Don't want to sit next to anyone on a plane? GET FAT NOW!
Yup, no lie, Southwest is actually allowing fat people — "people of size" is apparently what we're supposed to call them — Southwest is allowing them an extra seat free of charge if they "encroach upon any part of the neighboring seat."
Quick question though: Let's say I identify as a customer of size and maybe wear a fat suit…
Okay, sorry.
Anyhow, this new policy is obviously being praised by the fat community — yes, it's a community, and people are encouraged to join it. This is how far we've come.
Plus-size TikTokkers are praising Southwest Airlines for its "customer of size" policy, which allows overweight passengers to request a complimentary seat and forces the flight staff to accommodate larger flyers — even if that means kicking others with tickets off of the flight.
"If you're fat, you know the anxiety of flying and this alleviates it a lot," Caroline, a travel influencer who said she is a size 20, told her nearly 200,000 followers in a video posted at the end of October.
"I had a very comfortable flight just feeling like I was allowed to take up the space I needed."
Under the Texas-based airline's policy, customers whose bodies "encroach" past the armrest are entitled to an extra seat at no additional cost.
Southwest is even telling these plus-size flyers to purchase two, or even three seats in advance and they'll refund the extras afterwards. And while I completely disagree with the policy, I'd much rather one of these POS (hey, that's the acronym, I'm gonna use it) people book in advance than kick me off the flight when they realize at the last minute that there are not enough seats due to Giant Jan over there in 24D, E, and F.
Still, I'm confused at how this is going to work out for Southwest.
By the way, Southwest doesn't assign seating, so this fat policy is at least made a tad easier by that. Southwest will also provide seatbelt extenders to these people of size, which at least clears up some of my confusion about how that would work.
We live in strange times, but I sure didn't have "people of size getting a free extra seat on Southwest flights" on my 2023 bingo card.
Can't wait to see what 2024 has in store.
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