Service animal

[debenio]

First time flying with Southwest & have 62lb service dog. Have regularly flown on other airline only in "big front seats".  Being she is a large dog is there a special or larger space seat available to accomadate her? Don't know the demensions but don't think she will fit in space on floor in regular seating. Flying FLL- EWR 737-800

[LindseyD]

Hi @debenio, 

Thanks for posting in the Community! 

We can accommodate your service animal in the front row. You can speak with the Customer Service Agent at the gate to receive a document for pre-boarding so you can sit in one of those seats. Also, you can purchase an additional seat to ensure that there will be sufficient space for you and your service animal, and we will honor a refund of the second seat once your travel is completed. 

[sleeper692]

Can you tell me how the refund procedure works?  I have an 80lb service dog and having that extra seat can make a huge difference, especially on a longer flight.  Any chance for a reduced fare for that extra seat?  How do I make a reservation for an empty seat?  Who do I enter as a passenger?My dog on the floor at the bulkhead seats.

I also wish to add that, since my dog came home with me 2 years ago, I have flown exclusively on Southwest.  From the second I walk in the front door of the airport to the minute I leave at my destination, Southwest employees are always the most friendly and helpful I have ever encountered.  They have always cheerfully accomodated my dog in the terminal and during flights.  

I run into a lot of problems at other places with my dog but Southwest always makes my air travel as painless as possible and I am truly grateful for that!

[LindseyD]

Hi @sleeper692,

You can book online or call in if you want to purchase proactively. Please note, you should only should be purchasing the extra seat if the animal is so large that it can't fit within your personal foot space (the animal is not allowed to actually physically occupy a seat). If you opt to book online, you would follow our Customer of Size policy process and add the extra seat. 

Post travel, you can either write to us and request the refund, or call Customer Relations.

[sleeper692]

Thank you for all the information!  This is going to save me a lot of having to deal with other passengers and limites space.

[creolebrs]

This original string was initiated many years ago; please advise if this is still the case in 2023 because my service dog is over 85 lbs and 11 months old only to get much larger.

Thanks.

[DancingDavidE]

Here is the current guidance on service animals:

Flying with Service Animals | Southwest Airlines

This older thread is the only place I've ever seen mention about buying an extra seat for the floorspace.