When do you need to buy two seats on the plane? Southwest Airlines is introducing a new policy. From January 27, travelers who “can't fit between the armrests of the seats” will have to pay for two tickets.
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Passengers will only be entitled to a second seat refund if their flight is not fully booked.
Previously, passengers on this line also had to book two seats. However, they were guaranteed to receive a refund for their ticket at a later date or could receive a free extra seat at the airport.
Do you know who exactly the new regulations apply to? According to Men's Journal, the carrier stated that “customers who occupy adjacent seats should proactively purchase the required number of seats in advance of travel” and that “the armrest is considered the final boundary between seats,” but that's as far as the details go.
See also: Every kilogram counts. These airlines ask passengers how much they weigh
Two seats on the plane. Controversy surrounding Southwest Airlines
Jason Vaughn, who runs Fat Tested Travel, a website aimed at plus-size travelers, told The Associated Press that “this will make the travel experience worse for everyone” because larger passengers will be more likely to try their luck by buying just one ticket.
This isn't the only policy change expected to be introduced at the end of next month. Southwest Airlines is also increasing the price for seats with more legroom. In May 2025, the airline ended its free checked baggage policy.
See also: The Chinese launch the 29-hour “longest flight in the world”. There's a catch
Airlines with the most hidden fees
Here is the list of airlines in Europe with the most hidden fees according to timeout.com:
- Ryanair
- Wizz Air
- easyJet
- Air Europe
- Vueling
- Jet2.com
- Finnair
- Norwegian
- British Airways
- Lufthansa
Source: timeout.com, Associated Press, Men's Journal
