Maybe Mr. Smith would like to fly another airline between Burbank and Oakland next time… oh wait, are there any?

Southwest’s policy covers both bases for the customer. Additionally, if Smith bought the seat for additional comfort and privacy but not because he is a “customer of size,” he was likely violating Southwest’s contract of carriage. Their policy prohibits the purchase of extra seats, except for customers of size and for items such as musical instruments. That’s to say, even though he may not have meant to, Southwest’s probably assumed he was using the customer of size policy, because – well, he is a big guy.

If his habit is to buy two seats, he should continue to do so. Southwest has a generous customer of size policy and a business model built on low fares in a single size seat. I doubt Southwest will change their policy or widen their seats, but Smith can always fly another carrier with the option of first or business class seating, their own customer of size policies, and assortments of RJs operating on formerly mainline routes.

While he may have been able to squeeze himself into a single seat and fasten the seat belt, but the article does not address whether he encroache into the seat space of the seats on either side of him. Seems to me that Southwest is being proactive to make its all-coach flights as comfortable as possible for all their customers.

It seems that Southwest may have handled the public relations aspect of this incident. The positive spin would be that they are looking out for the well-being of all their customers with a policy that is arguably laudable.

@upgradetravel Great article, well said.