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Aviation expert weighs in on Southwest near-miss
A Southwest flight heading from Hollywood Burbank Airport to Las Vegas plunged several hundred feet to avoid a mid-air collision with another plane in July. Aviation expert Randy KIatt joins LiveNOW's Andy Mac to discuss these recent incidents.
A new Southwest Airlines policy taking effect soon will require travelers who don’t fit within the armrests of one seat to buy an extra one in advance.
Currently, plus-size passengers can either pay for an extra seat in advance with the option of getting that money back later, or they can request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the carrier’s new policy, a refund is still possible but no longer guaranteed.
Southwest Airlines plus-size policy
Timeline:
The new rule goes into effect Jan. 27, the same day Southwest starts assigning seats.
What they're saying:
"To ensure space, we are communicating to Customers who have previously used the extra seat policy that they should purchase it at booking," Southwest said in a statement.
FILE - Airplanes with Southwest Airlines sit on the tarmac at the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on November 26, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Southwest says it will still refund a second ticket under its new policy for extra seating if the flight isn’t fully booked at the time of departure, and if both of the passenger’s tickets were purchased in the same booking class. The passenger also needs to request the refund within 90 days of the flight.
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If a passenger who needs an extra seat doesn’t purchase one ahead of time, they will be required to buy one at the airport, according to the new policy. If the flight is full, the passenger will be rebooked onto a new flight.
Other new Southwest policies
Big picture view:
The plus-size policy is among a few changes for the airline, which has struggled recently and is under pressure from activist investors to boost profits and revenue.
It also said last year that it would charge customers extra for more legroom and offer red-eye flights. In May, Southwest ended its policy that let passengers check bags for free. Also in January, passengers will no longer be able to pick their own seats. These perks were what differentiated Southwest from its rivals — and loyalists say they’re not happy with the changes.
The other side:
Jason Vaughn, an Orlando-based travel agent who posts theme park reviews and travel tips for plus-size people on social media and his website, Fat Travel Tested, told The Associated Press that the change will likely impact travelers of all sizes. Southwest’s current policy helped create a more comfortable flying experience for plus-size travelers, he said, while also ensuring all passengers have adequate space in their seats.
"I think it’s going to make the flying experience worse for everybody," he said.
"They have no idea anymore who their customer is," he added. "They have no identity left."
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press.