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Coverage dated August 21, 2025 to August 25, 2025

Southwest Airlines changes rules for plus-size passengers

Headline from ABC 11 Raleigh, on the newest of 2 developments

Southwest is changing its seating policy for plus-size passengers.

ABC 11 Raleigh's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Developments in this update

2 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. Southwest Airlines changing refund policy for plus-sized passengers

    Headline from KHOU Houston ·

  2. Newest

    Southwest Airlines changes rules for plus-size passengers

    Headline from ABC 11 Raleigh ·

Read the reports

Reports & sources

29 articles, oldest first.

  1. KHOU Houston

    Southwest Airlines changing refund policy for plus-sized passengers (opens KHOU Houston)

    Published

    KHOU Houston's feed description

    The change will come amid other changes at the Dallas-based airline, including doing away with its long-standing open seating policy, starting next year.

  2. NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

    Southwest Airlines set to change its refund policy for plus-size passengers who purchase two seats (opens NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth)

    Published

    NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth's feed description

    Southwest allows "customers of size" to apply for refunds but is restricting the conditions under which it will actually provide the reimbursements.

  3. RedState

    Fantastic! Southwest to Make 'Plus-Sized' Passengers Pay for Additional Seat. (opens RedState)

    Published

    RedState's feed description

    Southwest Airlines requires plus-sized passengers to buy extra seats starting January 2026.

  4. ABC 11 Raleigh

    Southwest Airlines changes rules for plus-size passengers (opens ABC 11 Raleigh)

    Published

    ABC 11 Raleigh's feed description

    Southwest is changing its seating policy for plus-size passengers.

  5. KAGS Bryan

    How Southwest Airlines' new policy will affect plus-size travelers (opens KAGS Bryan)

    Published

    KAGS Bryan's feed description

    The change is part of several updates the airline is making.

  6. The Hill

    Southwest Airlines is changing its seating policy for larger customers (opens The Hill)

    Published

    The Hill's feed description

    Southwest Airlines is putting stricter rules on a longstanding policy for plus-size passengers.

  7. FOX Business

    Southwest rolls out new conditions for plus-size passenger refunds (opens FOX Business)

    Published

    FOX Business's feed description

    Southwest tightens customer of size policies with new refund restrictions, creating anxiety for plus-size passengers who previously had fewer limitations.

  8. Newsweek

    Southwest changing rules for plus-size passengers: What to know (opens Newsweek)

    Published

    Newsweek's feed description

    There is to be a significant change to a popular policy that allowed larger travelers to book two seats for the price of one.

  9. Seattle Times

    Southwest Airlines’ new policy will affect plus-size travelers. Here’s how (opens Seattle Times)

    Published

    Seattle Times's feed description

    Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can

  10. Black Enterprise

    Southwest Airlines Receives Pushback For New Refund Policy Labeled As Anti-Plus Size (opens Black Enterprise)

    Published

    Black Enterprise's feed description

    The new policy from Southwest is being compared to a scene from a movie where a characted was booted off a plane for being plus-size.

  11. The Columbian

    Plus-sized Southwest Airlines passengers face potentially costly rule changes (opens The Columbian)

    Published

    The Columbian's feed description

    Southwest Airlines is changing its long-standing policy for plus-sized passengers beginning next year.

  12. New York Post

    Southwest Airlines ripped over controversial new plus-size passenger policy: ‘Worse for everybody’ (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    Starting January 27, 2026, Southwest Airlines flyers who “encroach upon the neighboring seat” will be required to purchase an extra seat in advance and potentially without getting their money back.

  13. Fortune

    Southwest Airlines is going to start charging heavy flyers for an extra seat if they can't fit within armrests (opens Fortune)

    Published

    Fortune's feed description

    Currently, plus-size passengers can either pay for an extra seat in advance or they can request a free extra seat at the airport.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

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