

All US domestic carriers now have similar policies.

 

 

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[rdsqrl]

Did I miss something? Why aren't you just buying a second seat? Then you don't have to stress at all. You and your mom could even split the cost, since she'd be presumably be benefiting also.

[frugaltravel]

Did I miss something? Why aren't you just buying a second seat? Then you don't have to stress at all. You and your mom could even split the cost, since she'd be presumably be benefiting also.

 

+1. Maybe the answer is because some people truly prefer the stress and worry anyway? With SWA if you buy a second seat for a POS and the flight is not full, you can get your money back. Truly a win-win.

[ducklite]

+1. Maybe the answer is because some people truly prefer the stress and worry anyway? With SWA if you buy a second seat for a POS and the flight is not full, you can get your money back. Truly a win-win.

 

I couldn't agree more. I have never seen a situation where a COS spills into the seat of the adult traveling with them that the companion doesn't then take some out of the next seat. It will work with a smaller/younger child, but not an adult.

 

The math is simple, the average of 125% and 90% is still more than 100%, and that leftover matter has to find someplace to go.

 

In addition to a refund of the ticket if the flight isn't full, buying the second seat also allows the passenger to pre board, an added benefit that shouldn't be downplayed.

 

 

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[Lookingforfacts]

In addition to a refund of the ticket if the flight isn't full, buying the second seat also allows the passenger to pre board, an added benefit that shouldn't be downplayed.

 

 

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That's the old policy. From SWs website:

 

We will also refund all extra seat purchases, even if the flight oversells.

 

As long as the passenger qualifies as a COS a refund will be issued, if requested.

 

Southwest doesn't use beverage carts.

 

I'm pretty sure the flight crew can tell passengers to change seats.

[slidergirl]

That's the old policy. From SWs website:

 

 

 

As long as the passenger qualifies as a COS a refund will be issued, if requested.

 

Southwest doesn't use beverage carts.

 

I'm pretty sure the flight crew can tell passengers to change seats.

 

A flight crew can ask someone to change seats, but they can't require a person to change seats to make an oversize person more comfortable. Only if it is a safety issue would it happen, and then it's usually the "offender" that is asked to move, not the "victim." If I was asked to change seats, I would say "no" if I had the seat I wanted (that made my own flight comfortable). Let them find someone else. Harsh, I know, but I'm stuck on a crammed flight and I am looking for my best way to make it through and I will be selfish on this.

[ducklite]

A flight crew can ask someone to change seats, but they can't require a person to change seats to make an oversize person more comfortable. Only if it is a safety issue would it happen, and then it's usually the "offender" that is asked to move, not the "victim." If I was asked to change seats, I would say "no" if I had the seat I wanted (that made my own flight comfortable). Let them find someone else. Harsh, I know, but I'm stuck on a crammed flight and I am looking for my best way to make it through and I will be selfish on this.

 

I completely agree! The customer of size can buy two seats for themselves to be sure that they will be accommodated, otherwise, they should be (and are) the ones who risk being removed (and IMHO humiliated) because they didn't have the common sense or were too cheap to plan ahead.

 

I do NOT put up with spillage kindly, absolutely refuse to allow the armrest to be up, and will not give up my seat in pretty much any situation, other than to offer my first class seat to someone in the military traveling on orders in uniform.

 

 

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[Fattony]

"Of size"??? EVERY person is of size. How about Person of Large Size? Of course, we usually mean large in girth (as in obese in some, not all, cases), not height. Both my wife and I need to lose weight, but there's only so much we can expect an airline to do to accommodate us, and keep us safe, if we were to gain a lot more weight.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Fattony

[ducklite]

"Of size"??? EVERY person is of size. How about Person of Large Size? Of course, we usually mean large in girth (as in obese in some, not all, cases), not height. Both my wife and I need to lose weight, but there's only so much we can expect an airline to do to accommodate us, and keep us safe, if we were to gain a lot more weight.

 

I'm using the terminology coined by the airlines.

 

 

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[Scrapnana]

Has anyone had actual experience with this policy? I have read the conditions and FAQs over and over and I am still not sure if I have it right. I buy two tickets. I take the flight. I email them and they refund the cost of the second seat. Is this correct?

Edited July 4, 2014 by Scrapnana