Plus-sized traveller told to buy extra seat due to her weight

Plus-sized female passengers have hit out at a major US airline over a 'discriminatory' new policy that requires customers 'of size' to proactively purchase an extra seat if they cannot fit between armrests. As of January 2026, Southwest Airlines has implemented a 'Customer of size' policy that now defines a single seat as the space between two lowered armrests. American traveller Erika, who goes by @erikawithak27 on TikTok, called out the airline in a video after experiencing what she called 'predatory' behaviour by staff whilst flying to Las Vegas with a friend in February.