Eww: “Wet” Seats On Southwest Raise Eyebrows
Alright, fellow flyers, buckle up (just maybe not in this particular pair of seats). Southwest, the airline with the seating policy that’s a cross between a lottery and the Hunger Games, has found a new way to make your flying experience a tad more, umm, interesting.
A Reddit post by u/Zorbaing shows a row on a Southwest flight with a clear “do not occupy” placard on both the aisle and middle seats. Why? Well, according to the post, these seats are apparently “wet.” And sure, the window seat is technically up for grabs, but who knows what olfactory adventure awaits next to the damp duo? Cue the collective “eww.”
Personally, I’m all for personal space, but even I would have to draw the line at this lone window seat. Call me a germaphobe, but I’d rather not play detective with mysterious liquids at cruising altitude. In the golden age of wipeable, pleather seats, a spilled drink should be a quick cleanup job. Taking a seat out of commission is no small matter, and leads me to believe that this was likely a biohazard situation rather than a simple spill.
And while this “wet” seat saga might be an exceptional outlier case, it’s hard not to wonder if Southwest is keeping its planes as spick and span as they should be. Remember the pandemic? Even during the height of airlines and airports taking extreme measures to mitigate the spread of the virus, Southwest seemed to miss the memo on the whole “cleaning” thing, continuing to prioritize quick turns and cost savings over cleanliness. Pandemic or not, I don’t think not being forced to sit in someone’s mess for hours on end is too big of an ask.
So, what’s your take on this soggy situation? Would you have risked the lone window seat, or is personal space more precious than a row to yourself? Share your thoughts below.