Southwest Airlines in the United States has introduced a new rule requiring larger passengers to purchase an extra seat if they occupy the adjacent one, sparking controversy. The new policy cancels the previous more lenient 'purchase and refund' arrangement and changes it so that refunds are only possible if the flight has available seats; otherwise, passengers must pay out of pocket. Some passengers said that even though they were not obviously 'over size,' ground staff on-site still required them to buy an extra ticket, or they could not board, with costs approaching a thousand dollars. The airline stated that the armrest would be used as the seat boundary standard, but many people questioned this, saying that such a judgment is too subjective and deciding by sight alone is likely to cause disputes. Currently, opinions are divided, with some believing this protects the rights of others, while others criticize it as discriminatory.