Another woman’s story about allegedly being denied boarding on a Southwest Airlines flight because of her size is gaining traction on TikTok. Her account comes as more plus-sized passengers have shared similar experiences involving the airline’s updated extra seat policy.
However, she says her experience happened before those changes were even in place, recalling that it took place in early November.
What Was Her Experience As A Southwest Airlines ‘Customer of Size?’
In a two-part video, TikTok creator Keirstyn (@lilcatron) says Southwest Airlines staff made her feel embarrassed and singled out while trying to board a Southwest Airlines flight from New York back to Houston.
In the first video, which has garnered over 204,200 views, she explains that the first part of her trip to New York went without any issues.
“I flew from Houston to LaGuardia, no problems,” she says. “Nobody said anything to me.”
It was when she was waiting to board her flight back home that she says staff approached her while asking nearby passengers to check their bags.
“She tells me, ‘Have you flown in with Southwest?’” she says. “And I said, ‘Yes.’”
At first, she says she didn’t understand where the conversation was going. That changed when the employee began asking more pointed questions about her body.
“She said, ‘Do you fit in a seat?’” she recalls, explaining that she had just flown in without any issues. She says she also confirmed she didn’t need a seatbelt extender.
Despite that, she says the employee continued.
“She’s like, ‘Well, based on your size… you’re a very large woman… it looks like you might not be able to get on this flight,’” she says.
Keirstyn was shocked. “I was just stunned into silence,” she explains. “I couldn’t even speak. I was so embarrassed.”
She says other passengers nearby were watching the interaction, which made her even more uncomfortable.
“I’m looking around, and everybody is just staring at me,” she says. “This, to me, was absolutely mortifying.”
Then a Supervisor Steps In
In part 2 of the storytime, she explains what happened next after the initial interaction.
She says a supervisor approached her shortly after and pulled her to the front of the gate to continue the conversation.
“They told me, because of my size, that I’m a liability to other passengers,” she says. “That if I can’t fit into a seat, I’m just a danger to the other passengers.”
Instead, she says she was told to rebook for a later flight that could accommodate two seats.
“I just want to go home,” she says, recalling how emotional she felt in the moment.
She says she tried to explain that she could fit in the seat and that the person sitting next to her didn’t mind sharing space.
“They said no,” she says.
She also questioned why she was the only passenger being approached.
“I don’t see that you didn’t talk to anyone else. You only talked to me,” she recalls saying.
Eventually, she says Southwest Airlines staff printed her a new boarding pass for a flight the next day.
At that point, she says she was crying as she left the gate area, with her friend choosing to leave with her so she wouldn’t be alone.
She says one employee later showed some compassion while helping her rebook, but the overall experience left a lasting impression.
“I have never felt so small and discriminated against in my entire life up until this moment,” she says.
She eventually made it home on the flight the next day, where she sat across two seats without further issues.
According to Kierstyn, these stories deserve to be told. “This has stressed me out,” she concludes. “But things like this need to be talked about. They need to be said.”
Commenters Sympathize With Her
In the comments section, viewers expressed support and questioned how the situation was handled.
“Proud of you for speaking up online I have seen at least 10+ of the same story, and I hope southwest is listening to all of this,” one person wrote. “Keep speaking up, it is not okay to embarrass and disrespect people in front of a whole plane!!!!”
“I don’t get it. What’s the issue if your friend is the one sitting next to you? They shouldn’t have said anything else and apologized once you said that your friend is the seat next to you,” another said.
“What’s going on at Southwest. did you report it to them and what did they say ?” a third asked.
“They gave me a 150$ credit,” Keirstyn responded.
The Controversy Surrounding Plus-Size Passengers And Southwest Airlines
Hundreds of similar videos have gone viral on TikTok over the past couple of weeks, with passengers reporting being stopped at the gate, during check-in, or while waiting to board and asked to purchase a second seat.
These reports come as Southwest Airlines updated what it calls its “Customer of Size” policy. Previously, passengers who needed extra space could purchase a second seat and receive a refund after the flight.
Under the change, passengers who need more space are required to purchase a second seat and are not guaranteed a refund. Instead, refunds are only issued if the flight has at least one empty seat.
Stand-up comedian Asia Chardonay said airline staff denied her boarding unless she paid an additional $406, prompting her to request a refund and book with another airline. Another passenger, TikTok creator Ryan Velazquez, said check-in agents asked him to pay $355 if he wanted to board his flight home. Fearing he would be “banned for life,” he paid the fee.
Much of the criticism centers on how the airline staff is making these decisions. Critics say they appear to be determining who needs a second seat based on appearance. Interestingly, Southwest Airlines passengers had the opposite problem before the change. Several Redditors said staff didn’t think they qualified for a free second seat.
10 months ago, one user on r/SouthwestAirlines said their husband, whose “weight fluctuates between 300-325 [pounds],” said the check-in agent “didn’t think he was big enough” to use the extra seat policy.
Another user shared a similar story. “I’m obese, literally on obesity medication, and she told me I don’t qualify for the extra seat,” they wrote, referring to the Southwest Airlines check-in agent.
@lilcatron Truly horrible experience #southwest #plussizesouthwest #discriminationawareness #storytime #policy
BroBible has reached out to Southwest Airlines via email and Keirstyn via TikTok messages for comment.