LANDING an empty seat next to yours on a plane can feel like winning the jackpot on a flight.

But one airline actually offers them out for free to "passengers of exceptional size.”

4 Southwest Airlines offers free extra seats to 'Passengers of exceptional size' Credit: Getty - Contributor

US firm Southwest Airlines has adopted the policy to prevent larger travellers from disturbing the person in the seat next to them.

The trick was revealed by Julien Delvat on Quora, in a thread about clever airline hacks that people might not know about.

He said: "When you make your reservation, reserve two seats in your name but for the second seat, make the middle name 'XS' (so 'John XS Smith').

"You will have to pay for the 2nd seat, temporarily at least."

4 The airline runs the policy to prevent a larger traveller from disturbing the person in the seat next to them Credit: Corbis - Getty

He continued: "On the day of your flight, check in with the agent [and] they will hand you a pre-boarding pass and a “Seat reserved” card."

Passengers can then take advantage of early boarding for free, choosing the two seats they want on the plane that are not escape row or extra leg room seats.

They can reserve the empty seat next to them by putting the “Seat Reserved” card on it.

Julien then revealed that the passenger can then get their extra seat refunded after the flight.

4 Passengers can also take advantage of early boarding for free, choosing the two seats they want on the plane that are not escape row or extra leg room seats Credit: Alamy

He said: "After your trip, call SWA Customer Service and request a refund of your XS Seat ticket.

"They will give it to you with no questions asked, other than the reservation number, even if the plane was oversold and folks got bumped for your empty seat."

Julien even claims that passengers who use a credit card that awards air miles for purchases can keep the points they accrued for the extra seat after the refund.

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When Sun Online Travel contacted Southwest Airlines about the claims, they said: "The information provided all looks accurate."

A post on their website clarifying the rules said: "The purchase of additional seats serves as a notification to Southwest of a special seating need, and allows us to adequately plan for the number of seats that will be occupied on the aircraft.

"In turn, this helps to ensure we can accommodate all Customers on the flight/aircraft for which they purchased a ticket and avoid asking Customers to relinquish their seats for an unplanned accommodation.

"Most importantly, it ensures that all Customers onboard have access to safe and comfortable seating."

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Just last week, a tearful mum was branded a "smelly fatty" by a United Airlines passenger.

Last November, research showed that four in five travellers wanted overweight travellers to sit in special fat zones on aircraft.

The plus-sized passengers would have to pay extra to sit in the area, which would offer wider seats, aisles and leg room.

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