SW extra seat q's

[angwill]

My husband is very tall, with very long legs. He only can fit in bulk head or exit row seats (or in first or business class on other airlines). Southwest doesn't make accommodation for him to guarantee that he and the people around him are comfortable. We have to pay extra so he is in A 1-15 so he has the best chance at a seat he can fit in. If he can't find a seat, I feel bad for the person in front of him because his knees will literally be pressed up against their seat all flight and he will end up in pain. We pay for the space we use. Why is it fair that others don't have to?

Btw we don't fly sw unless it is absolutely the last choice because they are not so friendly to all "people of size".

If enough people complained about having to sit next to a tall person I guarantee they would make rules and acceptions for the tall person too. In reality I don't think most people would have a problem if they made an exception for people like your husband. Well there are those on the dis who would but most would be cool with it.

Have you ever called SW customer service to ask about the accomodations they would be willing to make for your husband? Maybe there is something they can do if you ask?

 

[Gracie09]

If enough people complained about having to sit next to a tall person I guarantee they would make rules and acceptions for the tall person too. In reality I don't think most people would have a problem if they made an exception for people like your husband. Well there are those on the dis who would but most would be cool with it.

Have you ever called SW customer service to ask about the accomodations they would be willing to make for your husband? Maybe there is something they can do if you ask?

We have and they say to ask for a blue sleeve at customer service counter. We have been granted a blue sleeve once. They say it's not a disability. So we just pay more.

 

[fostrmom2mny]

I've been a member of the Dis Boards for years and I've never felt hesitant or afraid to respond to a post before this one. The OP wants to know how this works, and I will say that the last time this POS flew Southwest was under the old policy. Even then, I avoided Southwest because of all the horrible disrespectful way POS was treated. So imagine my horror when my company wanted to fly me out on Southwest

Two tickets were purchased, and I did get a sheet of paper to sit in the seat next to me that said the seat was reserved. I preboarded and it was relative smooth to do. We did not ask for a refund, because then that was one more thing to feel embarrassed about.

All that being said, I usually fly American. Some seats I can ride in w/o the use of an extender and others, I need an extender. It's crazy, one leg of my flight I'm in 20 A and the next leg I'm in 20 F, both are windows in the same row. One works for me and the other doesn't. I absolutely spend a lot of mental and physical energy trying not to make sitting next to me uncomfortable, for other folks, and yet I am not always given the same respect.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I've been a member of the Dis Boards for years and I've never felt hesitant or afraid to respond to a post before this one. The OP wants to know how this works, and I will say that the last time this POS flew Southwest was under the old policy. Even then, I avoided Southwest because of all the horrible disrespectful way POS was treated. So imagine my horror when my company wanted to fly me out on Southwest Two tickets were purchased, and I did get a sheet of paper to sit in the seat next to me that said the seat was reserved. I preboarded and it was relative smooth to do. We did not ask for a refund, because then that was one more thing to feel embarrassed about. All that being said, I usually fly American. Some seats I can ride in w/o the use of an extender and others, I need an extender. It's crazy, one leg of my flight I'm in 20 A and the next leg I'm in 20 F, both are windows in the same row. One works for me and the other doesn't. I absolutely spend a lot of mental and physical energy trying not to make sitting next to me uncomfortable, for other folks, and yet I am not always given the same respect.

Thank you so much for giving your experiences with the policy on SW. We really appreciate it.

I will say one thing I found out in all of this is that when the seatbelts start to fray and get worn, they cut them rather than replace them. That would explain why sometimes they fit and a different seat doesn't. I called to ask what the length of the seatbelts were and this is what I was told!

 

[lkueffer]

Just another question related to this topic. Are the seats on SW smaller than the other major carriers?

 

[angwill]

Just another question related to this topic. Are the seats on SW smaller than the other major carriers?

I think it depends more on the plane model rather than the carrier but if you want to check out the size of seats, pitch etc go to seatguru.com. You can look at the set up of the plane by carrier and type of plane. HTH

 

[disneylove69]

Thank you so much for giving your experiences with the policy on SW. We really appreciate it.

I will say one thing I found out in all of this is that when the seatbelts start to fray and get worn, they cut them rather than replace them. That would explain why sometimes they fit and a different seat doesn't. I called to ask what the length of the seatbelts were and this is what I was told!

I like the new belts because it makes me feel thinner . I am larger but do not have to take 2 seats. It depends where it lays. I have a friend who has to use an extender but only needs one seat.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Just another question related to this topic. Are the seats on SW smaller than the other major carriers?

All of Southwest's seats are 17 inches wide, with a pitch of 32-33 inches, with the exception of the 777-700, which has a pitch of 31 inches (avoid that plane). This seat width is less than many other airlines. Spirit's seats are 17.75 inches wide, but the pitch is a miserly 28 (!) inches!

 

[hsmamato2]

Ugh, after hearing so many stories and all the inconveniences, I think we may draw straws and squish lol.

Ok, haven't read all of this but...let me just chime in here and say -I just got off a long flight last night so this is fresh in my mind... I am seeing a lot of pp's saying 'borderline' and 'squish' let me tell you, these seats are TIGHT. I am not tiny(size 10-12) and it is TIGHT. If you are larger, please jump thru the hoops available to you,and buy that extra seat. I am 'borderline' too big for those seats....do you see what I mean here? I don't know what the site says or recommends, but IRL these seats are tiny.Anyone who feels 'borderline for squishing' will be having a problem.As will your seatmates. This is a fact of airline travel- and if SWA says buy an extra seat,and then they refund you(never heard of this before) you should do it.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Ok, haven't read all of this but...let me just chime in here and say -I just got off a long flight last night so this is fresh in my mind... I am seeing a lot of pp's saying 'borderline' and 'squish' let me tell you, these seats are TIGHT. I am not tiny(size 10-12) and it is TIGHT. If you are larger, please jump thru the hoops available to you,and buy that extra seat. I am 'borderline' too big for those seats....do you see what I mean here? I don't know what the site says or recommends, but IRL these seats are tiny.Anyone who feels 'borderline for squishing' will be having a problem.As will your seatmates. This is a fact of airline travel- and if SWA says buy an extra seat,and then they refund you(never heard of this before) you should do it.

I agree.
Shoot just buy it. I dont see the big deal?

If I could buy an extra seat and then have my money refunded after it would be a no brainer to me.

 

[Lewisc]

Most of us would like an empty middle seat next to us. Can't lower the armrest then you get the empty seat next to you. OP said it's borderline. Have their friend wear a bulky sweater. You can still lower the arm, then it's not really borderline and your friends are trying to game the system.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

Most of us would like an empty middle seat next to us. Can't lower the armrest then you get the empty seat next to you. OP said it's borderline. Have their friend wear a bulky sweater. You can still lower the arm, then it's not really borderline and your friends are trying to game the system.

I have to respectfully disagree with your definition of not really borderline. Nobody in my party is trying to game the system or even get extra space. I am trying to avoid ending up with a record and on a no-fly list and my friend is trying to avoid the dehumanizing humiliation that happened the last time we flew.

This lady is like a sister to me so I may be a bit more invested than the average person. She happens to have survived a battle with cancer and secondary complications that nobody thought she'd survive. But she's amazing and a fighter and she did. Unfortunately her ongoing treatment includes heavy doses of steroids and other medications that have caused her to gain upwards of 100lbs.

The last time we flew it was not SW, she had an aisle and I had a window. There was a man who had the center seat. She had the armrests down and if she crossed seat borders it was less than 1/2 an inch. As the FA was coming down the aisle without any prompting leaned over my friend as if she weren't there and apologized for the "inconvenience" of having to sit next to her and said she'd bring the man some free drinks. I was gobsmacked. I offered to switch seats with the man to spare my friend any more humiliation (I have some tough anxiety and this can really only handle a window seat). He apparently needed 4 cubic feet for his man junk cause he had one leg under the seat in front of me. The FA saw this many times but never apologized to me or suggest he make himself smaller (he wasn't even that tall, my legs were longer than his!). If I hadn't been so taken and speechless about the whole situation I'm pretty sure I would have been a six o'clock news story. Neither one of us has the wherewithal to go through this again. So are trying to get some experiences of the new SW policy.

I never had any intention of coming here with a sob story, but it seems that there are those here who take an ask for personal experiences as an opportunity to make judgements. Until you've flown as a larger person or had the eye boggling experience of traveling with somebody, please don't judge or assume folks are trying to get something for nothing. My friend would much rather sit in her one seat like everybody else without fear or ridicule and horrible comments.

 

[SnowWhite2]

I could see the outrage about having a second seat if each seat cost the same amount of money. The airlines, like hotels, have rates that fluctuate daily and sometimes hourly. You may have paid $79 for your seat but the person next to you paid $270. Does the person who paid more get more space? No they don't. How do you know that the person who needs two seats didn't pay twice the amount you did for the flight? What if they make you, who paid $79, sit in only middle seats? Is that fair?

I don't think there is a "fair" way to come to a solution. Each person paid what they thought was a fair price for their transportation to the new location. Why does everyone worry about what other people do/have/get? Be happy you can afford to travel, that you are safely arriving at your location and will have a great adventure in front of you. Don't let others define your happiness.

 

[angwill]

I could see the outrage about having a second seat if each seat cost the same amount of money. The airlines, like hotels, have rates that fluctuate daily and sometimes hourly. You may have paid $79 for your seat but the person next to you paid $270. Does the person who paid more get more space? No they don't. How do you know that the person who needs two seats didn't pay twice the amount you did for the flight? What if they make you, who paid $79, sit in only middle seats? Is that fair?

I don't think there is a "fair" way to come to a solution. Each person paid what they thought was a fair price for their transportation to the new location. Why does everyone worry about what other people do/have/get? Be happy you can afford to travel, that you are safely arriving at your location and will have a great adventure in front of you. Don't let others define your happiness.

 

[tasha99]

My suggestion for future flights is to have your friend not use SW and fly first class. I range from a size 20 to 24, and even though my butt fits in an airline seat, I'm built so I feel like my top half spills over. I am always comfortable in first class (though on one recent flight the seat belt was baaarely long enough---makes sense that it must have been cut short). Advantages are that they don't nickel and dime you, and you can find flights that are about 1 and a half times the price of a regular ticket--so it's cheaper and better than 2 seats.

 

[Lewisc]

I have to respectfully disagree with your definition of not really borderline. Nobody in my party is trying to game the system or even get extra space. I am trying to avoid ending up with a record and on a no-fly list and my friend is trying to avoid the dehumanizing humiliation that happened the last time we flew..

Which is why I suggested wearing bulky clothing. A sweater which could be removed during flight.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

Which is why I suggested wearing bulky clothing. A sweater which could be removed during flight.

I'm not really sure what a bulky sweater would solve. Also, I'm pretty sure just wearing a bulky sweater to and through the airport in the July Florida heat would be enough to make you ill, they don't keep the A/C in the airport low enough for that.

 

[ateam79828592]

OP - Thank you for being brave enough to post this on behalf of your friend as you likely knew not all the comments would brighten your day. Thank you for keeping polite & calm. I didn't know about SW policies...so while I didn't learn a lot from other's comments, your original post help me do some research that will help DH & I on our trip in June. So thank you!! Hope you & your friends have an awesome trip and stress-free flight!

 

[hsmamato2]

*This lady is like a sister to me so I may be a bit more invested than the average person. She happens to have survived a battle with cancer and secondary complications that nobody thought she'd survive.
* She had the armrests down and if she crossed seat borders it was less than 1/2 an inch.* As the FA was coming down the aisle without any prompting leaned over my friend as if she weren't there and apologized for the "inconvenience" of having to sit next to her and said she'd bring the man some free drinks.

...See....this story is partly why I said "I haven't read all of this".... I don't think it's appropriate here for any of us to determine if someone who is larger 'deserved' this,or if it 'was an illness' or any other reason. That info, while useful for a larger story,means nothing when sitting on a plane,IRL. Not being rude, just keeping emotions out of it. KWIM,OP?
I'm not questioning anything about your friends size, just the FACT that the seats are tiny, your friend needs more room,and by your own story,she was "1/2 inch over into the (rude) mans seat"....If I lost a 1/2 inch of my seat ,I would feel INCREDIBLY claustrophobic,and uncomfortable. Like I said, I'm not tiny,more average sized,and someone next to me who needed more space,and had no choice but to take it from my seat would give me problems.
OP,and anyone out there reading this, please,if given an option, no matter what the story or reason is, please get that extra seat...especially if you even get a refund at the gate.... I can't imagine a situation in which a person could fit into that one tiny seat properly,use an extender (?) and not encroach on the seats beside them.
Again, NOT a comment on anyone of 'size' who needs extra room, but since I can't change the size of the plane, or the seats, or the full flights, I have to do my best to get comfortable as is. I also think its great that the airlines are willing to help out with all of this....

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

...See....this story is partly why I said "I haven't read all of this".... I don't think it's appropriate here for any of us to determine if someone who is larger 'deserved' this,or if it 'was an illness' or any other reason. That info, while useful for a larger story,means nothing when sitting on a plane,IRL. Not being rude, just keeping emotions out of it. KWIM,OP? I'm not questioning anything about your friends size, just the FACT that the seats are tiny, your friend needs more room,and by your own story,she was "1/2 inch over into the (rude) mans seat"....If I lost a 1/2 inch of my seat ,I would feel INCREDIBLY claustrophobic,and uncomfortable. Like I said, I'm not tiny,more average sized,and someone next to me who needed more space,and had no choice but to take it from my seat would give me problems. OP,and anyone out there reading this, please,if given an option, no matter what the story or reason is, please get that extra seat...especially if you even get a refund at the gate.... I can't imagine a situation in which a person could fit into that one tiny seat properly,use an extender (?) and not encroach on the seats beside them. Again, NOT a comment on anyone of 'size' who needs extra room, but since I can't change the size of the plane, or the seats, or the full flights, I have to do my best to get comfortable as is. I also think its great that the airlines are willing to help out with all of this....

By my own admission if she encroached it was les than 1/2 an inch but the armrests went down and to the letter of the policy she did not encroach.

The man was rude because he felt entitled to the space in front of my seat. He encroached on me. He never said anything, it was the FA that I had a problem with and not even because she said something but how she said it.

There is a mounting frustration because it feels that there is no winning scenario. On the one hand you have people who actually feel encroached upon if you take up your whole seat (not part of theirs just all of yours leaving no extra buffer) and get nasty about it. On the other hand people are screaming that if you can lower the armrests and take an extra seat that you're gaming the system and cheating.

I'm about at my wit's end with this and couldn't imagine the fear or anxiety is suffer if I had to go through this everytime I needed to fly. My heart truly goes out to others in this situation!

And no, nobody in any circumstance ever "deserves" to be humiliated and dehumanized like that.