A change in Southwest Airlines’ seating policy has many advocates for the plus-size community saying the shift will create financial burdens and other barriers for this segment of the traveling public.

For the last decade, Jen McLellan has been a customer of Southwest Airlines because its “customer of size” policy allowed her to ride with dignity, she said in a post on Instagram .

Currently, travelers who “encroach upon neighboring seats” are encouraged to purchase an extra seat in advance of the flight to ensure it will be available. Upon request, Southwest has refunded the cost of the additional seat after travel.

The airline recently announced that, effective Jan. 27, 2026, the refund is no longer guaranteed.

A refund will be issued if the following conditions are met:

When the

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