United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Southwest gets tough with fat customers
US budget airline Southwest Airlines says that fat passengers who take up more than one seat should pay for a second ticket.
The airline has had the policy since 1980, but has reminded staff of the rule this week. It follows complaints from passengers about overweight customers taking up more than their fair share of space on flights.
Southwest says it will give passengers a full refund for the second seat if the flight is not full. In addition customers who buy a discounted, advance purchase ticket will be charged the same reduced fare for the second seat.
But pressure groups including the American Obesity Association are not amused. The association’s executive director Morgan Downey has called the policy “discriminatory” and “mean-spirited,” arguing that carriers should make their seats wider to take into account the fact that Americans are getting larger.
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Scammed passenger goes on airport rampage
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
The Northern Lights in Fairbanks