southwest airlines customers of size

[henrylovespooh]

My husband is a big guy - doesn't require a seat belt extender, but big and long bodied (6 foot 5 inches) so he looks like a caged animal on a plane. Before we had kids, we always hoped no one would take the third seat in our row so we could leave the middle seat open. I always dreaded when it didn't happen because I would be somewhat smooshed by DH in the middle seat. He would spend much of the flight apologizing to me. On one absolutely dreadful flight, I found myself smooshed between DH and a very large man who did need a seat extender and who seemed to be halfway into my seat even though his armrest was down - that flight is among the worst I have ever had, including flights with horrible turbulence. The plane was full and I had nowhere to go. If I was single and didn't know either man, I think I would have begged to get off the plane and pay any price to take another flight.

So I guess I can see why airlines might require people of a certain size to pay for an extra seat in order to try to guarantee the comfort of all passengers. If only they would just quit trying to pack as many people as possible on a plane by making seat area smaller, this might not be that big of a problem. It's unfortunate that there is no way to set certain criteria so that there is no confusion or embarrassment once a person is on a flight.

For that reason, I now try to book our family's flights at off peak days and times so that we can try to space ourselves out and have a comfortable flight.

 

[Princess Patti]

Off peak travel is a good idea, but then again you never know. We are flying on January 1st so I am not too sure about New Year's morning maybe everyone will be too tired.

I am still laughing about the 17" seat. I have a box here that is 17" and I think many, many, many people may have to start worrying.

 

[mom2lilandem]

One issue that needs to be brought up is that SWA has open seating and there is NO guarantee that you will be able to sit next to your family member. You may end up sitting next to someone ELSE who doesn't want their seat space infringed upon. Remember your rights end at MY seat!

pinnie

I agree with you 100%. If there's a doubt in your mind that they will not fit comfortably in the seat WITHOUT overflowing into the seat of another have them ante up for the second ticket. No offense, but if they were next to me and made the flight uncomfortable because they were overflowing into my seat I'd complain about it. I'm not going to fight over an arm rest but I don't need someone's shoulder, arms, stomach etc on top of me for a two hour flight. I'm paying for a FULL seat and that's what I expect to get.

JMHO.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Interesting. The only test I've seen on Airline is the best guess of the ticket agent at the front counter after walking by the "COS" and staring at his butt.

I was wedged between two extra-extra-large individuals on a Quantas flight from Cairns, Australia to Los Angeles. That was about the most wretched 22 or so hours I've ever spent in flight. I was fit to be tied.

Now if we could just keep the seats from being reclined into our laps...

 

[Princess Patti]

Well I just flew back last night, not on SWA, and observed all of the seats. Keep in mind that I was traveling on a 757 not the 737 that SWA uses. The seats were about two inches larger than SWA seats. I observed that over 80% of the pople were "overflowing" into other seats and I might add that these were not "big" people but average sized people. Also, we all must keep in mind that we share the armrest and there is always some tug of war over who gets it and whos arms are in their laps. Even if you are 100 pounds you still have the boundary between the two seats and your arms overlfow.

 

[mom2lilandem]

I observed that over 80% of the pople were "overflowing" into other seats and I might add that these were not "big" people but average sized people.

Averaged size people by U.S. standards? Because as a country we are probably 80% larger than most people around the world. one third of the United States adult population is morbidly obese. That's not being 5 or 10 lbs overweight and the national average size of a U.S. woman I believe is a size 14 so our "average" is still quite large by world wide standards.

"Close to 2/3 of American adults or obese or overweight, that's nearly 2 out of 3 Americans." (You can read the whole article here:
http://www.mercola.com/2002/oct/23/overweight.htm)

To say 80% is overflowing is more than believable but that doesn't mean the problem lies with the airline or their seats.

 

[Princess Patti]

no, the problem does not belong to the airline but to all of us for all of the fast food, bad nutrition, lack of exercise and just being too busy to realize what a problem we have.

 

[grlzmom]

We flew southwest from Baltimore to Orlando in June, nonstop and it was a FULL flight as most to Orlando are.

I dont know all the specifics, but there was an issue at the gate with a family of three, large mom and large dad, small child (maybe six?). What I did hear was about the parents not having a right to plan on overflowing onto their childs seat because there is no guarantee that they will get to sit with their child (I dont know if they had a letter A B or C). I dont know how the discussion ended, because we were busy preboarding with our seven kiddos (three under three), but eventually the agent came on board asking people if they were willing to move around to try to get the three of them a row together. Eventually some people moved and they were accomodated. However, I think the mom of the family was embarrassed. She looked like she had been crying. Had they been able to board when everyone else did they probably would have gotten a row together, but they were last on the plane due to the conflict and it was not very discreetly handled.

I agree with the regulation, I dont like it at all when I travel and have someone infringing on my already minute space. If you take up more than one seat, I think its reasonable to expect to pay for more than one ticket. Rules are rules, however a little discretion may have gone a long way.

My own airline pet peeve is when you are comfortable seated and suddenly your chair lurches backward as the person behind you is using it to pull himself up and get out of his chair. I know, mostly unavoidable, but still irritating.

 

[russtwinsmom]

DH is a commercial airline captain, so here is more to add to the policy that others have described. If a person is deemed as large enough that they cannot sit within the boundaries of the armrests, they will be asked to purchase a second ticket. If the plane is full, the ticket charge will stand. If the flight is not full, the passenger can contact the company to have a refund issued for the second seat. On flights that are not full, the the passenger will be also given the additional option of not having the seat next to them filled.

 

[kanga24roos]

I'm confussed... If you pay for the extra ticket do you actually get the extra seat? Or does the airline get to charge 2x for the same seat?

 

[Princess Patti]

I'm confussed... If you pay for the extra ticket do you actually get the extra seat? Or does the airline get to charge 2x for the same seat?


You pay for two seats and if they flight is not filled you get the refund on the second seat.

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

I am not sure, but I thought if you passed the "arm rest down" test, you are also suppose to get the extra ticket refunded. In the horror story that I heard, the mom wasn't even allowed to board the plane and do the arm rest test. She was forced to purchase the extra ticket and then go through the trouble of getting the refund. She was very upset because on the trip down she had passed the arm rest test no problem and no one had even bothered her. The whole fuss was made on the trip home. Her young child was also going to be sitting next to her.

Lisa

 

[mishtb]

I actually work for AA and have been in the airline industry and went to college in this industry.... All airlines have this policy. Usually an agent will only bring it up to a passenger if they can not fit into a seat with arms rests down. Most airlines will then require the passenger to purchase another seat and place them where an arm rest can retract up. However, sometimes if the flights are empty/ or as we call wide open (lots of seats available) they may change your seat and might not charge you.

 

[Princess Patti]

After days of reading through the debates, I decided to call SWA and book the extra seat for the boyfriends and there was no room on the plane. The agent told me that we would just have to make do and sit next to someone that was not as big.

 

[pearlieq]

I'm sure it could be very embarassing to be asked at the gate to purchase an extra seat if it weren't handled well, but I've always had good experiences with booking the extra seat ahead of time. I honestly think it's the responsible thing to do. I wouldn't enjoy sitting next to me--why would I ask someone else to do so?

Sometimes the agents are a bit mystified at the request, but they usually figure out what we need pretty quickly. The nice part about booking it ahead of time is that you don't need to worry one bit about the flight and who is sitting next to you. It's all taken care of and all you need to do is relax and enjoy your trip.

Southwest will automatically allow you to preboard if you purchase and extra seat, so that you're guaranteed to get a row to yourself. Of course, getting to avoid the cattle call and having first pick of seats is a lovely perk!

I've lost almost 50 pounds over the last 6 months and I just passed the "armrest test" for the first time on our flight yesterday. Even if I can technically stop buying the 3rd seat I'm in no rush to give it up. I really enjoy the extra comfort it allows me, and Southwest fares are so cheap that the $150 or so I spend on the extra seat (that's got at least an even chance of being refunded) is so worth it!!!

 

[seashoreCM]

On one absolutely dreadful flight, I found myself smooshed between DH and a very large man who did need a seat extender and who seemed to be halfway into my seat even though his armrest was down - that flight is among the worst I have ever had, including flights with horrible turbulence. The plane was full and I had nowhere to go. If I was single and didn't know either man, I think I would have begged to get off the plane and pay any price to take another flight. .

Let's start a fad!

If someone is taking part of your seat including at shoulder level, complain before departure. If time permits, go back out to the gate agent for another seat assignment. Follow through and go so far as to summon the Complaint Resolution Officer and the airline must comply.

You must be willing to take any other seat.

The airline is obliged to pay you, not you pay them, to take another flight.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

If an airplane employee says "there is nothing we can do", keep in mind that that sentence is false. PM me for an explanation.

If space permits, make your complaint out of earshot of the larger person.

 

[PatricenPete]

I am sorry, but if you are a "larger" person, I think that it is only fair that you be required to buy two seats. It is not fair to other passengers to have their personal space infringed upon, especially during a long flight.

I think that people are looking at the ticket agents as the bad guys, but if you take a minute to think about how hard/embarrassing it must be for THEM to have to approach an overweight passenger and even ask them to purchase a second seat - having to make that call, I can't imagine.

Mind you, I am not speaking to you as someone who is a size 2. I used to wear a size 20, so I know what it is like to be heavy, but I'm sorry, if your *** is creeping into my seat, I WILL complain.

 

[WIDisneyFan]

As a very frequent traveler I can say this is something that I definately feel for people on - I fly on a regular basis for work (in the neighborgood of 75,000 miles a year) Due to the fact i live in Milwaukee SWA is not an option for me as they do not serve the area, however, most airline seats are what I would call small. I am a "big" guy by most peoples standards - 6'4 and about 270. For me the issue is never fitting my butt, hips and waist in the seat (so I would easily pass any armrest test) - it is ALWAYS the shoulder room. I really don't know what a fair answer is on this, but I definately understand the airlines, and other passengers point of view. I can say I have never been told I needed a second seat by the airlines - but if I were I am not sure I could really object as my shoulders are without doubt wider than the space provided by 1 seat. All of that being said my comment would just be try to put yourself in the shoes of the person your sitting next to and ask yourself how you would react if you were sitting next to your twin (and on this I can speak from experience as my brother makes me look little and I have been on a flight next to him - was not a nice flight)

 

[GeoffM24]

Of all the times I have flown I have only once had a large women sit next to me and she could not completely lower the arm rest. The airline did not make her pay for an extra seat but to be honest I wish they did. It made for a very uncomfortable flight. Not only was sitting there a problem trying to get past her to use the bathroom was an adventure.

Personally I appreciate the airlines being proactive with this.

Hopefully for some this will be a wake-up call, if you want to live a full life and be there for your kids kids you need to do something now. Not fitting into an airline seat is the least of your problems.

 

[seashoreCM]

Personally I appreciate the airlines being proactive with this..

You need to be proactive with this. Even Southwest's published policy does not touch all the bases.

(so I would easily pass any armrest test) - it is ALWAYS the shoulder room. I really don't know what a fair answer is on this,... try to put yourself in the shoes of the person your sitting next to ...

Here is the fair answer. Do what you have to do so as not to annoy your seatmate(s). Proactiveness on their part can include filing assault charges provided they choose flight (within the same plane,otherwise no pun intended) over fight first.