Airlines

Couple flying Southwest divides opinion by blocking row of seats while searching for ‘right’ passenger

A video of a couple blocking seats on a Southwest Airlines flight while looking for the “perfect person” to sit next to them caused controversy on the internet.

Despite the cancellations, Southwest’s seating strategy can cause additional havoc when passengers board the aircraft from Dallas. Southwest planes have a “open seating” policy, meaning there are no assigned seats, according to the airline website. Instead, passengers are given a boarding group—A, B, or C—as well as a position—one to 60—that determines when they board the aircraft.

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A video shared by Instagram user Jeff Martin (@jjmartin.stf) has now gone viral, demonstrating how one couple claimed two seats while looking for the “perfect person” to occupy the third. The video shows Martin’s wife sitting two seats across from him on the aisle seat, as she combed through passengers boarding the Southwest flight in search of a seat.

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A post shared by Jeff Martin (@jjmartin.stf)

A flight on Southwest. I added over the footage, “We took the aisle and window until we located the proper person. The woman turns to her husband and gestures at a younger man wearing headphones as he approaches their row of seats. He agrees when she taps him on the shoulder and asks him if he’d want to sit in their row.

Despite the fact that Martin labelled the video “Southwest Airlines etiquette,” many viewers didn’t seem to support the couple’s choice of sitting.

The person questioned , “What does ‘right’ mean?,” and a third responded, “Childish behaviour.”

Another person remarked, “I don’t find it surprising that individuals do things like this. “

While others promised to follow the pair’s example on their subsequent flights, others praised the couple for their Southwest etiquette.

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Airlines

DOT Proposes New Passenger Compensation Rules for Flight Disruptions

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has unveiled a major initiative to enhance protections for air travelers affected by flight cancellations or significant delays caused by airlines.

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This Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) seeks public feedback on new measures that could require airlines to compensate passengers and provide necessary services automatically.

Key Proposals by the DOT:

Cash Compensation for Airline-Caused Disruptions
- Airlines may be required to pay passengers at least $200 in cash for flight disruptions caused by circumstances under their control, such as mechanical issues or IT failures.
- A tiered compensation system is being considered:
  - $200–$300 for domestic delays of 3–6 hours.
  - $375–$525 for delays lasting 6–9 hours.
  - $750–$775 for delays exceeding 9 hours.
- The DOT is exploring whether smaller airlines should have different compensation thresholds and whether compensation is needed if passengers are notified weeks in advance of a disruption.
Free Rebooking on the Next Available Flight
- Airlines may be obligated to rebook passengers at no extra cost if a flight is canceled or delayed by at least 3 hours domestically or 6 hours internationally.
- Rebooking options may include:
  - Flights operated by the airline or its codeshare partners.
  - Flights on other carriers with which the airline has a commercial agreement if no suitable options are available within 24 hours.
Provision of Meals, Lodging, and Transportation
- Airlines may need to cover meals, overnight accommodations, and transportation for stranded passengers.
- Minimum reimbursements could be established when services aren’t provided upfront, ensuring passengers can recoup costs even without submitting receipts, up to a defined limit.

The DOT’s proposals draw inspiration from consumer protection frameworks in countries like Canada, Brazil, the UK, and the European Union. Research suggests that EU compensation requirements have successfully reduced the frequency and length of delays, demonstrating the effectiveness of such measures.

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Passengers currently face numerous hurdles when seeking compensation or services, including vague policies, lack of upfront communication, and reliance on in-person requests at airports. The new rulemaking aims to close these gaps by establishing clear, enforceable standards for airlines.

Public input on the proposed measures will shape the final rules. The DOT hopes these changes will create a more accountable and passenger-friendly system, ensuring travelers are better supported during disruptions.

With these proposed rules, the DOT seeks to make airline travel more reliable and fair, setting a new standard for passenger rights in the United States.