Talk about some sky-high baggage fees.
Furious Southwest Airlines customers are sounding off over the carrier’s controversial new policy — which critics have slammed as a so-called “fat tax” after one traveler was allegedly forced to cough up nearly $1,000 for a second seat.
Earlier this year, Southwest Airlines enacted its eyebrow-raising policy change, requiring passengers who can’t fit between armrests to purchase an additional seat in advance — or risk being hit with the charge at the airport.
“To ensure space, we are communicating to Customers who have previously used the extra seat policy that they should purchase it at booking,” Southwest reps said in a statement regarding the policy change.
The update marks a stark departure from the airline’s longtime approach, which allowed plus-size flyers to request a complimentary extra seat at the gate or receive a refund after purchasing one ahead of time — a system that had been in place for over 30 years.
Now, that safety net is largely gone.
Under the new rules, a refund for the second seat is only guaranteed if the flight departs with at least one open seat — and passengers who didn’t book in advance can be forced to buy another ticket on the spot, depending on an agent’s discretion.
“Customers who encroach upon the neighboring seat(s) must purchase the number of seats needed. The armrest is considered to be the definitive boundary between seats,” Southwest’s policy states.
The vague wording — and how it’s enforced — has left travelers fuming, with many taking to social media to accuse the airline of profiling passengers based on appearance.
“I guess I was a bit embarrassed. I was upset more than anything,” traveler Kari McCaw told SFGATE after she was stopped at the airport and told to buy a second seat.
“You just made this arbitrary look at my body. … I don’t have any hips, so I sit in seats just fine all the time.”
McCaw isn’t alone.
Across social media, passengers say they’ve been singled out at the gate and pressured to pay up — even if they’ve never needed more than one seat before.
One content creator, Stella Kittrell, said the policy left her “nervous to fly,” admitting she wore her “skinniest outfit” to the airport and was “on the edge” of a mental breakdown before boarding — despite ultimately fitting in her seat just fine.
Another influencer, Samyra Miller, didn’t mince words, dubbing the policy a “fat tax.”
“It is discrimination that is at the discretion and fatphobia of whoever is at work that day,” she said.
Others echoed the frustration in the comments.
“I’m 135 pounds and still barely fit. These airlines are CRUEL and GREEDY,” one user wrote.
“how is this not discrimination?” another asked.
Even travelers who ultimately made it on board say the experience left a bad taste.
“The agent said something like, ‘Are you interested in extra room?’” recalled Erika, as The Post previously reported, a frequent flyer who said she was flagged before a trip to Las Vegas.
“And I go, ‘Wait, do you mean like an extra seat?’ … ‘Oh no, I don’t need an extra seat.’”
But the agent pushed back.
“I go, ‘Wait, are you saying I need an extra seat because I’m bigger,’” Erika continued. “And she goes, ‘It’s for the safety and of other passengers.’”
The comment sparked outrage online, with critics accusing the airline of turning body size into a revenue stream.
“Sounds like Southwest is profiling and discriminating against customers just to make more money,” one commenter fumed.
“It seems subjective,” another added. “Your size is going to be based on whoever is looking at you.”
Southwest Airlines did not immediately return The Post’s request for comment.
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