Southwest Airlines, a U.S. low-cost carrier (LCC), announced a new policy requiring large 'plus-size' passengers to purchase an additional seat. The airline industry contends this is an unavoidable decision for improving revenue. However, obese passengers and human rights organizations have strongly opposed it, claiming it is discriminatory.
According to local media such as USA Today on the 25th (local time), starting January 27 next year, Southwest Airlines will significantly change its policy regarding 'customers of size (COS)'. In the future, passengers whose bodies do not fit entirely within seats ranging from 15.5 inches (about 39 cm) to 17.8 inches (about 45 cm), with both armrests lowered, will be required to purchase adjacent seat tickets in advance. The airline specified that the width of the Boeing 737 seats it operates is the criterion.
Until now, Southwest Airlines provided free empty seats to obese passengers at airport counters. Even if passengers purchased an additional seat, they could easily refund the purchased seat as long as the flight was not fully booked.
The new policy has made refund conditions much stricter. To refund an additional purchased seat, three conditions must be met: ▲ the flight must depart with at least one vacant seat remaining, ▲ the fare classes of the two purchased seats must be the same, and ▲ the refund request must be made within 90 days of travel. Considering that key flights connecting major cities often operate near full capacity, major media outlets report that it has become nearly impossible to obtain smooth refunds. Along with this policy, Southwest Airlines announced the abolition of the iconic 'open seating' system and will introduce assigned seating.
Southwest Airlines started with three aircraft in 1971 and has since grown into a representative airline of the United States, operating a total of 799 airplanes. Its international network has been relatively weak, making it less known domestically; however, it has consistently ranked first in the economy class sector in JD Power surveys for four years in a row, highlighting its popularity. The secret to its success lies in its unconventional passenger-friendly policies compared to competitors. Famous anecdotes, such as airline staff looking after passengers' dogs for two weeks while the owners are on vacation or accompanying elderly passengers for their transfers, exemplify the airline's unique characteristics.
However, even Southwest Airlines has raised its hands in the face of chronic profitability decline. The airline experienced a 6% revenue loss in the first half of this year. While it recorded an annual net profit last year, it is highly likely to report an annual net loss this year. As management difficulties intensified, Bob Jordan, CEO of Southwest Airlines, has quickly introduced revenue models similar to those of other major airlines, including implementing assigned seating and reviewing charging fees for checked baggage. The New York Times (NYT) analyzed that "the recent movements of the airline have left many travelers with the impression that Southwest is changing like other major airlines."
Major airlines (FSC - Full Service Carrier) such as Delta, American Airlines, and United require obese passengers to purchase additional seats. They have strictly enforced similar policies since 2009. These airlines cite safety and the convenience of other passengers as reasons for requiring passengers to purchase an additional seat if they cannot fasten their seatbelt (including extension belts) or if they intrude more than one inch into the neighboring seat with both armrests lowered. Even if there are vacant seats on board, refunds for already purchased seats are rarely provided.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) standards, passenger-related policies can be determined autonomously by individual airlines. There are no specific airline standards regarding obese passengers or body size. Asian airlines like Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific generally recommend purchasing additional seats for personal convenience. Japan Airlines enforces the purchase for safety reasons. In some countries, including Canada, obesity is recognized as a disability, and passengers can demand free additional seats if they provide medical evidence. Air France sells additional seats at 25% less than the regular price.
Obese passengers and associated organizations in the U.S. immediately opposed this policy change. Tigress Osborn, representative of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA), said, "This change is deadly for plus-size passengers." Casey Bevins, representative of the travel agency 'Plus Size Passport,' noted in an interview with the Seattle Times that "there could be an additional expense of $300 to $400 (about 400,000 to 550,000 won) for consumers, which could lead to a decrease in travelers."
On the other hand, among regular passengers, there has been a strong voice welcoming the new policy, claiming they have been experiencing reverse discrimination. Fox Business reported that "many readers empathized with the opinion that all airlines should require additional seats from those who have squeezed next to oversized passengers throughout a 14-hour transpacific flight." Some users argued that "it is clearly unfair to infringe on half of the seat I paid for" and that this is similar to having to pay extra fees for oversized luggage.
Local media have characterized the policy change as "an incident where the widespread obesity problem in American society clashes with corporate revenue seeking." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the obesity rate among American adults reached 41.9% as of 2022. However, aircraft seat space has become noticeably narrower and shorter for decades, following the Airline Deregulation Act in 1978. To lower prices, airlines have adopted a strategy of fitting as many seats as possible into the limited aircraft space.
According to the LA Times, the average legroom (pitch) that was 35 inches (89 cm) in 2011 has shrunk to about 31 inches (79 cm) in the 2020s. The seat width has also decreased. Economy class seats, which used to typically be over 18 inches (46 cm), now average 17 inches (43 cm). This contradiction between increasingly narrow aircraft seats and growing average body size has ultimately led to what is being called the 'seat war.'