A Nashville woman is speaking out after Southwest Airlines allegedly canceled her ticket at the gate because she didn't purchase a second seat to accommodate her size. Ruby Cosby says the situation nearly caused her to miss a cruise through Mexico, and she wants answers.

Cosby said she has always flown Southwest without any problems, but that changed on Feb. 28 when she tried to board a flight to LAX. She says a Southwest agent would not let her board without purchasing an additional ticket due to her size, according to WAFB.

Cosby was initially reluctant to go public with her experience. She feared the backlash and body shaming that could come with sharing the story. But she ultimately decided the situation was too frustrating to stay quiet about.

"I can fit in the seat like I have fit in the seat with no problem for many years," Cosby said.

Since Cosby didn't have enough money for another purchase in the moment, the gate agent canceled her ticket. She called her family from the airport to tell them what happened, and they sent her enough money to buy another ticket so she could make her cruise.

What happened next only added to the confusion. When she went back to the counter to rebook, another agent issued her a ticket without requiring her to buy two seats. But when she mentioned a bag transfer, the first agent came out again and told her she still couldn't rebook without purchasing two seats. The agents also allegedly refused to apply the credit from her previous flight, saying she would have to wait for a refund on basic economy tickets.

Cosby was ultimately able to make her cruise after purchasing a one-way ticket through Delta Airlines for $350. As of this report, she said she had not heard back from Southwest regarding the experience.

The incident is tied to Southwest's updated "customers of size" policy, which went into effect as the airline overhauled its entire boarding system. Southwest officially completed its transition to assigned seating on January 27, 2026, replacing its decades-long open seating system. The airline says the shift to assigned seats requires updates to policies for passengers who may need extra space.

Southwest's policy states the company "may determine, in its sole discretion, that an additional seat is necessary for safety purposes."

In a statement, a Southwest spokesperson said the airline had been communicating changes to its policy for nearly a year. "Our extra seat policy — along with other policies — went into effect on Jan. 27 as we now must account for each individual seat in the cabin ahead of boarding," the statement read. "Our goal is always to provide a comfortable experience for everyone on board; however, with assigned seating, adjacent seats may sometimes already be occupied."

The airline added that it had reached out directly to Cosby to address her concerns.

Cosby's story has sparked a wider conversation about how airlines handle plus-size passengers, particularly as carriers continue tightening cabin layouts and maximizing seat capacity. Across the aviation industry, approaches to accommodating plus-sized passengers vary widely, with some carriers requiring advance notice while others provide specific seating arrangements or charge for upgrades.