Southwest customer of size extra seat purchase ?

[Tink3815]

My husband is a large guy who can fit in the seat with an extender no problem. He recently has started having back problems and the seats are more comfortable if he spreads out a bit.
Looking for input from anyone who has had experience booking the extra seat. We would be booking with points for him and myself. I would want to make sure that I would get to sit in the row with him.
If the flight turns out not to be full ,can I request a refund for the extra seat?
thanks

 

[Gracie09]

https://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/extra_seat_policy_faq.html

 

[Tink3815]

https://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/extra_seat_policy_faq.html

Thank you
I have read the information on the Southwest web site. I am looking for information on how other people would know that that seat was reserved.

 

[tjmw2727]

Thank you
I have read the information on the Southwest web site. I am looking for information on how other people would know that that seat was reserved.

Its the 6th bullet point on the link above - from that link:

Can you ensure no one takes the seat beside me if I've secured a second seat?

The Customer who has secured more than one seat must be an active participant in preserving his/her additional seat. We encourage Customers of size to preboard to locate adequate seating and place the Seat Reserved Document in the adjacent seat. Our Ground Operations and Inflight Employees communicate about Customers’ needs, and if a Customer of size needs seating assistance, he/she should ask an Employee for help.

bullet point 4 addresses the refund -

How do I get a refund of my second seat purchase?

Customers who have purchased an additional seat to accommodate a special seating need due to size or disability may request a refund of the additional seat purchase by sending us an e-mail request at southwest.com/feedback or by calling Southwest at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA (1-800-435-9792). Even if the flight experiences an oversale (having more confirmed Customers waiting to board than seats on the aircraft) we will refund the cost of the extra seat(

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Be warned that if you want a refund for the extra seat, your husband must be determined to be a COS by a Southwest employee. If he can fit in a regular seat with the arm rests down, this may not happen.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Not sure that's true any longer, based on "Customers who have purchased an additional seat to accommodate a special seating need due to size or disability may request a refund of the additional seat purchase by...". Relatively sure you don't have to prove a disability, so while it should be simple to show you can't fit in a 17" wide seat, requiring proof would be discriminatory.

For the OP to ensure she sits in the row with her husband, she should purchase ECBI. The Seat Reserved Document is for the Customer of Size's second seat only.

 

[Dream Finder]

Hope this is what you are looking for....Both DH and I regularly use the COS seat for Southwest. We love it.
1) book the extra seat for DH. The seat should be in his name with XS for the middle initial (Tom XS Smith). Use DH's actual DOB, but don't enter his RR number.
2) when you check in, the gate attendant (or the sky cap) will issue your DH a small (boarding pass size) slip of paper which states "Seat Reserved".
3) Check in at the gate and get the pre-board document if you have not received one at check in
4) you will be allowed to pre-board with DH. He is allowed one person to take with him.
5) when you get in to your seats - place the "Seat Reserved" paper on the seat in between the two of you. This will inform the attendants that the seat is "sold" and no one else can sit there.
6) after you get home, call Southwest at 855-234-4654 or mail a letter (I usually call). You will need your confirmation numbers handy. They will issue a refund to your original form of payment (not a SW credit). I see that you are flying on points. The points will be refunded to your RR account the same day.

At one time, they were more restrictive on issuing the refunds. Recently they changed the wording on the site and I have had several conversations about this. They are encouraging the pre-purchase of the seats by guaranteeing the refund. This helps them accurately judge the number of seats available on the plane as well as avoiding any awkwardness at the gate where a gate attendant may need to make the call whether a customer is a COS. Most of the SW staff have actually been appreciative that we have purchased the extra seat.

Have fun!

 

[Disneylvr]

In May, it will be my 3rd time buying a ticket on Southwest as a COS. The first time I encountered a problem at the RAC desk and haven't used it since. Has anyone else had problems using RAC at their Disney resort with COS tickets?

 

[Dream Finder]

We normally stay off property, which means no problems with the COS. That being said - the last time we were on property we did have an issue. We could check in on line, but for some reason - we could only check bags under my name. I had totally forgotten about that. Will be interesting to see what happens when we stay at Pop in June.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Hope this is what you are looking for....Both DH and I regularly use the COS seat for Southwest. We love it.

At one time, they were more restrictive on issuing the refunds. Recently they changed the wording on the site and I have had several conversations about this. They are encouraging the pre-purchase of the seats by guaranteeing the refund. This helps them accurately judge the number of seats available on the plane as well as avoiding any awkwardness at the gate where a gate attendant may need to make the call whether a customer is a COS. Most of the SW staff have actually been appreciative that we have purchased the extra seat.

Have fun!

How recently did they start guaranteeing the refund? I know my DH would be a lot more comfortable with the extra room, especially if he didn't have to pay double for it. We'd also like to pre-board ahead of the kids pretending to be younger than six.

 

[Dream Finder]

How recently did they start guaranteeing the refund? I know my DH would be a lot more comfortable with the extra room, especially if he didn't have to pay double for it. We'd also like to pre-board ahead of the kids pretending to be younger than six.

Here is their wording as of today:
"You may contact us for a refund of the cost of additional seating after travel."
prior to this the wording was different
"You may contact us for a refund of the cost of additional seating after travel, provided the flight does not oversell resulting in having more confirmed Customers than seats on the aircraft"

When it actually changed ..not sure. I have a print out from 2011 with the "oversell" wording. We had a year or so we didn't fly (most of 2014.) Some time in 2015 I know it was changed.